The environment & the Individual

Assessing your own impact on the environment

On this site there is a very interesting quiz that shows what impact you are having on the environment. Click on the Spanish flag towards the bottom of the screen first. Then click on Y ENTRE AQUÍ. The page that opens up explains what the quiz measures. Click on Siguiente at the bottom of the page, and then choose your country from the drop-down list. Note that in what follows you do not have to provide your e-mail address - just skip over that question if you wish to. You may not necessarily have all the figures that it asks for to hand, but just estimate if you're not sure. At various stages you can click for more information on some of the issues you're asked about. When you've finished the test you can see what your own consumption represents. You are told how many Earths we'd need if everyone consumed at your personal rate, and your own consumption is compared to the average for your country. This is a thought-provoking resource which could stimulate classroom discussion.

http://www.myfootprint.org/

Sustainable development

This page is part of a Colombian portal that deals with all issues related to recycling and green energy. It is dedicated to sustainable development and the selected article gives a very accessible introduction to the topic.

http://www.rds.org.co/conserva/

How can I protect my family and the environment?

This is the official website of the Mexican National Institute of Ecology. It provides and collates the scientific studies relating to the environment, and it tries to influence environmental policy in Mexico. Learn more about the key issues relating to the environment in Mexico by exploring the website. There are articles, reports, and studies available to read and download on the site. The Emapas provides some fantastic maps of the environment in Mexico. This is an interesting resource which could be used to research for an extended essay or class project.

http://www.ine.gob.mx/