We are using Reconstructing Value: Leadership skills for a sustainable work by Kurucz, Colbert, and Wheeler (2013) as the source for the topics. Look at the “Aspects to explore” section for a description of each topic and how you may want to address them. See below for the topics copied directly from pages 145-148 to see what research questions you can explore in your essays.
You are asked to write an individual essay based on your own individual research about one of the five topics below (if you have an alternative topic, please consult the course instructor for approval):
Water wars: blue gold, or common good? Private firms seek permits for bulk extraction and export of water resources, while critics warn of impending global water shortages and the need for international governance over water supplies. (p. 145)
Powering the future: electricity generation. Nuclear, coal, hydroelectric, wind, solar, biomass – all of the above? Electricity demand is projected to rise steeply over the coming decades. What is the right mix of energy to fuel the future? (p. 146)
Carbon Policy: cap it, trade it, tax it – or leave it alone? We are caught between the twin crises of diminishing energy stocks and a changing climate. What energy mix and policies will drive the future? (p. 146)
Transportation and design of sustainable cities. With urbanization increasing worldwide, the convergence of three issues is gaining importance: population growth, transportation, and urban design…explore these issues and how they interact (p. 147)
The food issue: feeding the future. Food production is facing mounting challenges in both developed and developing regions of the world: factory farming, monoculture soil depletion, the impact of biofuels, and the relationship between diet, oil, and climate change, to list a few (p. 148)
Develop a research question or argument, support your argument with research, and provide a conclusion.
Sample Solution
