Introduction to Sustainability

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/sustainability

Introduction

**Course Review: Introduction to Sustainability on Coursera** In an era of increasing environmental consciousness and global challenges, understanding sustainability has never been more critical. Coursera’s course, "Introduction to Sustainability," offers a comprehensive introduction to the essential principles of sustainability, examining how human societies can thrive amid the pressing issues of ecosystem degradation, climate change, and resource limitations. **Course Overview** The primary aim of this course is to provide students with an academic foundation in sustainability, including its theoretical and practical aspects. The course is meticulously structured to walk you through significant areas such as population dynamics, ecosystems, global change, energy systems, agricultural practices, and the vital interplay between water and food production. Additionally, it delves into environmental economics, policy-making, ethics, and cultural history, ensuring that participants gain a holistic view of sustainability. **Syllabus Breakdown** 1. **Orientation and Introduction**: This module establishes a supportive learning environment by familiarizing students with the course structure, classmates, and necessary technical skills. It also introduces core concepts, setting the stage for deeper discussions on sustainability within the context of Earth’s systems. 2. **Population**: Understanding population growth and dynamics is fundamental in tackling sustainability challenges. This module examines historical trends and forecasts future changes, providing important context for the remaining course topics. 3. **Ecosystems and Climate Change**: This critical module addresses the pressures faced by our planet due to human exploitation of natural resources. It emphasizes the dire impacts of climate change, encouraging students to recognize the urgency of sustainable practices. 4. **Energy**: The focus here is on energy consumption patterns and their implications for sustainability. Students explore potential transitions towards more sustainable energy sources, which is particularly relevant given the ongoing energy crises in various parts of the world. 5. **Water and Agriculture**: The interconnectedness of water resources and food production is explored in-depth. This module identifies the challenges of meeting food demands while sustaining water supplies, especially in the context of a growing global population. 6. **Environmental Policy**: This module provides insight into the policy tools that govern sustainability efforts. Understanding environmental economics and the political landscape helps equip students with the knowledge to advocate for more sustainable practices. 7. **Measuring Sustainability**: Finally, the course examines metrics and tools for assessing sustainability progress. Predictions for the 21st century are discussed, making this module particularly valuable for those interested in forward-thinking solutions. 8. **Conclusion**: The course wraps up with a comprehensive quiz covering all content, allowing students to consolidate their knowledge and demonstrate their understanding of sustainability principles. **Why I Recommend This Course:** The "Introduction to Sustainability" course on Coursera is exceptionally well-structured, making it accessible to both beginners and those with some prior knowledge. Each module builds upon the previous one, ensuring a cohesive learning experience. Additionally, the diverse themes covered provide a well-rounded perspective on sustainability challenges and solutions. The course also emphasizes actionable knowledge, equipping students with the tools to engage with sustainability issues in their communities and professions. The use of real-world examples and case studies throughout the curriculum enhances the relevance and application of the concepts discussed. Finally, the course is taught by expert instructors who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. Their ability to communicate complex ideas succinctly is commendable and enhances the learning experience. **Final Thoughts** In conclusion, I highly recommend the "Introduction to Sustainability" course on Coursera to anyone interested in understanding the urgent sustainability challenges we face today. Whether you are a student, a professional in a related field, or simply someone seeking to make a positive impact on the planet, this course provides invaluable insights and a solid foundation to advance your knowledge and influence around sustainability. Enroll today and take your first step towards becoming a knowledgeable advocate for a sustainable future.

Syllabus

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Overview

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

Skills

Reviews

This is a nice course for anyone who wants to have a start on this journey. It is easy to understand, covers a lot of topics that relates to everything and give you a profound insight of the world

This course helps me to learn many things about sustainability. By this course, I am more interested in sustainable developments. I expect to learn more about this provided by Dr Johnathan Tomkin.

Professor John Tomkins did a great job. I am going to pursue a career in sustainability only after completing the course. The course has had a very positive impact on me. Thankyou.

It is a well prepared course. Contents are carefully organized and plenty of concepts and examples are included and analyzed. Overall, it is a excellent course to get an overview of sustainability.

The course was comprehensive and presents deep insights to all concepts on sustainability. Thi s course really helped me in understanding the basics of sustainability in a lucid manner.