it's up to you and me, here and across the sea

Produced by the Transatlantic Outreach ProgramA Public / Private Partnership

THEHERE & ACROSS

YOU & MEIT’S UP TO

3It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea

Produced by the Transatlantic Outreach ProgramA Public / Private Partnership

www.goethe.de/top

THE

YOU & MEIT’S UP TO

HERE & ACROSS

4 It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea

These materials may be reproduced by teachers and school systems for classroom use. Please

provide a complete citation of the source(s) when duplicating for other purposes. Please refer to

the Works Cited List on the page 50 of this document for more information.

Editors:

Stefan Brunner, Wood Powell, Kelsey Smith, Goethe-Institut Washington

Concept by

Robert V. Jervis

Joann Farrish Prewitt

Graphics and Layout: Howard Wright, www.howdesignworks.net

Copyright 2009

Goethe-Institut Washington

Transatlantic Outreach Program

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Washington, DC 20001-3718

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[email protected]

Tel: (202) 289-1200

Fax: (202) 289-3535


INTRODUCTION

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S :

Understand the Causes and Effects of Global Warming and Climate Change

Meet Alicia, Moritz, Dr. Blume and Dr. Davis

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Recognize Why Everyone in the World Needs to be Concerned About the Problem and Learn about the Kyoto Protocol

Identify What Countries All Over the World, Like the USA and Germany, are Doing to Help Solve These Problems

Discover What Actions We All Can Take at Home and at School to Help Solve the Problem

7

13

25

33

45

7It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea 7It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea

They look so tiny! But aren’t they cool? Ever wonder why you’re starting to see more and more small cars like this? Why now?

Well, it’s a long story that begins with our environment.

Something seems to be going wrong, and we need the best “brains” to help figure out what to do about global warming and climate change.

Are you up to the challenge?

But no worries. You’re going to have some help! The environment is a global issue and everyone needs to be concerned about it. So, we have asked some friends to help us talk about the problem. They are as concerned as we are about the environment.

Let me introduce them to you! They’re having an online chat right now and learning how they can make a difference in their communities. You never know, together we might discover some solutions and become partners in saving the environment.

Hey, have you seen those new, funny looking cars driving around?


AUSTRIASWITZERLAND

FRANCE

LUX.

BELG.

NETHERLANDS POL.

CZECH REPUBLIC

North Sea Baltic Sea

Berlin

BAVARIA

THE ALPS

Meet Moritz!

Moritz is a boy who lives in Munich, Germany. He is about your age. Moritz loves to play Fussball (you may know that sport by the name “soccer”) in the grassy fields near where he lives. Moritz loves the outdoors and loves to go camping and hiking in the nearby Alps.

SWITZERLAND

FRANCE

LUX.

BELG.

BAVVAAR

TTHHEE ALPS

Do you know where Germany is? Can you locate Munich on a map of Germany? Hint: where are the tall mountains in Germany??


RO

CK

Y M

OU

NT

AIN

S

NEW MEXICO

TEXAS

OKLAHOMA

KANSAS

NEBRASKA

SOUTH DAKOTA

NORTH DAKOTA

WYOMING

MONTANA

IDAHO

DA

COLORADO

UTAH

ARIZONA

And now let me introduce you to Alicia.

She is also about the same age as you and Moritz. Alicia lives in a small town near Denver, Colorado. Alicia loves her cat and volunteers to take care of her neighbor’s dogs when they go out of town. She even dreams of being a veterinarian some day!

Can you locate the U.S. state of Colorado on a map? Can you locate the city of Denver? What geographic features do Denver and Munich have in common?

?


Dr. Tobias Blume. Tobias is an engineer who works for a windmill manufacturer in Germany. He designs many of the electricity-producing windmills that you see in the USA, Germany, and all over the world!


Finally, let’s meet Dr. Michelle Davis. Michelle is an environmental science professor who teaches at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. When not in the laboratory, she likes to volunteer at the local Atlanta Botanical Gardens where she studies all sorts of exotic plant life.

We are all going to work together to…

Understand the causes and effects • of global warming and climate change.

Recognize why everyone in the • world needs to be concerned about the problem and learn about the Kyoto Protocol.

