Environmental Ethics
Moral Conversation Project
Discussion Topics
Note: See the final page of the syllabus for
directions on the Moral Conversation Project.
1. Click here and follow the directions to take the Ecological Footprint Quiz. (If you have questions about how the quiz is calculated, try looking for an answer here and here.) According to the quiz, how many earths would be required to support everyone at your level of consumption? Do you think this is an accurate answer? Why or why not? What moral implications, if any, do you think it has? (Optional: For more advice, click here for the website of New American Dream, an organization that promotes sustainable living.)
2. What does “sustainable living” mean to you? How important is it to you? If it is important, what should be done to promote it? Click here to go to the “Green Living” page of the Natural Resources Defense Councils. Peruse some of the materials there. Did any of the suggestions you encountered strike you as especially helpful, and ones you are likely to adopt? Did any strike you as unrealistic or unhelpful? Which, and why?