General

Living environmentally always requires trade-offs. For example, if you live a long way from work so you can have a small farm, perhaps you purchase a small car to commute with or schedule your commute around mass transit. This unit looks at a proposal made by Garret Harden, an ecologist who was concerned what the dangers of overpopulation may be on the world. As you work through the unit you will be given a number of activities to do that will illustrate his view and give you the opportunity to evaluate it. Start at the next step and work your way down through the sequence.

Often you will have questions on an assignment. I will have regular web discussion sessions that you can join at the prescribed times.

You can also check out my blog page for updates to the assignments.

• News forum
• Download a copy of this course. File 368KB Moodle backup

Topic 1

Begin by reading Hardin's essay, The Tragedy of the Commons.

When finished, respond to the journal question below in a word doc or google doc. Keep your response under 200 words. Upload the file for me to read.

• Assignment:
• What was Hardin saying? Assignment (2.2)

Topic 2

Read the opinion piece posted here. It is dated, but the concepts it discusses are still being debated. It also gives a way to view Hardin's theme in light of sustainability.

When finished, do the assignment below.

• Assignment:
• Examples of Hardin's thesis Assignment (2.2)

Topic 3

Jimmy Carter gave a speech on July 15th, 1979 that many consider a wake-up call for Americans. Unfortunately, we have a short memory and his proposals didn't come to be.

Watch the video and then do the assignment below.

• Assignment: Post to at least one of the two discussions below
• Discussion Forum (Have we changed?)
• Discussion: (Why didn't President Carter's proposals happen?) Forum
• Discussion (Is coal the answer?) Forum

Topic 4

In this activity, you will go to the Global Footprint Network and take the footprint for yourself. Do this for as an American and as a Canadian. Send me your footprint in hectares or acres.

• Assignment:
• American vs Canadian Footprint Assignment (2.2)

Topic 5

For our final project, use a presentation software to create a single slide that will act as a poster showing your vision of sustainable living. Upload this file to me. If you do not have access to a presentation program like Keynote or Powerpoint, then go to 280slides.com and use their free software. Then send me the link to your poster.

• Assignment:
• Poster Assignment (2.2)
• Sustainability Poster Project Page

Topic 6

• Curriculum Alignment Doc File