This video shows how some European cities, such as Paris, have lowered their greenhouse gas emissions by using energy efficiently.
Students will learn about energy use, green transportation infrastructure, and efficient ways to use public and personal spaces.
The video explains how the United States could adopt many of the energy-saving methods used in Europe.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video explains how cities can address complex problems using solutions on a societal and personal level.
Students will learn that, on average, Europeans use far less energy than Americans.
The video description contains links to references.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should understand that burning fossil fuels causes climate change.
Differentiation
After watching this video, students could brainstorm ideas for a project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the class, school, or community level.
Other resources on city design include this video on biking infrastructure in Paris and this video on the differences between cities designed for cars and cities designed for pedestrians and cyclists.
This resource examines the sources of energy and lifestyle differences between France and the United States. On average, France, and the majority of the European Union, use half as much energy per capita as the United States. All of the data and figures in this resource have been verified and it is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Social Sciences
Geography (K-12)
HS.44 Assess how changes in the environmental and cultural characteristics of a place or region influence spatial patterns of trade, land use, and issues of sustainability.
Social Science Analysis (K-12)
HS.75 Evaluate options for individual and collective actions to address local, regional, and global problems by engaging in self-reflection, strategy identification, and complex causal reasoning.
