"Tracking the physical and digital footprint of our modern world."
Connect the concepts from Lesson 1 to their correct definitions.
To investigate how our gadgets affect the planet and our privacy, and learn how we can reduce our digital footprint.
Click to expand each card to its maximum size. Every side includes the topic title.
Discarded electronic devices that are thrown away rather than recycled.
Designing products with an artificially limited useful life.
The close observation and monitoring of individuals via technology.
Devices require Finite Resources like Lithium and Cobalt. When discarded, they create E-Waste. Toxic chemicals like lead and mercury leak into the environment, poisoning land and water supplies.
Scenario: A school replaces 500 working laptops because they are slightly too slow, throwing the old ones into a general landfill bin.
Identify two environmental impacts of this action.
1. Toxic chemicals (lead/mercury) leak into the soil.
2. More raw materials must be mined for the replacements, causing resource depletion.
Massive Data Centres run 24/7 to power the internet. They require immense electricity for processing and huge air-conditioning units for cooling, leading to a massive carbon footprint.
Scenario: A company moves all its files from local hard drives to the "Cloud". Why does this increase the global carbon footprint?
Data Centres require constant electricity and massive cooling systems. Moving to the cloud shifts the energy burden to these power-hungry remote servers.
Constant monitoring via CCTV and Location Tracking creates a conflict: does safety for Society justify the loss of individual Privacy?
Scenario: A city council installs facial recognition on every corner to catch shoplifters. Discuss the stakeholder conflict.
Society (Benefit): Safer streets.
Individual (Drawback): Constant tracking without explicit consent.
Track a device from factory to landfill. You must pass the Impact Assessment to proceed.
An interactive learning experience to re-emphasise the global impact of our choices.
Students: Signal completion. Teacher: Initiate class reflection.
"Should users be forced to recycle phones, or should companies be banned from planned obsolescence?"
"Is total surveillance worth it if it eliminates 100% of crime?"