Footprint Calculator
Activity - Classroom
Grades5-12Social Studies, Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Global Footprint Network
What it is
- This interactive tool from Global Footprint Network guides students through questions about their daily activities, household, travel/commuting habits, diet, waste, and living conditions to provide an estimate of their carbon emissions, a land use chart, an estimate of their ecological footprint, and their consumption of resources by category.
- Students can see which climate solutions may be the most impactful for individuals and societies as they gain insight into actions they can take and actions that will need systemic change.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This resource provides insight into the many activities and choices we make each day that require energy, space, and resources.
Prerequisites
- It would be beneficial for students to have a basic understanding of what an eco-footprint or carbon footprint is and know how to read a bar graph or pie chart.
- Students will see their results in a pie chart, bar graph, in the number of Earths it would take to support our global population if everyone lived like them, and their personal "overshoot" day.
- After using the tool, encourage students to make sustainable choices without making them feel guilty for things out of their control.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can take the quiz over and over to see the impacts of different choices.
- Other footprint calculators include the Foodprint Calculator by Harvard University, Calculate Your Carbon Footprint by the Nature Conservancy, and Carbon Check by Biointeractive.
- To discuss the many solutions, feelings, societal changes, and need for international cooperation and prioritization, students can explore Project Drawdown's table of top climate solutions, their "Emergency Brake" solutions to quickly reduce greenhouse gas concentrations, this resource about climate finance and gender equality, or these videos about taking action and climate guilt.
From the scientist review
The resource is suitable to analyze individual carbon footprints. The calculator is user-friendly and contains relevant climate indicators and controls. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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Hosted on footprintcalculator.org
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