GENERATION & THE ENVIRONMENT

T1 : Axe 2 : VIVRE ENTRE GÉNÉRATIONS
Crossing generational lines

Unit: Generations and Environmental Issues

6 hours — 2 weeks

Pendant deux semaines, vous allez travailler sur la manière dont les différentes générations perçoivent les enjeux écologiques. Le but est de comprendre, comparer et discuter, sans clichés et avec des arguments appuyés sur des faits.

Séance 1 — Getting started

Vous commencerez par un questionnaire rapide pour voir ce que vous pensez des différentes générations:

Qui fait le plus d’efforts
Qui a le plus d’impact
Qui peut changer les choses

Vous verrez ensuite une courte vidéo et vous utiliserez des expressions d’opinion simples:

I think,

I agree because,

I disagree because.

WHICH GENERATION IS MAKING THE MOST EFFORTS TO GUARANTEE HUMANITY'S SECURITY ON A DURABLE PLANET?

WHICH GENERATION IS HAVING THE MOST IMPACT?

WHO CAN GENUINELY CHANGE OUR SOCIETY'S TRAJECTORY?

Séance 2 — Useful vocabulary & facts

Vous allez apprendre le vocabulaire essentiel pour parler d’écologie:

actions individuelles
politiques environnementales
consommation
transports
énergie

Vous entraînerez ensuite des phrases pour présenter des données:

According to…,

This data shows…,

Compared to…

Séance 3 — Voices from different generations

Vous lirez quatre témoignages courts représentant différents points de vue:

un Boomer engagé
un adulte Gen X plus réservé
un jeune Gen Z inquiet
un enfant Alpha vu par un parent

Votre objectif: relever les motivations, les limites, les contradictions, et comparer ces voix.

Séance 4 — Case studies

Vous travaillerez sur des situations concrètes:

fast fashion
déplacements quotidiens
smartphones et ressources
tourisme
télétravail

En groupe, vous devrez expliquer:

le problème
quelles générations y contribuent
qui peut agir
une solution réaliste

Séance 5 — Preparing your oral

Vous préparerez une présentation courte en groupe.
Question: “Are generations really that different when it comes to protecting the planet”

Votre présentation devra inclure:

deux arguments
un contre-argument
un exemple précis
une donnée chiffrée
une conclusion claire

Séance 6 — Final orals

Vous présenterez votre travail à l’oral pendant deux minutes.
Les critères d’évaluation porteront sur:

la clarté
la précision du vocabulaire
la pertinence des exemples
votre capacité à nuancer

Évaluation écrite (optionnelle)

Un paragraphe personnel:
“What my generation can realistically do for the environment”

HOW DO DIFFERENT GENERATIONS FEEL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?

T1 : Axe 2 : VIVRE ENTRE GÉNÉRATIONS
Crossing generational lines

Unit: Generations and Environmental Issues : DEFINITIONS

6 hours — 2 weeks

1. INTERGENERATIONAL CLIMATE ANALYSIS

PART ONE

WHICH GENERATION IS MAKING THE MOST EFFORTS TO GUARANTEE HUMANITY'S SECURITY ON A DURABLE PLANET?

WHICH GENERATION IS HAVING THE MOST IMPACT?

WHO CAN GENUINELY CHANGE OUR SOCIETY'S TRAJECTORY?

Séance 1 — Getting started

Vous commencerez par un questionnaire rapide pour voir ce que vous pensez des différentes générations:

Qui fait le plus d’efforts
Qui a le plus d’impact
Qui peut changer les choses

Vous verrez ensuite une courte vidéo et vous utiliserez des expressions d’opinion simples:

I think,

I agree because,

I disagree because.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

Who is responsible for climate change ?

Who do you think will find the solutions ?

Has generation X
taken the right decisions or
made the right changes ?

1b. LESSON STARTER QUESTIONS

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

Are the elderly or young people the solution to our planet’s problems ?

What can boomers and builders teach us about ‘saving the planet’ ?

Are generation Z going to be more or less responsible as consumers ?

Practise the pronounciation of your answers with SpeakAwesome.com

2. VOCABULARY & TOOLS

Séance 2 — Useful vocabulary & facts

Vous allez apprendre le vocabulaire essentiel pour parler d’écologie:

actions individuelles
politiques environnementales
consommation
transports
énergie

Vous entraînerez ensuite des phrases pour présenter des données:

According to…,

This data shows…,

Compared to…

VOCABULARY : TALKING ABOUT ECOLOGY

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VOCABULARY : TALKING ABOUT DATA

REVISE ECOLOGY AND TRENDS VOCABULARY

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3. LISTENING TO DIFFERENT GENERATIONS

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Séance 3 — Voices from different generations

Vous lirez quatre témoignages courts représentant différents points de vue:

un Boomer engagé
un adulte Gen X plus réservé
un jeune Gen Z inquiet
un enfant Alpha vu par un parent

Votre objectif: relever les motivations, les limites, les contradictions, et comparer ces voix.