Identify what countries all over the • world, like the USA and Germany, are doing to help solve these problems.

Discover what actions we all can • take at home and at school to help solve the problem.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!


Understand the Causes and Effects of Global Warming and Climate Change

PART ONE



Online Chat

“Cool! I’d love to hear your story. I’ve heard that the bees all over the world are in trouble!”

MORITZ

MORITZ

“Hallo! Wie geht’s?

Whoops, let’s try that again in English…

Hello! How’s it going?

It’s such an awesome day here in Munich! I’m just finishing up my homework and enjoying the sun.”

ALICIA

ALICIA

“Hi, I love the outdoors, too! I especially love it on clear days when the air is crisp.

We are studying about the environment in school. But, it looks like our environment is in über trouble! We’re learning what we can do about it.

I hope we can learn a lot from each other and become partners in helping to save the environment.”

“I hope so, too.

Want me to tell you a story?

My grandfather raises bees in the German state of Brandenburg, and he told me a story about how the ecology of bees is changing.”

the interrelationship of organisms and their environments

ECOLOGY:DEFINITION ALERT

PART 1 Understand the Causes and Effects of Global Warming and Climate Change


It’s a small world! And, it’s even smaller for a honeybee. Honeybees are hard workers. Their

mission is to gather pollen to take back to the hive where it is turned into honey.

On a summer’s day, you can watch them go from flower to flower.

But what if you were a honeybee and one day you noticed that there were fewer

and fewer bees? Even worse, what if you noticed that some of your friends never

returned to the hive and the number of bees in the hive was decreasing?

Wouldn’t that be a scary feeling?

That’s what was happening in Brandenburg, Germany. Beekeepers reported that millions of

honeybees were dying for no apparent reason. Something in the environment was killing

them. In some cases, two-thirds of their bees had died in just one month.

German scientists were alarmed and began investigating. They wanted to stop the bees

from dying before there were no more bees left. They knew that without the honeybee,

life on this planet would be very different. Honeybees not only produce honey, but by

spreading pollen from one plant to another, they ensure that these plants will continue to

thrive. Without the honeybee, our food chain would be dramatically compromised.

The scientists discovered that a pesticide called clothianidin was responsible for

the deaths of the honeybees. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food

Safety banned the use of the pesticide.

But just like the honeybees, scientists all over the world are warning humans that

we are also in danger from substances in our own environment. We need to take

action to protect ourselves.

Sa



1


Online Chat

Online Chat

“So, the world could be changing for humans, too!”

ALICIA

ALICIA

“Yes, it could be. Many people may not know that scientists are hard at work all over the world trying to find the answers to some very important questions about our own environment.”


DR. DAVIS

DR. BLUME

BRAINSTORM #1Understanding the causes and effects of global warming and climate change.

Why are climate change and other environmental concerns worldwide issues?What evidence is there that our climate is changing?What are some other consequences of climate change you can think of?

“Wow. Those are some difficult questions!What is causing these warmer temperatures?”

“Scientists all over the world now believe that global warming is the cause of temperature change.”


Online Chat

“Does the greenhouse effect we heard about have something to do with global warming?”

ALICIA

The change in the temperature of a planet by the presence of an atmosphere containing gas that absorbs and emits infrared radiation.

GREENHOUSE EFFECTDEFINITION ALERT


Solar radiation powers the earth’s climate system Greenhouse gases and burned

fossil fuels create a barrier which warms the atmosphere and the

earth’s surface

Some solar radiation is reflected by earth and the atmosphere

About half of the solar radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface and also warms it

Infrared radiation is emitted from the earth’s surface with some escaping and some returning to earth

Sun

ATMOSPHERE

The Greenhouse Effect


Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“Yes, but the ‘greenhouse effect’ is necessary and can be a good thing. We could not live here on Earth without the greenhouse effect. It would be too cold. Our atmosphere acts like a greenhouse and traps these ‘greenhouse gases’ to make our planet warm enough for us to live on.

Our earth is a great place to live because of the greenhouse effect. Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO

2) when they grow in spring and summer and

release it back to the atmosphere when they decay and die in fall and winter.

