Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit · PDF fileGreening the next generation...

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Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit

Transcript of Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit · PDF fileGreening the next generation...

Greening the next generationNext Generation Toolkit

Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit 2010 1

2 Knowledge: Being in the Know 6 Home: Around the Home 13 Buying: Knowing what to Buy 18 Environment: Respecting the Environment 21 Technology: Using Technology 23 Community: Helping Your Community 26 Next Generation Toolkit Checklist 27 Next Generation Toolkit Team

Contents

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Next Generation Toolkit

This greening toolkit was constructed with young people in mind.

It is the third in a series of toolkits that advance sustainability. The first two focused on the office and home for Deloitte employees. Now, as part of the Greening the next generation program at Deloitte, our emphasis is not only on the children of Deloitte but young people everywhere. We hope that “children of all ages” will benefit.

We all share the same world. How we treat the environment directly influences the quality of our lives now and in the years to come. Each of us has to decide the role we will play.

This toolkit is exactly what it is named—a kit of tools for you to use. It will give you information so you can under-stand the impact of your actions. It suggests ways to be friendly to the environment. Links to the Internet are listed where you can learn more. But remember this toolkit is only a tool; it’s up to you to make the right choice.If you are a parent, we hope this toolkit will be helpful as you teach good principles to your children. If you are an adult relative or friend of young people, think about being a positive influence in their lives.

If you are among the youth of the world, this toolkit is for you. Learn from both the wisdom and mistakes of others. The future is yours. An awesome responsibility? Sure. But no generation has ever been more aware or more capable of making the tough decisions that need to happen. Make our world a better place!

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Knowledge: Being in the Know

You learn about important subjects in school, such as History, Science, Math, and English. The environment is just as important, but sometimes it is difficult to find information on ways we can help save our earth. Your generation can make a huge difference; and we are asking you to start helping now. To make a difference in our environment, you need to understand what type of impact you and your family are having on the earth. 1.1 Understand Your Carbon FootprintYour carbon footprint represents how much carbon dioxide (CO2) your lifestyle creates. Home energy use, cars, and airplanes are how most of us produce carbon. The average American is responsible for 9.44 tons CO2/year. This can have a significant negative impact on our earth in the following ways: • Global warming • Smog in cities • Acid rain

As fossil fuels and deforestation continue to increase, there will be more and more carbon dioxide polluting our earth. That is why it is important to identify ways to decrease your carbon footprint. A list of ideas follows (Please make sure to ask your parents if the ideas are OK).

• Change Your Thermostat – By simply changing your thermostat by two degrees, you will get an estimated decrease in carbon emissions of 2,000 pounds and save $98 annually!

• Run the Dishwasher full – The energy used to heat water, spray it on the dishes, and finally dry them can add a lot to your carbon footprint. Try loading the machine completely before running it. By doing so, you could save $40 annually while reducing your carbon emissions by 200 pounds.

• Ride your bike, take a bus, or carpool – This will decrease your carbon emissions and save money.

Fun Activity: Based on what you know, calculate your carbon footprint to see what kind of effect you are having on your environment. Click the link that follows to calculate your carbon footprint.

Website: http://green.yahoo.com/calculator/

1.2 Energy UsageWe use energy on a daily basis to light our homes, power machines, cook food, and operate electronic products such as TVs. Reducing the amount of energy used around the house and in the community can not only protect our environment but save a lot of money. The energy we use to heat our homes or turn on the television costs your parent’s money each month; and by wasting energy, you are wasting money.

Energy Usage Facts:

• Ninety percent of a washing machine’s energy is spent heating water. That means the less wash that you family does, especially using hot water, the less water and energy will be used.

• A color TV left on standby can eat up to 85% of the energy it uses when it is turned on. • Half of your home’s energy bills are due to heating and cooling. In fact, 10% of the bill is caused by air leaking through the ceilings, floors, walls, and windows.

Greening Tips for the Home:

• If you wash two loads of laundry a week and switch from hot to cold water, you can reduce water usage by more than 3,300 gallons a year, which will save your parents a lot of money.

• All the little appliances in the kitchen (such as the coffee machine, toaster, TV) use up energy even when you or your parents are not using them. Ask your parents which ones can be unplugged when not in use.

