SVN3M – Sustainability
Name: _________________
Group Activity: Promoting Biodiversity
(adapted from Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment,
http://chge.med.harvard.edu/programs/bio/action.html, accessed October 2009)
Making small changes in our food, transportation, and home can have significant impacts on
preserving biodiversity. In groups, you will discuss each of the actions below, and try to connect
it to the promotion of biodiversity. Try to make more than 1 direct connection for each.
Part I. Eat Sustainable Food
Action
1. Choosing to eat sustainably-harvested fish.
How this action promotes biodiversity
Preserve species and food chains (species
(Several organizations provide information on what biodiversity)
kinds of fish to buy and which ones to avoid.)
Save on energy and prevents pollution
e.g. www.greenpeace.org/international/seafood/red-listfrom transport (preserves habitat,
of-species
ecosystems biodiversity)
2. Seeking out locally grown food whenever
possible, and eating less fast food. (Read the
labels for produce at the supermarket, or shop at
local farmers’ markets.)
Less pesticides, less fossil fuel for
transport – less pollution and GHGs,
preserves habitat; healthier species
3. Eating less meat and more cereals, fruits
and vegetables. (By “eating lower on the food
chain”, you can help reduce the amount of land
used for agricultural production – why?)
Less meat = less grain for feeding, less
energy used to raise meat = less land
needed (preserve habitat)
Part II. Choose Smart Transport
Action
1. Reducing personal vehicle use and
increasing use of public transit. (Combine a
How this action promotes biodiversity
Less air pollution = healthier habitat,
fewer resources used = more habitat
few errands into one trip, carpool with friends, use
transit for 1 more trip this week.)
2. Walking or biking to school when possible,
and encouraging our city to be more
pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.
Same as above
3. (For our parents) Making sure our cars are
well tuned, and the tires are properly
inflated. Considering buying smaller, more
fuel-efficient and less polluting cars, or
hybrid vehicles.
Less fossil fuels used = fewer resources
need to be mined (protect habitat)
SVN3M – Sustainability
Name: _________________
Create a Low Impact Home and Lifestyle
Indoors
Action
1. Choosing appliances and home heating
systems with high energy-efficiency (Energy
Star) ratings. Switching to an electric
company that offers energy from renewable
(wind, wave, or solar) power sources. (e.g.
Bullfrog Power in Toronto)
How this action promotes biodiversity
Saving more energy, (high efficiency),
don’t have to generate as much energy =
less fossil fuels = protect habitat
2. Replacing light bulbs with compact
fluorescent light bulbs. (They use a fraction of
the electricity, and last up to ten times as long.
Same as above
3. Recycling paper, cans, glass bottles, and
plastic bottles and composting (Green bin
program or backyard).
Less litter/pollution, less land use for
landfills, save energy in extracting
resources = protecting habitat
4. Recycling electronic equipment (e.g. cell
Same as above
phone and computer recycling and donation
programs)
Outside the house
Action
1. Planting trees around your home or
community.
How this action promotes biodiversity
Attract species (provide habitat), reduce
air pollution, reduce a/c energy use
2. Reducing the amount of new things that we
Don’t need to extract as many resources
= habitat protection; less garbage/waste
and pollution
buy and the amount of things we throw out.
(Shop at and donate to second-hand stores for
clothing, shoes, electronic equipment. Refuse to
buy things with a lot of packaging.)
3. Avoiding using things with a lot of synthetic
(human-made) chemicals. (Encourage your
parents to use less toxic cleaners, bleach,
pesticides, or oil-based house paints. Reduce your
own use of personal care items that have been
tested on animals or contain a lot of chemicals.)
Prevents poisoning of land and water
(health of animals and plants),
protecting habitat for marine life
SVN3M – Sustainability
Name: _________________
Group Activity: Promoting Biodiversity
(adapted from Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment,
http://chge.med.harvard.edu/programs/bio/action.html, accessed October 2009)
Making small changes in our food, transportation, and home can have significant impacts on
preserving biodiversity. In groups, you will discuss each of the actions below, and try to connect
it to the promotion of biodiversity. Try to make more than 1 direct connection for each.
Part I. Eat Sustainable Food
Action
1. Choosing to eat sustainably-harvested fish.
How this action promotes biodiversity
(Several organizations provide information on what
kinds of fish to buy and which ones to avoid.)
e.g. www.greenpeace.org/international/seafood/red-listof-species
2. Seeking out locally grown food whenever
possible, and eating less fast food. (Read the
labels for produce at the supermarket, or shop at
local farmers’ markets.)
3. Eating less meat and more cereals, fruits
and vegetables. (By “eating lower on the food
chain”, you can help reduce the amount of land
used for agricultural production – why?)
Part II. Choose Smart Transport
Action
1. Reducing personal vehicle use and
increasing use of public transit. (Combine a
few errands into one trip, carpool with friends, use
transit for 1 more trip this week.)
2. Walking or biking to school when possible,
and encouraging our city to be more
pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.
3. (For our parents) Making sure our cars are
well tuned, and the tires are properly
inflated. Considering buying smaller, more
fuel-efficient and less polluting cars, or
hybrid vehicles.
How this action promotes biodiversity
SVN3M – Sustainability
Name: _________________
Create a Low Impact Home and Lifestyle
Indoors
Action
1. Choosing appliances and home heating
systems with high energy-efficiency (Energy
Star) ratings. Switching to an electric
company that offers energy from renewable
(wind, wave, or solar) power sources. (e.g.
Bullfrog Power in Toronto)
How this action promotes biodiversity
2. Replacing light bulbs with compact
fluorescent light bulbs. (They use a fraction of
the electricity, and last up to ten times as long.
3. Recycling paper, cans, glass bottles, and
plastic bottles and composting (Green bin
program or backyard).
4. Recycling electronic equipment (e.g. cell
phone and computer recycling and donation
programs)
Outside the house
Action
1. Planting trees around your home or
community.
2. Reducing the amount of new things that we
buy and the amount of things we throw out.
(Shop at and donate to second-hand stores for
clothing, shoes, electronic equipment. Refuse to
buy things with a lot of packaging.)
3. Avoiding using things with a lot of synthetic
(human-made) chemicals. (Encourage your
parents to use less toxic cleaners, bleach,
pesticides, or oil-based house paints. Reduce your
own use of personal care items that have been
tested on animals or contain a lot of chemicals.)
How this action promotes biodiversity