Sustainable Cities - EE In...

Sustainable Cities

About this UnitThis unit focuses on sustainable use of resources on a community level. It focuses on several case studies from cities around the country and world. Throughout the unit are short activities dealing with “Mock City,” a community working toward sustainability. Students will work with data tables, graphs, and algebra to solve problems related to resource use. They will use fractions, percentages, and ratios. They will encounter word problems that ask them to make use of math reasoning and basic number operations.

Ned Dorff

Ned Dorff grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He holds regular education and special education licenses and a master’s degree in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He enjoys teaching,

playing guitar, kayaking, reading, and eating soy products.

Contributing Writer

Sustainable Cities | | 1 |

| 2 | Sustainable Cities | Unit 4

Sustainable Cities

Lessons included in this unit:

Lesson 1. Energy Use on a Large Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Skill Building: U.S. Energy Use

Skill Building: Mock City Energy Use

Lesson 2. Transportation: Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Skill Building: Transportation in the United States

Skill Building: Mock City Transportation

Lesson 3. Transportation: Metro Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Skill Building: Metro Systems: Weekly Riders

Skill Building: Train Ridership per capita

Skill Building: Mock City Metro Riders

Lesson 4. Food Miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Skill Building: U.S. Food Miles

Skill Building: Mock City Food Miles

Skill Building: Farmer’s Market Extension

Lesson 5. Energy Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Skill Building: Global Energy Use

Skill Building: Mock City Energy Payoff

Lesson 6. Municipal Water Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Skill Building: Our Biggest City Takes a Drink

Skill Building: Mock City Water Use

Lesson 7. Sewage Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Skill Building: Sewage Treatment: Milwaukee

Lesson 8. Options for Sustainability: Green Machines . . . 27Skill Building: True Green Machines

Skill Building: Waste Treatment Options for Mock City

Lesson 9. Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Skill Building: United States Recycling

Skill Building: Mock City Recycling

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Notes for unit planning:

Lesson 10. Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Skill Building: Waukesha County, Wisconsin Energy Costs

Skill Building: Mock City Taxes

Lesson 11. Sustainability and Our Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Final Project: Options for Your City

Skill Building: Green Cities around the World

It is highly recommended to teach this unit after you have taught • The Built Environment. The knowledge that students gain in that unit will make the material presented here easier to comprehend.

Most lessons are planned for one hour. However, may take longer depending on student background knowledge •of the vocabulary and unit conversions in the lessons.

Where notable, some of the vocabulary terms are in bold print within the lesson plan.•

The teacher may want to explore some of the web sites in the resource section with students.•

This unit is short on public presentation and discussion. The teacher may want the students to share their •calculations for Mock City, or stop and have discussions about which values the city should go with when making important decisions.

The teacher may want to explain to students at the beginning of the unit that they are going to be designing •a “Mock City” and will have to make decisions regarding how to make it sustainable. In each lesson, they will be learning concepts that will help them with their final design project. The teacher may want to have an introductory discussion on cities “going green” (moving towards sustainability) and research real-life examples.

Content: This unit relies heavily on graph reading and calculation. Many graphs (pie, line, bar) and tables are found in this unit. It provides an overview of many of the decisions that cities make in regards to sustainable use of environmental and economic resources. Calculator use may be allowed as per teacher requirements.

Non-math Concepts Addressed in the Unit:There are some short readings on resource use, transportation options, and green city planning.

There is a map creation at the end of the unit that asks the students to draw from math skills, artistic skill, and personal values.

Additional Possibilities:Speakers related to this unit could include green architects, city planners, urban task-force members, water resource managers, or energy experts.

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Sustainable Cities

Unit Vocabulary

Biofuel – fuel such as methane produced from renewable biological resources such as plant biomass and treated municipal and industrial waste.Btu – (British Thermal Unit) The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water from 60° to 61°F at a constant pressure of one atmosphere.Commuter – A person who travels regularly between places, especially between home and work.Eco/Living machine – an assortment of plants, animals (usually fish and invertebrates), and microbes that perform an ecological function, including waste treatment.Food Mile – number of miles it takes food to travel to get to someone’s plate.Fossil fuel – a fuel source that comes from the decay and compression of organic matter over millions of years; coal, oil and natural gas are examples.Energy – source of usable power.Gray water – water that is reused from “light use” activities (such as washing hands or clothes) for purposes such as irrigation instead of being sent to a treatment facility.Greenhouse Gases – Atmospheric gases (carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxides, ozone, water vapor) that slow the passage of re-radiated heat through the Earth’s atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation.Hyrdopower – the production of electricity by harnessing the power of flowing waterJoule – basic unit of thermal energy. Megawatt – a unit of electricity equivalent to 1000 kilowatts.Metric Tons – a unit of mass equivalent to 1000 kg, or 2205 pounds (so it is 205 pounds larger than a standard ton).Nonrenewable energy source – an energy source that can not be replenished on a human time scale.Per capita – per person.Power – the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second.)Public Works – structures (such as highways or schools or bridges or docks) constructed at government expense for public use.Quadrillion – the number that is represented as a one followed by 15 zeros.Renewable energy source – an energy source that can be replenished on a human time scale; renewable resources may or may not have significant environmental impacts, depending on the type of resource being used.Return on investment – when people spend money on something, they expect to get more money back in the long run.Runoff – water and pollutants that flow over the ground into a nearby body of water.Sewage – water and human waste that is sent to a municipal treatment center.Solar Energy – electricity produced by the sun’s radiation.Sustainability – a philosophy and practice of doing things in a way that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.Terawatt – A unit of power. One terawatt equals one billion kilowatts.

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Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Energy Use on a Large Scale • Lesson 1

Learning ObjectivesStudents will proficiently 1. calculate energy costs and savings on a municipal scaleStudents will also demonstrate 2. proficiency reading a pie chart and answering questions relating to the chart.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ U.S. Energy Use, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Energy Use, 1 per student

Hour 1(5 min) Setting the Stage: Turn off the lights. Turn them

on again. Ask students where the energy is coming from and who is paying for that electricity.

(10 min) Presentation: Brainstorm a list of energy sources. Ask students which sources they think are the most commonly used in your area. Explain that they will learn about some of the choices cities across America are making.

(20 min) Distribute Skill Building: US Energy Use. Guide students through calculations as needed.

This lesson could be split into two hours. Additional time may be needed to teach unit conversions.

(20 min) Independent Practice: Explain that they will be working with a city called

Mock City over the course of this unit. Mock City, like many others, is considering what to do to become more economically and environmentally sustainable.

Distribute Skill Building: Mock City Energy Use. Allow for independent practice.

(5 min) Conclusion: Review answers and discuss why Mock City may or may not switch to more alternative energy sources.

Additional Resources: Energy Story:

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html National Library of Virtual Manipulatives has unit

conversion practice that may be helpful for these lessons: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/NAV/frames_asid_272_g_4_t_4.html?open=instructions&from=category_g_4_t_4.html

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/NAV/frames_asid_272_g_4_t_4.html?open=instructions&from=category_g_4_t_4.html

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/NAV/frames_asid_272_g_4_t_4.html?open=instructions&from=category_g_4_t_4.html

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Name ________________________________________________Skill Building

U.S. Energy UseRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the following information to solve the problems below. According to some estimates, it takes about 40 megawatts to power 10,000 U.S. homes.

1. How many megawatts would power 1,000 average U.S. homes?

2. How many average homes would be powered with one megawatt?

3. What fraction of a megawatt would power one average U.S. home? (Hint: first find the decimal answer, then say its name)

4. According to the estimate, how much power would be needed to serve the roughly 80 million households in the United States today (estimated using 300 million people ÷ 3.75 people per household)?

5. The United States uses approximately 290 Gigajoules/year in fossil fuel energy. A Gigajoule is one billion joules. This means we use 290,000,000,000 joules/year or about 1 joule per person every year. If we cut our fossil fuel use to 80% of our current use, how many joules of fossil fuel energy would we use per person?

Sustainable Cities | Lesson 1 | 7 |


Mock City Energy UseRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the following information to solve the problems below. Renewable energies in this chart include wind, solar, hydropower, and biofuels)

1. Does this chart represent a community that gets the majority (over 50%) of its energy from renewable or nonrenewable sources?

2. Let’s say the above chart represents all energy use for the entire community of Mock City. If it gets 200 Megawatts (MW) from hydropower, how many MW does it get from oil?

3. Let’s say the community electricity demand stays the same. How many more Megawatts of renewable energy would it need to be 75% renewable?

Energy Use by Type

Hydropower

25%

Biofuel

24%Oil

20%

Natural Gas

15%

Coal

10%

Nuclear

3%

Solar

2%

Wind

1%


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Transportation Options • Lesson 2

Learning ObjectivesStudents will demonstrate 1. proficiency in calculating transportation costs and benefitsStudents will demonstrate 2. proficiency in reading and interpreting a bar graph.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ Transportation in the United States, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Transportation, 1 per student

Hour 1(10 min) Setting the Stage: Ask students how many cars they think

are parked in the teacher’s lot. Elicit responses, then move to a window to count/estimate the total number of cars.

(20 min) Presentation: Brainstorm a list of transportation methods in your area and around the country.

Ask students to distinguish the feasible meth-ods for your location from those that wouldn’t re-ally work. Have them explain their reasoning.

Explain that students will be working with real data regarding US transportation. Distribute Transportation in the United States sheet.

Guide students through the read-ing and calculations, as needed.

(25 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that stu-dents will be helping Mock City make some choices.

Distribute Skill Building: Mock City Transportation. Allow for independent practice, as appropriate. Review answers. (5 min) Conclusion: Ask students to share what they

think Mock City will do and why.Lesson Extensions Check out the lesson No Fossils in this Fuel! It is pro-

duced by a car manufacturer, but has good background information on ethanol. http://prod.gm.gmgssm.com/experience/education/teachers/ethanol.jsp

Explore the world of biodisel! Research hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

http://prod.gm.gmgssm.com/experience/education/teachers/ethanol.jsp

http://prod.gm.gmgssm.com/experience/education/teachers/ethanol.jsp



Transportation in the United StatesRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the following information to solve the problems below.

In the USA, there are 57 cars for every 100 people. But, many of us have other transportation options besides personal auto use. We can ride a bicycle, walk, carpool, or take public transportation like buses and trains.

Transportation contributes 32% of US carbon emissions. Annual gross U.S. carbon emissions are estimated at 5.7 billion metric tons of carbon (MtC), as of the year 2002. Carbon dioxide is a leading greenhouse gas, totaling 83% of all greenhouse gases by mass, and is a major factor in global climate change. Methane counts for 9%, nitrous oxide counts for 6% and other gases count for 2% of the total. Transportation accounts for 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

If all people drove rechargeable electric cars, even if the electricity was powered by the same sources we use today, scientists estimate a 42% decrease in carbon emissions related to transportation. If all drivers switched to hybrid gasoline/electric cars, the total carbon decrease is estimated at about 25% because of increased fuel efficiency.

1. What is the total carbon output in metric tons from transportation in the US?

2. If all drivers switched to rechargeable electric vehicles and the amount from #1 dropped by 42%, how much carbon output, in metric tons, would drivers be adding to the atmosphere?

3. How much less is this than your answer for #1?

4. How many cars are there in the US if there are 57 for every 100 people. Estimate that there are 300 million people living in the US today.



Mock City TransportationRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the following information to solve the problems below. The term “riders” includes the driver of the vehicle, with the exception of bus and train transportation.

1. How many riders (drivers and passengers) are there in Mock City? _________________________

2. What percent of the entire population drives a personal automobile? ___________

3. How many more train riders are there than bus riders? ____________

4. About what fraction of bike riders are there as compared to bus riders? Reduce your answers.

Transportation by Type

050000

100000150000200000250000300000350000

Personal

Automobile

Ride S

hare/

Carpoo

lBus

Train

Bike

Type of Transportation

Num

ber o

f Rid

ers


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Transportation: Metro Systems • Lesson 3

Learning ObjectivesStudents will use data provided 1. in tables to perform calculations relating to a mass transit system (metro system).

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ Metro Systems: Weekly Rider, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Train Ridership per Capita, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Metro Riders, 1 per student

Hour 1(5 min) Setting the Stage: Ask students to think of as

many large US cities as they can. List them on the board. Or, ask students to share short stories of riding on trains, subways, or city buses.

(15 min) Presentation: Explain that students will be studying data about train riders in major U.S. cities—maybe even trains that they once rode.

Skill Building: Metro Systems: Weekly Riders Guide students through the short reading and calculations, as needed.

Review answers Skill Building: Train Ridership per Capita

Guide students through the calculations, as needed. Review answers(30 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that Mock City is thinking about building

a bigger train system and student calculations will help determine whether or not it is a good idea.

Skill Building: Mock City Metro Riders Help students through the calculations, as needed.

Review answers(10 min) Conclusion: Ask students what they think Mock

City will do regarding transportation. Have them contrast costs and benefits of different choices.

Ask students if they can think of ways to get more people to use mass transit, bike, or walk to meet their transportation needs.



Metro Systems: Weekly RidersRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the data table to solve these problems. You may either use a calculator or extra paper.

