Coal Mine Site Visit

Objective:

 To sensitise students to the human and ecological resources that go into producing electricity that runs electricity powered devices. 

Outcome:

Students will be nudged to work towards reducing energy consumption through the buildings they design.

Requirements:

 Permission from owners of the mine visit the coal mine, consent from workers for students to speak with them for about half an hour at a tentative predetermined time (refer to point A in the table section of this activity),  permission from parents for the visit, a mock training on how to facilitate interviews conducted with students, a cloth mask to wear during the visit.

Prerequisites:

 None

Procedure:

Step 1: A day before the visit, ask students to make a note of their thoughts on the following question : what do you think is the source and non-monetary costs of the energy that powers the devices in your homes? 

Step 2: Take students to the mining area.

Step 3: Divide the students into groups of 4 or more (depending on the size of the class and availability of professors). There must be one professor to guide each group.

Step 4:  Instruct students to spend 30 mins walking around the area to make a note of its characteristics based on pointers mentioned under point B of the ‘Tables’ section.

Step 5 : As students to facilitate a conversation with the people working at the mine based on the questionnaire

Step 6:  During the next class ask the following question to students : What are the non-monetary costs (i.e  social and ecological costs)  of the mining that powers the devices in your homes?

Step 7: Give a minute to students to think about the posed question. 

Step 8: Students share their views on the question for 15 minutes.  

Step 9: Note the points on the blackboard.

Step 10: Present the conclusion of the discussion (The human and ecological resources that need to be considered during building design as a motivation to design less energy intensive buildings and consume electrical energy mindfully in our daily lives”.)

Tables : 

1. Suggested introduction while seeking permission from the people working at the mine: 

We are from a college and wanted to learn about the work you do, since we stay in distant places. We work on designing buildings and the coal you extract powers our homes and the ones we will design. We thought it is important for our students to learn to value the work you do and also design buildings that consume energy mindfully. Therefore we have given them a list of questions to ask you, will you be open to answering these questions?

B.  Site Observation pointers :

Make a note of :

1. The biodiversity present in the area ( eg. presence of trees, birds, water bodies, etc)
2. The topography of the area
3. Any other observations

C. Questionnaire : 

Begin by thanking the person/s for their time and introduce yourself (your name, where you are from, what do you do). Ask them for their names.  Share that the information they share will be used for educational purposes only. Once they give their consent begin the interview : 

1. Since when have you been involved in mining?
2. For how many hours do you work each day?
3. What are the challenges you face due to mining? 
4. What are the challenges your family members face due to mining?
5. Other questions based on what comes up during the interview.

References:

None