Materials

1 set “What do you need?

What do you want?” cards for

each pair of players

1 used envelope for each set of

cards

Preparation

• Print one set of cards for

each pair of people

• Cut the cards on the dotted

lines and put one set of

cards into each envelope

What do you need? What do you want?Purpose: To help participants distinguish between personal needs and wants, and

consider how things are used or wasted.

This activity is designed for working in pairs.

What to do

1 Get a partner. If working with a larger group, divide into pairs.

2 In your pair, open your envelope of cards. Divide the cards into two groups:

• things you need to live a healthy life • things you don’t necessarily need, but that might be nice to have.

Take about five minutes to complete this part of the activity.

3 As a group, discuss your “needs” and “wants.” Did you notice any basic needs that you felt the cards did not represent (for example, things like “friends,” “clean air,” or “respect”)?

4 Again, in pairs, shuffle your cards. Now divide the cards into these groups:

• things that end up being thrown away or wasted, at least in part • things that are not usually thrown way or wasted.

Take about five minutes to complete this part of the activity.

5 As a group, discuss how you sorted the cards. Consider together how different people define their “needs” or “wants.” Discuss how fulfilling the needs or wants of one person can create trash or garbage for another person. Consider ways that “trash” from one person might be usable by another.

© 2010. Center for Ecoliteracy. All rights reserved. www.ecoliteracy.org Adapted from The Family Ecology Guide, Alameda County Office of Education, 1998.

SMART BY NATURETM downloadable resource

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WWW.ECOLITERACY.ORG

The Center for Ecoliteracy is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit that supports and

advances education for sustainable living. Through its initiative Smart by Nature: Schooling

for Sustainability, the Center offers expertise, inspiration, and support to the growing

green schools movement in K–12 education. It provides books, teaching guides, and other

publications; professional development seminars; and consulting, including academic

program audits, in-depth curriculum development, and coaching to improve teaching and

learning for sustainability. The Center’s 2009 book, Smart by Nature: Schooling for

Sustainability, showcases inspiring stories about public, independent, and charter schools

across the United States. Environmental educator David W. Orr calls Smart by Nature “must

reading for teachers, school administrators, parents, and the concerned public.” Learn more at:

© 2011. Center for Ecoliteracy. All rights reserved. www.ecoliteracy.org