But having just the right amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, is a delicate balance – too little and we get too cold, too much and we get too warm.”

DR. DAVIS

“And, right now, we are starting to get too much CO2! Scientists think that

since the Industrial Revolution we have started to add too many greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and the balance is getting tilted toward heating up the environment.”

RESEARCH EXERCISE: Use the research tools at your disposal to learn about the Industrial Revolution. These tools may include other textbooks, library books, encyclopedias, and Internet-based resources like Google.

Web Browser

Photo of Industry



Online Chat

DR. BLUME


ALICIA

“I am sure that too much exhaust from cars doesn’t help!”

“Now, let’s look at the evidence around us that the environment is changing and what these changes might mean.”

“Climate change is definitely taking place. The earth is getting warmer and these climate changes are worrisome.

All we have to do is look around us.

More than 100 cold-dependent species are in trouble. Polar bears have started dropping in numbers and weight and emperor penguin populations have shrunk by a factor of 30 in some areas.”

DR. DAVIS

2


Online Chat


DR. BLUME

“A record amount of Greenland’s ice sheet melted last summer -- 19 billion tons more than the previous high mark. And for the first time on record, the Northwest Passage was open to navigation.”

“Studies show that 2005 was the warmest year since reliable, widespread instrumental measurements became available in the late 1800s, exceeding the previous record set in 1998.”

time o

2

3



Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“Some 4 million acres of mature trees in Alaska have been killed by spruce bark beetles. Scientists believe that warmer temperatures have allowed these beetles to breed and mature twice as fast as normal.”

“Bleached coral reefs that protect coastal areas and harbor some of the most colorful life on Earth are dying prematurely because of warming ocean waters and higher levels of carbon dioxide.”

2

2



Online Chat

DR. BLUME

DR. BLUME

“Mont-Blanc, Europe’s highest peak, lies in the French Alps. A University of Innsbruck study suggests that due to an average 3 percent decrease in Alpine ice, glaciers in the Alps will melt away by 2050.”

“Ganz genau…I mean, quite right, Moritz! According to the Center for Climate Systems Research, in most places in the Northern Hemisphere, the weather is getting warmer, and winters are getting shorter and less extreme.

The earth’s average temperature is definitely increasing. This is a real concern to scientists because climate change means changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea levels from melting ice, and changes to plants, wildlife and humans.”

MORITZ

“It’s not just the French Alps! I’ve seen pictures of the Alps here in Germany, and my parents told me that the snow was much deeper when they were my age! In fact, we have to go higher and higher up the mountains to go sledding every winter. And some of the ski slopes at lower elevations don’t even get snow anymore!”

2


PART 1 Understand the Causes and Effects of Global Warming and Climate ChangePART 1 Understand the Causes and Effects of Global Warming and Climate Change


Sweden Mexico China USA Germany Japan

Percentage oftotal surfacearea on Earth

Percentage ofworld population

Economic strength

(per capita GDP)

CO2

Emissions(total)

CO2

Emissions(per capita)

ACTIVITY #1: Using an external resource like the CIA World Fact Book, complete the information about each country on the following chart:

What conclusions can you draw from the information in the above table?


Recognize Why Everyone in the World Needs to be Concerned About the Problem and Learn about the Kyoto Protocol


PART TWO


PART 2 Recognize Why Everyone in the World Needs to be Concerned about the Problem and Learn about the Kyoto Protocol

Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“Okay, just by looking around us and listening to other people, we know there is a problem. We even have some ideas about what may be causing it.

Who creates the pollution? Do these environmental issues affect you? The United States? Germany? The entire world? If the entire world is involved in creating pollution, who has the responsibility to solve the problem?”

“We are not alone on Earth. In fact, there are some 6.7 BILLION people living on earth as of 2008, of which about 306 million live in the United States. Everyone is impacted by what happens on this planet. Keeping our planet safe is a global responsibility.”

MORITZ

“It’s sort of like the neighborhood park, right? Everybody who uses the park is responsible for keeping it clean and for maintaining it.”



