A Climate Scientist Who Decided Not to Fly
Articles/Websites
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by Grist
What it is
- In this article, climate scientist Peter Kalmus explains why he stopped flying in airplanes after he realized how much flying contributed to his carbon footprint.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This article prompts students to think about how their individual choices contribute to the global issue of climate change.
- The article includes a pie chart and a graph that show Peter Kalmus's carbon footprint before and after he decided to make changes to his lifestyle.
- Students will also learn about other ways the author was able to reduce his carbon footprint through vegetarianism, growing his own food, biking to work, and composting.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should know how and why burning fossil fuels causes climate change.
Differentiation
- Students can use this carbon footprint calculator to learn more about their own carbon footprint and then create an action plan to reduce their emissions.
- English language arts classes could read this article and discuss the techniques that the author used to convey his message. Students could think about the tone of the article and how it shapes the reader's opinion on flying.
From the scientist review
There is no standard parameter or instrument the author used in measuring or estimating the amount of emission from the gasoline he burns or during air travel from 2010-2014 (period of survey). However, the content can guide students on how to mitigate individual carbon footprints.
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