A Quick Introduction to Sustainability

Google Integrative Mathematics/Science/Technology Project

Ellen P. MetzgerOctober 4, 2011

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe - John Muir

Google Project Goals

Introduction to climate change (and more broadly, sustainability) to foster interdisciplinary discussions about how climate change

would fit in the existing curriculum and enhance connections between science, mathematics, and

technology

Culminating experience (Dec. 6) will enable students to share, critically reflect, and

showcase how they embedded technology-driven cross-disciplinary climate change themes in their unit plans.

The Team Eugene Cordero – Meteorology and Climate Science Resa Kelly – Chemistry/Science Education Ellen Metzger – Geology/Science Education Ferdinand Rivera – Mathematics/Mathematics Education Michelle Steever – Science Education

What do we mean by “sustainability?” What do people need for well-being now and into the future? What are the connections between natural and human systems? How can standards-based science, math (and other subjects) be made more relevant through a sustainability/climate change “lens?”

Not an add-on but rather a new context for what we already teach

Agenda

Connections Science-social studies-geography-health-math Water-food-energy-materials connections

Sustainability related to students’ lives People and the environment

Interconnectedness of lifestyle, population, and environmental impacts

The Earth System

Cosmosphere

Source : Dr. Rick BehlCSU Long Beach

Human and Natural Systems in Collision

Sustainability What does the word “sustainability” mean to

you?

Exercise 1: Think-Pair-Share

What is your understanding of the term “sustainability?” Write down your definition and then compare notes with your neighbor.

Exercise 2: Picturing SustainabiltyThe diagrams below show two common portrayals of how the “3E’s” [Environment, Economy and Equity (or Society)] of sustainability relate to one other.

Which diagram represents the way you think about sustainability and why ?

A common definition

The World Commission on

Environment and Development (the

Brundtland Commission) in its

report Our Common Future (1987):

“Sustainable development is development that meets theneeds of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

What do people need? What do they want? Who gets to decides?

Sustainability: More than the environment

Three “dimensions” of sustainability:The “3 Es” Environment Economy Society

Includes intra- and intergenerational equity

Sustainability as a Process We know what unsustainable practices look

like, but we’re learning about a sustainable future as we go along

Education for sustainability Interdisciplinary Skills:

Systems thinkingCritical thinkingProblem solving

What supports our well-being?

Well-being: Supported through the interdependence of natural and cultural Commons.

Natural Commons: sunlight, air, waterCultural/Social Commons: language, town squares, education

The “Commons”: “Everything we inherit or create together and must pass on, undiminished, to future generations.”

Soils + food marketsSewers + bacteria Sunsets + poetry

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Sustainabilty and Climate ChangeWhat’s the connection?

Climate change Science Symptoms Solutions

What are the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change?

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Globalpopulation

present10,000 ybp

CO2

CH4

N2O

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This graph shows an exampleof an exponential curve.

The modern world, and your life,are affected by many exponential curves.

Any discussion of climate, or ANY modern issue, should consider this particular curve.

An Introduction to Google Earth Who has used Google Earth? Who has used GE as a teaching tool? Video: Climate Change in Google Earth

http://www.google.com/landing/cop15/

Lesson: “As the World Turns”See resource page for more examples of how to use

Google Earth as teaching tool.