LINKING-TO-LIFE PROJECT - PART A
YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
(worth 10 pts)

Due in the Dropbox on Tuesday September 10th (30 minutes before class begins)
Also bring a copy of your results to class on Tuesday the 10th

printer-friendly version of this assignment  [pdf]

DIRECTIONS

1)      Complete the Background Reading

·         page 18 in Class Notes (will be available to purchase this week  - Dr H will announce when)

·         pp 182-183 in Dire Predictions

·         Explanatory pages on the Global Footprint Network website:

o    World Footprint 
 http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/world_footprint/

o    Carbon Footprint
 http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/carbon_footprint/

o    Frequently Asked Questions
 http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/frequently_asked_questions/


2) Compute your Ecological Footprint using the calculator at this website:
                            http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/ 

·         IMPORTANT:  Select USA for your LOCATION even if you are from another country.
When you are done, your results will be displayed on the screen in a Results Box that looks something like this one which was produced by “Stella Student”:

·         Copy, “snip” or make a “screen shot” of the Results Box image and paste it into a Word document file (.doc or .docx) with your name typed on it.  (Also indicate the date you calculated your Footprint and got these results. You will use the Results Box in class and may want to refer back to it later in the semester as your project evolves.)

 

3)   Summarize your Ecological Footprint results   

·      Study your results and write a Summary of what you learned by calculating your Ecological Footprint. Your summary should be one or two paragraphs long and written in your own words (200-300 words).  It should describe what you observed and learned. Be specific about the connection between the choices you made as you went through the footprint calculator and the resulting categories that are spelled out in the Results Box. Also compare your results to the USA Average Ecological Footprint based on the following Results Box:

https://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/kkh/natsgc/images/img40.jpg

Criteria for an Excellent Written Summary: 

An excellent written summary will . . .

·         address the ability of Planet Earth’s resources to support a lifestyle like yours

·          articulate a clear connection between the choices you made while going through the footprint calculator and the different types and amounts of land area needed to provide the resources to support those choices (i.e. “energy land,” “crop land,” etc. as indicated in the Results Box)

·         discuss differences in the size of the sectors that provide the things you need to support your lifestyle (i.e., food, shelter, mobility, goods, and services) as indicated in the Results Box

·         based on the above, make a thoughtful comparison between your footprint and the USA average  (in Planet Earths, global acres, and tons of carbon dioxide) and provide possible reasons for any differences

        A generalized grading rubric is shown at the end of the assignment directions.
                       The point-based grading rubric will be visible in the Dropbox.

 

4)  Submit your assignment to the D2L Dropbox in the proper format

·            Prepare your assignment document for submission.  It must contain the following:  
               q   Your Name, the date and “Part A- Ecological Footprint” at the top
               q   Your Results Box – described in item (2) above
               q   Your Written Summary – described in item (3) above

·            Save your complete assignment as either a WORD document or a PDF file.  Only .doc, docx or .pdf files will be accepted.  The following file types are NOT acceptable: .png, .tiff, .pages.  If you have a MAC, be sure you have saved your file in an acceptable format before you submit it. 

·            Submit the file to the D2L Dropbox by Tuesday Sep 10th,  no later than 30 minutes before class

·            Bring a copy of your Footprint Results Box to class on Tuesday Sept 10th  (on paper or electronically)

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE DROPBOX SUBMISSION PROCESS
 Read this before you attempt to submit your assignment to the Dropbox!

ü  Submitting a file to the Assignment Dropbox is a 5-Step Process: 

(1)  ADD a file from your computer to the upload bin

(2)  UPLOAD the file to D2L by clicking UPLOAD (note, uploading is NOT the same as submitting!)

(3)  CHECK the file you have uploaded to be sure it is readable and is the one you want to submit

(4)  SUBMIT the file to the Dropbox by clicking SUBMIT

(5)  VERIFY that your file was successfully submitted and note the time of submission so you can document this if the need should arise.

ü  Do NOT type or paste your assignment in the “comment box” on the DROPBOX submission page. If you do this it will be deleted and you will have to re-submit in the proper format (i.e. in a WORD doc, docx, or PDF)

ü  NOTE:  By submitting your paper online, you are agreeing to allow your work to be reviewed by the plagiarism-prevention program called TurnItIn.com.
Please see this Important Notice about this program.

 

 

Project Part A: Ecological Footprint General Grading Rubric
(the point distribution will be visible in the D2L Dropbox where you will submit PART A)

Excellent
  • Screenshot of results box is included.
  • Written Summary meets or exceeds the criteria for Excellence spelled out in Item 3 above.
    Summary is extremely well written and thoughtful and contains exceptional originality and/or critical thinking in making comparisons, connections between specific behaviors and Footprint results.

Very Good
  • Screenshot of results box is included.
  • Written Summary meets the criteria for Excellence spelled out in Item 3 above.
  • Summary is very well written and does a good job at making comparisons and connections between specific behaviors and your Footprint results.

Good
  • Screenshot of results box is included.
  • Written Summary meets most of the criteria for Excellence spelled out in Item 3 above, but some areas are not addressed thoroughly or deeply
  • Summary gets the point across although the writing could be more effective and/or more carefully constructed. 

Adequate
  • Screenshot of results box is included.
  • Written summary meets some of the criteria for Excellence spelled out in Item 3 above, but other areas are addressed minimally or superficially. 
  • Writing is adequate but may have some grammar or spelling issues and/or indicate that it was done rather hastily. 

Marginally acceptable
  • Screenshot of results box is included.
  • Written Summary is included, but does not reflect a clear understanding of the Footprint concept or calculator results and/or is minimally coherent
  • Writing is hampered by typos, grammar or other technical problems, and/or overly simplistic phrases.

Unacceptable
  • Screenshot and/or summary are absent
  • Assignment is submitted in a format that can't be read, or is undecipherable.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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