Metro transportation systems are combinations of buses, trains, and in some cases boats. They move a lot of people at once and reduce dependence on personal automobiles. Big cities have the most riders. A higher concentration of people usually means more riders. As gas prices go up (they doubled between 2004 – 2008), rider numbers are also increasing. In Washington, D.C., for example, rider numbers have gone up about 6% in 2008 as compared to 2007. On the DC Metro trains, the average number of riders per weekday is about 800,000. Madison, Wisconsin, a city with no trains, watched bus ridership increase by 6% in 2008. Nationally, 2008 saw a 2% increase in total metro ridership.

City Weekday Train Riders (Oct-Dec 2007)New York 6,700,000Washington, D.C. 800,000Chicago 600,000Boston 500,000San Francisco 375,000Philadelphia 350,000Atlanta 260,000Los Angeles 130,000Miami 60,000Baltimore 50,000San Juan, PR 30,000Cleveland 30,000Detroit 4,500

1. These data represent the top 13 cities for train ridership in the country. How many total riders per weekday were there on American trains in these cities at the end of 2007?

2. If the ridership for Washington, D.C. increased by 6% for the same part of the year, how many riders per weekday would there be in Oct-Dec 2008?

3. Math reasoning: Why do you think New York City has so many riders compared to other cities?



Train Ridership per CapitaRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the data table to solve these problems. You may either use a calculator or extra paper.

City Daily Rides per capita (per person)New York 0.355Washington, D.C. 0.176Boston 0.104Chicago 0.064Philadelphia 0.060San Francisco 0.052Atlanta 0.051Baltimore 0.020San Juan, PR 0.013Miami 0.011Los Angeles 0.010Detroit 0.001

Example. If the metropolitan area of Mock City has 2.5 million people, and its per capita ridership is the same as Los Angeles’s, how many rides would be taken every day? Using dimensional analysis, it would look like this:

2.5 million people 1,000,000 persons 0.010 daily rides 25,000 daily rides1 million people 1 person

Set up the conversions in a table like the one above. Simply “cancel” the units and multiply across.

1. What is the mean per capita train ridership out of these major American cities?

2. If the Mock City area has a per capita ridership equivalent to that of Washington, D.C., how many train rides would be taken every day? Refer to page 10 for Mock City data.

3. If the Mock City area has a per capita ridership twice that of San Francisco’s, how many rides would be taken per day?

4. If the Mock City area has a per capita ridership at 90% of New York levels, how many rides would be taken per day?



Mock City Metro RidersRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Mock City is thinking about putting in a new Metro Train for the people in the city. Here is the predicted number of riders on the train as compared to the number of stops they might create. Read the graph and solve the questions.

Riders per Number of Metro Stops

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

1 2 3 4 5

Number of Stops

Num

ber o

f Rid

ers

1. What is the minimum number of stops required in order to get anyone to ride the metro? Why does this make sense?

2. There is a pattern in this prediction. Use it to fill in the blanks.Stops (s)(2 or more) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Riders (r) 6,000

3. What is the correct pattern between number of stops (s) and number of riders (r), when s is greater than or equal to 2?

4. Is this formula correct for the prediction: r = 1,000(s-1) + 5,000, when s is 2 or greater? How do you know? If it is not the correct formula, find the correct formula.

Number of metro stops available


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Food Miles • Lesson 4

Learning ObjectivesStudents will calculate how far 1. common food items traveled to make it to their plate.Students will compare hypothetical 2. distances traveled between produce in grocery stores and produce found at farmer’s markets.Students will compile a list of 3. farmer’s markets and grocery stores in their region.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ U.S. Food Miles, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Food Miles, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Farmer’s Market Extension, as needed

Hour 1(5 min) Setting the Stage: Display several items of food (banana,

apple, nuts, cheese, etc.) Ask students to choose which one probably came from furthest away.

(15 min) Presentation: Using a Venn diagram, brainstorm a list of food items the students had for breakfast or lunch. Categorize them by “grown in state” and “grown out of state,” with an overlap for “grown in both.”

Explain that students will be looking at how far certain foods travel to Chicago, the largest city in the Midwest.

Skill Building: US Food Miles. Guide students through reading and calculations as needed.

You may need to give examples of “percent increase” if students are not familiar with this.

(25 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that Mock City residents are worried about

how much gas is spent transporting their food. They are interested in shopping more at the local farmer’s market.

Skill Building: Mock City Food Miles. Allow for independent practice as appropriate.

Review answers. (15 min) Conclusion: Ask students why people might avoid using

farmer’s markets, and why they may choose to attend them.Lesson Extension Assign students to find local farmer’s markets.

See Skill Building: Farmer’s Market Extension.



U.S. Food MilesRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

We use a lot of petroleum in the United States, both to grow food, to package it, and to transport it. In 1994 in the United States, the equivalent of 400 gallons of oil was spent to feed each person. In 2004, total energy use by United States farms was 1.7 quadrillion Btu.

Food miles measure how far an item traveled to get to your plate. This number doesn’t measure the fuel used in growing or in packaging, but it can give a good idea of how reliant we are on food from far away. The number has been growing every year.

Directions: Use the data for Chicago Food Miles to answer the questions.

Chicago Food MilesIn 1981, the average item of food that traveled to Chicago had a food mileage of 1,245 mi.•In 1998, the average item of food in Chicago traveled 1,518 mi.•

1. How many more miles did the food travel in 1998 than in 1981?

2. What percent increase is this (from question 1)?

3. By how many miles did food mileage increase, per year, assuming a constant increase?

4. What is the percent increase, per year, assuming a constant increase over the course of these 17 years?

5. Based on your answers from questions 3 and 4, predict what Chicago food mileage is in the year 2008. Explain how you found your answer.



Mock City Food MilesRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Mock City High School did a project to determine the number of miles each item of food traveled before it got to their plate. In early September, they took a trip to the local farmer’s market and to a big grocery store. Use the table to help you answer the following questions.

Item Farmer’s Market Food Miles Mock City Super Grocery Food MilesApples 20 1,000Tomatoes 10 800Bananas Not available 3,500Avocados Not available 2,500Wheat Bread 25 200Eggs 30 50Butter 30 75Sweet Corn 15 100Strawberries 10 1,000Garlic 10 50Onions 10 50

1. Nelson and Barb want to make some guacamole to go with some corn on the cob. They need garlic, onions, tomatoes and avocados. a. What is the lowest amount of miles their food could travel? b. What is the highest?

2. Cassi is making apple pie for her family. If she buys apples at the farmer’s market, what percentage of miles would those apples travel when compared to the miles they would travel to the Super Grocer.

3. Ed wants to make some omelets. He wants to buy eggs, onions, garlic, avocados, and tomatoes. He also wants some wheat bread and butter to go with the omelets. a. What is the minimum number of miles his food could travel? b. What is the maximum? c. Write these two numbers in ratio form (min:max).



