Brown, Lester (2011) World on the Edge. London, Earthscan.
Buckingham, Susan Turner Mike (2008) Understanding Environmental Issues. London, Sage.
Leonard, A. (2010) The Story of Stuff. London; Constable.
IEMA (2011) Environmental Management in Organizations (2nd edition). London, Earthscan.

Adequate general purpose teaching room. Facilities for audio-visual presentation. University Library, Faculty of Sciences Learning Resource Centre, Internet & Email facilities.

Environmental issues represent a growing source of challenges and concerns, across a wide scale, from the individual and their 'lifeworld' to the global commons. How do we make sense of environmental issues? The module introduces their study using ecological and social perspectives drawing from a wide field of ideas (e.g. environmental science, political ecology, environmental sociology, environmental philosophies and ecological economics and the study of hazards and risks. Environmental issues are seen as 'cultural constructs', the product of interactions between earth ecosystems and the political, social and economic characteristics of human communities, embedded and dependent upon within these ecosystems. Attention is thus paid to changing attitudes to the environment, and the underlying philosophies that these characterise. The contemporary role of the media and public communication in shaping and framing what is an environmental issue is also considered. The module then examines contemporary environmental change and the emergence of global environmental issues. Their impacts at global, regional and local scale, the effects on the environmental sustainability of the natural ecosystems and the quality of life and livelihoods of individuals and communities become central themes. Amongst the issues covered are food and energy security, biodiversity and water stress, global warming and climatic transformation. The module concludes the first semester with a brief consideration of the diverse response strategies, as a link to environmental modules at a higher level. In the second semester, environmental issues are examined from an economic sector and enterprise perspective. Students, working in groups, will have the opportunity to explore, evaluate and communicate student-centred research on environmental issues from enterprises in one specific sector (extraction; production; distribution; disposal). They will undertake a review of the impacts organisations have in this sector on the earth's natural ecosystems, and their wider consequences for humans and society. A review will be undertaken of the recognition of the environmental and sustainability agendas and the extent to which this is re-shaping business operations and practice.

(1) a 2 hour examination (LO 1, 2, 4, 5, 6)

(2) a Portfolio - linking the individual contribution to a group artefact (e.g. poster, electronic presentation, website) and an individual learning log reporting on knowledge & understandings, skills deployment, group work related to the production of this artefact. (LO 1, 2, 3, 7)

Additional Assessment Details
(1) The examination includes both short answer questions and an essay.

Formative Assessment. Most weekly meeting will be linked to readings and the completion of additional tasks that will provide opportunities for students to evaluate their understanding of module materials. The formative activities are central to the learning process on the module, and students are encouraged to keep these as a formative portfolio. A formative class test will also provide an opportunity for engagement with the style and types of questions encountered in the end of module examination. Students will also be provided with the opportunity to receive feedback on their essay plans.

The module will be delivered through a combination of:
(a) In the first semester: 12 weekly x 2 hour classes (24 hours) that will combine, on a flexible basis, lectures with workshop exercises;
(b) in the second semester 6 x 2 hour workshops sessions (12 hours) that will include a basic introduction to key business sectors and the environmental impacts of their operations; the potential and actual recognition of environmental management and sustainability agenda on business operations.
(c) independent learning (66 hours) through guided reading from core texts and the use of web-based materials to develop a detailed knowledge of selected contemporary environmental issues at UK/European scales and implications for business interprises.
(d) Assessment Preparation for 1 semester (60 hours) for planning, researching / drafting / writing /editing / producing coursework and revising for class test
Students will work in small groups to produce an artefact (e.g. electronic presentation; poster; website) to explore these business-environment themes.