SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES AND HUMAN SERVICES

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

COURSE TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
COURSE CODE: LS ES EC 300
3 CREDITS
1. DESCRIPTION
This course teaches students about managing the world's environment and will address a wide
range of issues which include ecosystems, energy, water quality, pollution, biodiversity,
sustainable development, soils, and wildlife conservation. Much emphasis will be placed on the
development of students problem-solving strategies. Questions of environmental degradation
will be addressed on the global level, with additional focus on conservation issues and
procedures in Italy and Tuscany in particular.
This course includes a Service Learning component in the Florentine community as a learning
tool. Service learning is a kind of experiential education that connects classroom learning with
community service. In collaboration with community organizations, students learn about and
apply tools of the academic discipline and specific course concepts in their service experiences.
This combination enhances academic learning and civic awareness while also providing a
meaningful service to and with the community.

2. OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the course is to make students aware of how politics, economics, industry as
well as daily human behaviour may affect the environment. By the end of the course students
will know what a pollutant is, what the main greenhouse gases are, how many pollutants are
formed in the atmosphere and how we can reduce their formation, what fresh water means,
what is meant by renewable energy and its different kinds, the importance of energy saving and
energy efficiency, basic notions of environmental communication, green labels (ecolabels),
green public procurements (GPP), waste management, life cycle assessment (LCA), ecological
footprint.
Students will be informed about active projects in Florence to reduce human impact on
environment and the activity of GAS (purchasing solidarity groups).
Service-learning experience will help students have a deeper understanding of course
concepts, increase civic awareness and engagement, develop relashionships in the community.
By the end of the course students should be able to suggest friends and relatives the
main daily actions to reduce their footprint on enviroment, helping conserve it.

3. REQUIREMENTS
There are no prerequisites for this course, although a background of science would be
"preferable" for the better comprehension of the subject.
Lectures are held in English.

A questionnaire is distributed on the first day of class to inform the instructor about the
general background and characteristics of the students. Students are not required to
answer all questions.
Individual study of the notes, the readings, the handouts etc. at home is required after
every lecture, at least on a weekly basis. On your lecture schedule you will find
information on each meetings readings: a good pre-reading activity of the material is
highly recommended to better follow in-class explanations.
Students will be often asked to research, read and study at the School Library. Please
make sure you are familiar with it (know how it works, opening and closing times,
facilities, etc.) from the very start of the course.
For the material you will need to type, please check the school computer facilities.
No eating is allowed in class
A responsible and active class participation is expected at all times and during all
activities
At all times cell phones must be turned off (both during lectures and visits).
Students will be provided with terms and words used commonly in the environmental
field.
Please also consider strict guidelines and important notes regarding attendance,
participation and assignments (as described in pertinent paragraphs).

4. METHOD
Lessons are divided in traditional lectures, videos, class discussions, service-learning
experience and on site visits.
Times and dates for site visits will be discussed on the first and second lessons of the course.
This course requires that you participate in class discussions. This means that you contribute to
class discussions by relating your experiences, asking questions, and making comments
appropriate to the topics being discussed. Students will be assigned readings in the textbook
which will be discussed during a given class period. In order for the discussions to be
meaningful, each student must come to class fully prepared to discuss the assigned reading
and to make meaningful comments. Since participation plays a role in your final grade, it is
essential that you have not only read the assignment, but have drawn conclusions of your own
from the reading. You will present those conclusions during class discussions.
Each lesson the teacher will verify the activity of students' service-learning.

5. TEXT BOOK FURTHER READINGS INTERNET RESOURCES

Students are required to adopt the cd-book:
"Environmental Conservation - Mirella Sarti" (ask the teacher the 1st lesson)
Each student must provide the cd-book for the successful completion of the course.
Further material, handouts and notes will be eventually distributed to the students during the
semester.
TEXT BOOK: The required textbook for the course is:
Miller, Spoolman, Environmental Science, Cengage Learning International Edition (2 copies
available in the school library)
The Textbooks are pre-ordered and available at: Paperback Via Oche 4R.
Further SUGGESTED readings: (for personal research paper and for personal interest)
(Books listed below are available at the school library, Corso dei Tintori 21).
AL GORE, An inconvenient truth, Rodale Press, 2006
WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability still possible?
W. W. Norton & Company

WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2012: Moving Toward Sustainable Prosperity, W. W. Norton & Company

WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2011:Innovations that Nourish the Planet,
W. W. Norton & Company

WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2010:Transforming Cultures: From Con
sumerism to Sustainability - W. W. Norton & Company

WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2007: Our Urban Future,

WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE, State of the World 2006:Special Focus: China and India,

VANDANA SHIVA, Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit, South End Press, Cam
bridge Massachusetts, 2002

WANGARI MUTA MAATHAI, Unbowed One Woman's Story, William Heinemann, 2006

JANINE M. BENYUS, Biomimicry Innovation inspired by Nature, Harper Perennial, 2002

W. MCDONOUGH & M. BRAUNGART, Cradle to Cradle - Remaking the way we make

things, North Point Press, 2002

J. GLASSON R. THERIVEL &A. CHADWICK, Introduction to Environmental Impact

Assessment , Routledge

L. Newton, C. Dillingham, J. Choly, Watersheds 4 10 cases in environmental ethics,

Thomson Wadsworth

Mark Burgman, Risks and Decisions for Conservation and Environmental Management,
Cambridge University Press

Paul Brown, Global Warming The last chance for change, The Guardian

A. Beeby, A.M. Brennan, First Ecology Ecological principles and environmental issues,
Oxford University Press

Simon Rosser, The A-Z of Global Warming, Schmall World Publishing

D.B. Botkin; E.A. Keller, Environmental Science Earth as a Living Planet, John Wiley &
Sons

Mark Maslin, Global Warming A very short introduction, Oxford University Press

Perman, Ma, McGilvray, Common, Natural Resource and Environmental Economics,

Pearson

R.K.Turner, D.Pearce & I. Bateman, Environmental Economics An elementary introduc

tion, Harvester Wheatsheaf

M.S. Cato, Green Economics An introduction to theory, policy and practice, Earthscan

LEED; H.W. Leppo, AIA, LEED AP, M. Peot,Med B S

P.Connett The Zero Waste Solution Untrashing the Planet One Community at a Time
Chelsea Green Publishing

Evaluation of competencies in environmental education TEPEE project (Towards a European Portfolio for Environmental Education) - Legambiente

Sections: ENVIRONMENT - SUSTAINABILITY - ECODESIGN

INTERNET RESOURCES:
suggested web sites:
www.iea.org (International Energy Agency)
www.eea.org (European Energy Agency)
www.doe.org (US Department of Energy)
www.epa.org (US Environmental Protection Agency)
www.kyotoclub.it (Kyoto Club)
www.iso.ch (International Standard Organization)
www.who.org (World Health Organisation)
www.ipcc.ch (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
www.ec.europa.eu/energy (European Union - Energy)
www.ec.europa.eu/environment (European Union - Environment)
www.bestresult-iee.com (EU project for renewable energies in residential buildings)
www.groundreach.eu (EU project for ground heat pump)
www.greenpeace.org
www.noimpactman.com
www.biofach.com (organic food fair)

www.footprintnetwork.org (ecological footprint)

www.liferaces.eu (races project)
www.worldwatch.org (Worldwatch Institute)
www.wwf.org (World Wildlife Fund)
www.cat.org.uk (Centre for Alternative technology)
www.e-u-z.eu (Energie und Umwelt Zentrum)
www.enel.com (Italian energy company)
www.tuttogreen.it
http://greenbeltmovement.org
http://theeconomicsofhappiness.org
http://thehappymovie.com
http://www.wastelandmovie.com
http://www.trashedfilm.com/
www.thepeoplesupermarket.org
www.isec.org.uk (International Society for Ecology and Culture)
www.iea.org/weo (World Energy Outlook)
LIBRARIES IN FLORENCE
The school library is located in Corso Tintori 21.
Please consult the posted schedules for official opening times.
Please note that the library is consultation only and thus it is not possible to remove texts.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of Florences libraries and research centers:
Biblioteca Palagio di Parte Guelfa
Located in Piazzetta di Parte Guelfa between Pza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio.
Telephone: 055.261.6029. The library is open Monday thru Saturday. This library is open until
10:00pm during weekdays.
Biblioteca delle Oblate
Located in via dell'Oriuolo 26 (across the street from SQUOLA Center for Contemporary Italian
Studies) Telephone: 055 261 6512. Please consult the website www.bibliotecadelleoblate.it for
current opening times under orario.
The Harold Acton Library at the British Institute of Florence
Address: Lungarno Guicciardini 9. For opening times and student membership information:
www.britishinstitute.it/en.This is a fee-based membership library.