• If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR® qualified CFL, in one year it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes. That would prevent the release of green house gas emissions equal to that of about 800,000 cars

Fun Activity: When your family is considering purchasing new electronic equipment (TV, toaster, microwave, oven, washer and dryer), discuss how the products will affect the environment and determine ways to reduce your energy output. You can visit www.energystar.com for energy-saving products and tips.

Website: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index

Knowledge: Being in the Know

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Knowledge: Being in the Know

1.3 Internet InformationLearning is part of our everyday lives and it is important to continue our education even outside of the classroom. Thanks to the internet, information is constantly at our fingertips, including information on greening the envi-ronment. Read up on greening facts and suggestions by visiting Web sites that teach you how to make a big differ-ence in the world we live in.

List of websites to learn about how to take care of our environment:

• http://www.energystar.com • http://earthday.envirolink.org/guide6.html

• http://www.earth911.com

• http://www.planetpals.com/earthday.html

• http://www.epa.gov/earthday/

Our homes provide warmth, light, clean water, and a place to eat and sleep. But a lot goes on in a home that generates a great deal of waste and pollution that is harming our environment. That is why it is important to understand activities you and your family can do around the house to prevent waste and pollution.

2.1 Reprogramming the Thermostat • Each degree over 68 degrees can increase the amount of energy you use to heat your home by 3%. If it costs your family $500 a month to heat your house in the winter, a 3% savings would equal $180 a year. • To save energy and money, talk to your family about the following options: – Keeping your thermostat at a higher temperature in the summer months and a lower temperature during the winter months

– Investing in a thermostat that will adjust the temperature to energy-saving settings

– Making sure no heating vents are blocked

Website: http://www.reuserecycle.net/thermostat-challenge.php

Home: Around the Home

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Home: Around the Home

2.2 Lights around the home

• Lighting in your home accounts for between 5% and 10% of the total energy use in an average house in the United States. There is a huge opportunity to save money by doing very simple things around the house.

• Please discuss the following energy savings tips with your family and see what they think: – The last one out of the room is in charge of turning off the lights. – Ask your parents if they would consider installing timers for lights. Also consider installing some dimmer switches. This will come in handy if you only need a small amount of light.

– If lights are near a window, turn them off. Try to use natural sunlight during the daytime. This could have a big impact on your energy bills and is an easy way to save energy.

– Replace light bulbs in your house with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) where appropriate.

Website: http://www.themoreyouknow.com/for-kids/environment.shtml

2.3 Conserving Water at HomeMany of us take clean water for granted and do not realize how much we waste each day. There is a water crisis facing the world, and many people drink have to drink unsanitary water or travel great distances every day for clean water.

Facts:

• 884 million people do not have access to safe water supplies. That is about one out of every eight people in the world.

• An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.

• Without food a person can live for weeks, but without water you can expect to live only a few days.

• If one leaky faucet was allowed to drip for one month in 3% of U.S. households, 95 million gallons of fresh water would be wasted. Considering that only 3% of the earth’s water is fresh, that’s a lot of water to waste.

Greening Tips:

• Try not to leave the tap water running while you brush your teeth.

• Take shorter showers and do not leave the water running.

• Ask your parents to switch to new high-efficiency toilets.

Website: http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/greenscene/2010/08/water-footprint-calculator.html

Home: Around the Home

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Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit 2010 9

Home: Around the Home

2.4 Turning Off: Lights, TVs, PCsAny appliance or gadget in your house that is plugged into the wall is using energy. The TV, hair dryer, lamps, microwave, and your family’s computer are all using energy while not in use.

Many of these appliances use the same amount of energy when they are just sitting on your counter as they do when they are actually functioning. Discuss with your parents, which appliances can be unplugged when not being used. This will save energy and money.

• According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in the average U.S home, products that are turned off but are still plugged in consume 75% of all electricity used by electronic gadgets in our homes!

Website: http://www.themoreyouknow.com/for-kids/environment.shtml

2.5 The Power of SunlightOften saving energy is as easy as opening or closing the blinds. This seems simple enough but many people do not use this to help heat, cool or light their homes. If the weather is nice, try to use the sunlight coming in from the windows to light your home.

Greening Tips:

• Get a compass and go around your house to figure out which windows face north, east, west, and south. The blinds of the windows facing east should be open during the winter to let light in and help heat your house. In the summer, if you want the heat out, close the shades and this will decrease the cost of air-conditioning.