Online Chat

MORITZ

I remember not too long ago having fun along the stream near my local park. Normally the water flows briskly and is crisp and clear until one day I noticed something wrong. The water became stagnant. Over a short period of time, the water changed color and started to smell funny. I noticed an icky, oily substance on the surface of the water.

BRAINSTORM #2How would you react if this happened to a stream in your neighborhood?•

Would you attempt to solve the problem on your own? If so, how?•

If you couldn’t solve the problem on your own, would you ask your friends • and parents for help?

Would you contact the police or fire department? Can you think of any other • organizations that could help?



Online Chat

RESEARCH EXERCISE: Do you know what the letters EPA stand for? Do you know where your nearest EPA office is located? Find these answers by visiting the web site www.epa.gov.

Web Browser

MORITZ

MORITZ

“I tried my best to clean up the oily stuff with a bucket, but there was too much, and it never seemed to go away. Mama and papa saw the whole mess and they told me it could be dangerous, so we called the local environmental protection office in Munich.”

“The experts discovered that an oil tank from a nearby factory was leaking into the stream. The company immediately agreed to fix the tank and gave the community money to clean the stream and the park. It was really cool to see hundreds of us there, cleaning everything up! We all worked together.”

“And then what happened?”

DR. DAVIS



Online Chat

DR. BLUME

DR. BLUME

“Fantastisch, Moritz! If it wasn’t for you, then perhaps the problem would have never been solved. And it takes a mature and brave person to do what you did, to realize the problem was bigger than you and you needed help.

This is very similar to what industrialized countries of the world are doing right now. They are seeing the effects of warming around the globe.”

“Yes they are! Have you ever heard of the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997 and went into effect on February 16, 2005. Some 183 nations have ratified the treaty as of 2008.”

ALICIA

ALICIA

“What is happening? Are the countries of the world starting to do something about saving our environment? Are we working together to come up with a common solution?”

“What does it do?What are the goals of the Protocol?Has the United States agreed to the Protocol?”



Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“Those are some great questions, Alicia!

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the • United Nations’ policies on climate change.

The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets • for industrialized countries for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The agreement recognizes that developed countries are principally • responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity.

The Protocol places a heavier burden on developed countries to do • more to clean up the environment.”

“To answer your last question, Alicia, the United States has not signed the Protocol as of 2008. But that does not at all mean that the United States is not concerned about the environment.

For example, look at what these states are doing:

Texas has added more than 4,000 megawatts of wind power • generating capacity in the last decade. Wind power now produces about 3 percent of Texas’ electricity, enough to avoid about 8 million metric tons of global warming pollution per year.

New Jersey doubled its solar power generating capacity within just • two years through aggressive public policies that promote solar panels on rooftops in the Garden State.

California uses 20 percent less energy per capita than it did in • 1975, thanks to strong energy efficiency policies for buildings and appliances.

Wisconsin avoids about 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide • pollution per year through its innovative programs to promote energy efficiency in industry – programs that also help save businesses money and keep jobs within the state.

Portland, Oregon, has doubled the number of bicyclists on • city streets in just six years through investments in bicycle infrastructure and bike-friendly transportation policies. The percentage of people who bike to work in Portland is now eight times the national average.”

DR. DAVIS

4

” 5




ACTIVITY #2: The Kyoto Treaty

Conduct additional research about the Kyoto Treaty.• Can you list three positive and three negative consequences of the Kyoto • Treaty? (See table below.)Would you encourage or discourage nations to ratify the Kyoto Treaty? Why • or why not?

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

1

2 2

3 3

1



Identify What Countries All Over the World, Like the USA and Germany, are Doing to Help Solve These Problems


PART THREE


Online Chat

PART 3 Identify What Countries All Oer the World, like the USA and Germany, are doing to help solve these problems

ALICIA

“Wow, those states are doing some great work! Moritz, what is Germany doing to solve the problem of climate change?”

MORITZ

“Well, I am not too sure about what the government is doing, but I have seen some changes here in Munich.

Here are some of the things I have noticed:

Most public trashcans have four separate • compartments for paper, glass, packaging, and everything else.

More and more of our neighbors have • installed solar panels on their roofs.

When I ride the train, I can see new • windmills all over the countryside.

Many of my friends ride their bikes to • school.

