Centre of the Universe

Sneaker Economics

Myke Bartlett — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:47:28 +0000

In 2001, Americans spent $15.42 billion on athletic shoes. About 107
million pairs of those were bought for teenagers.

1) In your books, rank these in importance to you: Brand, Comfort, Design, Durability, Endorsement (recommendation by a celebrity/sportsperson), Materials used, Peer pressure, Price, Store appearance (where you buy the shoes).

For each of these factors, explain why or why not they are important to you.

2) Read http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061002/southpaw

a) What is so special about the Starbury One and what are Maybury’s reasons for making them? What is “the movement”?
b) How can the cost be kept down?
c) Who are the Fair Labor Association?
d) Who are Educating for Justice and what are there concerns about the Starbury One?
e) Do some research and find a definition for ‘sweatshop’ in regards to the manufacture of shoes. What is a sweatshop and where do they tend to exist? Why do overseas companies use them?
f) Scott Nova says it’s admirable that Maybury is attempting to make sneakers cheaper, but what does he suggest needs to be taken into account when keeping products cheaper?
g) What would be the “slam dunk” in terms of producing the perfect sneaker, as for as Jim Keady is concerned?
h) Using the internet, research a specific anti-sweatshop campaign (not Educating for Justice) and explain the following:
* the goals of the campaign
* the target of the campaign
* how successful they have been so far
* what changes consumers (people like us who buy things) can make in their spending, if we wanted to support one of these campaigns

Your play template

Myke Bartlett — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 04:24:57 +0000

Right-click and save this template here to write your short plays

http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/files/sf_07_stageplayformat.doc

Climate Change Ad Campaigns

Myke Bartlett — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 01:15:33 +0000

Here are the ads we looked at in class. For each, you should consider what the key “message” is and what techniques the ad uses to convince us of its message (eg. music, humour, visuals)

Climate Clever (Australian Government ad)

Climate Cleverer (Independent ad)

Gas Guzzler (Greenpeace ad)

The Astro Ferret Challenge!

Myke Bartlett — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:07:19 +0000

Those of you who have completed your Action Plan grids can spend today conducting experiments at the NASA-funded site below:

http://astroventure.arc.nasa.gov

Answer all questions and record your results. Good luck!

My Carbon Footprint: An Action Plan

Myke Bartlett — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:56:24 +0000

The ways in which we produce carbon emissions (and make our footprint bigger) aren’t always obvious. The following link might help us start thinking about the various ways we can help tackle climate change:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/planetslayer/tiyl.htm

As we can see, it’s not merely driving cars or flying planes that can produce carbon emissions. Buying a piece of fruit that was grown in a different state can also harm the environment. It’s always much better for the environment if you buy products that were made locally.

For example, buying a shoe that was made in another country might produce carbon emissions in the following way:

Production of raw materials (rubber, plastic etc)
Transport of raw materials to factory (road, air travel)
Electricity used in the factories in which shoes are assembled
Production of shoe packaging
Transport of shoe to another country
The plastic bag you use to bring the shoes home from the shops

TASK:
1) Make a list of (at least) ten ways in which you are contributing to the size of your carbon footprint
2) Start constructing an action plan. How can you personally make changes in your lifestyle that will reduce the size of your carbon footprint? To do this your will need to look at the ways in which you are contributing carbon emissions and think about possible alternatives.

This link may help: Ten Reader’s Ways to cut your carbon footprint

Ways in which Mr Bartlett contributes to carbon emissions:
- Air Travel. I travelled overseas in the last 12 months and fly interstate at least once a year.
- Internet Shopping. I purchase a wide range of products over the internet, from a number of different countries. Not only does the production of these goods produce carbon emissions, but having the goods flown to my doorstep worsens the size of my footprint.
- My Computer. I leave my computer on all the time, which is supposed to be better for the computer, but it does use a lot of energy.
- My shoes. I wear shoes that were made in Vietnam in conditions that are known not to be particularly environmentally friendly. On the plus side, they have no leather components. Meat and leather products are a major cause of greenhouse emissions.