Farmer’s Market Extension

1. Many communities have a farmer’s market. Does yours? If yes, how many?

2. Find the nearest farmer’s market and write the address below:

3. When is the farmer’s market open?

Bonus. Go to your local farmer’s market. Interview one of the vendors about local food. Find out where they are from, how many “food miles” away. Summarize your interview here.

Going further. Research community supported agriculture, or CSAs. What are they? Do you have one near your town?


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Energy Use • Lesson 5

Learning ObjectivesUpon concluding the energy use 1. lesson, students will demonstrate proficiency in manipulating data involving energy use and carbon concentration in emissions.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ Global Energy Use, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Energy Payoff, 1 per student

Hour 1Note: This lesson has advanced energy concepts that may be difficult for students to understand. (15 min) Presentation: Explain that students will be investigating

how much energy the entire world uses at any given time. Distribute Skill Building: Global Energy Use. Guide

students through reading and calculations, as needed. Review answers. Ask why the world

is using so much energy.(25 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that Mock City is interested in using

more renewable energy by putting up solar panels and wind turbines. Student calculations will help them decide if this is an affordable option.

Distribute Mock City Energy Payoff sheets. Allow for independent practice as appropriate.

Review answers. (15 min) Conclusion: Ask students what problems might

exist if cities switched to solar and wind power. What might be the benefits of doing so?

Lesson Extension Have students take a virtual field trip to the National

Renewable Energy Laboratory http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy_fungames/energyant_trips/index.html

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy_fungames/energyant_trips/index.html

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy_fungames/energyant_trips/index.html



Global Energy UseRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the given information to solve the following problems.

Right now, the entire world economy is powered by 14 terawatts (TW) of power. A terawatt is one trillion watts. (To put it into perspective, think about this: a normal compact fluorescent light bulb may use as little as 14 watts). By the year 2058, it is predicted that the world will use 35 TW annually.

This power is currently produced by many sources. About one-quarter of this power is created through sources, mainly nuclear and hydroelectricity, that emit no greenhouse gases (although nuclear and hydroelectricity have problems of their own). These methods of producing energy: nuclear, hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, and tidal power, are considered “carbon-free” energy sources.

1. What percentage of the world’s energy produces significant greenhouse gases?

2. How many terawatts are produced using these types of energy?

Many countries around the world want to cap the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere to an upper limit of 550 ppmv, which is twice the concentration of pre-industrial times. The label “ppmv” means parts per million per volume. Currently, the output is about 375 ppmv, and rising at 1.15 ppmv per year.

3. If we take 375 ppmv as the current concentration of carbon dioxide and use the rate of increase at 1.15 ppmv, how many years will it take to reach 550 ppmv?

4. According to several climate scientists, the world renewable energy and “carbon-free” energy production needs to increase by five times if we are to limit carbon concentration at 550 ppmv and also meet the needs of 35 TW of power annually. So, how much power will need to come from carbon free sources?



Mock City Energy PayoffRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Mock City is lucky to have plenty of sunshine and a lot of wind. The city council is proposing a major plan to convert all of the city’s electricity use to solar and wind generated power. This will cost a lot of money up-front, but the city believes it will pay off over time. They think they’ll break even within 8 years. Let’s find out.

Costs:Current cost for wind turbine: $1,000,000/MW turbine and $0.04 per kWh 1. (better for running electric appliances)Current cost for solar panels: $8,000,000/MW panel and $0.06 per kWh (cheapest choice for heating water)2. Current daily average energy demand of Mock City: 10,000 MW3. Yearly energy use of Mock City in megawatt-hours: 87,600,000 mWh4. Current total cost per megawatt/hour: $1005. 1,000kW = 1mW6.

1. Calculate the current total annual amount paid by Mock City for electricity:

2. The first thing Mock City will do is improve energy efficiency. To this end, the government, schools, and citizens have put in compact fluorescent light bulb, and made some other energy efficient decisions. They cut their total energy use by 15%. How many Megawatts are they using now?

3. At this rate, they are consuming 85% of what they used to consume. How much money would the city spend if they didn’t choose any new solar or wind?

4. Now, let’s say the city puts up 80 2MW wind turbines at $2 million a piece ($160,000,000). They also put in 10,000 large solar 3kW panels at a cost of $25,000 a piece. ($250,000,000). Will this investment pay off over time? If so, how long will it take?


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Municipal Water Use • Lesson 6

Learning ObjectivesStudents will study how 1. municipal water use can affect the availability of freshwater.Students will also demonstrate 2. proficiency in reading and interpreting a line graph, and extending a pattern.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ Our Biggest City Takes a Drink, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Water Use, 1 per student

Hour 1(10 min) Setting the Stage: Display a glass full of water. Ask

students to help you brainstorm a list of all the things we use water for. Elicit student responses and list them on the board or chart paper.

(20 min) Presentation: Explain that students will learn about the largest city in the country and how their water decisions are helping to preserve a large natural area.

Skill Building: Our Biggest City Takes a Drink. Guide students through reading and calculations, as needed.

Review answers and discuss how preserving a natural area helps promote wildlife, recreation and water needs in New York.

(20 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that many communities are struggling with

water shortages. Mock City is growing and using more and more water. Recently, the city began an initiative to save water. You will be exploring data that tracks fresh water use and availability.

Skill Building: Mock City Water Use. Allow for independent practice as appropriate.

Review answers.(10 min) Conclusion: Ask students if they have any ideas

about how to save water in your town.Lesson Extension China’s Top Water Issues: http://www.pbs.org/

kqed/chinainside/nature/waterissues.html

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/chinainside/nature/waterissues.html

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/chinainside/nature/waterissues.html



Our Biggest City Takes a DrinkRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!


New York and The Catskills

New York City is the largest municipality in the United States of America. It is home to 8.2 million people. The residents and businesses in the city consumed 1.086 billion gallons of water daily in 2006. Impressively, water use declined an average of 1.2% each year between 2002 and 2006. Its residents and businesses use about 136 gallons per capita every day. By comparison, Boston uses 177 gallons, Denver uses 170, while Seattle uses 124, and San Francisco uses 97 gallons per capita.

Certain images come to mind when one thinks about New York City: taxi cabs, crowded streets, rats, cockroaches. But, how about pure water? Well, as strange as it may seem, New York’s water is some of the purest in the country.

How could this enormous city have such clean water? The answer is land preservation. The taxpayers of New York pay to preserve large pristine natural areas that supply the citizens with water. The Catskill Forest Preserve in Upstate New York has saved 300,000 acres of pristine forests and streams. The Catskills supply nearly 90% of all of New York’s water needs. Through a combination of land preservation, and modern technology, New York is keeping its water supply clean while also protecting a large swath of wilderness.