My parents use a lot of those new, funny-• looking, energy-saving light bulbs.

Dr. Blume, perhaps you can help me answer Alicia’s question.”


BRAINSTORM #3What technologies are you aware of that are being developed to reduce • global warming?

Have you observed any of these new technologies in your community?•

Can you match the following “green” technologies with the appropriate • geographic feature?

Windmills•

Solar•

Geothermal•

Hydro-electric•

Online Chat

DR. BLUME


“Sehr gut, Moritz! Those are all very good observations.

Perhaps I can tell you in a little more detail about how certain ‘green’ technologies are being used in Germany.”


Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“WIND ENERGY

The United States and Germany are the two leading nations in • terms of number of windmills as of 2008.

Germany and the USA plan to install even more windmills as • the two countries strive to harness offshore wind currents, for example in the North Sea and Pacific Ocean.”

Installed Wind Power Capacity (2007)


Country

Germany

United States

Spain

India

China

22,247

16,818

15,145

8,000

6,050

Rank Power in Megawatts

2

3

4

5

1

6


Online Chat

DR. BLUME


“BIOFUELS

Around 1 in 8 gas stations in Germany offer Biodiesel. •

In 2007, around 5.2% of the gas sold in Germany was Biofuel.”•

A fuel composed or produced from biological raw materials.

BIOFUELSDEFINITION ALERT


Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“SOLAR


In, 2006, Germany generated half of the world’s solar electric power.•

Of the 20 largest solar-panel manufacturers, 15 are located in • Germany.

German exports accounted for 15% of worldwide sales of solar • panels in 2007.” 7


Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“The Reichstag, the building that houses the German federal parliament, is a great example of how these technologies are combined to serve the public good.

Germany’s parliament building is designed to make the most of natural light and the flow of air. Electricity and heat are provided by biofuel generators in the basement. The excess heat is then stored in great underground chasms to warm the buildings during winter — when cold from the outdoors is stored underground to cool the building again in summer. The Reichstag, originally built in the 19th century, now gets 60% of its power from renewable energy, and if all goes to plan will soon run entirely on renewables.”


ALICIA

“Wow, that is some impressive progress! I found some information too about how change is happening in the United States. We just do things a little differently.”

” 9


Online Chat


“Quite right, Alicia.

While more and more is happening at the national level, much is being done already at the local and state levels by concerned people and businesses!

For example, I was just in New York City recently and saw this new amazing billboard. Have you ever seen Times Square with all its colorful lights? Ever wondered how much energy it takes to power all of those lights?

Well, the Ricoh Americas Corporation has decided to make a billboard that is completely powered by wind and solar energy.

DR. DAVIS


Online Chat


“That is indeed a possibility, Alicia. Even though this particular sign is capable of storing energy for four days with no wind or solar power, the company is perfectly willing to take this risk if it means a cleaner, more efficient environment for everyone.”

DR. DAVIS

DR. DAVIS

ALICIA

“What happens at night or if there is no wind? Won’t the billboard go dark?”

By generating its own electricity — enough to light six homes for a year — the sign could save as much as $12,000 to $15,000 per month, according to Ricoh, which estimated that the sign would prevent 18 tons of carbon from being spewed into the air yearly.”” 8


Online Chat


ALICIA

“That volunteer work reminds me of when I helped my parents build a house for Habitat for Humanity earlier this year! I wonder what I can do to help the environment!”

DR. BLUME

“Wow, that’s pretty innovative. I had not heard of that, Dr. Davis. I know of another initiative in California that is similar. A friend of mine who is a professor at Stanford University volunteers for Grid Alternatives, a non-profit organization that installs solar energy systems on the homes of low-income residents. Families using these solar energy systems have seen their electric bills fall by about 75%!” 9

Used with permission from Grid Alternatives, Oakland, California.

Used with permission from the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association, Notre Dame, Indiana.

43It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea 43It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea

ACTIVITY #3: News Headlines

Use print or online resources to find three news headlines pertaining to the environment. You should find headlines from one local, one national, and one international source.


