Patterns of Consumption and Actions Addressing Environmental Problems

MY BODY/MY HEALTH Unit 4 --- Environment, You, & Social Activism Reflection Journal Entry This Reflection Journal Entry has two activities and is worth 100 points. Each activity is worth 50/100 points. Introduction: Completing this Unit’s Reflection Journal Entry will give you the opportunity reflect on some of your patterns of consumption and to identify actions that you can take to address the environmental problems our world is facing today. Rationale: Turning resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources puts us in global ecological “overshoot”, depleting the very resources on which human life and biodiversity depend. Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year. Americans account for only five percent of the world’s population but create one-third of the globe’s solid waste. Moderate UN scenarios suggest that if current trends continue, by the 2030s, we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us. And of course, we only have one. Individuals and institutions worldwide must begin to recognize ecological limits. We must begin to make ecological limits central to our everyday and long---term decision--- making and use our human ingenuity to find new ways to live, within the Earth’s bounds. (The theme behind Phred and Me). Activity #1 --- “Overshoot”, You, and the Well---Being of the Planet Worth 50/100 points Activity 1 has two parts: Part A and Part B Part A: Watch “The Story of Stuff” (link below) and answer the following questions: 1) What is the “Golden Arrow of Consumption”? 2) Who is Victor Lebow and why did he say in the 1950’s that is so important to us today? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM Part B: Reflect and answer the following questions: 1) What factors influence your decision to buy something new? 2) List the last five products you purchased that were not food or drink (clothes, electronics, etc). Why did you buy each one of these products? If you needed it, why did 2 you need it? If you wanted it, why did you want it?Explain. 3) What is the difference between a “want” and a “need”? 4) Consumption habits include both spending habits and one’s personal habits of usage of products/material items, such as the number of paper towels one uses in the restroom, choices around food, clothing, personal hygiene items, etc. List 3 positive and 3 negative consumption habits someone might have. Explain. 5) Create a list of 5 reasons why it is difficult to change your consumption habits when you are living in your day---to---day routine. 6) What is a consumption habit you personally have, that you would be willing to work on changing after watching “The Story of Stuff”? Why? How could go about doing this? How would you and the planet both benefit? Please Note: o The minimum word count for Activity 1 is 450 words using 12---point Arial font. You can go over 450 words if you want. o See below for additional grading criteria. Activity #2 - ­ ­ “Our Environment and Mental Models” Worth 50/100 points Read the following and answer the questions: