Civic Education for Sustainability

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: 

Energy is a critical source that enables human lifestyle. For many years, fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) were used for transportation, industry, electricity production, heating etc'. Using these sources; causes air pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases that are triggering the changes in the global climate. The awareness in the world of the need and the importance to replace the fossil sources with renewal, such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric, is increasing. Investing in renewable energy sources is not only from environmental consideration, but also from political and economical.The rise in the prices of fossil fuels, the depletion of the world reservoirs and the dependence on countries that supply the fuels empowers the need to seek for alternative energy resources.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will internalize the environmental, health, economical and political implications of using fossil fuels vs. renewable one.

Students will be aware of the need to use renewable energy resources instead of fossil sources.

Students will reduce unnecessary energy consumption. Will use energy saving bulbs and electrical appliances with environmental certification

Students will consider using renewable energy sources in their daily life.

Students will recognize the optional energy sources: fossil and renewal, their advantages and disadvantages.

Students will understand that:

The use of fossil energy sources increases the emission of the greenhouse gas – CO₂ that contributes to global warming and climate changes. Increasing the use of renewable energy sources will enable replacement of fusil sources, reducing CO₂emission and global warming.

Using fossil sources contributes to air, water and soil pollution that is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources has an economic impact because it has been found to reduce premature mortality, healthcare costs and lost workdays.

Using renewable energies may increase countries independence of energy suppliers.

ACTIVITIES:

Activity 1: Divide the class into groups. Each group will concentrate on a specific source of energy. Each group will list the advantages and disadvantages of this energy source and will prepare a power point presentation to the class. 

Activity 2: Students will collect their family's electrical consumption for the last year. They will then present a graph of energy consumption per person (family consumption/number of persons in their family) per month. They will

• Describe the graph
• Explain  what causes the monthly variations in the graph 
• Suggest how to reduce energy consumption in the family 
• Suggest how to reduce energy consumption in the community

Activity 3: To show excerpts of the film about the car which is powered by solar energy and discuss the pros and cons of using solar powered cars and analyze the reasons why the idea was not a success. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Compulsory Literature: