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Module 7 concerns the critically important topic of environmental sustainabilitity. If you choose to do this Extra Credit Assignment, then your task is to determine your impact or "footprint" on the environment. You will do two things to complete this assignment. First, you will complete the Cool Climate Network (select Calculators & Widgets, Household Calculator) created by the University of California, Berkeley questionnaire to consider your carbon footprint. The questionnaire has questions where you will start with a "quick footprint estimate." You will then click on the Transportation, Housing, and Shopping tabs where you will learn about the impact your choices have on our environment.

Once you have completed the Cool Climate Calculator (all the way through the Take Action Tab), you should preview the film An Inconvenient Truth and search through their Web site to find ways you can lessen your impact on the environment. Finally, you will discuss your score, the film, and ways you might lessen your impact in the Carbon Impact Discussion.

Instructions for the Questionnaire

The questionnaire is really simple to take. Just access it, select your answers, keep clicking on next through the screens, and get your score. View and consider the pledges in the Take Action page. You will be discussing your score and how much and in which areas you are willing to pledge to make changes.

The score will help you determine your present impact on the environment. You can then compare your impact with that of your classmates. The point is to consider ways you may lessen your impact on the environment. Once you get your score, browse through the ClimateCrisis.net Web site and find other ways you can conserve. You are encouraged to go to other Web sites to see other videos (Leonardo diCaprio's videos are outstanding) to search for conservation-related information. Key words you can use are global warming and environmental sustainability.

Instructions for the Discussion

Once you have your score, have viewed and considered your pledges, and have viewed at least one film (rent An Inconvenient Truth (watch Chapters 28, Balancing the Economy; Chapter 30 The Solutions Are in our Hands; and Chapter 31, Are we Capable of Doing Great Things) (or the Leonardo diCaprio films on his Web site), and have researched ways in which you can lessen your impact on the environment at the Cool Climate and ClimateCrisis.net Web sites, discuss your results in the Carbon Impact Discussion. Include the following information:

• What was your environmental impact score?
• What are three things you can do right now to reduce your impact on the environment?
• What additional things will you commit to doing this year to reduce your impact on the environment?information on so that others will know about it and do their part?
• What will happen if you take no action?

• Assignment Points

  You will earn from 3 to 5 extra points for completing the entire assignment (the test, the original discussion, and two reply posts). Your grade will be determined by how much you do. For example, you might want to create a presentation with a list of things that ordinary people can do to save the environment (copying of content you find on the Internet will NOT earn you extra points; you will have wasted the opportunity to earn extra points. You must do original work to earn extra credit!). You have to calculate your impact and give real numbers from the questionnaire.

• What did you learn that you want to teach others about this problem?
• How can you pass this