In a course-long project beginning this week, you will take on the challenge of lessening your impacts on the environment through reducing the size of your ecological footprint. Specifically, you will identify possible lifestyle changes
In a course-long project beginning this week, you will take on the challenge of lessening your impacts on the environment through reducing the size of your ecological footprint. Specifically, you will identify possible lifestyle changes that would reduce the amount of resources you use and/or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that you produce. In a course-long experiment, you will determine whether or not it is possible to make a measurable difference in your environmental impact through a few simple actions in your daily life. The first step, of course, is to determine your ecological footprint right now. To do that, you will calculate three footprints: an overall ecological footprint that takes most of our daily behaviors into consideration; a carbon footprint that focuses on our daily carbon emissions that are contributing to global climate change; and a water footprint that assesses daily water use.
Part A: Ecological Footprint
Use the footprint tool from the web page What Is Your Ecological Footprint? (Links to an external site.) to calculate your ecological footprint. At every opportunity, please select the “add details to improve accuracy” option. At the end of the footprint activity, make a note of how many Earths would be required if everyone lived like you. Then click on “see details” to obtain the following information:
Your ecological footprint, in global hectares (a hectare is about 2.5 acres).
Your top three consumption categories.
Finally, research some ways you might reduce your footprint, identifying a few specific ones that you might put into practice throughout the course.
Part B: Household Carbon Emissions Footprint
Next, use the Carbon Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.) to calculate your household carbon emissions footprint. After answering all the questions,
Make a note of your carbon emissions footprint in pounds. Is that above or below the average household carbon footprint in the US?
Explore specific actions you might take to reduce your footprint. Which of them might be practical to undertake in the next five weeks?
Part C: Water Footprint
Finally, use the Water Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.) to calculate your daily water footprint. After answering all the questions,
Make a note of your gallons-per-day water footprint.
Record the top three contributors to it.
Scroll down the page to access a series of “Tips” buttons you can click on for advice on reducing your footprint. Again, make a note of some specific ideas you see that might be practical to implement over the next five weeks.
Discussion Post Requirements
Your discussion should include all the information you gathered about your consumption habits from your three footprint calculations, including all numbers with units.
Footprint Table
Week 1
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
Hectares:
# Earths:
Top 3 Consumption Categories:
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Carbon Emissions (lbs):
WATER FOOTPRINT
Gallons per day:
Top 3 Contributors:
Copy the table above and paste into your post, then add your data for each category. You can also access the Footprint Table here. Then, in a well-crafted post of at least 200 additional words, examine the numerical results of your three footprint calculations by answering the following questions:
What did you learn that surprised you about your consumption habits?
What lifestyle changes could you make that would reduce one or more of the three footprints? Propose a minimum of five. (These do not have to be the ones you use in this course-long project; over the course of the discussion, you may opt to select other ones based upon classmates’ recommendations. You will be recording your final choices for lifestyle changes in your Journal at the end of the week.)
For each lifestyle change, which footprint would you be lowering? Discuss potential obstacles to making those changes, and then suggest ways you might overcome those obstacles.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 2 Discussion
Dq1
Food Resilience Plan for Ashfordton [WLO: 2] [CLOs: 2, 3]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapter 4 in your course textbook.
Imagine that you are a resident of Ashfordton, a community whose characteristics are described below. You have come together with your neighbors for a special meeting to devise a management plan for helping the community become more resilient and sustainable in terms of its food production by 2050. A community that is resilient is able to recover quickly from events like drought or storms. By increasing its own food production, Ashfordton can also reduce its food miles—the distance that imported food must travel. By making its food production more sustainable, Ashfordton can help ensure that its residents’ food needs are supplied for generations to come, without placing undue harm on the local environment in the process
Fortunately, you have all attended the meeting with the knowledge that you have gained from your readings in this course. Now it is time to put your thinking cap on and get to work! Your ideas should consist of one or more of the following elements (some suggestions may apply to both categories):
Food resiliency measures (e.g., building vertical farms in the city center to ensure that urban residents can have access to fresh, organically grown produce).
