SVN3M – Sustainability

Name: ______

Group Activity: Promoting Biodiversity

(adapted from Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment, accessed October 2009)

Making small changes in our food, transportation, and home can have significant impacts on preserving biodiversity. In groups, you will discuss each of the actions below, and try to connect it to the promotion of biodiversity. Try to make more than 1 direct connection for each.

Part I. Eat Sustainable Food

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Choosing to eat sustainably-harvested fish.(Several organizations provide information on what kinds of fish to buy and which ones to avoid.)
e.g. / Preserve species and food chains (species biodiversity)
Save on energy and prevents pollution from transport (preserves habitat, ecosystems biodiversity)
  1. Seeking out locally grown food whenever possible, and eating less fast food.(Read the labels for produce at the supermarket, or shop at local farmers’ markets.)
/ Less pesticides, less fossil fuel for transport – less pollution and GHGs, preserves habitat; healthier species
  1. Eating less meat and more cereals, fruits and vegetables. (By “eating lower on the food chain”, you can help reduce the amount of land used for agricultural production – why?)
/ Less meat = less grain for feeding, less energy used to raise meat = less land needed (preserve habitat)

Part II. Choose Smart Transport

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Reducing personal vehicle use and increasing use of public transit.(Combine a few errands into one trip, carpool with friends, use transit for 1 more trip this week.)
/ Less air pollution = healthier habitat, fewer resources used = more habitat
  1. Walking or biking to school when possible, and encouraging our city to be more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.
/ Same as above
  1. (For our parents) Making sure our cars are well tuned, and the tires are properly inflated. Considering buying smaller, more fuel-efficient and less polluting cars, or hybrid vehicles.
/ Less fossil fuels used = fewer resources need to be mined (protect habitat)

Create a Low Impact Home and Lifestyle

Indoors

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Choosing appliances and home heating systems with high energy-efficiency (Energy Star) ratings. Switching to an electric company that offers energy from renewable (wind, wave, or solar) power sources. (e.g. Bullfrog Power in Toronto)
/ Saving more energy, (high efficiency), don’t have to generate as much energy = less fossil fuels = protect habitat
  1. Replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.(They use a fraction of the electricity, and last up to ten times as long.
/ Same as above
  1. Recycling paper, cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles and composting (Green bin program or backyard).
/ Less litter/pollution, less land use for landfills, save energy in extracting resources = protecting habitat
  1. Recycling electronic equipment(e.g. cell phone and computer recycling and donation programs)
/ Same as above

Outside the house

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Planting trees around your home or community.
/ Attract species (provide habitat), reduce air pollution, reduce a/c energy use
  1. Reducing the amount of new things that we buy and the amount of things we throw out. (Shop at and donate to second-hand stores for clothing, shoes, electronic equipment. Refuse to buy things with a lot of packaging.)
/ Don’t need to extract as many resources = habitat protection; less garbage/waste and pollution
  1. Avoiding using things with a lot of synthetic (human-made) chemicals. (Encourage your parents to use less toxic cleaners, bleach, pesticides, or oil-based house paints. Reduce your own use of personal care items that have been tested on animals or contain a lot of chemicals.)
/ Prevents poisoning of land and water (health of animals and plants), protecting habitat for marine life

Group Activity: Promoting Biodiversity

(adapted from Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment, accessed October 2009)

Making small changes in our food, transportation, and home can have significant impacts on preserving biodiversity. In groups, you will discuss each of the actions below, and try to connect it to the promotion of biodiversity. Try to make more than 1 direct connection for each.

Part I. Eat Sustainable Food

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Choosing to eat sustainably-harvested fish.(Several organizations provide information on what kinds of fish to buy and which ones to avoid.)
e.g.
  1. Seeking out locally grown food whenever possible, and eating less fast food.(Read the labels for produce at the supermarket, or shop at local farmers’ markets.)

  1. Eating less meat and more cereals, fruits and vegetables. (By “eating lower on the food chain”, you can help reduce the amount of land used for agricultural production – why?)

Part II. Choose Smart Transport

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Reducing personal vehicle use and increasing use of public transit.(Combine a few errands into one trip, carpool with friends, use transit for 1 more trip this week.)

  1. Walking or biking to school when possible, and encouraging our city to be more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.

  1. (For our parents) Making sure our cars are well tuned, and the tires are properly inflated. Considering buying smaller, more fuel-efficient and less polluting cars, or hybrid vehicles.

Create a Low Impact Home and Lifestyle

Indoors

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Choosing appliances and home heating systems with high energy-efficiency (Energy Star) ratings. Switching to an electric company that offers energy from renewable (wind, wave, or solar) power sources. (e.g. Bullfrog Power in Toronto)

  1. Replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.(They use a fraction of the electricity, and last up to ten times as long.

  1. Recycling paper, cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles and composting (Green bin program or backyard).

  1. Recycling electronic equipment(e.g. cell phone and computer recycling and donation programs)

Outside the house

Action / How this action promotes biodiversity
  1. Planting trees around your home or community.

  1. Reducing the amount of new things that we buy and the amount of things we throw out. (Shop at and donate to second-hand stores for clothing, shoes, electronic equipment. Refuse to buy things with a lot of packaging.)

  1. Avoiding using things with a lot of synthetic (human-made) chemicals. (Encourage your parents to use less toxic cleaners, bleach, pesticides, or oil-based house paints. Reduce your own use of personal care items that have been tested on animals or contain a lot of chemicals.)