What Does It Mean to Be Green?

Environment, Teen Culture and Media

Introduction

Teacher: Miss Shiri

Class Objective: To Use Media and Teen Culture to Understand Important Concepts in Environmental Science and Studies Fields

Class Time: 12:15-1:20

Miley Cyrus (AKA Hannah Montana)

“I've begged my dad for the Mercedes G-wagon, but he was like, ‘Miley, isn't there enough pollution in the air?'

“We're Cherokee, that's our background. And he's like, ‘As a Cherokee, I really don't think you want to do this.'  And I'm like, ‘Dad, I'm not that Cherokee.'  He wants me to take care of the environment and look at hybrid cars. 

I'm stoked, that's awesome, especially with the price of gas.  I want to spray paint it. I want to rock out my car.  I want to get my car pimped out.” 1

Whatchya Talkin’ ‘bout Daddy?Hybrid Cars:Cars that use two or more power sources to propel

the vehicle.

Possible Energy Sources: • Rechargeable Battery • Gasoline • Hydrogen • Compressed Air • Human powered e.g. pedaling or rowing • Wind • Compressed or Liquid Natural Gas • Solar • Coal, wood or other combustibles

Hybrid cars often excrete less Carbon dioxide than the 5.5 standard set by the EPA

Another option is to use alternative fuel composition (i.e. biofuels) in conventional fossil fuel-based vehicles, making them go partly on renewable energy sources. Using Public Transportation is also a environmentally friendly idea.

Headline In the Chicago Tribune:

Fans' green poster-contest entries end up in trash at Jonas Brothers show

“Posters covered with glitter glue and puffy paint were thrown in large garbage bins before the show, likely destined to end up in landfills, because there were too many to be judged outside and the posters weren't allowed in the venue.”2

• Green Team Jonas promotion sponsored by Chevy

• Prize: meeting Disney heartthrobs Nick, Joe and Kevin. The theme of the poster contest was about having fun and thinking green.

• Posters could obstruct fans' views.

Burning up for you baby????

LandfillsWhat They Are:

A type of waste disposal site where garbage is buried. Basically, a landfill is like a bathtub in the ground; a double-lined landfill is one bathtub inside another. 

Why are they used ?

To avoid any hydraulic [water-related] connection between the wastes and the surrounding environment, particularly groundwater.

Why Are They Hazardous to our Environment?

Methane Gas can leak out the bottom or over the top.   Methane is an extremely flammable greenhouse gas.

Alternatives:

•Waste reduction

•Recycling

Zac EfronLast weekend the blogs were abuzz with news of stinky men. The gossip site, Just Jared, reported that Zac Efron, the star of Disney's "High School Musical," is so committed to the environment that he doesn't take regular showers—or maybe he's just lazy. A colleague that shares the set with Efron says that if he gets too rank, he uses baby wipes. 3

We use a lot of water when we shower, so even though it sounds extreme, it turns out Zac Efron saves 25 to 50 gallons of water for every shower he skips.

WaterUseful tips to save water:

You should still shower regularly to avoid hygienic problems. Here is how you can save water in the shower:

Navy Shower : Sailors with a limited freshwater supply use this method at sea.Water off between lathering

Low Flow Water HeadsWater Rate of Avg. Shower: 8-gallons-per-minute. Can add up base on shower time.Low-flow heads: about 4 gallons-per- minute, easy to install, $10 -$50 depending on how fancy you want to get.

Save the ShaveIf you can't give up your daily showers, then think about going without some of your daily grooming activities. Do your shaving and/or hair washing every other day or once a week if you can stand it.

The Chevy Campaign

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1115021//

Classroom Discussion Questions

What are your reactions to the video?- Do you think that the people in the video understand

environmental concepts such as Recycling, Alternative Feul and Climate Change?

What would you fill your car up with?

Upcoming themes

• Dangerous Cosmetics • Sports• Food Health and Genetically Modified Foods

(GMO’s)• Fashion• Facebook• Recycling • Carbon Trading• And Many More!

Sources1 Diaz. Glenn L. . "Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus Goes Green," BuddyTV 11 Aug 2008 . 9 Mar 2009

<http://www.buddytv.com/articles/hannah-montana/hannah-montana-miley-cyrus goe21904.aspx>

2 Bonaguro. Alison . "Fans’ Green Poster-Contest Entries End Up In Trash at Jonas Brothers Show,“ Chicago Tribune 26 Aug 2008 . 9 Mar 2009 <http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/aug/26/local/chi-jonas-brothers-both-26-aug26>

3 "Zac Efron Loses Shower Power." JustJared. 12 June 2008 . 9 Mar 2009 <http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/06/12/zac-efron-shower/comment-page-8/>.