Food sustainability measures (e.g., phasing out use of organic pesticides in favor of companion planting and other organic methods).
This week’s discussion will take place in an online app called Tricider. There, you will be able to post your ideas for plan components and also share pros and cons of different proposals during the week. Finally, you will be able to vote on the three components that you think the plan should include.
For directions on how to use the Tricider app, please review the Tricider Help Guide. In Tricider, you will be expected to do the following:
Include your full name for each one.
Vote on what you feel are the top three ideas in the list.
Do not vote before Friday, so that you can vote from the full collection of student ideas.
You must complete the three tasks above to receive full credit for this discussion.
Dq2
Food Resilience Plan Voting Rationales [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 3, 4, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapters 3 and 4 in your course textbook.
Now that you have cast your votes for the Ashfordton Food Resilience Plan, it is time to explain your choices to the class. Please make a post of at least 150 words in which you
Identify (briefly) the plan elements on which you voted.
Explain why you selected each one.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 3 Discussion
Dq1
Water Management Plan for Ashfordton [WLOs: 1, 3] [CLOs: 2, 4]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, review Chapter 5 in the course textbook.
Imagine that you are a resident of Ashfordton, a community whose characteristics are described below. You have come together with your neighbors for a special meeting to devise a plan for managing its water resources more sustainably by 2050. Water resource issues the community faces include insuring a safe and sustainable drinking water supply for all, handling its wastewater in a manner that has minimal environmental impact, and managing its stormwater runoff in a way that minimizes the risks of erosion and flooding.
Fortunately, you have all attended the meeting with the knowledge that you have gained from your readings in this course. Now it is time to put your thinking cap on and get to work! Your ideas should each consist of one of the following elements, depending upon what you think is Ashfordton’s area of greatest need:
Sustainable drinking water access measures (e.g., developing a program for rural residents to begin collecting and treating their rainwater for drinking use).
Sustainable wastewater management measures (e.g., collecting greywater from area residences for use irrigating a local golf course).
Storm water management measures (e.g., requiring that permeable pavement be used for all future development projects in the community).
This week’s discussion will take place in an online app called Tricider. There, you will be able to post your ideas for plan components and also share pros and cons of different proposals during the week. Finally, you will be able to vote on the three components that you think the plan should include. For directions on how to use the Tricider app, please review the Tricider Help Guide. In Tricider. You will be expected to do the following:
Include your full name for each one.
Post at least six different pros and six different cons for your classmates’ proposed ideas (12 in all).
Vote on what you feel are the top three ideas in the list.
Do not vote before Friday, so that you can vote from the full collection of student ideas.
You must complete the three tasks above to receive full credit for this discussion.
Dq2
Water Management Plan Voting Rationales [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 3, 4, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapters 5 and 6 in your course textbook.S
Now that you have cast your votes for the Ashfordton Water Management Plan, it is time to explain your choices to the class. Please make a post of at least 150 words in which you
Identify (briefly) the plan elements on which you voted.
Explain why you selected each one.
Each of the elements with an explanation is worth .5 point for a total of 1.5 points.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 4 Discussion
Dq1
A Carbon-Neutral Energy Plan for Ashfordton [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 3, 4, 6]
Prior to beginning this discussion, read Chapters 7 and 8 in your course textbook.
Imagine that you are a resident of Ashfordton, a community whose characteristics are described below. You have come together with your neighbors for a special meeting to devise a plan for helping the community become carbon-neutral by 2050, meaning that by that time, no net carbon dioxide emissions will be produced by residents as a whole.
Fortunately, you have all attended the meeting with knowledge that you have gained from your readings in this course. Now it is time to put your thinking cap on and get to work! Your plan should consist of the following elements:
Energy conservation measures (e.g., promoting carpooling by adding special lanes to local highways).
Steps to move toward sustainable energy production (e.g., installing solar panels on town government buildings).
Reducing energy consumption will help, but some actions will have to involve switching to other power sources for buildings and vehicles as well.
This week’s discussion will take place in an online app called Tricider. There, you will be able to post your ideas for plan components and share pros and cons of different proposals during the week. Finally, you will be able to vote on the three components that you think the plan should include.
For directions on how to use the Tricider app, please review the Tricider Help Guide. In Tricider. You will be expected to do the following:
Post at least two separate and entirely original ideas. Do not duplicate ideas already posted by your peers.
Include your full name for each one.
Post at least six different pros and six different cons for your classmates’ proposed ideas (12 in all).
Vote on what you feel are the top three ideas in the list.
Do not vote before Friday, so that you can vote from the full collection of student ideas.
You must complete the three tasks above to receive full credit for this discussion.
Dq2
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapters 7 and 8 in your course textbook.
Now that you have cast your votes for the Ashfordton Alternative Energy Plan, it is time to explain your choices to the class. Please make a post of at least 150 words in which you
Identify (briefly) the plan elements on which you voted.
Explain why you selected each one.
Each of the elements with an explanation is worth .5 point for a total of 1.5 points.
Note: You will not be able to view others’ posts until you have made your own. At the end of the week, the instructor will post the winning Ashfordton Alternative Energy Plan, which will include the top three ideas selected by the class. In cases where two action items are judged by the instructor to be nearly identical, the instructor reserves the right to combine the ideas into a single one (and add votes together) in order to determine the winning ideas. This plan will be posted in the Announcements area of the classroom.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 5 Discussion
Ecological Footprint and Comparison [WLO: 2] [CLOs: 3, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapter 9 and 10 of the course textbook. Also, view these two short videos on reducing waste: Disposability Consciousness (Links to an external site.) and Two Adults, Two Kids, Zero Waste | Bea Johnson | TEDxFoggyBottom (Links to an external site.).
In this week’s discussion, you will recalculate your ecological footprints from Week 1 and determine whether or not your actions taken over the past five weeks have made a difference in the size of your footprints. You will also have the opportunity to discuss additional actions one might take to live more sustainably. In particular, you are encouraged to focus on techniques for reducing the amount of waste that we generate in our everyday lives.
Complete the following:
First, redo your three footprint calculations from Week 1: your ecological footprint (What Is Your Ecological Footprint? (Links to an external site.)); your household carbon emissions footprint (Carbon Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.)), and your daily water footprint (Water Footprint Calculator (Links to an external site.)).
Copy and paste the footprint table below into your post and complete the table with your data. You can also access the Footprint Table herePreview the document. Calculate the differences between your Week 1 and Week 5 footprint data.
Compare your new answers from the ones you obtained back in Week 1. How did the footprints change, if at all? Do you suspect that any changes are the result of the actions you took? Why or why not?
Footprint Table
Week 1 Week 5 Difference
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
Hectares:
# Earths:
Top 3 Consumption Categories:
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Carbon Emissions (lbs):
WATER FOOTPRINT
Gallons per day:
Top 3 Contributors:
In a well-crafted discussion post of at least 200 words, report on the results of all five weeks of the Ecological Footprint Reduction Project. Did you meet with success? If so, what activity or activities do you think made the biggest difference? What additional actions would you consider taking to reduce your footprints in the future, particularly in terms of lessening the amount of materials you consume and wastes you produce? What did you learn from this experience? Do you think that individual efforts to live more sustainably matter? Why or why not?
You will not be able to view others’ posts until you have made your own.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 1 Laboratory
Stream Morphology Laboratory
[WLO: 1] [CLOs: 1, 3, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this lab, read the Stream Morphology investigation manual. This lab enables you to construct a physical scale model of a stream system to help you understand how streams and rivers shape the landscape and how human actions can affect river ecosystems. This lab is done with materials that you will need to supply; the list of items you will need to obtain is in the Stream Morphology investigation manual.
