MathTappers: Carbon Choices

Our MathTappers: Carbon Choices app is designed to help users (middle school students) become more aware of the amount of C02 equivalent (C02e) pollution introduced by some their lifestyle choices. Note, to keep things simple, many sources/choices are not included in this app (e.g., heating/AC, non-food consumables, etc.), rather it is focussing on only a few of the consumption choices that middle school students might typically be making. Users begin by tracking/estimating their consumption over a week in four main areas (showers, entertainment, travel and food). Their impact is then assessed in terms of an estimate of the annualized kg of CO2e generated across those consumption areas.

Climate change, greenhouse gases (GHG), C02e, etc. are fuzzy terms to most of us. We know that they describe a problem, but we can’t easily define them or interpret the magnitude of the numbers that we hear. This app is intended to support students in building a sound understanding of the numeric values associated with these terms (i.e., develop referents). MathTappers:CarbonChoices takes everyday activities (i.e., bathing, eating, transportation, entertainment) and helps students to make the connection between their everyday choices (e.g., minutes in the shower, km travelled by car, type of food consumed, etc.) and the kg of C02e that will be emitted if they repeat those choices over a year.

When using this app to estimate the carbon footprint of these few choices, users will typically see values in the range 1000-4000 kg of C02e each year By understanding how many kg of C02e they are responsible for through their personal actions and choices – students will find the issue of climate change and greenhouse gas to be less abstract as well as easier to discuss and address. (Note: when all factors are considered it is estimated that the average North American lifestyle is responsible for the generation of about 20 tonnes of CO2e each year; see https://ourworldindata.org/per-capita-co2 ).

This app is specifically designed to support the recording of activities, contexts and choices common to youth. Specifically users can describe their:
(a) shower in terms of flow rate, input temperature, output temperature and duration
(b) food choices in terms of consumption of high, medium and low impact foods
(c) transportation in terms of vehicle fuel economy, vehicle fuel type and