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Without realizing it, the students and citizens of I.M. Perplexed School applied a work method that is becoming more and more popular:
They conducted an environmental assessment.
The goal of this method is to reduce a project's negative effects on the environment as much as possible. The environment includes water, the air, the ground, and all living things with which we share the Earth. An environmental assessment consists of four steps:
- Describe the project in detail.
- Evaluate the negative effects on the environment.
- Eliminate or reduce the effects on the environment.
- Make the best decision possible for us and for the environment.
 Since the 1970s, the Canadian government has carried out environmental assessment for all its projects. And the method works! Here's an example: Plans had been made to widen an old road that crossed through a marsh used by migrating birds. The project would have destroyed the marsh. Following the environmental assessment, it was decided that a new road would be built to go around the marsh. The old road was covered with earth to grow plants!
Environmental assessment applies not only to major projects carried out by businesses and governments (factories, roads, etc.), but also to your family's own projects. Pretend your family is thinking of buying a second car. First, consider possible alternatives, such as walking, taking the bus, or car-pooling. If you decide the car is indispensable, choose a model that does not burn a lot of fuel.
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