Text on Basic Sustainability Concepts
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I was recently contacted by a faculty person looking for a sustainability text for a freshman level sustainability course. Are there any suggestions for texts being used to introduce students to the basic concepts of sustainability?
Many thanks - Jillian
I pull from a lot of different publictions, but the one that has the most articles that I assign (and the one the students are required to have) is 2008 State of the World: Innovations for a Sustainable Economy (Worldwatch). This has nice global perspective articles on Consumerism, Materials Management, Water, Food, Community, Human Captial, Energy, Biodiversity, and a New Economy. This text serves as a good launching point for further development of each topic.
Check out Plan B 3.0 by Lester Brown
http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/books/pb3/pb3_table_of_contents
or Plan B 4.0 by Lester Brown
http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/books/pb4
Both are reasonably priced (free as PDF) and very "on point"
We use a short but dense book by Tom Wessels, "The Myth of Progress," in a course entitled "Introduction to Sustainability Studies." It contains lots of basics but is short enough to allow integration of lots of other readings for various topics.
The Hidden Connections and The Web of Life by Fritjof Capra also contain great sections about various sustainability topics, especially eco-literacy.
I am taking a class right now which is using excerpts from a really great text called Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections and Solutions (by Miller & Spoolman). I particularly like the case studies that are included, they really bring the concepts to life.
10-4 to other posts - I would also recommend the Earth Charter as a powerful introductory text for freshmen students new to the study and practice of sustainability. Cheers!
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know about a project I've been working on.
I’ve just finished writing The Sustainability Greenprint that I wrote for sustainability professionals and students wanting to find out more about the field of sustainability. It's a handbook providing an overview of the sustainability field for those wanting to make sense of all the principles, policies and players.
You can find out more info at this link http://bit.ly/yojuTA
David
--
David Hendrickson PhD, MCIP, CSP
http://www.davidjhendrickson.com
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We created an introductory course last year entitled "Global Sustainability" that has been using the following book as the core text:
It's All Connected: A Comprehensive Guide to Global Issues and Sustainable Solutions
Wheeler, Benjamin, M.A.; Wheeler, Gilda, M.Ed.; Church, Wendy, Ph.D.
copyright 2005, Seattle, WA
published by Facing the Future: People and the Planet