1. If the Catskills region supplies New York City with 90% of its water needs, how much water did it supply to New York in 2006?

2. As of mid-2008, New Yorkers paid about $5.25 to use 750 gallons of water. If New Yorkers consumed 360 billion gallons, how much did they pay for water?

3. How much money would have been spent on average per capita, with a population of 8.2 million?



Mock City Water UseRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Read the line graphs and solve the questions.

Uh-oh! Mock City has been using water at increasing rates every year. Their groundwater and surface levels are not replenishing fast enough to keep up with the demand. Beginning in 2008, Mock City started a plan to reduce water use by restoring wetlands and using natural landscaping on government property.

1. How much total water did Mock City use between 2003 and 2008, in millions of gallons? _________

2. True or False: As water use trends upward, water resources trend downward. _________

3. How much did water use decrease between 2007 and 2008? (Use the appropriate label)

4. If the graphed pattern holds true, how many gallons of water would Mock City have to use to drain all of its resources? The total gallons used and available = 2,100 million. Fill in the table below to help you find the answer.

Millions of Gallons Used 300 350 400

Millions of Gallons Available

1800 1750 1700 1500 1000 500 200 0

Millions of Gallons Used

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Year2003

Year2004

Year2005

Year2006

Year2007

Year2008

Mill

ions

of G

allo

ns U

sed

Total Water Resources in Millions of Gallons

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

Year 2003 Year 2004 Year 2005 Year 2006 Year 2007 Year 2008

Year

Mill

ions

of G

allo

ns


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Sewage Treatment • Lesson 7

Learning ObjectivesWorking with percentages, number 1. operations, and costs, students will manipulate data regarding a sewage system in a major US city.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ Sewage Treatment-Milwaukee, 1 per student

Hour 1(5 min) Setting the Stage: As appropriate/possible, pour

water down a drain or flush a toilet. Ask stu-dents where they think this wastewater goes.

(30 min) Presentation: Explain that students will be learn-ing about the sewage treatment facility in Milwau-kee, Wisconsin, which treats runoff and sewage.

Skill Building: Sewage Treatment-Milwaukee. Guide students through reading and calculations, if needed.

Allow for independent practice as appropriate. (Lesson 8 Assessment applies to Lesson 7 as well). Review responses. (15 min) Conclusion: Ask students what problems could occur when

untreated sewage is dumped into local water bodies.



Sewage Treatment—MilwaukeeRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!


Like many major cities, Milwaukee, Wisconsin used to dump a lot of sewage into its local water sources. Lake Michigan received almost all of this pollution. Over a hundred years ago, Milwaukee began putting in sewer lines to treat the human waste and storm water runoff. In the 1990s, to alleviate some of the problems of its old system, Milwaukee created the “Deep Tunnel,” which is meant to hold wastewater that can’t be treated as quickly as it is produced.

Unfortunately, even the Deep Tunnel can’t contain all the wastewater and human waste produced by the region. In 2004, a major storm caused Milwaukee to dump almost 2 billion gallons of untreated waste into Lake Michigan. It’s neighbor city to the south, Chicago, Illinois, sued Milwaukee for contaminating their beaches and water supply. (By contrast, Chicago dumps about 7 billion gallons per year into local streams and rivers.)

1. Milwaukee’s old system dumped 4.5 billion gallons of untreated waste into Lake Michigan every year. Currently, the system dumps 450 million gallons of untreated waste into the lake. By how many gallons has Milwaukee reduced its untreated dumping?

2. What percentage reduction is this?

3. To reduce the current pollution from about 450 million gallons down to almost zero gallons, a proposed project would cost $7 billion to create. How much money per gallon would this cost over one year?

Write about it. How do the advantages of the new system compare to the expense? If you were mayor of Milwaukee, what would you do?

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Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Options for Sustainability: Green Machines • Lesson 8

Learning ObjectivesStudents will describe how 1. people use natural processes to mitigate pollution.Students will calculate costs 2. and benefits of a living machine system that treats sewage.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ True Green Machines, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Waste Treatment Options for Mock City, 1 per student

Hour 1(10 min) Setting the Stage: Ask students to point out

different machines and appliances in the room, and ask them what purpose those machines serve. (Examples could include computers, lamps, radios). Ask what these machines are made out of.

(20 min) Presentation: Explain to students that they will be learning about “eco” or “living” machines, that aren’t made out of plastic or metal, but plants, animals and bacteria. These machines are actually an assortment of these living creatures, arranged in a way that performs an environmental service.

Skill Building: True Green Machines Guide students through article and calculations as needed.

(20 min) Independent Practice: Explain that Mock City is considering a new sewage treatment plant that uses eco-machines.

Skill Building: Waste Treatment Options for Mock City. Allow for independent practice as appropriate.

Review answers. Extension: For each system, write an

equation for y as a function of x. (10 min) Conclusion: Elicit class discussion surrounding

the important factors that go into making decisions about sewage treatment.



True Green MachinesRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!


For several decades, a man named John Todd has been creating eco-machines by combining groups of plants, animals and microbes to complete certain functions. One of these functions is to treat wastewater and make it clean again. His eco-machines have helped clean up pollution all over the world. Some of his biggest systems are operating in southern China, Burlington, Vermont, and the Chesapeake Bay. His most ambitious project yet is a design for treating 50 million gallons of daily wastewater in Dallas, Texas.

Another company, based in Taos, New Mexico is doing similar work. Living Machines built a $500,000 living machine to treat sewage from a resort in Taos. It treats 5,000 gallons of wastewater every day. The living machine at the resort uses plants, microbes and snails to clean the water. The plants treat the nutrients, the snails eat the nutrients, and the microbes clean the nutrients coming from the wastewater.

1. If the living machine at the Taos resort cleans 5,000 gallons every day, how many gallons would it treat in a year?

2. Use the cost of the living machine and your answer from #1 to calculate the cost per gallon for the first year of cleaning.

Bonus. Look up John Todd’s resume (see link) and write down at least three reactions to the projects the firm has completed: http://www.pescaderocouncil.org/CSA11/jted/Select%20Project%20Resume%20JTED.pdf

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http://www.pescaderocouncil.org/CSA11/jted/Select Project Resume JTED.pdf



Waste Treatment Options for Mock CityRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the given information to solve the following problems. Use grid paper to graph the data. Use a different color for each system. Solve problems 1-4 after completing your graph

Mock City Metropolitan Area is weighing its options for waste treatment. It could put in a conventional waste treatment facility, which would cost less up-front, but use more energy and end up costing more over time. Or, it could install a living machine system that would cost a lot more up-front, but save on energy and operating costs over time.

