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ESP 308

Global Environmental Problems and Sustainability Spring 2019

Instructor:

Travis Wagner, Ph.D.

Professor Department of Environmental Science & Policy University of Southern Maine EMAIL: travis.wagner@maine.edu

Office Hours:

Because this is an online course, I have virtual office hours. This means you

are not limited to set days and hours--we will set up a day and time that works (including weekends if this is best). So, if you have questions or concerns

about the course, the first step is to email me. We can meet via email, by phone, Zoom, Facetime, or Skype as appropriate.

Course Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1. Summarize the major global environmental problems and their impacton a sustainable future.

2. Compare the traditional approach to solving environmental problems tothe sustainability approach.

3. Select appropriate policy and behavioral tools to foster sustainability-

based solutions.

4. Evaluate the commitment and practice of other nations toward a goal

of sustainability.

5. Design a project to promote a sustainable society at the local level.

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987).

Course Overview:

Copyright 2019 Travis Wagner, Ph.D.

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The concept of sustainability is built on three pillars: Society, Economy, and

Environment. A sustainable society is based on a green economy with fair

distribution of resources, improved human well-being and social equity, and

reduced environmental impacts to enhance ecological integrity. Each of the

three pillars must be strong and there must be balance--the loss of any pillar

can bring about the degradation, demise, or collapse of a society.

This online course fosters a basic understanding of natural systems, the

interaction of the built environment (infrastructure) with natural systems, the

role of technology, and the influence of socioeconomic factors (economics,

politics, ethics, philosophy, and culture) in how we approach sustainability as

the solution to global environmental problems.

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see

land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and

respect. There is no other way for land to survive the impact of mechanized man, nor

for us to reap from it the esthetic harvest it is capable, under science, of contributing

to culture. – Aldo Leopold, 1949, A Sand County Almanac

Course Delivery:

Each week you are required to complete the assigned reading(s), view the

series of modules comprised of video-taped lectures or stand-alone videos, and

then complete and upload the weekly module assignments (MAs) and post to

the discussion board with videos using VoiceThread. The weekly MAs are the

applied nature of the lecture and are used to demonstrate your understanding

of the material by applying it to specific conditions. Modules will be activated

on the Monday of each appropriate week. The weekly MAs are due no later

than 11:59 pm on Sunday of that week; late assignments are not an option in

this course so please plan your life accordingly. In addition to the weekly

assignments, there are Problem Sets, a research project, discussion board

posts, and a presentation, which are all explained in the Assignments folder of

BB.

Course Materials: REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:

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McKenzie-Mohr, D. (2011). Fostering sustainable behavior: An introduction to community-based social marketing (3rd ed.). Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. (FSB)

Additional, required readings will be posted in the weekly content folders in BB.

Tentative Schedule of Topics, Readings, & Assignments Due:

WEEK TOPIC REQUIRED READINGS

ASSIGNMENTS

1

Jan 22-27

What is sustainability? Overview and history

- Sustainable development: historical roots of the concept

- Quit talking about sustainability

- MA #1

- PS#1 - Carbon Footprint

2

Jan 28-Feb 3

Carbon Footprint: Economy & Society

- Addressing Sustainability and Consumption (DB)

- Waste and want: A social history of trash (DB)

- MA #2

- DB POSTING #1

- DB POSTING #2

3 Feb 4-10 Climate & Sustainability Maine climate report - MA #3

4

Feb 11-17

Energy & Sustainability Human Scale Energy Services: Untangling a golden thread (DB)

- Sustainability Project: Topic

- MA #4

- DB POSTING #3

5

Feb 18-24

Water: Quantity & Quality Water, Security, and Conflict

- MA #5

- Video - Sustainability Project Topic

6

Feb 25-Mar 3

Food Production & Consumption

Reducing food waste

- MA #6

- Sustainability Project Proposal

7

Mar 4-10

Responding to Environmental Problems

Collapse: how societies choose or fail to succeed (DB)

- MA #7

- DB POSTING #4

8 Mar 11-

17

Responding to Environmental Problems

- PS #2: Country

Sustainability Summary

9 Mar 18-

24 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS

10

Mar 25-31

Measuring Sustainability Sustainable Portland

- MA #8

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WEEK TOPIC REQUIRED READINGS

ASSIGNMENTS

11

Apr 1-7

Fostering Sustainable Behavior Part 1

FSB: Pages 0-128

- PS #3: Country Sustainability Assessment

- MA #9

12

Apr 8-14 Fostering Sustainable Behavior Part 2

FSB: Pages 129-152

- MA #10 – 5 PTS

13

Apr 15-21

Implementing Sustainability - MA #11

14

Apr 22-28

Achieving Sustainability - DB POSTING #5

15

Apr 29-May 5

Course Conclusion

Video Presentations of Sustainability Projects

- MA #12

- Final Presentation

- Final Project

- Course Learning Memorandum

Course Assignments:

This is an upper-level course, thus, you are expected to take an active role in

your own learning. The course is comprised of taped lectures, weekly module

assignments, discussion board posts, problems sets, a major sustainability

project (planning or service-based), and a video presentation of your final

project.

Descriptions of assignments are in the Assignments folder in BB.

No. Assignment Points Due By

1 PS #1 Carbon Footprint 5 January 27

2 Sustainability Project Topic 5 February 17

3 Video - Sustainability Project Topic 5 February 24

4 Sustainability Project Proposal 10 March 3

5 PS #2 Country Sustainability Summary 15 March 17

6 PS #3 Country Sustainability Assessment 15 April 7

7 Presentation – Sustainability Project 10 May 1

8 Final Sustainability Project 30 May 3

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9 Course Learning Memorandum 10 May 5

10 Weekly Module Assignments - 12 40 Weekly

11 Discussion Board Postings - 5 20 As scheduled

Course Policies:

Assignments

All submissions need to be uploaded to Blackboard (no email submissions accepted) no later than 11:59 pm on the due date, usually the end of the module week--Sunday. Please note that precisely at 11:59 pm on the due-by date, the ability to upload submissions disappears and email submissions will NOT be accepted -- late submissions are not possible.

Student Support

If you have difficulties in this course, it is imperative you reach out for help or contact me as soon as possible. USM provides various types of support to ensure your academic success. There are online and in-person tutoring services though the Learning Commons (https://usm.maine.edu/learningcommons/about-tutoring-usm) and counseling services (https://usm.maine.edu/uhcs/counseling-services). And, if you are having problems with computing or Blackboard contact the Help Line at 207.780.4029 or by email: usm-helpdesk@maine.edu.

Disability Support

The university is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and services. If you think you have a disability and would like to request accommodations, you must register with the Disability Services Center. Timely notification is essential. The Disability Services Center can be reached by calling 207.780.4706 or by email at dsc-usm@maine.edu. If you have already received a faculty accommodation letter from the Disability Services Center, please provide me with that information as soon as possible.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not accepted and will not be tolerated. In addition to the obvious, other areas of plagiarism include fabrication of data and the presentation of work that is not yours. The latter can be prevented through proper citation, which allows you to provide credit for others’ work. If you have any questions regarding referencing formats and correct citations, please ask me. Go to USM’s library webpage for online tutorials avoiding plagiarism and on proper citing of references. http://usm-maine.libguides.com/tutorials/understandingcitations.

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