1. Boomer - retired but very active

Voice 1 - Margaret, 68, retired teacher (Baby Boomer)

2. Gen X - realistic, a bit tired, not very radical

Voice 2 - Daniel, 46, office worker (Generation X)

3. Gen Z - eco anxiety and pressure to act

Voice 3 - Aaliyah, 19, university student (Generation Z)

4. Gen Alpha - seen through a parent's eyes

Voice 4 - Sofia, 35, mother of a 7 year old (talking about Generation Alpha)

FOUR TESTIMONIES

My son Leo is seven. At his age, I played outside without thinking about the planet. He, on the other hand, already talks about carbon footprints and endangered animals. His school teaches him to sort waste and save water. He even reminds me when I forget to turn off the tap.

Sometimes I feel hopeful when I watch him. His generation seems more informed and more sensitive to environmental problems. He loves nature, and he asks clever questions about where things come from and what happens to our rubbish.

At the same time, I am worried. I do not want him to grow up with constant fear. Children should not carry all the anxiety of the world. If we expect Generation Alpha to save us, we are being unfair. As parents, we must show that we are changing our habits now, so that our children do not feel alone with this responsibility.

When I was young, nobody talked about climate change. We just enjoyed cheap flights and new plastic things. Today I feel partly responsible, because my generation used so many resources.

Since I retired, I have changed a lot. I sold my car and I use my bike or the bus. I grow vegetables in my small garden and I share them with my neighbors. I also volunteer in a local climate group, and we organize meetings with young people.

Some of my friends say it is useless to act now, because the damage is already done. I disagree. I think every small action matters. At the same time, I know that real change must come from governments and big companies. My individual efforts are not enough, but they show that I care and that I am ready to change my habits.

I care about the environment, but I also have a family, a mortgage and a stressful job. People on social media say that my generation is selfish and lazy. I do not think that is fair. We recycle, we try to reduce waste, and we teach our children to respect nature.

To be honest, I do not have time to read every scientific report or protest every weekend. Sometimes I feel guilty when I drive to work or when we take a plane for holidays. At the same time, I think it is normal to want comfort and rest.

I support climate policies in theory, but I get angry when new laws make my life more expensive and there is no real help for ordinary families. I believe we need change, but I also believe it must be realistic. I am not a hero or an activist. I am just trying to do my part without destroying my daily life.

I grew up with news about melting ice, wildfires and heatwaves. For me, climate change is not an abstract idea, it is part of my childhood memories. Sometimes I cannot sleep because I keep thinking about the future. Will I have children, or is it irresponsible

At school, teachers told us that we are the climate generation. That sounds flattering, but it is also a heavy burden. Adults tell us to recycle, but they still build new airports and buy bigger cars. They ask us to be optimistic, but they do not change the system.

I try to reduce my impact. I do not eat meat, I buy second hand clothes and I march in climate protests. Still, I often feel powerless. I am young, I vote, I shout in the streets, yet politicians listen more to companies than to students. I am not sure which generation will change everything, but I know that my generation does not want to remain silent.

YOUR OBSERVATIONS

OPEN DOCUMENT

VOCABULARY :
MOTIVATIONS, LIMITS & CONTRADICTIONS ACROSS THE GENERATIONS

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4. CASE STUDIES

Séance 4 — Case studies

Vous travaillerez sur des situations concrètes:

fast fashion
déplacements quotidiens
smartphones et ressources
tourisme
télétravail

En groupe, vous devrez expliquer:

le problème
quelles générations y contribuent
qui peut agir
une solution réaliste

Flashcard 1. Fast fashion

The problem
Fast fashion offers very cheap clothes, but the production uses huge amounts of water, chemicals and energy. Clothes are often worn only a few times and then thrown away, which increases waste and pollution.

Which generations contribute
Older generations sometimes buy fewer clothes but they often keep them for a long time. Younger generations, especially teens and young adults, buy more items because of social media trends.

Who can act
Companies can improve working conditions and reduce waste. Governments can regulate production. Consumers of all ages can buy less and choose better quality.

A realistic solution
Repair clothes, buy second hand items and choose durable materials.

