Global Network of Students and Teachers Will Combat Climate Change with Carbon Calculator Designed Specifically for Youth
New York City – April 23, 2008 – Toronto-based Zerofootprint and iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) have collaborated to help instigate a global movement of youth rallying around the pressing issue of climate change. As part of the (OF)2 – Our Footprints, Our Future project to encourage action towards this goal, Zerofootprint and iEARN have devised a calculator that will help youth and educators worldwide find new and exciting ways to measure and manage their carbon footprint, and reduce the impact their actions have on greenhouse gas emissions.
By engaging over 1 million students worldwide and securing a commitment of 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reductions, the goal is to create a virtual “country without borders,” where the participants will combine to enact substantial global reductions of CO2 emissions. The Zerofootprint Youth Calculator can be accessed through the Internet by visiting: http://of2.iearn.org
Students, aged 5-19, first create a basic profile to associate themselves to their school and store their responses for later follow-up. Youth visiting the site are then asked how they get to school, what they eat, how energy is consumed in and around the home, what products they use, and how much they tend to throw away. As this calculator is global in nature, its questions consider that respondents may have traveled to school by rickshaw or canoe, opening student’s eyes to how wide-reaching and connected the project really is.
The (OF)2 calculator also provides educational tips that engage users into the process of reducing their water footprint and overall environmental impact.
Kids are able to access their results, and compare their carbon footprint with other youth participants, all in real-time. Students can elect to compare boys against girls, see how they rank against their country’s average footprint, view their country’s average with that of other countries’ averages, and evaluate their school against neighboring schools or any of the other 30,000 international schools already in the database.
Unique facts – such as the number of “Earths” that would be needed if the whole planet lived as they did – are provided to properly contextualize the information to the younger audience. These techniques have proven successful at reinforcing the impact personal actions can have on carbon emissions.
The calculator is currently available in English and Spanish and will soon be available in French, Arabic and many other languages as well.
A secure discussion forum within the iEARN network is provided on the site to allow teachers to bring youth into interaction with other participants working to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. By sharing their carbon footprint results across borders, cultures and economies, students can see how they can make a difference when they work together and learn from one another.
An American student using the Youth Calculator and writing in the forum to a student in Cairo, Egypt, commented, “Ever since I calculated [my footprint], I’ve been more cautious of things I do everyday. I make sure I turn off lights when I leave rooms and have been recycling a lot.” She added, “I hope that everyone will be able to calculate their carbon footprint … Maybe once people find out theirs, they too will realize that our environment needs help.”
The iEARN-Zerofootprint Youth Calculator is fast, secure, scalable, and can act effectively as an educational resource for students around the world.
“Our unique calculator helps youth realize the effect their carbon emissions have on our world,” explained Deborah Kaplan, the Executive Director of Zerofootprint. “It is not only fun to use, but engages students directly in the climate crisis”.
“Climate change is a serious global issue, and learning how our actions contribute to it is an important first step to stopping it,” furthered iEARN executive director Ed Gragert. “By connecting youth and showing them where they stand on this issue – both as individuals and as a group – (OF)2 will make a significant difference to the future health of our planet. They are the next generation, and they must be empowered with the requisite information to make the lifestyle adjustments needed to mitigate the future dangers of climate change. We appreciate the role that the Copen Family Fund, Thirteen (WNET) and other sponsors have played to make the (OF)2 project possible.”
About Zerofootprint:
Recently nominated for a “Crunchie Award” for being the most likely to change the world, and named “Toronto’s Best Green Organization” by blogTO, Zerofootprint’s goal is to mobilize and empower large groups of individuals and organizations worldwide to reduce their collective carbon and ecological footprint. Targeting businesses, cities, communities, and schools, Zerofootprint’s software helps clients measure and manage their environmental impact and can be accessed easily through the web at, www.zerofootprint.net.
About iEARN:
iEARN was launched in 1988 as a pilot project between the US and former USSR to demonstrate that students could use emerging new technologies to work together on meaningful educational projects that enhance the quality of life on the planet. It is iEARN’s vision that if students start working together globally from the earliest ages (5-19, they will learn better through experiential interaction with peers in other countries and learn how the world’s issues can be aided by collaborative solutions. iEARN has grown to become the world’s largest educational network for project-based learning, with programs in more than 120 countries. iEARN-USA was awarded the 2003 Goldman Sachs Foundation Prize for Excellence in International Education and is a 2004 Tech Museum Laureate winner for “technology benefiting humanity.” Please visit www.iearn.org and www.us.iearn.org or e-mail: iearn@us.iearn.org iEARN-USA is based in New York City.
Media Contacts:
iEARN-USA Rustin Crandall +1-212-870-2693
Zerofootprint Deborah Kaplan, Executive Director 416-365-7557 or info@zerofootprint.net