Decarbonize Your Life

Provided by: Stanford Understand Energy |Published on: February 16, 2025

Scientific Reports

9101112AP

Synopsis

This interactive report from Stanford Understand Energy provides infographics, charts, and detailed information about actions individuals can take to reduce their personal carbon emissions.
The content is broken into sections: home, transportation, food, clothes, work, and kids, with additional sections for taking bigger steps.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Social Studies, Biology

Authors: Stanford Understand Energy

Region: United States

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

Students with climate anxiety may benefit from this list of actionable steps, using it to feel more empowered to affect change.
The Take Action section can inspire students to participate in larger projects to reduce emissions.

Prerequisites

Students should understand the impacts of climate change and how human-induced carbon emissions are the main cause of it.
Some of the links within the article are broken.

Differentiation & Implementation

Before reading this article, students can use a Footprint Calculator to determine the areas they or their families need to decarbonize the most.
Teachers can pair this resource with one that talks about solutions to systemic issues, such as activism or government policies.
After reading this list, students can discuss how it can be adapted for school use. Students can then create posters to inform other students about ways they can decarbonize in school.
Students can choose one strategy from the list to implement for a week or a month and journal regularly about their experience. At the end of the time period, students can create presentations to share their big takeaways with the class.
After reading the section about decarbonizing in the workplace, students can research green careers of their choice. Alternatively, teachers can use this section to segue into a lesson about a specific green career, like this Chief Heat Officer lesson.

Scientist Notes

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Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Stanford Understand Energy

Stanford University’s Understand Energy Learning Hub provides free access to Stanford course content on energy resources from fossil fuels like oil and coal to renewable resources like the wind, the sun, and efficiency; energy currencies like electricity and hydrogen; and energy services such as transportation and buildings. Explore the Hub and build your energy literacy to address climate change and sustainability issues, engage on equity and human development challenges, participate in energy industry markets and technology innovations, and make informed energy decisions.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.