Interactive Sim Blog Response (Shafir)

Environment   Sep 27, 2016 by Shafir

I did the ecological footprint sim and the climate challenge game.

Ecological Footprint Simulation

a. How did your footprint compare to your city’s average and your country’s average?

My footprint was 6.3. My country's average was 5.8 and the city's was 6.9 hectares

b. What parts of your footprint do you feel is possible to reduce? What parts don’t you feel you can?

I can cycle to further out places. I could also support local farmers and produce more. We can drive to closer restaurants when we go out. We can also use less water, through shorter showers and water wastage. I do not think I can change the car mileage, nor our home efficiency. I do intend to live in a smaller home when I have my own.

Climate Challenge Game:

1. What strategy did you take in Climate Challenge? Was it effective in reducing emissions?
   1. I kept cutting emissions, and it was extremely effective. Unfortunately, I left my economy in shambles. I was generally electable, though.
2. What did you think of how the strategy cards represented resources? Do you think some of the strategies/policies would have different impacts than the ones shown in the game?
   1. I thought the strategy cards were neat. They didn't represent economic effects. I almost always had a moderate to large amount of cash, but in the end I was told I was killing my citizens XD. I do disagree with some of the impacts. Carbon taxes and fuel taxes were made to destroy economies when that is simply not the case(at least in my province), and the public approval was skewed. I thought the public opinion was affected in odd ways that didn't make sense. When I did a couple things like raise pensions and improve healthcare, ratings soared and stayed for a long period of time, but political parties in our country with similar ideas have not fared nearly as well.
3. How did you approach international negotiations? Was it better to lead by example, or attempt to encourage other nations by investing in their green economies?
   1. I lead entirely by example, and it worked well. After the second conference, everyone was at 100 %.

Analysis Questions:

• How do these simulations relate to your community? Do any of them feel irrelevant to your context?
  • I felt they both related well, especially the game, I thought they were a decent start point in the discussion on changing communities in regards to climate change policy. I could see some elements reflected in my province, ie.. the carbon tax card. I felt the footprint sim was a little out of context because it was focused around Calgary, but other than that it was relatable.
• How do these simulations help you (or not help you) find your place in combatting climate change?
  • They provide feedback on how to become more carbon neutral.
• Have these simulations changed how you think climate change should be tackled?
  • Nope. I've pre-existing opinions formed, but these enriched/validated them.

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