The Process
Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
The Assignment
Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
Before you begin the assignment, read the Stream Morphology investigation manual and review SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.) presentation video.
Complete all activities using the materials that you supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template.
Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 2 Laboratory
A Properties of Soil: Agriculture and Water Availability Impacts Laboratory
[WLO: 2] [CLOs: 1, 3, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the Properties of Soil: Agricultural and Water Availability Impacts investigation manual. This lab enables you to analyze the natural porosity and particle size of soil samples along with the chemical composition and profile of different soil types.
The Process
Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
The Assignment
Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
Before you begin the assignment, read the Properties of Soil: Agricultural and Water Availability Impacts manual; you may also wish to review SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.) presentation video.
Complete all activities using the materials that you supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template.
Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 3 Laboratory
A Ground and Surface Water Interactions Laboratory
[WLO: 2] [CLOs: 1, 3, 4, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the Ground and Surface Water Interactions investigation manual. This lab enables you to design models of different scenarios that affect the earth’s surface water and groundwater.
The Process
Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet, as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
The Assignment
Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
Before you begin the assignment, read the Ground and Surface Water Interactions investigation manual; you also may wish to review SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.) presentation video.
Complete all activities using the materials that you supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template.
Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 4 Laboratory
Climate Change Laboratory
[WLO: 3] [CLOs: 1, 3, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the Climate Change investigation manual. This lab enables you to explore concepts related to global climate including, the greenhouse effect, albedo, and melting land and sea ice.
The Process
Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
The Assignment
Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
Before you begin the assignment, read the Climate Change investigation manual; you may also wish to review the video, SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.).
Complete all activities using materials in your kit, augmented by additional materials that you will supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
This lab will require you to make two line graphs and one bar graph. Should you desire further guidance on how to construct a graph, it is recommended that you review the Introduction to Graphing lab manual. (You are not expected to complete any of the activities in this manual.)
Use the Lab Worksheet as a guide to complete the Lab Report Template.
Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 5 Laboratory
Oil Spill Bioremeditation Laboratory
[WLO: 3] [CLOs: 1, 3, 4]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the Oil Spill Bioremediation investigation manual. This lab will enable you to simulate the bioremediation of a marine oil spill.
The Process
Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
The Assignment
Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
Before you begin the assignment, read the Oil Spill Bioremediation investigation manual; you may also wish to review the video, SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.).
Complete all activities using materials in your kit, augmented by additional materials that you will supply. Photograph the setup following these instructions:
When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template.
Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 1 Assignment
Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystems
[WLO: 2] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 1 and 2 in the course textbook. The purpose of this assignment is twofold: first, to enable you to explore a term (concept, technique, place, etc.) related to this week’s theme of sustaining Earth’s biodiversity and ecosystems; second, to provide your first contribution to a collective project, the Class Sustainable Living Guide. Your work this week, and in the weeks that follow, will be gathered (along with that of your peers) into a master document that you will receive a few days after the end of the course. The document will provide everyone with a variety of ideas for how we can all live more sustainably in our homes and communities.
To complete this assignment,
Select a term from the list of choices in the Week 1 – Term Selection Table located in the course. Type your name in the table, next to the word that you would like to choose.
Do not select a term that a classmate has already chosen; only one student per term. If you choose a term that is hyperlinked to a source, that term is one that is not mentioned in our textbook. Instead of being required to use the text as your third source for completing the assignment, you will be expected to use the hyperlinked source provided for you.
Download the Week 1 Assignment Template available in the course and replace the guiding text with your own words based upon your online research.
Please do not include a cover page. All references, however, should be cited in your work and listed at the end, following APA Style expectations.
In the template, you willDefine the term thoroughly, in your own words.
Explain the importance of the term using evidence.
Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.
Suggest two specific actions that can be taken to promote environmental sustainability in relation to the term.
Explain exactly how those actions will aid in safeguarding our environment in relation to your chosen term.
Provide detailed examples to support your ideas.