6. VISITS TRIPS
Fieldtrips/visits proposed for the class are:
1. The Fontanello of high quality water in Giardino Chelazzi (Via dell'Agnolo)
and in Piazza della Signoria
2. The monitoring air station of ARPAT in Settignano (Florence)
3. The office Sportello eco-equo in Florence: increasing environmental
knowledge, awareness, participation and skills of Florentine citizens.
(address: Via dell'Agnolo, 1c/d www.sportelloecoequo.comune.fi.it)
4. The Community Garden in Florence: Borgo Pinti, 76

7. MATERIAL LIST
N/A

8. ADDITIONAL FEES:
Not applicable - In case of fieldtrips far from the city center students will have to buy two bus

tickets ( 2.50)

9. EVALUATION GRADING SYSTEM

Final Grade Breakdown
Attendance: 10%
Class participation: 10%
Personal Research Paper (and Class presentation): 15%
Pop Quizzes: 5%
Service Learning (activity):20%
Midterm exam: 20%
Final exam: 20%
Please note that a detailed explanation of the above is found in Section 11 (Assignments, Term
Papers and Exams).
Grading Scale
A = 93-100 %, A- = 90-92%, B+= 87-89%, B = 83-86%, B-=80-82%, C+ = 77-79%, C=73-76%,
C-=70-72%, D = 60-69%, F= 0-59%, W = Official Withdrawal, W/F = Failure to withdraw by the
designated date.

10. ATTENDANCE PARTICIPATION

Academic integrity and mutual respect between instructor and student are central to our
academic policies. This is reflected in the attendance policy. Class attendance is mandatory
and counts towards the final grade.
Two delays will be considered as one absence. It is always the student's responsibility to
know how many absences they have in a course.
After the first absence your attendance and participation grade will be impacted. Please note
that missing certain field trips may count for more than one absence.
After the third absence the instructor may lower the final grade by one letter grade. (Example:
Final grade average 90% A - will become a B on the grade report).
After the fourth absence you will receive an automatic failure. Students with excessive
absences will be asked to withdraw with a W (if before the deadline) or leave the course
with a WF.
It is the student's responsibility to know how many absences they have in a course. If
you are in doubt, talk to your instructor!
Late Arrival and Early Departure
Arriving late or departing early from class is not acceptable. Two late arrivals or early
departures or a combination will result in an unexcused absence. Travel is not an exceptional
circumstance.
Travel (or delays due to travel) is NEVER an excuse for absence from class.
Partecipation: A positive grade in participation will be the result of being responsible in class,
taking care of class room (it is our living environment!), respect of class rules and completion of
homework assignments in time.

11. EXAMS PAPER

1. During the course students will be required to take two unannounced pop quizzes,
counting for 5% of the final course grade. Quizzes are 15 multiple choice questions.
2. Paper counts for 15% of the final course grade. Personal Research Paper must be handed
in by April 15th. Paper class presentation will take place on April 29th.
(Please note: Late papers or assignments will not be accepted. Also, papers left in the
Professors box will not be accepted. If the paper is not turned in the grade will be F
corresponding to 0 points. Papers will be accepted before the established date, but only during
class hours.)
GUIDELINES FOR THE PAPER
This will be a personal research paper on a topic regarding environment, chosen by the student
among a list proposed by the teacher; the paper will be presented to the class with powerpoint
slides or other presentation programs (for example: prezi). It must be written/printed and
handed in to the teacher on April 15th ; an e-copy has to be sent to the teacher's e-mail
address (miresarti@yahoo.it). It counts for 15% of the final grade. The paper consists of:

outline (1-2 pages)

paper (6/8 pages font 12 1.5 space)

bibliography (books, reviews, journals and web-sites address)

Please make sure that the Paper includes a bibliography
Material for research will be available also at the school library.
Your grade will be based on the paper itself (80%) and a brief presentation you will give to the
class (20%) summarizing your topics and/or interesting findings.
3. Mid term exam counts for 20% of the final course grade
It takes place on March 18th. The time and date of the exam can not be changed for any
reason.
A short-answer questionnaire (30 questions in total) Students will have to answer with concise
explanations, main ideas, key words, names, dates, etc Each correct and complete answer
will be given 5 points, summing up to 150 points in case of 30 perfect answers; the grade of
each answer is in the range 05.
4. Final Exam: it counts for 20% of the final course grade.
It takes place on May 13th. The time and date of the exam can not be changed for any reason.
A short-answer questionnaire (30 questions in total) Students will have to answer with concise
explanations, main ideas, key words, names, dates, etc Each correct and complete answer
will be given 5 points, summing up to 150 points in case of 30 perfect answers; the grade of
each answer is in the range 05.
The Final Exam is cumulative
5. Learning service activity: it counts for 20% of the final course grade.
Every week students, individually or in groups of two-three students, will have to integrate
lessons with activities regarding environment. Every week they will dedicate two-three hours at
the learning-service. These activities includes:
join the project Community Garden in Florence with several activities proposed
watch the following movies: An Inconvenient Truth, The Economics of Happiness,
No impact Man, Waste Land, Erin Brockovich, Happy, Trashed and answer
related questions or writing a report (1-2 pages).
NOTE: movies has to be watched in the school library, with headphones/earphones, and
has to be returned to the librarian as soon as possible to let other students watch them
before the end of the course.