In addition, if it is a nice day outside and you need light to read, do homework, or eat a meal, try to turn off the electrical lights in your house and use natural light. A good home design that allows light in can save up to 75% of the energy used for electric lighting.

Website: http://lights4learning.org/index.php?page=tips

Home: Around the Home

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Home: Around the Home

2.6 Reducing Waste in the KitchenThink about all the trash you produce on a daily basis. This trash needs to go somewhere and it usually is dumped into landfills across the United States. All the chemicals, plastics, Styrofoams, and aerosol cans that are thrown away are causing water and ground pollution. If we can cut down on our trash production and do more recycling, the earth will greatly benefit.

Facts:

• Every year, each of us throws away about 1,700 pounds of trash.

• The United States is the No.1 trash-producing country in the world.

• At the rate we, in the United States, currently produce garbage, 500 new landfills are needed each year.

• Did you know that plastic wrappers that end up in landfills might still be there 10--20 years later?

Greening Tips:

• Instead of using a paper or plastic bag to take your lunch to school, pack it in a reusable container.

• Recycle all plastic, aluminum, glass bottles, paper, and cardboard. • Use a refillable water bottle. • Use reusable, washable cloth grocery bags instead of plastic or paper bags.

Website: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/bottles-accessories-c-19.html

2.7 Cleaning GreenWe use cleaning products in all of our homes and offices: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows. By removing dirt and germs, sometimes we may actually be making things worse. Most of the cleaning products we use in our everyday lives have a negative impact on the environment.

Instead of using cleaning products that annihilate every-thing in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods that keep a house clean and fresh smelling without a negative impact on the environment.

Greening Tips:

• Talk to your parents about the type of detergents, soaps, and cleaning products that are currently in your home. Ask if you can switch the products with healthier, “green” cleaning products that are becoming more popular.

• Consider using organic fertilizers in your lawn or garden. Many fertilizers and pesticides can be very harmful to the environment.

Website: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-cleaning/

Home: Around the Home

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Buying: Knowing what to Buy

Others may usually do the shopping for your family, but that does not mean you cannot have a say in what they buy. With your new “green” knowledge, you can help your family make responsible decisions when they go to the store. Did you know that there are certain appliances, disposable cups, and even food that is more environmen-tally friendly? Here are a few ideas of what to look for next time you tag along on a shopping trip.

3.1 ENERGY STAR® Rated AppliancesAn ENERGY STAR rating means that an appliance uses 20--30% less electricity than what is generally required by law. ENERGY STAR appliances come in all shapes and sizes – anything from dishwashers to light bulbs to even TVs and computers. Americans have already purchased over 2.5 billion ENERGY STAR products, and that number is growing. This is what their logo looks like:

Website: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index

3.2 Paper Made from Recycled ContentPaper and other paper products are some of the most frequently used goods in our world---everything from blowing your nose to doing your homework to reading the comics. Most paper products come directly from trees. Each year, the average American uses an amount of paper equal to a 100-foot tall Douglas fir tree! While you may look outside your window or at a park and see lots of trees, it is important to remember that the world does not have enough trees to keep up with our paper consump-tion. It may take seconds to crumple up a paper towel and throw it in the trash, but it takes decades for a tree to grow! Fortunately, there is a solution! We can recycle the paper we already have and use it to make new paper goods.

Did you know that more than just printer paper can be made of recycled content? You can find napkins, toilet paper, notebooks, envelopes, printer paper, and greeting cards all made from recycled products. Next time you go back to school shopping, make the “green” choice, and look for these environmentally friendly products. Check the labels to see if they are made of recycled content.

Fun Activity: Make your own recycled paper at home!The EcoKids Club has come up with a simple and quick process for making your own recycled paper at home. Before starting, talk to your parents about the activity and explain to them why it is so important to save paper and to recycle.

Website: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/fun_n_games/printables/activities/assets/science_nature/paper_making.pdf

Buying: Knowing what to Buy

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Buying: Knowing what to Buy

3.3 Reusable CupsWhether paper, plastic, or Styrofoam, disposable products have to go somewhere. Landfills are full of them. Whenever possible, consider switching to products that can be used over and over again.

Why Not Just Recycle?Unfortunately, recycling is not an option for most dispos-able cups. Paper cups are typically lined with a special coating for insulation and durability, making them nonrecy-clable. What about Styrofoam cups? Environmentalists tell us that Styrofoam cups are even worse; not only can you not recycle them, some claim they will never decompose in a landfill.

