9- Topic: CO sinks and CO₂ Caps

Questions:

1. What is a CO sink?

2. How much carbon can an average mature tree in NDG standing 15 to 30 metres high absorb in a year. What is the average lifespan of such a tree and how much can it absorb in its lifetime? What types of trees are best at absorbing ?

3. Identify some of the major forests of the world. What percentage of forest has our planet suffered over the past 25 years and how does this contribute to climate change?

4. What is the Kyoto protocol?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of sinks?

6. What are the major forest regions in the surrounding area of Montreal?

7. What is a carbon credit and how do governments use them to limit pollution?

8. What is behind the notion of a carbon tax and how would this reduce emissions?

Activities:

(Choose one of the following)

A: Each team of 2 students should choose a given street block within NDG and count the number of trees from end to end on each side of the road. Students should also count how many cars travel this stretch of road within a 15 minute period. Using this data, and knowledge obtained on the Internet regarding how much carbon mature trees are capable of absorbing, students should try to calculate whether a street contributes or actually absorbs more .Teams should compare notes and identify which streets are green and those that are not (e.g., Monkland versus Hingston, etc).

B: Each team of 2 students could count the number of cars/trucks heading north on Decarie within a 10 minute period. Also, identify how many passengers were in the car. Using your 10 minutes of data, how many cars do you estimate travel Decarie within 60 mintues during a non-rush hour period, and how many people are being transported. Optional: How much do you think the entire stretch of Decarie North releases in one hour (If Decarie is 2km long, and every car is doing the 80km/hr speed limit, each car will be on Decarie North for 4 minutes, emitting .)

NOTE: STUDENTS CONDUCTING ACTIVITY ‘A’ WILL JOIN MR. Alec Mathewson WHO WILL SUPERVISE A STREET SURVEY.

STUDENTS CONDUCTING ACTIVITY ‘B’ WILL JOIN MR. AUCLAIR

10- Topic: Natural landscaping

Questions:

1. What is herbicycling?

2. What are examples of indigenous flora in the Montreal area?

3. What species of birds and other wildlife thrive on our indigenous trees?

4. Why is the Norway Maple a bad choice for planting?

5. What are green roofs?

6. What are alternatives to pesticides?

7. What are alternatives to herbicides?

8. What is Bioengineering?

Activities:

A: Survey how people beautify their property. Who has the most natural landscape? Which street is the most appealing?

B: What percentage of green space versus housing is there on a given property. Using observations from a few houses, and multiplying this by the number of houses on a given block, provide a green space percentage for a given stretch of road

C: Choose a street in NDG stretching one block. Take note of the different types of trees on that block (e.g., Norway maples, Oak, Pine, etc.).

NOTE: STUDENTS CONDUCTING ACTIVITY ‘A, B OR C’ WILL JOIN MR. Alec Mathewson WHO WILL SUPERVISE A STREET SURVEY.

Mobility Footprint

“Using public transport will reduce your ecological footprint and the footprint of your community”.

11- Topic: Transport

Questions:

1. What is Montreal’s public bike system all about? Where are the cycle paths in Montreal?

2. What measures have been taken by Montreal to “green” the transit system?

3. Tramways back in Montreal- where? When? Why?

4. What is “La Route Verte”?

5. What is the purpose of the event “ International walk to school day”?

6. What are “green cars”?

7. What is meant by the term “Carbon Neutral”?

8. What is the Vauban neighbourhood in Freiburg, Germany?

9. What are the hydrogen buses used in Reyjavik? In Vancouver?

Activity:

B: Visit train depot via the bike trail and list where people are going, how many use the train, etc.

NOTE: STUDENTS CONDUCTING THIS ACTIVITY WILL JOIN MR. AUCLAIR.

9- Topic: CO sinks and CO2 Caps

10- Topic: Natural landscaping

Mobility Footprint

11- Topic: Transport

9- Topic: CO sinks and CO₂ Caps