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Introduction to Sustainability
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 25 hours
  • Course by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Offered by

About

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).

Modules

Orientation: About the Course and Your Classmates

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Orientation Quiz

1 Videos

  • Introduction to Sustainability Course Welcome

4 Readings

  • Syllabus
  • About the Discussion Forums
  • Social Media
  • Getting to Know Your Classmates

Introduction: What Are the Big Ideas?

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Big Ideas Practice Quiz

4 Videos

  • Introduction to Sustainability
  • Sustainability and Population Growth
  • Growth Curves
  • Malthus

1 Readings

  • Module 1 Overview and Readings

Module 1 Review

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Module 1 Quiz

Module 2 Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Population Introduction

1 Readings

  • Module 2 Overview and Readings

Population, Past and Present

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Population, Past and Present Practice Quiz

2 Videos

  • Transitions
  • Demographic Transition

Global Population in the Future

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Global Population in the Future Practice Quiz

2 Videos

  • Future Populations, Part 1
  • Future Populations, Part 2

Module 2 Review

    • 2 Assignment
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2 Assignment

  • Population Interactive Homework
  • Module 2 Quiz

Module 3 Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Ecosystems and Climate Change Introduction

1 Readings

  • Module 3 Overview and Readings

Ecosystems, Extinction, and Tragedy of the Commons

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Ecosystems, Extinction, and Tragedy of the Commons Practice Quiz

1 Peer Review

  • Tragedy of the Commons Response

3 Videos

  • Tragedy of the Commons
  • Tragedy of the Commons: Solutions
  • Ecosystems and Extinctions

Climate Change

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Climate Change Practice Quiz

4 Videos

  • Weather vs. Climate
  • Climate Changes in the Past
  • Modern Climate Change
  • [OPTIONAL] Climate Processes

Module 3 Review

    • 2 Assignment
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2 Assignment

  • Climate Change Interactive Homework
  • Module 3 Quiz

Module 4 Overview

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Energy Introduction
  • Energy Overview

1 Readings

  • Module 4 Overview and Readings

Energy: Oil

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Oil Practice Quiz

2 Videos

  • Oil
  • EROEI

Energy: Alternatives

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Alternatives Practice Quiz

4 Videos

  • Coal & Gas
  • Nuclear Power
  • Renewable Energy
  • Energy Conservation

Module 4 Review

    • 2 Assignment
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2 Assignment

  • Energy and Society Homework
  • Module 4 Quiz

Module 5 Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Water and Agriculture Introduction

1 Readings

  • Module 5 Overview and Readings

Water

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Water Practice Quiz

2 Videos

  • Limits to Water
  • Water Trends

Agriculture and Food

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Agriculture and Food Practice Quiz

3 Videos

  • Agricultural Consumption
  • Agricultural Limits
  • Genetically Modified Organisms

Module 5 Review

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Module 5 Quiz

Module 6 Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Environmental Economics and Policy Introduction

1 Readings

  • Module 6 Overview and Readings

Environmental Policy

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Environmental Policy Practice Quiz

1 Peer Review

  • Environmental Policy Response

3 Videos

  • Negative Externalities
  • Environmental Policy
  • Environmental Policy Assessment

Environmental Policy Examples

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Environmental Policy Examples Homework

5 Videos

  • [OPTIONAL] Environmental Economics
  • [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 1
  • [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 2
  • [OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 3
  • Environmental Policy Examples: "Biofuels"

Module 6 Review

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Module 6 Quiz

Module 7 Overview

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Measuring Sustainability Introduction

1 Readings

  • Module 7 Overview and Readings

Measuring Sustainability

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Measuring Sustainability Practice Quiz

4 Videos

  • Biodiversity and Ecosystems
  • Sustainability Metrics, Part 1
  • Sustainability Metrics, Part 2
  • Food Miles

Sustainable Future?

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Sustainable Future Practice Quiz

1 Peer Review

  • Sustainable Future Response

2 Videos

  • Measuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 1
  • Measuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 2

Module 7 Review

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Module 7 Quiz

Course Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Introduction to Sustainability Final Quiz

1 Readings

  • Conclusion and Final Quiz Instructions

Auto Summary

"Introduction to Sustainability," offered by Coursera, delves into how human societies can thrive amidst global change, ecosystem degradation, and resource constraints. This foundational course covers sustainability theory and practice, touching on population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, environmental economics, policy, ethics, and cultural history. Spanning 1500 minutes, it caters to those seeking to understand and address sustainability challenges through a multidisciplinary lens. Subscription options include Starter, Professional, and Paid plans, making it accessible to a broad audience committed to the planet's long-term welfare.

Dr. Jonathan Tomkin
Instructor

Dr. Jonathan Tomkin