Website: http://www.epa.gov/region9/psa/psa-usecups.html

3.4 Greener GroceriesMost likely, you are not the one in charge of doing the grocery shopping for your family, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help your parents make greener decisions when it comes to their grocery list. There are small changes you can make in terms of what you buy and the way you buy it. Below are a few tips for being more “green” at the grocery store.

1.Only Buy the NecessitiesDon’t buy things you don’t need. Make a grocery list before you go to the store and stick to it. This will reduce the amount of waste in regard to both spoiled food and additional trash.

2. Buy Local ProductsLook for produce and meat that comes from local farms. This will help support your local economy while also significantly cutting down on the energy consumption and pollution that occurs during transportation.

3. Buy Organic FoodsYou can find organic products in all major grocery stores and at relatively reasonable prices. Organic groceries are grown without pesticides and hormones, a healthier choice for you and your environment.

Website: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/kids-taking-the-reins-of-sustainable-eating.html

Buying: Knowing what to Buy

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Buying: Knowing what to Buy

3.5 Reduce Overall Packaging and WasteLandfills are quickly filling up with every imaginable type of garbage. There are a few simple changes you can make to do your part in reducing the amount of garbage heading to the dump.

1. Bring Your Own BagBy bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store, you can significantly lower the waste from plastic (non-recyclable) grocery bags. You can find cheap bags in lots of fun designs. Show your parents the Envirosax website and encourage them to buy a set of reusable grocery bags.

2. Skip the Bottled WaterNext time you go to the grocery store, skip the bottled water and choose a greener option. You can drink tap water at home or use a filter to purify your home tap water. For water outside of the home, consider reusable water bottles.

3. Buy in BulkOne easy way to reduce waste is to buy products you need that can be easily stored in bulk. Products packaged in bulk use less packaging, greatly reducing the amount of cardboard and plastic waste.

4. Banish the Brown BagInstead of bringing your lunch to school in a brown paper bag, ask your parents to buy you a reusable bag. You can find all kinds of cool lunch boxes online at www.reusable-bags.com. Also, instead of putting sandwiches and other snacks in plastic baggies, pack them in reusable plastic containers..

Website: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/bottles-accessories-c-19html;http://www.envirosax.com/kids-series.html

4.1 RecyclingRecycling is an easy concept. For example, if you drink a soda, you have two options: throw it in the trash can or recycle it in a designated recycling bin. The decision should be clear: recycle! Sadly, for every one bottle or can that is recycled, two are thrown in the trash.

When you recycle, used materials are reprocessed to create something new. This prevents more raw materials from being used up, reduces the amount of energy required to “re-make” the product, and also reduces the overall amount of garbage going into landfills.

Does your family already recycle at home? If so, you are on the right track! No recycling bin in your house? Then talk to your parents about starting to recycle and explain how easy it is to do in your very own home.

What to Recycle• Aluminum and steel cans• Glass bottles and jars• Plastic Bottles• Newspapers• Magazines• Mail• Cardboard and cardboard boxes (milk cartons)• Electronic equipment or e-waste

Did You Know?The majority of plastic soda bottles that are recycled come back as carpet. Other things that come from plastic bottles include bike racks, picnic tables, playgrounds, car bumpers, fleece coats, and toys!

Website: http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/recywrks/recywrks2.htm

Environment: Respecting the Environment

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Environment: Respecting the Environment

4.2 Simplifying: Paper Mail ReductionWaiting for that new toy catalogue to pick out a birthday gift? Go online and order it from one of the thousands of stores available. Not only will you get your present sooner, but also you will save a few trees in the process. And remind your parents that most companies now offer “elec-tronic billing” as an option instead of receiving a paper bill in the mail.

Website: http://www.catalogchoice.org.http://www.dmachoice.org, or http://www.greendimes.com and http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_New_Three_Rs_Recycle/

4.3 Right in Your Own Backyard: CompostingThrowing out food doesn’t have the same devastating effect on the environment that throwing away bottles, cans, and plastic does, because it’s biodegradable. But there are still better and greener options for your leftover food. Instead of throwing away uneaten food, you can create your own compost right in your backyard or even in your kitchen.

