Five Earths

There is no sense of urgency to save our environment. This is largely due to an uneducated populace that cannot see past tomorrow, or simply does not care to. This unit is designed to educate young people about the impending energy crisis and to make it undeniably relevant.

If everyone on the planet lived like an American, we would need five Earths. Even though we only make up approximately five percent of the population, we consume twenty percent of the energy produced and, more incredibly, we produce forty percent of the global waste. Most of us are privy or have at least heard about the catastrophes on the horizon: global warming, rising tides, intensified and increased floods and droughts, and a litany of other disasters that could quite possibly eliminate the human race. What can we do to alleviate some of the many stresses we are placing on the Earth? This unit, geared towards middle school children, is designed to raise awareness about waste and promote an enduring lifestyle of sustainability.