Exponential Growth: Exponential growth gives the illusion that it is growing slowly at first, but the growth rate becomes more and more rapid over time.
Exponential growth is a growth rate that, instead of being constant, becomes more and more rapid over time. Exponential growth is sneaky. It gives the illusion that things are growing slowly at first, which makes it hard for us to anticipate the impact that it will have over time. In your classroom, you and a partner created two different piles based on two different tables. In one pile, you added ten each time. In the other pile, you doubled the amount each time. At first it seemed like the +10 group had the hardest job but, after a few rounds, the tables turned! Pretty soon the exponential growth pile was collecting 10 times as many seeds as the +10 pile was!
The way that the exponential pile grew is the same way that human population has grown throughout history: faster and faster over time. And as the number of people who live on planet earth has grown, so has our impacts! Humans clear exponentially more farmland to grow enough food, burn exponentially more fuel to create enough energy, and all of this creates exponentially more greenhouse gasses. That is why human-caused climate change is happening today.
Because everything in a system is connected, the changes made by a population that grows bigger and faster over time has widespread effects. And since we live in a closed system, there are limits. Exponential growth will continue to increase infinitely, but our planet is finite.
The way that the exponential pile grew is the same way that human population has grown throughout history: faster and faster over time. And as the number of people who live on planet earth has grown, so has our impacts! Humans clear exponentially more farmland to grow enough food, burn exponentially more fuel to create enough energy, and all of this creates exponentially more greenhouse gasses. That is why human-caused climate change is happening today.
Because everything in a system is connected, the changes made by a population that grows bigger and faster over time has widespread effects. And since we live in a closed system, there are limits. Exponential growth will continue to increase infinitely, but our planet is finite.
Exponential Growth Research Ideas
- Examine your school’s science, social studies and health curriculum books and materials to determine if and how well they teach about exponential growth. Are the lessons accurate to what you know? Are there places where exponential growth should be taught but is not? How can your teach your school community about how sneaky exponential growth is?
- Alan Atkinson’s exponential growth song
- Research how to create exponential growth of positive behaviors that reduce your school’s contributions to climate change. If everyone did one thing everyday, how would that change your school?
- Research the amount and type of garbage that is discarded at your school and determine if it follows an exponential growth curve over time. How much garbage did your school produce every year for the past 10 or more years? How much garbage does your school produce today? How much of your school’s garbage could have been recycled or composted?
- Research the amount of energy that your school uses and determine if it follows an exponential growth curve. How much energy did your school use each year for the past 10 or more years? What are some of the many ways that your school uses energy on a daily basis? How has that changed?
- Investigate where your school gets its energy from and determine if those energy producers are contributing to the exponential growth of carbon emissions. Is your school’s energy source renewable? Are there alternatives to your school’s current energy sources?