World use of energy & unequal distribution

Aims:

• To show the disparity in energy use and population between the developed and the 'developing world'.

You will need:

• 5 x A3 blank sheets
• Marker
• Chair for each person

This activity is based on a class of 30 students but can be adapted for larger or smaller numbers.

To do:

• Make a large clear space in the classroom.
• Write the name of each continent on each A3 sheet (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America) and place these around the classroom.
• Explain to the class that there are 5 continents on the planet and each uses energy very differently.
• The class represents all the people currently on the planet and the chairs represent all the energy resources currently on the planet.

As a class, they must decide on:

• Population - on the basis of their class size, what proportion of people in the class would represent the population of each continent?
• Hints for the teacher to ask: Would Africa have more people than Asia? Would Europe have more people than North America?
• Energy use - using their chairs, what proportion of chairs would represent the amount of energy each continent uses.
• Once the class has discussed the above, ask them to move, with their chairs to appropriate parts of the room.

Below are the answers based on a class of 30.

Follow up:

Some questions to ask the class:

• Is this distribution of energy resources fair?
• Why are energy resources distributed this way?
• What effect does the western world's reliance on energy have on the planet?
• Is it affecting the climate throughout the world? See Effects of Climate Change on different parts of the world .