Perhaps one of the important trends over the past 20 years in science teaching has been the “science and social responsibility movement” which resulted in programs that have impacted K-12 schools, not only in the US, but in many countries around the world. The Web made it possible for students in different countries to collaborate on projects, many of them environmental science oriented to solve problems that were local in nature, but were shared globally.

A powerful case study for teachers and students is the production of ethanol from sugar cane and bio-materials, and the impact on the environment where the plants are grown, the local and global economy, and how using ethanol reduces the dependence on fossil fuels. There are many places to start.

One place is with an article written by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, Dumb As We Wanna Be. The US has imposed a 54-cents-a=gallon tariff on Brazil’s ethanol industry, presumably to protect US corn ethanol producers from these competitors. Friedman asks if this is really stupid? The secretary for the environment for Sao Paulo State answered, “It’s really stupid.”

What’s the lesson here. Well, for starters we might look at two of the standards in the National Science Education Standards. These two are from the list of standards in the section on Science in Personal and Social Perspectives.

1. Many factors influence environmental quality. Factors that students might investigate include population growth, resource use, population distribution, overconsumption, the capacity of technology to solve problems, poverty, the role of economic, political, and religious views, and different ways humans view the earth.

2. Individuals and society must decide on proposals involving new research and the introduction of new technologies into society. Decisions involve assessment of alternatives, risks, costs, and benefits and consideration of who benefits and who suffers, who pays and gains, and what the risks are and who bears them. Students should understand the appropriateness and value of basic questions–“What can happen?”–“What are the odds?”–and “How do scientists and engineers know what will happen?”

There are environmental and social aspects in this case that students could explore. Ethanol is made from sugar cane, in factories that to a varying degree, also make sugar. Sugar cane is grown mostly in the south east of Brazil, with some 60% of the yearly production taking place in the Sao Paulo district in the south east of Brazil. There are environmental issues such as Burning the cane during pre harvesting. This is to get rid of dry leafs and biomass not needed in the production. The smoke creates a health problem, and the fire risks to spread into remaining Atlantic Rainforests. Another risk is that the increased sugar cane production
moves into cattle and soy been land, thus pushing this production into pristine Savannah
(known in Brazil as the Cerrado) or Amazon areas. However, experts claim there seems to be available land without having to do this.

Socially, the harvest is carried out to a high degree by migrant workers, from the north of Brazil. They concentrate in the south east for the harvesting period, and tend to remain, without work after harvest is finished. The work is dangerous, especially if the cane is not burned (thus getting rid of leaves). Burning enables the workers to see snakes and other perils, and the absence of leaves means less cuts from leaves on hands and arms. A cleaner cane field also generally decreases the risk for accidental cuts from the machete.

Brazil is a world leader in ethanol production and exports. Currently the production is about 17 million m3, with exports of around 2 million m3. The exports have doubled over the past few years. The production cost of Brazilian sugarcane alcohol remains very competitive. (For more information on Brazil’s ethanol production, see this Swedish Report.)

A collaborative project could be devised to help students investigate this case. Teachers could identify schools in Brazil that might want to collaborate using the Internet to share questions, data, and news articles about the issue. With technology that is available, video conferences, data sharing, and web-based bulletin boards discussions could be monitored and used to help students debate the issue.

For further assistance, you might check these on-line projects:
GLOBE
IEARN: International Education and Resource Network
Global Schoolnet Foundation