"We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth Community with a common destiny."
–from the Preamble of the United Nations Earth Charter

The Planet Earth Show Follow-Up Projects
WHAT FAMILIES CAN DO AT HOME

Your Eco Footprint measures the amount of nature you need to support your choices about Food, Home and Moving Around.

Discover your Eco Footprint at:

Here’s what to do to make your Eco Footprint smaller:

  • Precycling: Refuse what you don’t need, Reduce what you do need, Reuse what you can’t reduce
  • Recycle what you can’t reuse and when buying...Buy Recycled if you can.
  • Watch this cool video: www.storyofstuff.com and do The BIG 10!!!!

 

The BIG 10:

Food

1. Choose organic, locally grown vegetables and fruits. Eat less meat and dairy— healthy & uses less energy. Join a CSA, Shop Farmers’ Markets, Grow a garden.

2. Drink & carry tap water, not bottled—cheaper & cleaner.

3. Use cloth bags for food shopping and reusable containers for leftovers & lunches.

 

Home

4. Change your regular light bulbs to CFLs (spiral lights)

5. OFF is Beautiful: turn off water, lights, and unplug electronics when not in use.

6. Get a thermostat that you can program to turn down the heat or the cooling when away or sleeping at night. Try: winter: 68 F summer: 78 F; dress for the season

7. Keep sun OUT on hot days IN on cold days with shades, blinds or curtains.

8. Wash only FULL loads in dish & clothes washers—use clothesline to dry clothes.

9. 9. Get Wind Energy as “carbon off-sets” for your home: www.NativeEnergy.com. Wind energy is clean and healthier for everyone. It can be scaled up to help make a clean energy grid.


Moving Around

10. Here are the most to least sustainable ways to travel:

  • Walk or Bike
  • Bus or Train
  • Carpool…then, if you must, drive your
  • Car…but please make your next car a hybrid or super-fuel economy model.

Bonus Action Step

Call your Senators and Representative. Contact information at www.congress.org

Tell them to:


Shift FOCUS: from finite carbon energy to clean, inexhaustible, climate-stabilizing energy

Shift FUNDS: from fossil fuels subsidies to energy efficiency, wind & solar subsidies

Please fight for and pass subsidy-shifting bills in the US Congress to fund green jobs and the clean, renewable energy economy.

 

Go to Planet Earth Show for grades K-6

 

Go to One Earth, One Family, One Future for grades 6-12, universities, and community organizations