Month: January 2012


Local Environmental Sustainability Strategies

Corporate Environmental Sustainability Strategies

Can you spot any signs of Greenwashing?  See also,

IGCSE 10, Practice Test

Once you have completed the handout, answer the following questions:

1. Define the following terms. [4×1]

  • Sustainable development
  • Renewable resource
  • Resource conservation
  • Global warming/Global climate change

 2. Describe the benefits associated with mining.  [6]

 3. Using a specific case study, evaluate a conservation strategy in a location of your choice. [10]

4. Textbook:

  • Read p. 184-5
  • Answer question #2 on p. 197

Sustainability and the environment

In groups of 2 or 3:

Create a short blog post describing the following terms.

  • Sustainable Development
  • Environmental Sustainability. Hint: it is the seventh Millenium Development Goal
  • Environmental Sustainability Index & Environmental Performance Index
You may use tables and graphs to explain your answers.
Post the links on my blog.

Deforestation, Paper 1 style question

“Deforestation is threatening the future of the forest – with dozens of tree and plant species at risk of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, which monitors plant and animal species, calculates there are 382 plant species in Brazil at risk.” Source


1. What region had the highest number of critically endangered tree species? [1]

2. Describe the spacial distribution of endangered tree species across the globe. [3]

3:  Define the following terms: [2+2+2]

  1. biodiversity
  2. forest degradation
  3. forest fragmentation
4. Evaluate reforestation as a solution in rainforest biomes that have been affected by reduced biodiversity. [10]



1) Read the discussion of types of business

2) Write pros and cons of each business type and draw a diagram showing how they are structured

3) Draw a cartoon, showing the growth of a business from a sole proprietor to partnership to corporation


  • How is “corporation” defined?
  • Using the Definition of CSR we have studied last week, explain how Nike is following three of the points listed in the article.


Have a look at  the UNEP Vital Forest Graphics report, and BBC News’ The Amazon in Graphics  for causes of deforestation leading to reduced biodiversity.

Also, watch these videos regarding REDD.

What is the necessary scale for adress environmental problems?
Are global initiatives possible?

Corporate Social Responsibility

Our new unit question will be People vs Profit.

As we discuss Corporate Social Responsibility, think of examples of companies who may follow or not the various themes we discuss.

As groups, you will be asked to do a short presentation on one of the following company: Microsoft, Nestle and Kimberly-Clark. (Makers of Kleenex and Huggies, among many other things.) Starbucks, Exxon Mobil, BP, IBM.

What is your opinion of these companies? Do you think they are socially responsible?


Access to safe drinking water.

Sonaar Luthra demonstrates his quick and simple test to gauge if water is safe.

Engineer Michael Pritchard demonstrates his Lifesaver Bottle, capable of sterilizing dirty water in seconds. He believes that his invention could easily help meet the Millenium Development Goal of halving the number of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015.

Water and Change

Read the following New York Times Article, WATER; Pushing the Limits Of an Irreplaceable Resource, by William K. Stevens.
Answer the following questions:
1.According to the article, how were the earth and its geographic features formed?
2.Why is the total amount of available, renewable freshwater difficult to measure?
3.How have technology and urbanization affected water usage?
4.What natural disasters are related to water, and how can these disasters affect us?
5.How has human use of water biologically and geographically changed the earth?
6.Why would countries “run out of water in the future if they insist on producing their own food”? How does the presence of water relate to the wealth of a country?
7.What is irrigation, and why do some experts believe that “some dry areas will not be able to serve both the needs of farming and those of the ballooning cities” in the future?
8.How has water been a “source of conflict between regions, cultures, and countries,” and why?
9.In what ways have developed countries begun using water more efficiently, and why were some of these changes made?
Next, read the National Geographic News article, World has enoughWater for All, Experts Say; Only if People Pay, by Aliette Frank.
Discuss the following statement: 
Human factors are responsible for economic water scarcity.

Water as a resource

Today, over 700 million people suffer from water scarcity. By 2025, this number will have more than doubled.
As we discuss water as a resource, consider the impact  water scarcity has on local people and a country’s potential for development.

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