SEES583 SPECIAL TOPICS: SUSTAINABLE LIVING
| Course Code: | 3900583 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 8.0 |
| Department: | Sustainable Environment and Energy Systems |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Masters |
| Course Coordinator: | |
| Offered Semester: | Fall and Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
Course Content
Due to the reckless exploitation and poisonous industrialization, major
life support functions of the biosphere are in a state of degradation and
deterioration. The crises resulting from the global climate change,
environmental degradation and depletion of the material & energy
resources, has started already seriously threaten our species survival.
From ecological, economic, social and spiritual perspectives, the
situation is quite serious and calls us for our immediate attention and
action.
What will be the future be like? Nobody knows the answer to that question
yet. All we know is that the effects that will appear in the future are
all contained in the causes that we make in the present. Driven by the
current economic models need for perpetual growth, todays society is
marked by unrelenting consumption and an increasing disparity between the
rich and the poor. What is certain, however, is that if our current
trajectory remains unchanged, devastating collapse is unavoidable. This
path has no future.
In order to survive, we must become a culture that consumes drastically
fewer resources and is strongly rooted in the principles of
sustainability, equality, and cooperation. Thus, a massive social
transformation is needed.
Accomplishing this transformation will be no easy task. To be successful,
a diversity of tactics will need to be employed on every level of society.
The largest and most important changes will take place on a grassroots
level. One critical component of this transition is the design of
ecologically sustainable and community-based infrastructure.
As individuals, one of the best thing we can do to heal the Earth/our
communities/ourselves, is to begin taking active, practical, simple steps
today toward sustainable living where we live. The proposed course goes
beyond these common actions and aims to provide the students with
essential knowledge, critical evaluation of, and a sound understanding of
sustainable living!
The course will consist of lectures, seminars, workshops, games, project
work, study visits and take home assignments. Group works will be
organised thematically. The themes will focus on global and local
challenges in the area of sustainable development and sustainable living.
Thus, the students, who are willing to commit themselves to drive social,
environmental, political, economic, and cultural change so that human
societies can live sustainably on the planet, to develop a critical
perspective and a growing interest are expected to interactively
participate this course.