Restorative Natech: Mini-Lessons that use technology to connect with nature

• Define ethics, anthropocentrism, and utilitarianism  • Describe biblical, political philosophical, conservationist,  preservationist, and ecological perspectives on the relationship between  humans and nature  • Identify the degree to which solutions take anthropocentric or  utilitarian approaches to solving environmental problems • Critically analyze stakeholders’ environmental ethical perspectives  based on their proposed solutions or positions taken in relation to  environmental problems.   

lecture delivered by O. Vila  

Corresponds to  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2014). Environment and  society: a critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.  Listen via Restorative Natech podcast: https://anchor.fm/bethany-cutts (or where ever y'all find podcasts)

• Define hazard, risk, social vulnerability, and disaster  • Distinguish phases of emergency management  • Explain why risk can be thought of as a decision, and why disasters are social phenomena • Demonstrate how social factors influence people's vulnerability to disasters.   lecture delivered by O. Vila  Corresponds to  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2014). Environment and society: a critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.  Listen via Restorative Natech podcast: https://anchor.fm/bethany-cutts (or where ever y'all find podcasts)

• Define common property and institutions  • Describe Game Theory, the Prisoner's Dilemma, and the Tragedy of the  Commons   • Identify real-world examples of common's management   • Critically analyze real-world and hypothetical examples of commons  management in relation to the principles of boundaries, proportionality,  collective choice, monitoring, sanctions, conflict resolutions, and  autonomy.    lecture delivered by O. Vila  Corresponds to  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2014). Environment and  society: a critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.  Listen via Restorative Natech podcast: https://anchor.fm/bethany-cutts (or where ever y'all find podcasts)

• Define externality, market failure, transaction costs, monopoly,  greenwashing, and green certification  • Provide examples or hypothetical scenarios of the market response  model, Coase Theorem, and Cap and Trade  • Identify real-world examples market-based solutions to environmental  problems and policies related to those solutions  • Critically analyze the implicit assumptions of real-world  market-based solutions to environmental problems, and explain if and in  what ways they are misguided  lecture delivered by O. Vila  Corresponds to  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2014). Environment and  society: a critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.  Listen via Restorative Natech podcast: https://anchor.fm/bethany-cutts (or where ever y'all find podcasts)

Define carrying capacity, ecological footprint, zero population growth,  birth rate, death rate, fertility rate 

Produce examples of how population size, affluence, and technology  influence environmental impact.  

Synthesize what you learn about population growth and declines to  critique solutions to environmental impacts.  

Critically analyze solutions to reduce environmental impacts of humans  in a way that identifies potential injustices and trade-offs.    

lecture delivered by O. Vila  Corresponds to  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2014). Environment and  society: a critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.  Listen via Restorative Natech podcast: https://anchor.fm/bethany-cutts (or where ever y'all find podcasts)  

By completing the policy brief assignment, students will demonstrate the ability to engage in independent learning, synthesize information, and present it in a form that is useful to decision-makers. The research, writing, visualization, and argumentation skills will aid personal and professional efforts toward greater civic engagement on a broad spectrum of current and future policy dilemmas.

Define course structure and expectations

Do you hate group projects?  You might be experiencing a prisoner's dilemma.

After watching the pre-recorded lecture, completing the guided notes,  and attending the in-person class, students should be able to:

Corresponds to content in  Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A.  (2014). Environment and  society: a critical introduction. John Wiley  & Sons.

Recommended reading: Brinkley, C. (2020). Hardin’s imagined tragedy is pig shit: A call for planning to recenter the commons. Planning Theory, 19(1), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473095218820460

Image by @markusspiske via @unsplash