Your Y-value data will be costs. Your X-value data will be years. Start at Year 0. Year 0 will include Initial Costs + Yearly Cost. Go through Year 10.Conventional Treatment Facility

Initial cost: $500,000,000•Yearly costs (service and energy): $20,000,000•

Living Machine Treatment FacilityInitial cost $1,000,000,000•Yearly costs: $5,000,000•

1. How much more will the Living Machine System cost in the first year of operation? (Include initial and year costs).

2. How much will each system have cost the city after 5 years?

3. How much will each system have cost the city after 10 years?

4. How many years will it take for the Living Machine system to cost less overall than the conventional system? (Extend your graph past 10 years.)

Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Solid Waste: Landfills and Recycling • Lesson 9

Learning ObjectivesStudents will describe different 1. ways municipalities dispose of their solid waste and calculate associated costs and benefits.

MaterialsSkill Building: ❒ United States Recycling, 1 per student

Skill Building: ❒ Mock City Recycling, 1 per student

Hour 1(10 min) Setting the Stage: Display trash—either from

home or in the class garbage can. Ask students if they can list some of the ways we create garbage. Post their ideas on the board or poster paper.

(20 min) Presentation: Ask students to estimate how many pounds of garbage the average American produces per day. Elicit several responses before giving actual answer. (Answer: between 4 and 5 pounds/day).

Explain that the students will be learning about total garbage produced by the country, and will be learning about how it is handled once it is collected from the curb.

Skill Building: United States Recycling. Guide students through reading and calculations, as needed.

Ask students to hypothesize as to why Ann Arbor has a much higher rate than the rest of the country.

(25 min) Independent Practice: Explain that students will help Mock City make some decisions about recycling and landfilling in their community.

Skill Building: Mock City Recycling. Allow for independent practice, as appropriate.

Review answers. (5 min) Conclusion: Ask students how they might improve

recycling at school, in their community.




United States RecyclingRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!


Recycling, including composting, diverted 57 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 1996, up from 34 million tons in 1990—a 67 percent increase in just 6 years. In 2005, the diversion rate resulting from recycling and composting is projected to reach 83 million tons per year, or 35 percent of all solid waste. *

Stop and think:

1. If 83 million tons represents 35% of the nation’s solid waste, how much total waste do we produce? Use this formula to solve for x: 0.35/83 = 1/x _____________________

2. How much American trash is going to landfills and incinerators? __________________

What does recycling do for us?* Reduces the need for new landfills• Prevents emissions of many air and water pollutants• Saves energy• Supplies valuable raw materials to industry• Creates jobs• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions• Stimulates the development of greener technologies• Conserves resources for our children’s future•

The Case of Ann Arbor, MI*Ann Arbor, Michigan sends 52% of its waste to recycling facilities. The high volume of diversion helps hold down the costs. In 1996, for example, Ann Arbor spent $71 per ton on recycling and composting, compared to $86 per ton for trash collection and disposal.

* White House Task Force on Recycling. (1998). Recycling for the Future.



Mock City RecyclingRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!


Waste costs money. No matter what you do with it, getting rid of your waste costs money. Here’s what is costs at the Mock City Area Solid Waste Treatment Center:

Cost per ton (2,200 lbs) of landfilled waste: $100•Cost per ton (2,200 lbs) of recycled waste: $85•Average garbage produced per capita: 1600 lbs/year•Trash producing citizens in Mock City Metropolitan Area: 2.5 million people•

1. Based on the per capita information, how much garbage does a family of four in Mock City produce each year?

2. If all that trash goes to the landfill, how much would that cost the taxpayers of Mock City?

3. If Mock City meets the national average of about 35% recycling and 65% landfilling, how much would the citizens spend on trash disposal, including landfilling and recycling for the entire city’s trash supply?

4. If Mock City is able to recycle half of their city’s trash, how much would the citizens spend on trash disposal (recycled and landfilled waste) over the course of a year? How much money would they save when compared to question three?

Going Further. Visit the EPA’s Recycle City website for games and activities: http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/mainmap.htm

http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/mainmap.htm


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Taxes • Lesson 10

Learning ObjectivesStudents will use number operations 1. and percentages to calculate how much different options for sustainability at the municipal level would affect taxpayers.

MaterialsLoose change (or fake money) ❒

Skill Building: ❒ Waukesha County, Wisconsin Energy Costs, 1 per studentSkill Building: ❒ Mock City Taxes, 1 per student

Hour 1(10 min) Setting the Stage: Distribute some spare change to

students around the room. Ask them if they would be willing to give up their new money to help the rest of the class purchase some new light bulbs. Elicit reactions.

Ask for a show of hands to see who thinks the money should be used to help the whole class.

Explain that this is similar to what communities do when they ask for taxes to improve life in their community and allow citizens to vote on the tax increase.

(20 min) Presentation: Ask students to brainstorm a list of things that taxes pay for. Put responses on the board or chart paper.

Explain that students will be learning about a recent real-life instance of a community using tax money to purchase new equipment that will save the community money in the long run because it uses less energy to operate.

Skill Building: Waukesha County, Wisconsin Energy Costs. Guide students through reading and calculations as needed.

(25 min) Independent Practice: Explain to students that communities make decisions all the time that weigh up-front costs and long-term costs. Mock City is going through a situation like this.

Skill Building: Mock City Taxes sheet. Allow for independent practice as appropriate.

Review answers. (5 min) Conclusion: Ask students what they would do

if they were the citizens of Mock City. Ask if there are other values besides money savings that people might use to make decisions.



Waukesha County, Wisconsin Energy CostsRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Waukesha County is a suburban area in southeastern Wisconsin. It sits just west of Milwaukee County, the state’s largest urban center. Over $17 million is spent annually by Waukesha County on public works. Because of this tremendous expenditure, several large-scale energy conservation projects were earmarked in the 2008 Capital Projects budget. The major project is replacing the boiler at the courthouse for about $650,000. At the time of the budget proposal, the courthouse used over $120,000 worth of natural gas and coal annually. With another $600,000 in modifications, it is expected that the County will save $100,000 per year on courthouse energy use. This is an amazing projection; the conservation efforts should pay for themselves by 2021. Furthermore, the courthouse began work on a $545,000 plan to revamp the air-handling unit to make it healthier and more energy efficient. Yet another project involves upgrading air handling units at the county Law Enforcement Center, with a projected annual saving of $40,000. Interestingly, these commitments came at a time of an expected decrease of over $300,000 in the county budget (Waukesha County Capital Projects, 2007).

1. If the new boiler and other modifications result in saving $100,000 on annual energy costs, how much will the Waukesha County Courthouse spend on energy each year after installing the new boiler and making the other modifications?

