Question

STEPS

• Each student is asked to list any ten items they consume/use every day. (The list could include - pen/paper/eraser/computer/water etc.)
• Ask students to calculate the amount of natural resources being used to make these items. (For finished products like pen/pencil/computer etc., students will calculate the amount of resources and for items like water they could calculate the amount of electricity used for purifying and pumping along with gallons of water). Each would calculate and arrive at an approximate figure.

Ideas for the Teacher

• Collect the approximate figures from each student and sum up all to arrive at total resources consumed by the students of that particular class. (Teacher is to act as a facilitator and allow students to do the calculations.)
• Project this figure to other classes of the same school, then to schools across the country. The country figure could be used to measure the amount of resources being used by schools in other countries too. (The teacher is to have background information about the resources being used by students in a few select countries. While selecting countries, teacher should ensure that the selected countries belong to the developed/developing countries category).
• Ask students to imagine the amount of resources we are consuming and also to estimate future consumption.

Answer 1

Suggested activity format:

1. List ten daily-use items, such as water, paper, pen, pencil, eraser, electricity, food, clothing, mobile phone and computer.
2. Identify the resources used in making or operating each item: water, wood, minerals, petroleum, energy and land.
3. Record approximate daily consumption for each student.
4. Add the figures to estimate the class total.
5. Multiply the class estimate by the number of classes in the school.
6. Project the result to schools across the country.
7. Compare the estimate with consumption in developed and developing countries.
8. Discuss future consumption if population and demand continue to rise.
9. Suggest conservation measures such as reducing waste, reusing materials, recycling paper, saving electricity and using public transport.
10. Conclude that individual consumption, when multiplied across large populations, places significant pressure on natural resources.