The Sustaining Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystems paper
Must be a minimum of three paragraphs in length (not including title, any quoted text, or references) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.)
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two scholarly sources in addition to the course text. To aid you in your research, and particularly in locating scholarly sources via the Ashford University Library or using Google Scholar, please review the following Ashford videos and tutorials:
Scholarly and Popular Resources (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Database Search Tips (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Research, Keywords, Databases: An Overview (Links to an external site.)
Accessing Full text and citation in Google Scholar: SCI207 – Google Scholar (Links to an external site.)
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 2 Assignment
Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Agricultural Resources
[WLOs: 1, 4] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 3 and 4 in your course textbook. The purpose of this assignment is twofold: first, to enable you to explore a term (concept, technique, place, etc.) related to this week’s theme of sustaining our agricultural resources; second, to provide your second contribution to a collective project, the Class Sustainable Living Guide. Your work this week, and in the weeks that follow, will be gathered (along with that of your peers) into a master document you will receive a few days after the end of the course. The document will provide everyone with a variety of ideas for how we can all live more sustainably in our homes and communities.
To complete this assignment,
Select a term from the list of choices in the Week 2 – Term Selection Table located in the course. Type your name in the table, next to the word that you would like to choose.
Do not select a term that a classmate has already chosen; only one student per term. If you choose a term that is hyperlinked to a source, that term is one that is not mentioned in our textbook. Instead of being required to use the text as your third source for completing the assignment, you will be expected to use the hyperlinked source provided for you.
Download the Week 2 Assignment Template available in the course and replace the guiding text with your own words based upon your online research.
Please do not include a cover page. All references, however, should be cited in your work and listed at the end, following APA Style expectations.
In the template, you will
Define the term thoroughly, in your own words.
Explain the importance of the term using evidence.
Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.
Suggest two specific actions that can be taken to promote environmental sustainability in relation to the term.
Explain exactly how those actions will aid in safeguarding our environment in relation to your chosen term.
Provide detailed examples to support your ideas.
The Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Agricultural Resources paper
Must be a minimum of three paragraphs in length (not including title, any quoted text, or references) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.)
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two credible and/or scholarly sources in addition to the course text. To receive optimal credit, use at least one scholarly source from a peer-reviewed academic journal. To aid you in your research, and particularly in locating scholarly sources via the Ashford University Library or using Google Scholar, please review the following Ashford videos and tutorials:
Scholarly and Popular Resources (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Database Search Tips (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Research, Keywords, Databases: An Overview (Links to an external site.)
Accessing full text and citation in Google Scholar: SCI207 – Google Scholar (Links to an external site.)
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 3 Assignment
Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Water Resources
[WLO: 3] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, please review Chapters 5 and 6 in your course textbook. The purpose of this assignment is twofold: first, to enable you to explore a term (concept, technique, place, etc.) related to this week’s theme of sustaining Earth’s biodiversity and ecosystems; second, to provide your first contribution to a collective project, the Class Sustainable Living Guide. Your work this week, and in the weeks that follow, will be gathered (along with that of your peers) into a master document you will receive a few days after the end of the course. The document will provide everyone with a variety of ideas for how we can all live more sustainably in our homes and communities.
To complete this assignment,
Select a term from the list of choices in the Week 3 – Term Selection Table located in the course. Type your name in the table, next to the word that you would like to choose.
Do not select a term that a classmate has already chosen; only one student per term. If you choose a term that is hyperlinked to a source, that term is one that is not mentioned in our textbook. Instead of being required to use the text as your third source for completing the assignment, you will be expected to use the hyperlinked source provided for you.
Download the Week 3 Assignment Template available in the course and replace the guiding text with your own words based upon your online research.
Please do not include a cover page. All references, however, should be cited in your work and listed at the end, following APA format expectations.
In the template, you will
Define the term thoroughly, in your own words.
Explain the importance of the term using evidence.
Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.
Suggest two specific actions that can be taken to promote environmental sustainability in relation to the term.
