Assignment

Solutions Assignment – 21 pts.

This week, we’re considering how to make environmental change.  We’ve covered a lot of topics this semester, but it turns out that the solutions are universal – so what are they?

Start by reading the Covid Footprint Sham by Mark Kaufmanhttps://mashable.com/feature/carbon-footprint-pr-campaign-sham/

• What is a carbon footprint? (1 pt.)
• Who came up with the term, “carbon footprint” (1 pt.)

Use any footprint calculator on the internet to answer the following questions.  Run the calculator twice – once with your data from before the pandemic, and once using your data after you started sheltering in place.

• What was your carbon footprint prepandemic? (1 pt.)
• What was your carbon footprint during the pandemic? (1 pt.)
• What is the difference between those two numbers?(1 pt.)

• According to your own research and what Kaufman wrote, what did the pandemic teach us about shrinking individual carbon footprints? Does your personal data support Kaufman’s argument?  (2 pts.)

• Why does BP want us to believe that the solution to climate change is individual actions like carpooling more and recycling? (1 pt.)

Read “The Challenging Politics of Climate Change” by Elaine Kamarck linked on blackboard.

• What’s the scariest part of climate change to you? (1 pt.)
• According to Kamarck, what influences belief regarding the importance of climate change? (1 pt.)
• In one sentence each, identify and explain the four reasons given by Kamarck for why we have difficulty understanding climate change. (4 pts.)
• According to Kamarck, will technology save us? Why or why not?  (2 pts.)
• According to Kamarck, will increasing science literacy (education) save us? Why or why not? (2 pts).
• According to Kamarck, how will the storytellers help save us and why are they important? (2 pts)
• What solution is identified by both Kaufman AND Kamarck as the most important part of solving climate change and other environmental problems? (1 pt.)