Car Free Day

1) Write a response to each sentence. Do not think about your own personal stance on the issue. This exercise should be used to practice contra-statements.

“Cars are the machines that will destroy our world. People have to realize this!” 

“Cars are responsible for thousands of deaths every single year.”

“If we didn’t have cars, people’s personal health would improve and the environment would feel relief.” 

“People need cars in order for the world to function. Environmentalist do not take economical factors into account.” 

“People have a lot of freedom when they have a car. We should be able to travel as we wish!”

“There are so many other dangers in this world such as war. Cars are nowhere near as bad.”

2) Read the following story and then make a list of pros and cons for having a car-free day. 

 

What would the world look like if everyone woke up one day and all of the cars were gone? On the first day, the cities would feel empty. Business would be delayed causing potential economic downturn for the day. Mother Earth would be saved from more than 3 million metric tons of carbon emissions on that day. 

There is no doubt that there would be disruptions to car-dominated societies. At the same time, there is no doubt that less pollution would be put into the atmosphere on that day. The carbon footprint of humanity is a big one. We are constantly pumping pollutants into our air, water, and land. Where do we draw the lines? How do we save our environment and continue life as we have come to know it?

Carbon offsetting is one way that this can be done. There are many methods to carbon offsetting and one of the most common is to use alternative energy sources, which are also know as renewable energy. There are a few different kinds of ‘clean energy’, which include the following:

Greenhouse Gases

Wind Power
Solar Power
Hydro(electric) Power

Other forms of carbon offsetting are also available. For example, people could start riding their bikes. Cyclists are not only helping the environment, but they are also improving their own personal health! If distances are too far, then people could also use public transportation. Car sharing is also a positive way to start reducing car dependency. Reforestation, the planting of trees, is also a way to offset the world’s carbon footprint. This would not only benefit the condition of our air, but it would also create new habitats for animals and bring more nature into our everyday lives as well.

Tornado Aftermath

These days more and more companies are starting to become more carbon neutral. This means that they are using some of the aforementioned methods to offset their carbon footprint. However, it’s not just companies that are trying to do this either. The town of Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a tornado that destroyed most of the city. The spirit of Greensburg was kept alive and it was rebuilt with the aim of becoming as carbon neutral as possible. Today Greensburg is back on its feet and is an excellent example of human perseverance and innovation!

3) Have a debate! Divide the class into two sides. One of the best ways to practice contra-argumentation is to not divide the groups based upon their personal beliefs. Make your students take a standpoint to debate about.