International Student Carbon Footprint Challenge

Welcome to the International Student Carbon Footprint Challenge!

We can measure our personal carbon footprints by calculating how much greenhouse gas our activities produce.

Every time we turn on a light, travel by car, eat a meal, switch on a TV, or use anything that requires energy, we produce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

The challenge involves understanding the causes of climate change and then envisioning and embodying effective solutions so that we, as a planet, can avoid the worst potential consequences.

The April 24 ISCFC session in celebration of the 53rd Earth Day is now officially underway!

Click on Teacher participation steps below for specific dates and detailed information on the Apr 2024 ISCFC (and future sessions) and how to involve your students.

You can also email us and asked to be added to our teacher email list, which we use to announce dates and send info about each session. We will never share your email address with anyone outside the ISCFC.

Note that all ISCFC tools —including the footprint calculators and the conversation forum— are available year round.

In addition to Secondary School and college/university students and beyond, we now welcome Middle School students (ages ~10-13) to the Challenge sessions with our "Basic" version of the footprint calculator. ¡Disponible también en Español!

Are you ready to take the Challenge?

Follow these steps:

1. Participate:

Teachers should click here to go directly to the Participation Form

Teacher participation steps (click here to expand/collapse)

Teachers: do you want to have your class take the challenge?

There are three main steps in the International Student Carbon Footprint Challenge (ISCFC):

Students calculate their carbon footprint
Teachers submit their class data for posting, and review other class data posted on our world map
Students log on to our online conversation site and participate in ISCFC discussions with students around the globe

Important dates for the current session — April 2024

By Apr 17 : teacher submits online participation form.
By Apr 19: students calculate their carbon footprint using our international student footprint calculator.
By Apr 26: teacher compiles and submits their class footprint data using our excel spreadsheet; their class then receives a pin on our world map.
Apr 10 - May 6 (just extended!): students register on our communications platform and participate in the global dialog with peers.

Note that since Feb 2020 session, we have featured major improvements to our communications platform, including video and image support and the ability to follow posts!
Click here or on the "Discuss" footprint in the top banner to visit and try out the ISCFC conversation forum.

After the session: students and teachers complete the online survey and receive participation certificates.

Questions or comments -- including your classroom ideas for the ISCFC? Email ISCFC co-director Jason Hodin [larvador(at)uw.edu] or curriculum coordinator Pam Miller [pam.miller6164(at)gmail.com].

You may modify any part of the following procedure to suit your class needs, but these are the steps that we suggest you follow:

Prepare for the current session — Apr 2024 (or a future session)
click here to view/hide details of this step
- Examine our International Student Carbon Footprint Calculator to see if you agree that it would benefit your students.
  Options include both a "basic" calculation (geared to ages 10-13) and an "advanced" calculation (geared to ages 13-18 and up), as well as full mobile compatibility! ¡Disponible también en Español!
- Fill out and submit the online ISCFC Teacher Participation Form to sign up for the current or a future ISCFC session — or you can download, fill in and email a text version instead.
  The next session will be in Apr 2024.
  
  Filling out the form will allow us to add your class & school to the footprint database.
- Download and examine the Excel spreadsheet that you will use in Step B below to gather your students' footprint data.
  Need help filling out the Excel spreadsheet? Download these instructions.
  
  No access to Excel or OpenOffice? Email media & content coordinator Jason Hodin (larvador[at]uw.edu) for a link to an online google doc.
- Download and examine this useful pictorial key to the features of the calculator (you might consider projecting this for your students in advance or during their calculator session).
  Here is the pictorial key for the mobile version of the calculator.
- Download a detailed step-by-step guide to our new discussion forum — and please share this guide with your students!
- Explore, register and logon to our communication platform, to meet other participating teachers and plan for the communication sessions involving your students.
Students calculate personal footprint & you submit your class data
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- We suggest having your students fill out this Calculator Prep Worksheet in advance — it will make the process faster and more accurate.
- Students go to the Challenge site and calculate their footprints.
  We offer a "basic" calculator version (geared to ages 10-13) alongisde the original "advanced" version, as well as new calculator options (e.g., solar panels and electric cars)! ¡Disponible también en Español!
- Here is a useful pictorial key to the features of the calculator (you might consider projecting this for your students in advance or during their calculator session).
  Here is the pictorial key for the mobile version of the calculator.
- Teachers and students may wish to download this source document with all of the sources and assumptions available in a single pdf file for all questions in the calculator.
  Note that all sources/assumptions are also available on demand during the calculations when you press the documentation button (with the 'jumble of numbers' icon).
- You may wish to have your students fill out this class assignment as they undertake their calculations to encourage reflection on the activity.
  If you wish to modify this assigmnment, here is a version saved in Word .doc format
- You collect your students’ data — their total footprints as well as in the four categories: home, food, purchases, transport. Fill in the Excel spreadsheet that you downloaded in Step A: the spreadsheet automatically calculates means and standard deviations for your class data.
  Please notice the part of the spreadsheet where you should enter your school information.
- Email your completed spreadsheet to media & content coordinator Jason Hodin (larvador[at]uw.edu), and we will post your data on the Compare page map.
Students discuss footprint results & possible solutions
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- Invite your students onto our communication platform to expand the discussion to their peers worldwide!
- Download a detailed step-by-step guide to our new discussion forum — and please share this guide with your students!
- Teachers should visit the Teacher Planning discussion page and introduce yourself to the other Apr 2024 ISCFC teachers, share resources and ideas, and suggest additional discussion topics.
  The conversation topic pages for the Apr 2024 session are now open for teacher examination.
Make the most out of the ISCFC by visiting our Resources page for links, lesson plans, documentation, and more!

After the session: students and teachers complete the online survey and receive participation certificates.

Student participation steps (click here to expand/collapse)

Students: do you want to have your class take the challenge?

Tell your teacher about this project
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- Give your teacher the link to the ISCFC project web site.
- If your school is already involved, proceed to Step 2…
Complete the carbon footprint calculator
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- Use the Calculate link at the top of this page.
- Prepare in advance for the questions in the survey (e.g., numbers of light bulbs, fuel economy of home vehicle, etc.) by filling out our Calculator Prep Worksheet.
- If suggested by your teacher, use our class assignment as you proceed through the calculator to reflect on what you discover.
- (optional) download this pictorial key to the features of our calculator. ...or click here to download the guide to using our mobile calculator!
- (optional) download this source document with all of the sources and assumptions available in a single pdf file for all questions in the calculator.
- Be sure to email or print your results at the end!
- ...and we recommend that you register (free) and save your results. That way, you can complete the survey at multiple sittings, and save your answers for future adjustments.
Prepare for the discussion with your peers worldwide
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- As directed by your teacher, visit websites where you can explore possible responses at both a personal and national level, and to make pledges to make personal changes in your daily lives.
- The United Nation Foundation's pledge from Youth Climate Pledge — spread the word!
- Earth Day take action page (pass it on: everyday is Earth Day).
Discuss!
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- Review the detailed guide for using our new discussion forum site.
- Follow the instructions, examining and registering at the discussion site.
- Note that you can join and add to the discussions anytime.
- You will find links on the right side of that page to all of the official ISCFC student discussion topic pages under the Student Discussions title.
- Refer to the General Announcements page anytime for instructions and updates.
- Have an idea for a discussion topic? Post your thoughts in the "Open Forum" discussion, and we will choose some of these to be featured as their own discussion!
Additional resources
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Eager to go further? Take a look at our Resources page for links and related resources dedicated to climate change.