1. Local Headline:

Synopsis of Local Article

Who:

What:

Where:

When:

2. National Headline:

Synopsis of National Article

Who:

What:

Where:

When:

3. International Headline:

Synopsis of International Article

Who:

What:

Where:

When:

What, if anything, do these articles have in common? What conclusions can you draw?

Bonus: Do any of your classmates speak a foreign language? If so, use their help to extend your research to non-English language newspapers.


Discover What Actions We All Can Take at Home and at School to Help Solve the Problem


PART FOUR


Online Chat

Online Chat

PART 4 Discover What Actions We Can All Take at Home and at School to Help Solve the Problem

ALICIA

“So far, we’ve learned a whole bunch about the causes and effects of global warming and what nations and communities are doing about it. But what can kids like me do to help the environment?

Hey Moritz, perhaps we can brainstorm on what each of us can do?”

MORITZ

“Great idea, Alicia”

BRAINSTORM #4In what ways do you impact the environment?• What groups at school or in your community are actively trying to reduce • global warming?What personal lifestyle changes do you think you could make to decrease • your impact on the environment?

“Wow. Those are some tough questions. Perhaps one way to begin would be to work with your classmates to develop a classroom ‘Contract with the Environment.’

Alicia: Why don’t you concentrate on the subjects of transportation and home life? For example, is there more than one way for you to get to school? At home, do you always remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room?”

DR. DAVIS

DR. BLUME

“Moritz: Why don’t you concentrate on the subjects of what we throw away and school life? For example, do you have a recycle bin at home? What about in your school’s cafeteria?”




ACTIVITY #4:

Visit the web site, www.zerofootprintkids.com• Using this web site, can you calculate your carbon footprint?• What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint? •

What is your new carbon footprint after making these changes?•

Meet with your fellow classmates to discuss what they did to decrease their carbon footprint. Next, develop a “Contract with the Environment” containing the top ten changes your classroom can make as a whole to

decrease its carbon footprint.

HOME SCHOOL

TRANSPORTATION RECYCLING

A measure of the impact that human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.

CARBON FOOTPRINTDEFINITION ALERT


,

11


Online Chat

DR. BLUME

“Might I suggest some of the changes my family and I have made?

If the weather is good enough, I ride • my bike or walk to work.

If the weather is bad, I try to take • public transportation instead of driving my car.

I installed a water-saving showerhead • in my bathroom and even try to take shorter showers instead of baths.

I wash my clothes with cold water • and even air dry them when possible instead of using a dryer.

I have recycle bins for paper, plastics, • and glass.

I always turn off the water when • brushing my teeth.

I turn off the lights when exiting a • room.

I installed fluorescent light bulbs to • replace the incandescent ones.

I buy recycled products when • possible, like recycled paper towels.

I use recycled paper and glass • products instead of plastics.”



Online Chat

“I sure am glad I’m not the only one who has been making lots of changes lately!

I’ve got a few ideas as well:

I have reduced my consumption of soft • drinks and bottled water because of all the plastic.

I bring my lunch to work in a lunchbox • instead of in a paper bag.

I started a compost pile in my backyard.•

I turn off and unplug my computer and TV • when not using them.

I buy earth-friendly cleaning agents and • detergents.

I properly recycle my ‘e-waste’ like my • old computer, cell phone, MP3 player, batteries, and other electronics.

I planted a few extra trees in my front yard.•

I try not to turn on the air conditioning or • heat. Instead, I wear t-shirts and shorts in the summer and sweaters in the winter.

I close the blinds/curtains when it is sunny • outside in summer and open them when it’s sunny outside in winter.”

DR. DAVIS



Online Chat


ALICIA

MORITZ

MORITZ

“Wow, I never knew there were so many things I could do at home and at school to reduce my impact on the environment.”

“Like Germany and the United States?”

“These are a lot of great ideas. I also learned about two great web sites from our school’s environmental club. Check them out:

http://www.nrdc.org/GREENSQUADhttp://www.climateclassroom.org”

DR. DAVIS

DR. BLUME

“Taking small steps is what it is all about. Before too long, you look back and realize you have made a lot of progress.

As Moritz taught us with his experience at his local park, helping the environment requires a series of actions and changes, both by individuals and communities working together.