Explain exactly how those actions will aid in safeguarding our environment in relation to your chosen term.
Provide detailed examples to support your ideas.
The Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Water Resources paper
Must be a minimum of three paragraphs in length (not including title, any quoted text, or references) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.)
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two credible and/or scholarly sources in addition to the course text. To receive optimal credit, use at least one scholarly source from a peer-reviewed academic journal. To aid you in your research, and particularly in locating scholarly sources via the Ashford University Library or using Google Scholar, please review the following Ashford videos and tutorials:
Scholarly and Popular Resources (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Database Search Tips (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Research, Keywords, Databases: An Overview (Links to an external site.)
Accessing Full text and citation in Google Scholar: SCI207 – Google Scholar (Links to an external site.)
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 4 Assignment
Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Atmosphere and Climate
[WLO: 3] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 7 and 8 in your course textbook.
The purpose of this assignment is twofold: first, to enable you to explore a term (concept, technique, place, etc.) related to this week’s theme of sustaining atmosphere and climate; second, to provide your first contribution to a collective project, the Class Sustainable Living Guide. Your work this week, will be gathered (along with that of your peers) into a master document you will receive a few days after the end of the course. The document will provide everyone with a variety of ideas for how we can all live more sustainably in our homes and communities.
To complete this assignment,
Select a term from the list of choices in the Week 4 – Term Selection Table located in the course. Type your name in the table, next to the word that you would like to choose.
Do not select a term that a classmate has already chosen; only one student per term. If you choose a term that is hyperlinked to a source, that term is one that is not mentioned in our textbook. Instead of being required to use the text as your third source for completing the assignment, you will be expected to use the hyperlinked source provided for you.
Download the Week 4 Assignment Template available in the course and replace the guiding text with your own words based upon your online research.
Please do not include a cover page. All references, however, should be cited in your work and listed at the end, following APA Style expectations.
In the template, you will
Define the term thoroughly, in your own words.
Explain the importance of the term using evidence.
Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.
Suggest two specific actions that can be taken to promote environmental sustainability in relation to the term.
Explain exactly how those actions will aid in safeguarding our environment in relation to your chosen term.
Provide detailed examples to support your ideas.
The Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Atmosphere and Climate paper
Must be a minimum of three paragraphs in length (not including title, any quoted text, or references) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.)
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two scholarly sources in addition to the course text. To receive optimal credit, use at least one scholarly source from a peer-reviewed academic journal. To aid you in your research, and particularly in locating scholarly sources via the Ashford University Library or using Google Scholar, please review the following Ashford videos and tutorials:
Scholarly and Popular Resources (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Database Search Tips (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Research, Keywords, Databases: An Overview (Links to an external site.)
Accessing Full text and citation in Google Scholar: SCI207 – Google Scholar (Links to an external site.)
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.)
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 5 Assignment
The Journey to Sustainability
[WLO: 4] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this final paper, review all chapters of Bensel and Carbone’s Sustaining Our Planet text (2020).
In this paper, you will explore what a future sustainable world might look like, and in the process of doing so, extend your previous descriptions of selected terms and explain how they may play a role in aiding us in achieving environmental sustainability on a global scale.
The Journey to Sustainability
Imagine a future (probably a long time from now) in which human beings have achieved environmental sustainability on a global scale. That means that we as a species have figured out how to maintain a lifestyle that can go on indefinitely. Humans will exist in harmony with their environment, not needing more resources than can naturally be replenished. What would such a world be like? How might we get there from here?
In this final assignment, you will play the part of science-fiction writer, imagining and describing what a sustainable Earth, inhabited by humans, might look like in the distant future. You will need to provide examples throughout to support your descriptions. You should include all the terms that you have researched during Weeks 1 through 4 of this class, underlining each term as you include it. Be sure to expand on your terms and include other concepts that you learned in the course. Provide as detailed a picture as possible of how that future world might function on a day-to-day basis. In your paper, use grammar and spell-checking programs to insure clarity. Proofread carefully prior to submitting your work. Finally, you will submit the document to Waypoint.
