Welcome to this WebQuest!

In today's towns, there are a great many cars. And although people complain, the number of cars is increasing.

All these cars create air and noise pollution, and poor quality of life for all the people who live and work there.

Besides, it has serious effects on public health and on the global environment of the Earth. What can be done to avoid this sort of pollution and improve the quality of life we lead in today's towns? You and your partners are invited to search for information about this important issue.

You will be asked to process and transform the information you find, and, by playing roles, you will be asked to use your imagination and be creative!

Have fun!

 
Your task is to participate in a TV programme whose aim is to launch the campaign "In Town, Without My Car" and debate the advantages of the "Car Free Day" initiative.

According to your role, you will:

• show the audience the importance of initiatives like this one
• raise awareness and inform city-dwellers of the risks connected with pollution
• promote the need for better quality of life in towns
• actively implement international agreements to reduce pollution
• involve all possible partners in initiatives such as this
• propose possible solutions

Working in a team and playing roles, you will research several websites to collect information on the objectives of this campaign, the problems of today's towns and what can be done to minimize them.

 

 

• Divide into groups of three.

• In your group, choose one of these roles:
  • Environmental Activist
  • Public Health Officer
  • Mobility Consultant
  • City Hall Official
  • Advocate of Alternative Sources of Energy
  • Minister of the Environment

  • National Coordinator of the Campaign

   

• Follow the links under each role to get information about the characteristics and responsibilities of each one.

• Read the contents that refer to your role. Follow the instructions and steps indicated.

• Assign group tasks.

• Conduct an internet search for your role using the Resources provided.

  

 

 

Environmental Activist	http://www.22september.org/info/en/air.html http://www.iclei.org/sb1.htm
Public Health Officer	http://www.22september.org/info/en/health.html http://www.22september.org/info/en/qua.html
Mobility Consultant	http://www.22september.org/info/en/solu.html http://www.carfreecities.org/ http://www.epommweb.org/
City Hall Official	http://www.22september.org/info/en/camp2.html http://www.22september.org/info/en/camp3.html http://www.22september.org/info/en/camp4.html http://www.22september.org/charte/index.html http://www.22september.org/pdf/char01en.pdf
Advocate of Alternative Sources of Energy	http://www.22september.org/info/en/consu.html http://www.nsc.org/ehc/mobile/alternat.htm http://www.avere.org/range/en/default.html http://www.22september.org/info/en/solu4.html
Minister of the Environment	http://www.22september.org/info/en/solu6.html http://www.epa.gov/ghginfo/qa/index.htm http://www.saep.org/forDB/forDBNov00/AIRCLIMkyotobackgroundUNEP001101.htm
The National Coordinator of the Campaign	http://www.22september.org/part/en/news.html http://www.22september.org/pdf/cp01_en.pdf http://www.22september.org/part/en/partners.html

 

At the conclusion of this webquest you will be evaluated on how well you have accomplished the task assigned.
A rubric is used to have you evaluate your work.

By doing this webquest you have acquired a lot more knowledge about the problems that affect our towns: air pollution, noise pollution, traffic jams, poor quality of life. These affect us all. However, you have also learned that something can be done to improve our quality of life in today's towns.
Now that you have finished, what new insights has this project brought to your view of these issues?
Has it changed in any way your vision of the world?

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion

Thanks to all those who encouraged and motivated the construction of this webquest,
namely Philip Franklin, for his help, support and language revision.

Comments and suggestions: Fernanda Rodrigues

October 2001

Escola Secundária Sebastião da Gama
Setúbal