The same is true for individual countries cooperating within the world community.”

“Thanks for those web sites, Alicia. I will definitely have to check them out!

By the way, good job on joining the environmental club.

That is certainly a step in the right direction.”


Online Chat


DR. DAVIS

Exactly! As we’ve learned, climate change is a problem for all nations and it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to the solution.

We’ve learned that the United States and Germany are similar countries with similar problems and are both working hard to decrease global warming, be it in different and creative ways.

The most important thing is that we all keep an open mind to new solutions and realize that any action, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, can make a difference!


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Benjamin, Alison. “Pesticides: Germany Bans Chemicals Linked to Honeybee 1.

Devastation.” The Guardian. 23 May 2008. <http://www.guardian.co.uk>.

“The Effects of Global Warming.” go350ppm.org. Global Warming Issue Volume 1 No. 8 2.

(August 2008): 3-7. <http://www.go335ppm.org>.

Hansen, James E.; et al. “GISS Surface Temperature Analysis, Global Temperature Trends: 3.

2005 Summation”. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. 12 January 2006.

<http://data.giss.nasa.gov/>.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (1997). 4. Kyoto Protocol. Bonn,

Germany. <http://unfccc.int>.

Davis, M., Figdor, E., Sargent, R. (June 2008). “Global Warming Solutions that Work: 5.

Cutting-Edge Efforts to Curb Global Warming Pollution and the Lessons they Hold for

America.” Environmental America. <http://www.environmentamerica.org/>.

”Global Installed Wind Power Capacity (MW) - Regional Distribution, End 2007.” 6.

Global Wind Energy Council. 5 November 2008. <http://www.gwec.net/>.

Renewables Made in Germany. German Energy Agency. 5 November 2008. 7.

<http://www.renewables-made-in-germany.com/>.

Collins, Glenn. “In Times Square, a Company’s Name in (Wind- and Solar-Powered) 8.

Lights.” The New York Times 15 November 2008 New York ed: A18.

”Volunteers Help Bring Solar Power to Low-Income Residents.” Wecansolveit.org. 9.

<http://www.wecansolveit.org/content/story/solar_energy_savings/>.

Blue, Laura/Schwandorf. “Lessons From Germany.” Time.com. 5 November 2008. 10.

<http://www.time.com>.

”What Is A Carbon Footprint?” Carbonfootprint.com. 5 November 2008. 11.

<http://www.carbonfootprint.com/>.


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU) produces its own array of English-language textbooks for international distribution. Currently available titles include, “Biological Diversity,” “Climate Protection and Climate Policy,” “Renewable Energies,” and “Water in the 21st Century.”

Each textbook is designed for middle and secondary educators and contains fun learning exercises, background information for teachers, and “competence check” evaluation material.

To download the textbooks in electronic format, visit the BMU directly at www.bmu.de or visit the TOP web site at www.goethe.de/top and click on “Green Education” from under the “Teaching Materials” main menu option.

To learn more about how the United States and Europe are working together to address the common challenges of climate change and energy security, visit the Transatlantic Climate Bridge web site at www.transatlantic-climate-bridge.org.

Biological Diversity

Theme: The Importance of protecting species diversity.

Topics:

Species Diversity • Worldwide

National Parks & • Biosphere Reserves

High-Tech from Nature•

Climate Protection and Climate Policy

Theme: The consequences of climate change.

Topics:

The climate journey • through time

Where do emissions • come from?

Climate protection • and climate policy in Germany & worldwide

Renewable Energies

Theme: Explores future sources of energy.

Topics:

Lifestyle and energy • consumption

Renewable energies • worldwide

Fuels of the Future•

Water is the 21st Century

Theme: How much water do we really need?

Topics:

A river is more than just • water

The water of the earth•

Is there enough water for • everyone?


NOTES

Copyright 2009Goethe-Institut WashingtonTransatlantic Outreach Program812 Seventh Street NWWashington, DC 20001-3718

www.goethe.de/top

[email protected]

Tel: (202) 289-1200Fax: (202) 289-3535

Alicia MoritzDr. BlumeDr. Davis

Printed in the USA on 100% recycled paper.

it's up to you and me, here and across the sea

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