2. What other considerations besides cost savings did the county factor into their decisions?



Mock City TaxesRemember: Show your work and make sure you use the correct label on all your answers!

Directions: Use the following information to solve the problems below.

Mock City is holding a vote to determine whether or not to raise taxes to purchase some upgrades for the city government buildings. By purchasing energy efficient machinery, the city expects to save an average of $0.8 million in energy costs each year over the next 5 years. However, the machinery costs $3.9 million to purchase and install. Taxpayers are concerned that they will be spending too much money and not seeing the payoff.

1. The taxpayers want to know when they will see a return on their investment. How many years will it take until the energy savings from the new machinery pays off the costs of the new machinery?

2. If Mock City puts in some solar and wind power, they expect to cut their energy costs by 20% over the next five years. That means the energy costs of the new energy efficient machinery will also decrease by 20%. How many years would it take to pay off the $3.9 million in this case?


Sustainable Cities

Lesson Plan Sustainability and Our Town • Lesson 11

Learning ObjectivesStudents will compile a list of local 1. water, energy, food, waste disposal and transportation resources.Students will place these 2. resources on a map and measure the distance between one of each and their own home.Students will also design a dream 3. town, also on the map of their hometown, incorporating ways for the municipality to reduce water and energy use and waste.

MaterialsMap of your town ❒

Skill Building: ❒ Green Cities Around the World, 1 per studentFinal Project: ❒ Options for Your Mock City, 1 per studentPaper for student maps and ❒calculations, as needed

Hour 1*(5 min) Setting the Stage: Display a map of your town.

Optional: Highlight your school, any important natural areas (rivers, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands); highlight any areas of high-energy use (industrial areas, power plants); as well as any nearby sewage treatment centers. Ask students if they can identify any other areas of interest in your town.

(10 min) Presentation: Explain that your town goes through important decisions just like the citizens of Mock City and the other real cities you have read about during this unit.

Explain that cities around the world are trying to become more self-reliant and sustainable, while reducing their levels of pollution.

Skill Building: Green Cities Around the World. Guide students through articles. Answer questions that arise, and offer questions to check for comprehension.

(20 min) Independent Practice/Assessment: Explain that students will be creating their own city and sharing their plans when they finish.

Final Project: Options for Your City. Read through the table with the students, asking questions to check for understanding.

Student may work in groups to complete this project. The teacher may wish to include certain parameters

on this project. Here are some ideas:Your city must have a water source.1. City budget is $500 million/year, and half of that 2. goes public services, including schools, police, the fire department, and other city employees.Your city plan may need several years to pay 3. off. How will you raise the money for it?You must include a total payoff 4. amount for all your ideas.Students must use the numbers at the top of 5. Final Project page to make decisions.Students should include up-front costs and 6. long term costs in calculations, and display those calculations in their presentation.Students can be graded on mathematics 7. and language arts skills.Students can create a final presentation for the class.8.

* This lesson should be followed with 2-3 class periods for work time and 2-3 days for presentations.



Green Cities Around the WorldAs people around the globe are attempting to create more sustainable lifestyles and reduce their dependence on foreign sources of energy, many cities are attempting to green themselves. Asian countries are currently trying some of the most impressive projects.

Here are some examples:Dongtan, China- a planned city near Shanghai of 10,000 people to be completed by 2010 that will ■incorporate biofuels, solar and wind power, green corridors inside the city, green landscaping, public transportation running on hydrogen fuel cells, cycle and footpaths to encourage people-powered transportation; the city will be surrounded by a wild wetland, and will incorporate semi-wild wetlands within the city’s design.

New Delhi, India- recently to clean the air pollution in this heavily populated capital city, New Delhi ■switched all its buses and taxi cabs from gas and diesel power to natural gas power, which does not give off the same harmful pollutants when burned; also in the region, multi-use high density development is occurring, and allowing people to live, work and recreate in the same, walkable area.

Public Administration Town, near Seoul, South Korea- this city is incorporating gray water recycling ■and methane production from decaying organic waste, and 9.7 million square feet of green roofing (plantings on top of buildings) and photovoltaic cells (solar panels).

Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates- this city will contain a $15 billion clean ■technology research center; it will use hydrogen, solar, and wind power to become the world’s first carbon-neutral city; buildings will be extremely energy and water efficient.

Stop and Think:

1. What are the major obstacles that cities face as they try to become sustainable and green?

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Sustainable Cities | Lesson 11| 38 |

Name ________________________________________________Final Project

Options for Your Mock CityUse this table to design your city of 2.5 million people Imagine you serve 2.5 million people, who live in 800,000 homes. 200,000 of these homes are in apartment buildings and 600,000 are houses and duplexes. Each of your households currently uses 10,000 kWh of energy per year, but this can be decreased by 30% with a switch to energy efficient appliances. They spend an average of $0.10 per kWh on electricity based on your current energy sources. Your citizens currently send 80 gallons per person every day to the wastewater treatment center, including bath water, toilet water, and water from sinks.

Item Initial Cost Costs over time (energy, labor)Energy Efficient Light Bulbs $60 for 12 light bulbs $50/yr per householdGreen Roofing $300/house roof for

labor, soil, plants$1500/apartment roof

-$100/house roof (savings on food and energy costs)-$500/apartment roof (savings)

Wind Turbines $1million/Megawatt or$1million/250 households

$0.06/kWh for maintenance, transporting energy

Solar Panels $8,000/kW; about $40,000 per household

$0.06/kWh for maintenance, transporting energy

Living Machines Sewage Treatment Plant

$100,000/1,000 gallons $0.001/gallon

Current Wastewater Treatment Facility

$0.00 (no switch over) $0.01/gallon

Current Energy Sources $0.00 (no switch over) $0.10/kWhTrain Line $250,000,000* -$0.60/mi/rider (savings per personal mile of

trip)+; $15 million for yearly maintenance*; ?? (raise in property values); ?? (decrease in road maintenance)

Rain Gardens $200/hundred square feet $0.00/yr -$?? (raised property values) -$?? (reduced wastewater)

* Train line numbers based on December, 2006 Milwaukee proposal http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=544511

+ mileage cost based on 2008 IRS numbers http://www.panache-yes.com/mileagerate.html

1. Draw a rough outline of your city. Consider your options. Where will you include energy and water use efficiency? What kind of energy production will you rely upon? What kind of transportation options will you include? Will you have mixed-use neighborhoods where people can walk to school, work, shopping centers, and recreation locations?

2. Your city plan will cost money. Show your up-front and long-term cost calculations. Show your citizens how long it will take to break even, or save money if they choose your city plan.

