Our MathTappers: Carbon Choices app is designed to help users (students/parents/teachers) become more aware of the amount of C02 equivalent (C02e) pollution introduced by their lifestyle choices. In this app, users begin by tracking their consumption over a week (showers, entertainment, travel and food). Their impact is then assessed in terms of annualized kg of CO2e generated and a summary estimate of the impact of their personal choices over a year is provided. As users build an understanding and awareness of their part in climate change, we hope that they will attend to their choices more diligently and seek to share their discoveries with others (i.e., through Facebook).

Climate change, greenhouse gases (GHG), C02e, etc. are fuzzy terms to most of us. We know that they describe a problem, but we can’t easily define them or interpret the magnitude of the numbers that we hear. This app is intended to support students, parents and teachers in building a sound understanding of the numeric values associated with these terms. MathTappers: Carbon Choices takes everyday activities (i.e., bathing, eating, transportation, entertainment) and helps students to make the connection between their everyday choices (e.g., minutes in the shower, km travelled by car, type of food consumed, etc.) and the kg of C02e that will be emitted if they repeat those choices over a year.

When using this app to estimate personal carbon footprints (everyday things that we can really easily change) users will typically see values in the range 1-4 t of C02e each year – but to keep everything in perspective it is estimated that the average North American lifestyle is responsible for the generation of approximately 20 tonnes of GHG each year.
By understanding how many Kg of C02e they are responsible for through their actions and choices – students, parents and teachers will find the issue of climate change and greenhouse gas to be less abstract and easier to discuss and to address.

Although this app has been designed specifically to help youth examine the impacts of their choices with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, we hope that any concerned individuals (including teachers and parents) will feel free to download this app and use it as a tool to explore the issues of climate change and individual responsibility. By focusing on the impacts associated with a few of the choices that youth regularly make in their daily lives, we expect that the relationship between these choices and greenhouse gas production will become ‘real’ and users will be more inclined to engage in thoughtful discussions on personal and community choices and environmental stewardship.

This app includes mechanisms to support the recording of activities, contexts and choices common to youth. Specifically users can describe their:
(a) shower in terms of flow rate, input temperature, output temperature and duration
(b) food choices in terms of consumption of high, medium and low impact foods
(c) transportation in terms of vehicle fuel economy, vehicle fuel type and the number of kilometers driven at their request or on their behalf
(d) entertainment in terms of system wattage consumed when operated and time used
and discover the kg of CO2e that their choices would generate over a year.

Current MathTappers Apps include:
MathTappers: Clock Master – learn to tell time
MathTappers: Estimate Fractions – make sense of fraction sums and differences
MathTappers: Find Sums – learn basic facts for addition and subtraction
MathTappers: Multiples – learn basic facts for multiplication and division
MathTappers: Equivalents – master equivalent fractions, decimals and percents
MathTappers: Carbon Choices – track your carbon footprint and fight climate change

Please visit MathTappers.com for more information about existing and upcoming apps.