Parking Lot

Survey

Background Information

How energy efficient and environmentally benign are cars in the school parking lot? What can students do to make drivers more aware of energy and environmental implications of car choice?

In this activity, students will survey teachers' cars in the school parking lot and design a strategy to make them more aware of energy and environmental implications of car choice.

Student Activities

Part 1: Survey

Introduction: How energy efficient and environmentally benign are the cars in your school parking lot?

Work in a small team of three or four classmates. Go outdoors for this activity. Write as notes or as a report as directed by the teacher.

1. Select a specific section of the school parking lot (or mall lot).

2. Count vehicles in these categories:

• 4 cylinder cars
• 6 cylinder cars
• SUVs
• pickup trucks

3. Record numbers of vehicles in each category on the table provided.

4. Determine gas mileage for each vehicle. Either:

a. Ask a dealer or

b. Use average gas mileage for vehicles (provided):

Car (new)	26 mpg
SUV	20 mpg
Pickup	15 mpg

c. Calculate and record the average gas mileage for all vehicles in the lot.

• Add mpg for all vehicles.
• Divide by the number of vehicles.

d. Record information on the table provided.

5. Using average figures for emissions per gallon of gas used:

Calculate and record emissions for each car for each ten miles driven:

• Divide emissions by mpg.
• Multiply by 10.

6. Record information on this table:

Average mileage: _______

a. Multiply the number in each category by mpg: _______

b. Divide by the total number of vehicles: _______

Total emissions per 10 miles for all vehicles: _______

a. Multiply the number of vehicles in each category by the type of emissions: _______

b. Add the emissions by all categories of vehicles: _______

7. Discuss information with the class:

• What is the average gas mileage of the cars in each lot?
• What is the average emissions for the cars in each lot?
• How do teacher vehicles and student vehicles ( and mall vehicles) compare?

Part 2: Comparisons

1. Compare you teams:

a. How do they differ?

b. Why?

c. What data are you more confident of?

d. Why?

e. How could your sampling procedure be improved?

2. How could mileage and emissions be improved?

3. Design a strategy to make teachers and students more aware of the energy and environmental implications of car choice (Discuss issues of older cars/emissions and the importance of maintenance).

Part 3: Random Survey (Optional)

1. Based on your knowledge of random sampling, rather than counting vehicles in a section of the parking lot, design and implement a survey of cars both in the teachers' and students' parking lots.

2. Follow directions for calculating, recording, and discussing information.

3. Based on your knowledge of random sampling, could you generalize your data to all teachers and students (and shoppers) in your town? Why or why not?

Teachers Notes

Discuss the interviews in class.

Students may simply take notes or write reports depending on the teacher's preference:

• If done as a class assignment, notes may be acceptable.
• If done independently, a report is probably preferable.

Survey results will vary because students surveyed different parts of the parking lot. Some team's information will be more accurate than others due to chance.

Students will need to obtain gas mileage for specific vehicles from car dealers. Emissions per gallon are:

• 20 lbs CO2
• 0.04 lbs NO
• 0.001 lbs SO2

Discussions regarding strategy should focus on energy and environmental implications including cost effectiveness. Results will vary.

Interdisciplinary approach: Math, Earth Science, and Social Studies.