Your paper will consist of seven paragraphs using the format below to address the elements with the assumption that environmental sustainability has been achieved:
Paragraph 1:
Describe how the human relationship to nature will be different from what it is at present.
Examine how humans will cope differently with the ways that natural phenomena like hurricanes affect lives.
Paragraph 2:
Describe what Earth’s biodiversity and ecosystems will look like in a sustainable future.
Explain what humans have done differently to enable biodiversity and ecosystems to function sustainably.
Paragraph 3:
Examine how agricultural production will be different in a sustainable future.
Paragraph 4:
Differentiate between how humans will manage water resources (fresh water and ocean) in the sustainable future compared to how it is done now.
Paragraph 5
Examine how humans will meet their energy needs in the future in a way that will enable maintenance of a sustainable, habitable atmosphere and climate.
Indicate the changes that humans have made that are enabling them to maintain a healthy atmosphere and climate for all.
Paragraph 6:
Describe how waste management will be different in a sustainable future.
Indicate the changes have been made to how humans think about and treat what is currently called “waste.”
Paragraph 7:
Summarize some of the major social, economic, political, and ecological choices and tradeoffs that will need to be overcome for this sustainable future to arrive. What are some of the major issues and challenges humans will have to face in order to achieve sustainability on a global scale?
The Journey to Sustainability final paper
Must be seven paragraphs in length (350 to 700 words) (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.)
Must incorporate all four of your previously selected terms.
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
Include two scholarly sources including the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
Must document any information used from sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.).
Can include, as an option, a separate references list that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 1 Journal
Week 1: Ecological Footprint Update and Course Reflection
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this journal, read Chapters 1 and 2 in your course textbook.
Welcome to SCI207! Throughout this course, you will be asked to keep a journal about your experience in the class. The purpose of this activity is to enable you to reflect on your learning: what new things you have discovered, what surprises you have encountered, what topics or ideas you have found particularly challenging, and how the course is going for you. During the five weeks in which you are participating in the Environmental Footprint Reduction Project, in Week 2 through Week 4 you will also use this journal as a space for a progress report on your efforts. Your entries will be evaluated in terms of how well they met the topic and length requirements, and your writing clarity. Your entries should be a minimum of one typed page each (double-spaced, Times New Roman, and 12-point font) and will be submitted through Waypoint.
Complete the following:
In the first paragraph or two of your first journal entry, please reflect on your previous experiences, if any, with environmental science and environmental issues. What new things do you hope to learn in this course? What concerns or fears do you have about this class? What strategies to you plan to put in place to address them?
In another one or two paragraphs, share your thoughts about the first week of class. What did you learn? What experiences stand out for you? What tasks or content did you find difficult or frustrating? What activities did you find surprising or exciting? Looking ahead, what are your intrigued or concerned by in the second week of the course?
Finally, make a list of at least five lifestyle changes you plan to commit to making for your course-long Ecological Footprint Reduction Project. Once you have recorded them in your journal, you should begin taking those steps and keeping a weekly journal record of your efforts. You will report on the results in a class discussion in Week 5.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 2 Journal
Week 2: Ecological Footprint Footprint Update and Course Reflection
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Prior to working on this journal, read Chapters 3 and 4 in your course textbook.
Throughout this course, you are keeping a journal about your experience in the class. The purpose of this activity is to enable you to reflect on your learning: what new things you have discovered, what surprises you have encountered, what topics or ideas you have found particularly challenging, and how the course is going for you. Last week you began the Environmental Footprint Reduction Project. This week you will begin using this journal as a space for a progress report on your efforts. Your entries will be evaluated in terms of how well they met the topic and length requirements, and your writing clarity. Your entries should be a minimum of one typed page each (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font) and will be submitted through Waypoint.
