Resources for Activity 85: In the Driver's Seat

"I learned that you have a lot of power in making smart choices for the future." – Auburn Village School Student

Student Page
Automotive Fuel Cycle

Earth & Sky Radio Correlations
This activity can be supplemented with related Earth & Sky radio shows that you can download for use in your classroom. Learn about the PLT and Earth & Sky Initiative.

Related Earth & Sky Shows:
 - Mitchell Joachim Designs Smart Cars for Cities of the Future   
 - Jose Bravo Predicts Lighter Cars, Diverse Fuels    
 - Jose Gomez-Ibanez on Greater Urban Density and Less Driving   
 - James Woolsey: 'Plug-in hybrids for U.S. security, climate'  
 - John Incardona Links Car Exhaust to Heart Disease  

Additional Resources

Extraordinary Road Trip
This educational computer program is designed to teach players how to analyze the transportation variables affecting air quality. This Web site is host to global warming studies and other news concerning fuel efficiency and air quality. 

Energyhog.org 
The Alliance to Save Energy’s Energy Hog campaign is educating teachers, kids and parents about energy efficiency.  Why?  Saving energy lessens our dependence on foreign oil, improves our air and water quality, and reduces our energy bills.  To help spread energy efficiency in the classroom, print out Student and Teacher Guides or request activity worksheets, bookmarks or tattoos from Erin O’Sullivan via email, eosullivan@ase.org. Also, families can play energy-efficiency games online or try the Scavenger Hunt.

Earth Conservation Plan (ECP) Carbon and Lifestyle Calculator
Participants can take a three minute test to determine your contribution to global climate change. Upon completion of the test, participants can then make pledges to reduce their impact and score. With each change and commitment into their everyday lives, scores are recalculated. The ECP calculator is the first carbon calculator to allow its users to save and track each calculation and pledge, so participants can refer to the data at any time – while tracking their personal improvements over time.

Photographs related to oil. At the website, click on “Statement/CV” for the artist’s statement about his artwork, and under “Works,” click on “oil” for relevant photographs.

EPA tools let computer users "see" air quality information on a virtual globe:
Go to the Air Emissions Sources Web site: www.epa.gov/air/emissions
View information in Google Earth format about which facilities emit any of six common pollutants: http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions/where.htm 
See AQI forecasts and current conditions: www.airnow.gov
View air quality information in Google Earth format: http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=google_earth.main
EPA is also using the Google Earth platform to display Acid Rain Program data: http://epa.gov/airmarkets/progress/interactivemapping.html