In coming up with an action plan, you should try to address each of the following categories:

# Transport
# Water heating
# Electronics
# Standby Power
# Other appliances
# Clothes washing & drying
# Home heating & cooling
# Building and renovating
# Cooking
# Refrigerators & freezers
# HFCs
# Lighting
# Food, Garden, Packaging and Materials

How can you deal with each of these points in your own life?

For more details on each, go to the site below:
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/gwci/index.html

Measuring Our Footprints

Myke Bartlett — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:53:18 +0000

HOMEWORK:
You’ll need to gather the information needed to complete this survey:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/carboncops/calculator.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/science/planetslayer/greenhouse_calc.htm

Carbon Footprints

Myke Bartlett — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:22:54 +0000

Have a look at this site: www.babs2brisbane.blogspot.com

Why is she travelling overland from the UK to Australia?

Go to this site

What is a carbon footprint?

What are some basic ways in which a carbon footprint can be measured?

Why is it necessary for people to attempt to reduce their carbon footprints?

Which country’s citizens have the largest carbon footprints?

What is the meaning of the term “Carbon Neutral”?

What are Carbon Offsets?

In what specific ways can we measure the size of our individual footprints?

Global Warming: Can We Save Planet Earth?

Myke Bartlett — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:23:45 +0000

Of the hottest years on record, nine out of ten have occurred since 1990. Thousands of plant and animal species are already on life support. Hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves and forest fires are happening with more regularity and intensity than ever before. And in a matter of decades, some coastal communities could be entirely under water. All because of global warming. All because of the choices we make every day.

Legendary UK broadcaster Sir David Attenborough says we’ve reached a tipping point and that we must act now to save our planet. Through sensible, manageable, and meaningful changes he says we can save planet earth without tossing out our air conditioners and returning to the days of horse and buggies.

Questions for Part One:

1. How are human activities believed to be changing the climate of the planet?
2. How did Global Warming lead to the devastating strength of Hurrican Katrina?
3. The climate of the Earth has always been changing – are the recent changes in climate the same as past changes? What are the differences between natural changes and human=related changes?
4. How is Global Warming affecting the Great Barrier Reef?

Extension:
What do ancient rainforests have to do with the increase of CO2 in today’s atmosphere?

The Black Death – Assignment

Myke Bartlett — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:36:34 +0000

You are to write (at least) 5 diary entries from a poor person in London in 1665. The plague has just come to the city. You live in a small house with 4 members of your family. One of them comes home ill one night. What will happen?

Include the following:
- What you would know about the Black Death (talk about its history)
- How you would feel, knowing people were dying of the Black Death
- What you would think was the cause
- Symptoms
- What would happen to anyone who became infected (including what would happen to their family)
- What happened to the bodies of the dead
- How many people were dying

For research:

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/plague/index.html
http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/site/microsites/theplague/

Lockie Leonard Assignment Part 2: Character Analysis

Myke Bartlett — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:14:54 +0000

You need to do two analyses of Lockie, one arguing that the author wants us to see Lockie as being a good, likeable character and one arguing that Lockie is shown to be dislikeable. Both analyses need to follow the format below:

Introduction

Reason 1
Evidence
Explanation

Reason 2
Evidence
Explanation

Reason 3
Evidence
Explanation

Conclusion

Here is an example of an analysis plan (with labels) suggesting he is a good character:

Introduction: Lockie Leonard is the lead character in the novel …. by Tim Winton, but are we meant to see him as the ‘hero’ of the story? By looking at evidence from the book, we can see that…

Reason 1: Lockie is a friendly, outgoing person who…
Evidence: (there should be at least two pieces of evidence per reason)
When Lockie first arrives in Angelus, he is keen to make friends…
Also…
Explanation: (this tells us what your evidence actually means)
This shows us that Lockie is a friendly, helpful person who… which are
characteristics that readers will find appealing and likeable.

Reason 2: Lockie is responsible…
Evidence: Helps his brother
Doesn’t take a cigarette from Vicki
Explanation: The sort of person who helps others and… is one that most people would admire.

Reason 3: (You’ll need to think of one for yourself)
Evidence:
Explanation:

Conclusion: Someone outgoing, responsible and … is displaying characteristics that most readers will see as being “good”. The fact that Lockie has been given these characteristics by the author shows us the author wants us to like Lockie.

DUE MONDAY 18th JUNE