Complete the following:
In the first paragraph or two of your journal entry this week, provide a status report on your Ecological Footprint Reduction Project. Have you encountered success with implementing your intended changes? What challenges have you encountered? What have you learned so far from this activity?
In another one or two paragraphs, share your thoughts about the second week of class. What did you learn? What experiences stand out for you? What tasks or content did you find difficult or frustrating? What activities did you find surprising or exciting? Looking ahead, what are your intrigued or concerned by in the third week of the course?
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 3 Journal
Week 3: Ecological Footprint Update and Course Reflection
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to working on this journal, read Chapters 5 and 6 in your course textbook.
Throughout this course, you are keeping a journal about your experience in the class. The purpose of this activity is to enable you to reflect on your learning: what new things you have discovered, what surprises you have encountered, what topics or ideas you have found particularly challenging, and how the course is going for you. You should also be using this journal as a space for a progress report on your Environmental Footprint Reduction Project efforts. Your entries will be evaluated in terms of how well they met the topic and length requirements, and your writing clarity. Your entries should be a minimum of one typed page each (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font) and will be submitted through Waypoint.
Complete the following:
In the first paragraph or two of your journal entry this week, provide a status report on your Ecological Footprint Reduction Project. Have you encountered success with implementing your intended changes? What challenges have you encountered? What have you learned so far from this activity?
In another one or two paragraphs, share your thoughts about the third week of class. What did you learn? What experiences stand out for you? What tasks or content did you find difficult or frustrating? What activities did you find surprising or exciting? Looking ahead, what are your intrigued or concerned by in the fourth week of the course?
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 4 Journal
Week 4: Ecological Footprint Update and Course Reflection
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Prior to working on this journal, read Chapters 7 and 8 in your course textbook.
Throughout this course, you are keeping a journal about your experience in the class. The purpose of this activity is to enable you to reflect on your learning: what new things you have discovered, what surprises you have encountered, what topics or ideas you have found particularly challenging, and how the course is going for you. You should also be using the journal as a space for a progress report on your Environmental Footprint Reduction Project efforts. Your entries will be evaluated in terms of how well they met the topic and length requirements, and your writing clarity. Your entries should be a minimum of one typed page each (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font) and will be submitted through Waypoint.
Complete the following:
In the first paragraph or two of your journal entry this week, provide a status report on your Ecological Footprint Reduction Project. Have you encountered success with implementing your intended changes? What challenges have you encountered? What have you learned so far from this activity?
In another one or two paragraphs, share your thoughts about the fourth week of class. What did you learn? What experiences stand out for you? What tasks or content did you find difficult or frustrating? What activities did you find surprising or exciting? Looking ahead, what are your intrigued or concerned by in the final week of the course?
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SCI207 Our Dependence upon the Environment
Week 5 Journal
Week 5: Ecological Footprint Update and Course Reflections
[WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Congratulations! You have reached the close of SCI207! Throughout this course, you have been keeping a journal about your experience in the class. The purpose of this activity is to enable you to reflect on your learning: what new things have you discovered, what surprises have you encountered, what topics or ideas you have found particularly challenging, and how the course is going for you. Throughout the course, you have been participating in the Environmental Footprint Reduction Project, and you have been using the journal as a space for a progress report on your efforts.
In your last journal entry of the course, look back over the class as a whole, including your experiences during this final week.
Complete the following:
In the first paragraph or two of your journal entry this week, what new things have you learned? What experiences have stood out for you? What tasks or content did you find difficult or frustrating? What activities did you find surprising or exciting?
In another one or two paragraphs, looking ahead and beyond the end of this course, what do you plan to take with you from this class? How has this course changed your outlook on the environment? How has it changed the way you live your life in relation to the environment?
Be sure to include reflections on your experiences with the Ecological Footprint Reduction Project.
Your entry will be evaluated in terms of whether or not it met the topic and length requirements, and whether it is clearly written.
Your entry should be a minimum of one typed page each (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font) and will be submitted through Waypoint.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
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