The culminating project in Sustainability 101 is a project that pulls together some of many ideas we’ve been
discussing in class, from the global scope of sustainability issues to the changes we can make in our ordinary
lives. Your task is to choose one area of focus within the broad topic of sustainability and examine it both the
global and local level. Why is this issue important? How can we address it on a global scale? And what can we
do in our own communities? First gather research on the issue, then, once you have a firm understanding, start
working on solutions. On the global side, identify some policy proposals and social action that can make a
difference. On the local side, make a proposal can address the issue here and now. The key is to use your
research to more deeply understand an issue, then do something about it. We’ll work through this process in a
series of steps, each of which will count as graded assignments.
Step 1: Proposal . Choose carefully. Your project should be impactful, addressing an issue that has a direct
effect on the sustainability challenges facing our world, one that connects to some of the range of reading
we’ve done and ties into the UN SDGs. It should be focused, narrow enough to allow you to understand it in
detail and make a meaningful difference. It should have a global and a local dimension. Once you’ve identified
the topic or area of focus, write a proposal that situates your issue in the broader context of sustainability.
Include five key terms from our list of sustainability terms on the course content page, three UN SDGs, and
reference three texts we’ve read for this class including web resources like Project Drawdown.
https://drawdown.org/
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/07/climate-change-earth-too-hot-for-humans.html (one text, the others
are uploaded)
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/sustainable-development-goals-kick-off-with-start-ofnew-year/
Finally, identify two sustainability leaders who are making an impact on this issue. One should be from the US,
one from another part of the world. You may organize this however best suits your project, weaving these
elements together in a way that captures the interrelationship of sustainability concepts. (500-700 words)
DUE: April 6, 2021
We’ll grade these using the following criteria:
Insight : Are the projects impactful, with a global and local reach, and well-situated within the broader context of
sustainability?
Evidence : Does the proposal include key terms, texts, UN SDGs and sustainability leaders?
Organization : Does the project have clear areas of focus for each group member? Are they thoughtfully
integrated?
Sample Solution