Flashcard 2. Daily transport

The problem
Cars are convenient, but they create traffic, noise and carbon emissions. Many people use a car even for short distances.

Which generations contribute
Adults from different generations drive to work. Teenagers use buses or parents drive them to school. Older people sometimes drive because public transport is difficult to access.

Who can act
Cities can improve cycle lanes and bus services. Families can choose to walk or cycle when possible.

A realistic solution
Use bicycles or buses for short trips and organise carpooling.

Flashcard 3. Smartphones and resources

The problem
Smartphones need rare metals that come from mines where workers face unsafe conditions. The devices also create electronic waste because people replace them too often.

Which generations contribute
All generations use smartphones, but younger generations tend to change devices more frequently.

Who can act
Tech companies can design phones that last longer and are easier to repair. Consumers can keep devices for more years and recycle them.

A realistic solution
Repair a smartphone instead of buying a new one and choose brands with repairable models.

Flashcard 4. Tourism

The problem
Cheap flights encourage people to travel often, which increases emissions. Popular destinations receive too many visitors and local environments suffer.

Which generations contribute
Retired people travel in low season. Families travel during holidays. Young adults travel for short weekends and city trips. All contribute in different ways.

Who can act
Airlines can reduce emissions. Tourists can choose closer destinations. Local authorities can control visitor numbers.

A realistic solution
Take trains when possible and choose fewer, longer trips instead of many short ones.

Flashcard 5. Remote work

The problem
Remote work reduces commuting and emissions, but it increases electricity and heating use at home. It also increases digital consumption.

Which generations contribute
Adults from Gen X and Millennials use remote work the most. Younger students use many online services for school. Older people use fewer digital tools but contribute through heating and electricity use.

Who can act
Companies can support energy efficient equipment. Workers can manage heating and devices more carefully.

A realistic solution
Turn off devices when not needed and use shared workspaces when possible.

5. THE ORAL

Séance 5 — Preparing your oral

Vous préparerez une présentation courte en groupe.
Question: “Are generations really that different when it comes to protecting the planet”

Votre présentation devra inclure:

deux arguments
un contre-argument
un exemple précis
une donnée chiffrée
une conclusion claire

Example 1 “Generations are very different”

Argument 1: Older generations often have habits formed in a time when climate change was not a major concern. Many still rely on cars and heating systems that produce more emissions.

Argument 2: Younger generations show stronger engagement. Many teenagers join climate marches and use low-carbon transport more often.

Counter-argument: Some older adults also change their lifestyle and invest in renewable energy, so the differences are not absolute.

Example: For instance, many Gen Z students in our school cycle or walk every day instead of taking a car.

Data: According to a European survey, 62 percent of people under 25 support stronger climate laws, compared to 38 percent of people over 60.

Conclusion: Generations do show different attitudes, even if individuals do not always fit the stereotype.

Example 2
“Generational differences exist, but they work together”

Argument 1: Young people tend to push for faster change, especially on social media and in public debates.

Argument 2: Older generations often have more tools, money and political power to make changes real.

Counter-argument: Young people sometimes criticise older generations without understanding the economic or social limits of change.

Example: For example, recycling programs in many cities were created by adults in their 40s, but teenagers now help promote them at school.

Data: In France, more than 70 percent of households recycle plastic and paper regularly.

Conclusion: Generations may think differently, but real progress comes when they combine their strengths.

Example 3
“Generational differences are exaggerated”

Argument 1: Many young people still consume a lot of fast fashion, take flights for holidays or upgrade phones often, just like adults.

Argument 2: Many adults, including Boomers, buy electric cars or install solar panels, showing that concern for the planet is not limited to one age group.

Counter-argument: But surveys still show younger people expressing more eco-anxiety and stronger expectations for governments.

Example: For instance, my neighbour who is 70 years old volunteers every week to protect local biodiversity.

Data: A UK poll found that 45 percent of Gen Z worry “a lot” about the future, while only 18 percent of Boomers say the same.

Conclusion: The differences exist in attitudes, but daily actions vary much more inside each generation than between generations.

Example 4
“Generations have different priorities”

Argument 1: Young adults often focus on climate justice, animal protection and global responsibility.

Argument 2: Older adults may prioritise economic stability, energy prices or family responsibilities.

Counter-argument: But many young people also struggle to adopt eco-friendly habits because of cost or convenience.

Example: For example, students support public transport, but rural families may depend on cars because buses are infrequent.

Data: In Europe, transport represents almost 25 percent of total emissions.

Conclusion: Generations share the same goal, but their priorities and constraints differ, which explains many of the tensions.