Homework for 3-8

Freshwater footprint calculator.

Post your score as a comment.

Read this article and prepare for a classroom debate: how can we better solve the environmental crisis?  Will it be through:

1. private businesses, making decisions that will maximize their profits in the short and long terms? [Friedman seems to think this is at least part of the solution]
2. governments, using either carrots (incentives) or sticks (punishments) to make individuals, businesses, and potentially other countries fix their problems?  [Gore is proposing that this is the main part of the solution]
3. something else, like individuals making choices based on philosophy, character, or belief, that eventually leads to collective action?  [see below]

OH MY!  You'll be doing this in groups, and you'll have class time (an hour) to prepare for a discussion/debate. 

If your last name begins with a letter between (and including) A-G, your argument should be primarily based on choice 1 - private businesses. 

If your last name begins with the letters H-R or Salmeron, you must argue primarily choice 2 - government. 

If your last name is toward the end of the alphabet - S-Z - argue choice 3.  You have the biggest challenge in front of you; research environmental nonprofits that primarily use their own funds to accomplish goals that are not legislative, that focus on changing individual behavior, or similar.  You can also look into Christian environmentalism, Buddhism, eco-feminism, or any similar philosophy.  You can even try the stranger political groups: collectivists, libertarian environmentalists, or anarchists. 

Here's the rest of the Al Gore talk.  It includes a short interview at the end.  I'd be happy to hear any of your thoughts.