Identifying the Link Between People and the Environment

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Identifying the Link Between People and the Environment

Materials Needed

Computers with Internet access
"Critical Links: Population, Health, and the Environment," Population Bulletin 58.3 pp. 3-10; 17-30 (PDF: 274KB)
Chart 1. "Sources of Data for a Human-Environment Inquiry" (PDF: 9KB)
Chart 2. "A Human-Environment Inquiry" (PDF: 13KB)
Almanacs, atlases, and other print resources

Instructions

Direct students to the "Ecological Footprint Quiz" at www.earthday.net/footprint. Allow time for students, working individually or in pairs, to go through the steps of this online quiz. When they have completed the quiz, lead a class discussion of the results.
What did students discover about their impact on Earth's environment?
Do they think their results are representative of other places in the United States?
What actions might they realistically take to reduce their impact on the environment?
How do they think the United States compares to other countries in terms of environmental impact?
What would happen if everyone in the world had a lifestyle similar to that of the students in the class?
Have students read Population Bulletin 58.3—"Critical Links: Population, Health, and the Environment," pp. 3-10.
Depending on time available and students' reading levels, have the class continue reading pp. 17-30 in Population Bulletin 58.3 to gain a better understanding of the consequences of human-environment interactions. For younger students, divide the reading into sections, assign the sections to different groups of students, and allow students to report back to the class on the section they have read. Older students can read the entire passage.
How has human impact on the natural environment changed over time? Identify some specific examples of change.
Explain the relationships between Earth's natural resources, its systems, and its human population.
What are some of the challenges to understanding the relationships between population and environment?
What are some demographic trends that are likely to have an impact on the environment?
The reading says, "Population growth does not necessarily lead to a serious deterioration of the natural environment." Explain this statement.
What is meant by the term "environmental refugee"?
How can migration affect the environment?
How is increasing urbanization both good and bad?
Divide the class into eight groups. Assign each group one of the following countries: Botswana, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, United States. Explain that they will undertake an investigation to evaluate the linkages between population, health, and the environment in selected countries. [Note: you can change the specific countries if you want to; just be sure to keep a mix of high, medium, and low economic development as well as regional variety]
Distribute copies of Chart 1, "Sources of Data for a Human-Environment Inquiry" and Chart 2, "A Human-Environment Inquiry," provided above.
You may also want to provide students access to almanacs, atlases, and other print resources in addition to the list of websites.
Have students use these resources to complete the "Inquiry" for their assigned country.
When students have completed the inquiry, have each group report to the class on their findings. Follow their reports with a class discussion.
What population trends were discovered? Which countries had similar demographic characteristics?
What appears to be the connection between population and level of economic development? On what criteria is this connection based?
What appears to be the connection between population, level of economic development and …
Loss of natural environments
Use of water
Energy use and pollution
Predominant economic activities
Income levels
Health conditions
How do health problems change as population increases? … as level of economic development changes?
What health problems emerge as population changes increase pressure on the natural environment?
Divide the class into three groups representing countries with high, medium, and low levels of economic development, respectively. Have each group develop a brief report for a policy audience in which they:
identify the three or four most pressing issues related to population, health, and environment
propose a plan of action
Convene a "Summit on the Linkages Between Population, Health, and the Environment." Have each group present its proposal. Then have students debate the various proposals.
How can the interests of different countries be met?
Do some countries put undue stress on the environment, either because of population size or because of economic development level?

Extension

Have students contact local government offices or the local public library to find data to conduct a "Human-Environment Inquiry" for your state or county.
Invite a representative of the state or county planning office to visit the class and talk with students about current policies relating to population, health, and the environment.