Introduction to the SLS

This set of videos was developed as part of an effort to enable those with secondary science education to understand the set of intersecting issues around sustainability. Their design uses the framework of the Fink Taxonomy of Significant Learning. The videos cover six themes: Systems thinking; Sustainable Development; Population; Energy; Water and Materials. 

These materials were created by Jane Qiong Zhang and Linda Vanasupa in association with Julie B. Zimmerman and James Mihelcic as part of a grant from the National Science Foundation. 

These videos are stand-alone educational videos but can also be used with the instructor presentation slides, learning objectives, activities and assessments that are part of the Sustainability Learning Suites.  This video provides an overview of the Sustainability Learning Suites >> Introduction & History

This video is for educators and describes the features of the learning materials>>Using the SLS

About the authors

Jane Qiong Zhang (qiongzhang@usf.edu) is a professor of environmental engineering at the University of South Florida (Tampa, Florida; USA).

Linda Vanasupa (lvanasup@calpoly.edu) is a professor of materials engineering at the California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo, California; USA). A selection of her works can be found at this website.

Systems Thinking

This set of videos describes the discipline of systems thinking.  Instructors may download:

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download);
  
• assessments (download).
  

Introduction to systems thinking

Introduction to systems thinking; explores the concept of a system and the terminology used in systems thinking (video link)

Thermodynamic systems

This video describes thermodynamic systems and the difference between open and closed systems. It also explores the four characteristics of dynamic systems (video link).

Causes of system behavior-The iceberg analogy

This video looks at the causes of a human system behavior by drawing an analogy to an iceberg (video link).

Causality from Aristotle's view

This video explains Aristotle's model of causality and how it can be used to gain insight into systemic behavior (video link).

Systemic interventions and their leverage

This video explores different levels of systems interventions and their potential leverage for systemic change. It introduces Donella Meadows hierarchy of systemic interventions and gives examples (video link).

Sustainable Development

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download).
  

An introduction to sustainable development

Sustainability is a concept that emerged from scientific understanding of how human activity could affect the planet. In this video, we describe sustainable development's history as a concept and discuss different models for sustainable development (video link).

How do we measure it?

A persistent question in the emergent science is "How do you measure sustainability?" This video looks at different sustainability indicators (video link).

Resilience-Following nature's example

This video looks at CS Holling and associates' view of sustainable development - resilience and adaptive capacity (video link)

Human impact-The IPAT equation

In the 1970s, environmentalists in the United States came up with the concept of human impact (I) on the environment, which was conceived of as a product of the population (P), affluence (A) and technology (T). This equation, the IPAT equation, provides insights and has limitations. This video explores these ideas (video link).

Population

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download).

Global Population and carrying capacity

This video serves as an introduction to global population. It explores the concept of carrying capacity and how this idea might be applied to determining the population that can be supported by the earth (video link).

The Ecological Footprint

This video takes an in-depth look at the ecological footprint. This indicator, developed by Wackernagel an others, is explained along with its limitations. There is also an analysis of the global ecological footprint as currently analyzed (video link).

Energy

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download).

Energy types and global resources

This video serves as an introduction to global energy resources. Based on the work of Wes Hermann, of the Global Climate Energy Project at Stanford University, it explores the categories of energy by global resource compartment and replenishment timescale (video link).

The global energy picture - a closer look

This video takes an in-depth look at the annual energy available on earth against the amount of energy used by humans. It uses a graphic, published by Wes Hermann in the journal Energy, to make clear the different energy fluxes (video link).

Fossil fuels use and its consequences - the carbon cycle

This video goes through the carbon cycle and describes how using fossil fuels threatens the foundation of the aquatic global food chain. It relies on understanding the earth as functioning as a closed thermodynamic system (video link).

Fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect

This video describes in detail the greenhouse effect and how recovery from energy from fossil fuels results in green house gases. (video link).

Renewable and non-renewable resources

This video distinguishes between renewable and non-renewable energy resources. It examines the question, "How long to do we have before we exhaust non-renewable resources?" It also looks at alternatives to non-renewable energy resources (video link).

Water

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download).

Water - the global picture

This video looks at at questions like "How can there be a water shortage when we are surrounded by water?" (video link).

The hydrologic cycle

Fresh water is provided for our use through the hydrologic cycle, leading to water stored in various compartments. Global climate change has the effect of moving water from accessible storage compartments to inaccessible compartments (video link).

Accounting for our water needs

While we are surrounded by water, many regions experience water scarcity. How can we account for the water needed? This video looks at different water budgeting methods to include the water footprint tool by Hoekstra et al of the WaterFootprint Network (www.waterfootprint.org) (video link).

The water-energy connection

When industrial era technologies are being used, water use is closely connected to energy use; however, 1 liter of water used for one type of energy extraction is not equivalent to 1 liter for another. This video explains why (video link).

Materials

• learning objectives (download);
• editable and annotated presentation slides with embedded classroom activities (download);
• activities of 1-3 hours in length (download).

An introduction to global resources and reserves

This video examines the global perspective of materials. It looks that the difference between reserves and resources and considers the question of "running out" of materials (video link).

Life cycle view of material

The life cycle of a material or process enables one to consider account for the impact of the raw material, the manufacture, the use and disposal steps. The life cycle framework is explained in this video. It describes what happens at each step in the life cycle and why designers should consider the life cycle in the design process (video link).

Assessing and reducing life cycle impact

This video examines the use of life cycle assessment methods as an aid to the design process. It introduces three methods: full life cycle assessment, streamlined life cycle assessment, and economic input-output life cycle assessment (video link).

Design strategies for transformative innovation

What can we learn from nature's designs for sustainability? This video compares nature's methods with the industrial era methods of design. It recommends a design strategy based on the connection or relationship between things as a means to achieve transformative innovation for sustainability (video link).