Thinking
Through Sustainability
Current issues in sustainability can only be understood if we
pay close attention to the language we use, to the numbers that frame the nature
and severity of particular crises, and the quality of arguments. In short, we
can only "save the world" by putting to work the gifts of a liberal education.
Another way of thinking about this of course is to say that by carefully
considering particular environmental problems, we can help develop habits of
mind that are essential to higher education. So this page offers reflections on
"thinking through sustainability" in both senses of the phrase:
we must think through such issues critically, aiming to use language, numbers, and scientific knowledge accurately.
we can learn how to think by giving our careful attention to current concerns about sustainable living.
The following links relate to a class I taught on
“Knowledge and Power” in the spring of 2011. They include the course syllabus,
and some related materials, as well as links to central texts, data sources, and
interactive web resources. This is the initial stage of a work in progress. I am
glad to entertain questions and suggestions for improvement.
Course
Materials
Thinking through Sustainability Presentation Notes (originally
presented at the National Collegiate Honors Council in 201
HONR311 Knowledge and Power Syllabus
Sample Lesson Plan – The Maryland NRG Bluewater Offshore Wind
Project
Key Books and Texts
Alfred Crosby, Children of the Sun (2006)
James Kunstler,
The Geography of Nowhere (1994)
David Mackay, Sustainable Energy – without the Hot Air (2009)
We also used several excerpts and
articles by noted energy analyst Vaclav
Smil.
Definitions
and Organizations
Definitions from Sustainable Measures Consulting Group
The Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
Some Primary
Sources for Energy Data
The U.S. Energy Information Agency
Global Energy Statistical Yearbook by Enerdata
The International Energy Agency
Energy Statistics from the UN Statistics Division
Discussion of Energy Units and Conversion Factors from the American Physical
Society
Resources
for Understanding the Electrical Grid
Electricity 101 FAQ from the Department of Energy
Visualizing the U.S. Electrical Grid
(from NPR)
TCIP Education – Java Simulation of Electrical Grid Load Management (from U. of Illinois)
Interactive Map from National Geographic
(see also associated story – a good introduction)
Personal Carbon Calculators
The Nature
Conservancy Carbon Calculator
Household Emissions Calculator from the EPA
Home Energy Calculators from Energyguide.com
Berkeley’s CoolClimate Carbon Footprint Calculator
This selection of links is representative and does not exhaust the links we used in the class, let alone the constantly evolving resources available to students of sustainable energy use. I am happy to answer questions or offer advice to colleagues from other institutions engaged in similar kinds of teaching.
Site last update April 25, 2012