Sustainable Education Handbook: Curriculum

Consumption: Understanding Our Individual and Global Impacts

» Connections: A Curriculum in Appropriate Technology for 5th & 6th grades (5-6)

Contact: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Box 3838 Butte, MT 59701
$5.00 for teachers guide with reproducible activities for classroom
Very good, integrated curriculum discussing the effects of our everyday actions on the environment. Topics include: waste, water, energy, gardening, recycling, transportation---discussion, activities and quizzes for each section.

» Earth Matters: Studies for our Global Future (9-12)

Contact: Zero Population Growth (ZPG)1400 16th St. NW. Suite 320, Washington, D.C. 20036
1-800-767-1956 or www.zpg.org/education or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Curriculum is correlated to the National Framework Standards, excellently researched, interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on the effects of world population growth. Topics covered include: population dynamics, climate change, air pollution, water resources, deforestation, food and hunger, waste disposal, wildlife endangerment, energy issues, wealth and poverty, economics, and solutions to these issues.

» Ecological Footprint: Leaving Shallow Footprints (6-12)

Contact: Redefining Progress, Mathis Wackernagel or
Population Coalition, Monty and Marilyn Hempel, 1476 N. Indian Hill, Claremont, CA 91711
www.rprogress.org or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
to measure the footprint of your school: www.secondnature.org
Mathis Wackernagel developed the Footprint calculator to help individuals evaluate how many resources they are using in terms of energy. Each person is given a fixed amount of energy use per year and this exercise helps determine priorities. Many versions are available now. Excellent exercise, especially for school energy assessment projects.

» Living in a Material World: Lessons on Commercialism, Consumption and Environment (9-12)

Contact: Center for A New America Dream, 6930 Carroll Ave, Suite 900, Takoma Park, MD 20912
202-332-9110 or www.newdream.org
$10
Eight lesson plans and activities exploring the effects of advertising , commercialism, and consumption on the environment and society. Curriculum offers creative ways to counter commercialism and increase care for students’ communities.

» Population and Consumption (9-12)

Contact: Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Popnet, Karen Hlynsky, 55 Chapel St. NewtonMA 02458-1060
401-941-8249 or khlynsky@edc,org or www.edc.org
Popnet helps students understand the issues of population growth, resource consumption and the long term impacts of this issue. Pre and post tests, vocabulary, and copy ready exercises included in curriculum.

» The Paper Trail: Connecting Economics and Natural Systems (7-12)

Contact: The Sustainability Education Center of the American Forum for Global Education, Jamie Cloud, 120 Wall St. Suite 2600 NY, NY 10005
212-624-1300 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Curriculum tracks paper through its full life cycle. Designed for middle and high school students, interdisciplinary curriculum. Topics include decision-making relating to: production, consumption, economics of paper use and production. Geography, social studies and environmental concerns addressed.