About this course: This course introduces the academic approach of Sustainability and explores how today’s human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations. The course focuses on key knowledge areas of sustainability theory and practice, including population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, environmental economics and policy, ethics, and cultural history. This subject is of vital importance, seeking as it does to uncover the principles of the long-term welfare of all the peoples of the planet. As sustainability is a cross-disciplinary field of study, this foundation requires intellectual breadth: as I describe it in the class text, understanding our motivations requires the humanities, measuring the challenges of sustainability requires knowledge of the sciences (both natural and social), and building solutions requires technical insight into systems (such as provided by engineering, planning, and management).
Created by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Taught by: Dr. Jonathan Tomkin, Associate Director
School of Earth, Society and Environment
| Commitment | 8-10 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Chinese (Simplified) |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Orientation and Introduction
In this module, you will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and the learning environment. The orientation also helps you obtain the technical skills required for the course. In the introduction, we will examine some of the central ideas that underpin the Earth as a system, and their consequences for environmental sustainability.
5 videos, 5 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Video: Introduction to Sustainability Course Welcome
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: About the Discussion Forums
- Reading: Social Media
- Reading: Getting to Know Your Classmates
- Practice Quiz: Orientation Quiz
- Reading: Module 1 Overview and Readings
- Video: Introduction to Sustainability
- Video: Sustainability and Population Growth
- Video: Growth Curves
- Video: Malthus
- Practice Quiz: Big Ideas Practice Quiz
Graded: Module 1 Quiz
WEEK 2
Population
In this module, we will see how human populations have evolved over time and get a sense of where the next century of change will take us.
5 videos, 1 reading, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Module 2 Overview and Readings
- Video: Population Introduction
- Video: Transitions
- Video: Demographic Transition
- Practice Quiz: Population, Past and Present Practice Quiz
- Video: Future Populations, Part 1
- Video: Future Populations, Part 2
- Practice Quiz: Global Population in the Future Practice Quiz
Graded: Population Interactive Homework
Graded: Module 2 Quiz
WEEK 3
Ecosystems and Climate Change
In this module, we will see that the Earth faces many environmental pressures that result from human exploitation of natural resources. We will also look at the issue of climate change.
8 videos, 1 reading, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Module 3 Overview and Readings
- Video: Ecosystems and Climate Change Introduction
- Video: Tragedy of the Commons
- Video: Tragedy of the Commons: Solutions
- Video: Ecosystems and Extinctions
- Practice Quiz: Ecosystems, Extinction, and Tragedy of the Commons Practice Quiz
- Video: Weather vs. Climate
- Video: Climate Changes in the Past
- Video: Modern Climate Change
- Video: [OPTIONAL] Climate Processes
- Practice Quiz: Climate Change Practice Quiz
Graded: Tragedy of the Commons Response
Graded: Climate Change Interactive Homework
Graded: Module 3 Quiz
WEEK 4
Energy
In this module, we will look at energy use. We will also consider what the trend of energy use means for the planet, and how we might transition to a more sustainable pattern of use.
8 videos, 1 reading, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Module 4 Overview and Readings
- Video: Energy Introduction
- Video: Energy Overview
- Video: Oil
- Video: EROEI
- Practice Quiz: Oil Practice Quiz
- Video: Coal & Gas
- Video: Nuclear Power
- Video: Renewable Energy
- Video: Energy Conservation
- Practice Quiz: Alternatives Practice Quiz
Graded: Energy and Society Homework
Graded: Module 4 Quiz
WEEK 5
Water and Agriculture
In this module, we will explore the connection between water and food, and see what will be required to feed the planet over the course of the century.
6 videos, 1 reading, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Module 5 Overview and Readings
- Video: Water and Agriculture Introduction
- Video: Limits to Water
- Video: Water Trends
- Practice Quiz: Water Practice Quiz
- Video: Agricultural Consumption
- Video: Agricultural Limits
- Video: Genetically Modified Organisms
- Practice Quiz: Agriculture and Food Practice Quiz
Graded: Module 5 Quiz
WEEK 6
Environmental Policy
In this module, we will examine some of the common tools used by policy-makers, and some of the forces that shape (or misshape) policy.
9 videos, 1 reading, 1 practice quiz
- Reading: Module 6 Overview and Readings
- Video: Environmental Economics and Policy Introduction
- Video: Negative Externalities
- Video: Environmental Policy
- Video: Environmental Policy Assessment
- Practice Quiz: Environmental Policy Practice Quiz
- Video: [OPTIONAL] Environmental Economics
- Video: [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 1
- Video: [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 2
- Video: [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 3
- Video: Environmental Policy Examples: "Biofuels"
Graded: Environmental Policy Response
Graded: Environmental Policy Examples Homework
Graded: Module 6 Quiz
WEEK 7
Measuring Sustainability
In this module, we will examine what tools are available to measure sustainability. Finally, I will make some predictions on global sustainability for the 21st century, based on the models we have spoken about in this course and the trends that have been observed in the early part of this century.
7 videos, 1 reading, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Module 7 Overview and Readings
- Video: Measuring Sustainability Introduction
- Video: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Video: Sustainability Metrics, Part 1
- Video: Sustainability Metrics, Part 2
- Video: Food Miles
- Practice Quiz: Measuring Sustainability Practice Quiz
- Video: Measuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 1
- Video: Measuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 2
- Practice Quiz: Sustainable Future Practice Quiz
Graded: Sustainable Future Response
Graded: Module 7 Quiz
WEEK 8
Conclusion
Welcome to the end of the course! This module has a final, comprehensive quiz that covers all of the topics that we’ve seen in the previous seven modules. You’ll want to be familiar with the goals and objectives, key phrases, concepts, and guiding questions from the earlier modules to do well on this final quiz.
1 reading
- Reading: Conclusion and Final Quiz Instructions
Graded: Introduction to Sustainability Final Quiz
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Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
This was an amazing course. I learned so much about sustainability and feel that I now have the tools to be critical about media news pieces about the environment. Prof. Tomkin explains his topics clearly and concisely. I found his lectures easy to follow without being "dumbed down". I highly recommend taking this course if you want to learn more about the issues affecting the environment and sustainable development.
One of my favorite courses so for, It was presented with details and good quizzes, I can say that I finished this course with more valuable knowledge and the most important: more curiosity to learn more about every aspect and field related to sustainability
Simply an outstanding introduction. Thank you
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The course materials were very good. Overall, I really enjoyed this course.