CFR Education: The Globe-Trotting Journey of a Sneaker
Provided by: Council on Foreign Relations|Published on: September 15, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Economics, Geography
Authors: CFR Education
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video explains the long supply chain and many steps involved in creating Converse shoes and then selling them worldwide.
- Students will learn about the emissions from the global supply chain and why companies choose to produce their products the way they do.
- This is the fourth section in the World 101 Trade: Global Era Issues module, which includes a teacher lesson plan and discussion guide for higher education.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video does a great job of showing that most consumer goods have globally sourced parts or ingredients.
- Students will enjoy the animations and graphics that accompany the information in the video.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand what globalization is and what a supply chain is.
- The lesson plan and discussion questions are primarily for classrooms using the entire module or multiple sections of the module.
- Question 2 of the discussion guide and part 3 of the guided notes in the lesson plan are for this video.
Differentiation
- Students can research the source materials of a product of their choice, detailing the locations of each part.
- Geography students can create a map of the production locations and source materials of the shoe mentioned in the video or a product of their choice.
- Students can discuss, research, and propose solutions to get more products produced locally, reducing the effects on the environment.
- Students can research other effects of globalization on the economy, culture, and the environment. Students can also predict and discuss how the global supply chain will be affected as raw materials become more scarce.
The resource underscores the fact that very few products come from just one place anymore and highlights that most goods have traveled around the globe. Due to globalization, goods and products have traveled thousands of miles but have reached consumers easily. Worthy to note is the fact that before a single product is produced, the various components like shoelaces, cotton, silk, polymers, soles, and so on, come from different countries, and this increases the carbon footprint of the sneakers. Transporting goods across the world accounts for about 30% of global CO2 emissions from the manufacturing industries, and this impacts adversely on our climate. This resource is well-sourced and is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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