3. Create a presentation for a city council meeting. Include budget numbers and visual representations (maps, photos, etc.).

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=544511

http://www.panache-yes.com/mileagerate.html

Sustainable Cities | Unit 4 | 39 |

Unit Answer KeysSome of the answers will be shown in steps to guide instruction. The steps will be separated by arrows.

Lesson 1Skill Building: U.S. Energy Use

4 megawatts1. 200 average homes2. 4∕1,0003. 40∕10,0004. 0.2 J per person5.

Skill Building: Mock City Energy Use

A majority of the energy use is renewable (52%)1. 160 megawatts2. 600 more megawatts3.

Lesson 2Skill Building: Transportation in the United States

1.824 billion metric tons1. 1.05792 billion metric tons2. 766,080,000 metric tons less3. 171,000,000 cars4.

Skill Building: Mock City Transportation

625,000 riders1. 48%2. 50,000 more train riders3. bike riders: 1⁄25 , bus riders: 4∕254.

Skill Building: Metro Systems

9,989,500 riders 1. 954,000 riders2. Answer will vary by student3.

Skill Building: Train Ridership per Capita

0.0761. 26,400 rides per day2. 15,600 rides per day3. 47,925 rides per day4.

Skill Building: Mock City Metro Riders

11. 3:8,000 , 4:10,000 , 5:12,000 , 6:14,000 , 7:16,000 , 8:18,0002. (s + 1)2,000 = r3. Yes, the formula works.4.

Sustainable Cities | Unit 4| 40 |

Skill Building: U.S. Food Miles

273 miles1. 21.9%2. 16.1 miles per year3. 5.9% 4. 2,692 food miles 5.

Skill Building: Mock City Food Miles

a. 2535 miles 1. b. 3500 miles2%2. a. 2615 food miles 3. b. 3725 food miles c. 2615:3725

Lesson 5Skill Building: Global Energy Use

75%1. 10.5 trillion2. 153 years3. 17.5 terawatts4.

Skill Building: Mock City Energy Payoff

$8.76 billion1. 8,500 megawatts2. $7.446 billion3. 4.

Lesson 6Skill Building: Our Biggest City Takes a Drink

356.751 billion gallons1. $2,520,000,0002. $307.323.

Skill Building: Mock City Water Use

2,450 million gallons1. True2. 50 million gallons3. 600, 1,100, 1,600, 1,900, 2,1004.

Lesson 7Skill Building: Our Biggest City Takes a Drink

4.05 billion gallons1. 90% reduction2. $15.56 per gallon for 1 year3.


Lesson 8Skill Building: True Green Machines

1,825,000 gallons in one year1. $0.27 per gallon2.

Skill Building: Waste Treatment Options

$485,000,0001. CTF: $600 million, LMS: $1,025 million2. CTF: $700 million, LMS: $1,050 million3. 34 years4.

Lesson 9Skill Building: United States Recycling

237,142,857.1 tons1. 154,142,857 tons2.

Skill Building: Mock City Recycling

6,400 pounds1. $200 million2. $189,500,0003. $185,000,0004.

Lesson 10Skill Building: Waukesha County, Wisconsin Energy Costs

$20,000 spent on energy1. ex: more energy efficient, air handlers will improve air quality2.

Skill Building: Mock City Taxes

4.875 years1. 2.


Unit References(All web sites accessible as of 2 July 2008)

Brown, Lester. State of the World 1987. Washington, D.C., Worldwatch Institute.1. Country Home. Best Green Cities in America. 2. http://www.countryhome.com/greencities/ Durning, Alan Thein. (1996). The Car and the City. Seattle, Northwest Environment Watch. 3. Grist.com. 19 July 2007. 15 Green Cities. 4. http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/19/cities/ Kutscher, Charles F., ed. (Jan 2007). Tackling Climate Change in the U.S.: Potential carbon emissions re-5. ductions from energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2030. American Solar Energy Society.Masdar Plans World’s First Green City. (19 Oct 2007). SustainableBusiness.com. 6. http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.feature/id/1497 Mass Impact. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 7. http://www.architects.org/massimpact/ Morgan, Sally. (2002). Alternative Energy Sources. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann.8. Morgan, Sally. (2003). Global Warming. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann.9. Our Green Cities: Taking Sustainable Cities Seriously. 10. http://ourgreencities.com/ Pfeiffer, David Allen. Eating Fossil Fuels: Oil, Food and the Coming Crisis in Agriculture. 11. Steffan, Alex. (11 Feb 2008). Cities: A Smart Alternative to Cars. BusinessWeek. 12. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_959496.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_green+design Svoboda, Elizabeth. America’s 50 Greenest Cities. PopSci.Com. 13. http://www.pop-sci.com/environment/article/2008-02/americas-50-greenest-cities?page=1 Vella, Matt. (11 Feb 2008). Rise of the Carbon-Neutral City. BusinessWeek. 14. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_503795.htm Victor, David G. (2004). Climate Change: Debating America’s Policy Op-15. tions. New York, Council on Foreign Relations Press.Wackernagel, Mathis and Rees, William. (1996). Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Hu-16. man Impact on the Earth. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, New Society Publishers.Windustry.org. How much do wind turbines cost? 17. http://www.win-dustry.org/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Catskill For-18. est Preserve. http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5265.html Roberts, Sam. (3 Oct 2006). More Masses Huddling, but They Use Less Water. The New 19. York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/nyregion/03water.htmlNew York City Department of Environmental Protection. Residential Water-20. Use. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/residents/wateruse.shtmlSandler, Larry. (20 Dec 2006). Sales Tax Proposed for Train Line. Milwaukee Jour-21. nal-Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=544511 Panache and Systems LLC. 2008 IRS Mileage Rate Posts Increase over 2007 22. Rate of 48.5 cents. http://www.panache-yes.com/mileagerate.htmlTodd, John. Ecological Design, Inc. Solutions for Water Planning and Treatment: Projects. 23. http://www.pescaderocouncil.org/CSA11/jted/Select%20Project%20Resume%20JTED.pdf White House Task Force on Recycling. (1998). Recycling for the Future.24.

http://www.countryhome.com/greencities/

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/19/cities/

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.feature/id/1497

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.feature/id/1497

http://www.architects.org/massimpact/

http://ourgreencities.com/

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_959496.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_green+design

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_959496.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_green+design

http://www.popsci.com/environment/article/2008-02/americas-50-greenest-cities?page=1

http://www.popsci.com/environment/article/2008-02/americas-50-greenest-cities?page=1

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_503795.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_503795.htm

http://www.windustry.org/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost

http://www.windustry.org/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5265.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/nyregion/03water.html

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/residents/wateruse.shtml

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=544511

http://www.panache-yes.com/mileagerate.html



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