Get a small steel can or bucket with a tight-fitting lid to keep in your kitchen. Instead of throwing away leftover food in the trashcan, put it into the compost bucket. This may take some getting used to, but encourage your family to use the compost bucket and it will soon become a habit.

Not only does creating your own compost prevent food from piling up in a landfill; it can actually be put to good use! Your compost can be a natural fertilizer for your garden or for potted plants. .

Website: http://meetthegreens.pbskids.org/episode4/kitchen-composting.html and http://meetthegreens.pbskids.org/episode4/outdoor-composting.html

Environment: Respecting the Environment

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Technology: Using Technology

5.1 PC Power Management SettingsI am sure most of you have a family computer at home and computer access in your school and/or your library.. Computers have improved many aspects of our day-to-day lives. But they require energy to operate, so use them wisely. We can all do our part in lessening their environ-mental impact by following these tips:

Greening tips: • Effectively manage the power-saving options on your PC. This involves changing the length of time your computer will stay fully powered without use. Ask you parents, if you do not know how to do this.

• While using the computer, only have your screen as bright as you need it. • Try using a blank screen saver. Animated screen savers consume a lot of electricity • When you or your family is buying a new computer, consider a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops typically use less than half of the electricity of a desktop.

Website: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/spacescience/green-tips-power/

5.2 Unplugging Chargers & PowerMany appliances still using energy even when they are turned off. In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is consumed while the product is turned off! Below are a few greening tips you can do around your house to make sure your families appliances are not wasting energy.

Greening tips:

• Look for ENERGY STAR® products when your parents are purchasing new appliances. • Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; and turn the power strips (ask your parents where to get a power strip) off when the equipment is not in use.

• Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use.

Go around your house with your parents and decide what appliances should be unplugged when they are not turned on (microwave, toaster, lamps, etc.).

Website: http://climate.nasa.gov/kids/bigQuestions/weCanHelp/#bg6

Technology: Using Technology

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Technology: Using Technology

5.3 Printing: Margins, Multiple pages per sheet, duplexThere are many printing options you should consider that could reduce paper usage.

When printing, please be mindful of the following:

• First of all, determine if it is necessary to print the document at all.

• Try to fit more on a single page. You can do this by changing the font size and/or page margins.

• Print on both sides of the page. Ask your teacher to print your worksheets, tests, and homework on double-sided paper.

• Use recycled paper in the printer.

Website: http://www.changethemargins.com/

Now that we have learned about greening tips to help you and your family be more environmentally friendly, you may want to share your learning with others outside of your home.

6.1 Celebrate Earth Day in your communityPossible events within your community

• Clean up and restore local rivers, streams, beaches, bike/ walking trails, etc.

• Make a personal pledge, and maybe even encourage others, to demonstrate commitment to the environment.

• Plant trees or other plants that will have a positive impact on our earth.

Website: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/events.htm

Community: Helping Your Community

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Community: Helping Your Community

6.2 Help Spread the Word!Now that you are at the end of this toolkit, you probably have some ideas of your own. By telling your family and friends what you have learned and by sharing your new ideas with them, you will encourage them to get involved and do their part in making our world a better, cleaner, and greener place.

Next Generation Toolkit Checklist

Knowledge: I know the impact of my actions on the environment

Home: I live in a green home

Buying: I am a smart green consumer

Environment: I respect the environment

Technology: I manage technology with the environment in mind

Community: I share my greening ideas with others

Cut out the color visuals for each toolkit project area from the bottom of this page. When you complete each project area, paste the color project visual over the black & white project visual.

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Greening the next generation Next Generation Toolkit 2010 27

Next Generation Toolkit Team

Rick AraiWilbur ArnoldSurendra AtluriTiffany BenedictDiane BorhaniSamuel G. BreunigJames CasconeJudy ComfortTom DekarDeloitte Creative ServicesAbe DiazJohn DoergeFluid Design GroupManoj GanapathiNeale GodfreyMitzi HintonTim Jones Gopinath Reddy KaredlaShiva KarpuramSuzanne Keel-EckmannClair KettlerHarsh KhetarpalTerry KnauseSarah KeoghAnupam LalRachana LohiyaTodd LuchikCynthia McCarthyMary McDonaghJack McFaddenRod MillottPratap PilakaGregory RottjakobSteve SmartSridhar TanneeraVeronica TerrellDouglas VandeheyJudy VickJohn Ward