12. LESSONS

Lesson 1
Class presentation. First lesson test (a questionnaire on student's background).
Presentation of the course; introduction to the class syllabus. Information on
Lecture and assignments and exams. Presentation of learning service activity.
objective
Environmental Education; Sustainablility and sustainable development; Earth
Summit Conferences in past years; Agenda 21; U.S. EPA and Italian ANPA; the
activity of ARPAT in Florence.
cd: introduction folder; booklet.pdf: the 27 principles of the Rio de Janeiro
Reading
Earth Summit.
Assignments textbook: chapter 1:Environmental Problems, Their Causes and Sustainability
(pag. 5-21); supplement 3:Environmental History of the United States(pag s6s9)
Homework
Search on website the story of Clean Up the World
Lesson 2

Lecture and
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework

Description of a process: inputs/outputs; Entropy and efficiency.

Air pollutants; Standard air composition; Standard air limits; Pollutants toxicity;
Arpat monitoring air stations; meteorological parameters
cd: air folder booklet.pdf section air
text book: chapter 15 Air Pollution(pag. 346-360)
View HOME: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU&wide=1 by
Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Lesson 3

Lecture and
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework
Lesson 4
Lecture and
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework
Lesson 5
Lecture and
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: the Greenhouse Gases and

Global Warming Potentials; Climate Change; Ozone Depleting Substances
and the Montreal Protocol
cd: air folder booklet.pdf section air
text book: chapter 15 Climate Disruption, Ozone Depletion(pag. 360-379)
Viewing of the video An inconvenient truth - answer the questions
Discussion of the movie and the entire air section.
Visit to the ARPAT monitoring air station in Settignano
cd:energy folder booklet.pdf section energy
text book: chapter 2 Science, Matter and Energy (pag. 23-35)
Join the Community Garden project /viewing of the video Happywrite a
report page
Introducing Energy; primary and secondary energy; energy demand. The role of
IEA, the three E's of IEA
cd:energy folder booklet.pdf section energy
text book: chapter 13 Energy (pag. 275 - 297)
Join the Community Garden project /viewing of the video No impact man
answer the questions

Lesson 6
Lecture and The activity of International Energy Agency: the World Energy Outlook.
objective
Renewable energies: comparisons with fossil fuels; energy saving: the passive
house and energy standards
Reading
cd: energy folder booklet.pdf section energy
Assignments text book: chapter 13 Energy (pag. 297 - 321)

Homework

Join the Community Garden project /viewing of the video Trashed answer the
questions

Lesson 7
MIDTERM EXAM
Lesson 8

MIDTERM BREAK
Lesson 9
Results of midterm exam: discussion.
L e ct u r e a n d Introduction to water: limited or unlimited resource? Characteristics of water:
objective
temperature, pH, hardness, ions dissolved. The problem of plastic bottles;
bottled vs tap water; the Fontanelli in Florence.

Viewing of the video The story of bottled water(www.storyofstuff.org)

Reading
Assignments
Homework
Lesson 10
L e ct u r e a n d
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework

cd: water folder booklet.pdf section water

textbook: chapter 11: Water resources and water pollution (pag 217 - 251)
Join the Community Garden project/Viewing of the video Erin Brockovich
answer the questions
The city of Leonia; urban solid waste management; electronic waste; separate
waste collection; the three R's
cd: waste and recycling folder booklet.pdf section waste
textbook: chapter 16 Solid and Hazardous Waste (pag. 381 - 401)
Join the Community Garden project / Viewing of the video Waste Landanswer the questions

Lesson 11
L e ct u r e a n d Papers to the teacher (print a copy and send her an e-copy)
objective
Ecological footprint; Living Planet Index; Happy Planet Index. GDP vs HPI in
terms of sustainable development; the activity of the Sportello Eco Equo and
the experience of G.A.S. in Florence
Reading
cd: ecological footprint folder
Assignments
Textbook: chapter 17 Environmental, Economics, Politics, and Worldviews
(pag. 402- 430)
Homework
Join the Community Garden project / Viewing of the video The Economics of
Happiness answer the questions
Lesson 12

Lecture and
objective
Reading
Assignments
Homework

Discussion of movies
Ecolabels, Green Public Procurement (GPP), Life cycle Assessment (LCA):
from cradle to grave analysis
cd: ecolabel and GPP folder and related articles
Join the Community Garden project

Lesson 13
Lecture and Student paper presentations (in case of more than 15 students we will
objective
discuss the topics without presentation). Send the teacher the paper's
presentation by e-mail
Reading
Assignments

Homework

Join the Community Garden project

Lesson 14
Globalization vs Localization.
L e ct u r e a n d Smart cities and green cities: examples
objective
Reading
Assignments
Course revision for the final exam
Homework
Lesson 15
FINAL EXAM

ALTERNATIVE LESSON
In case of a forced absence of your professor, an emergency lesson will take place during the
regular course time.
There will be the screening of the movie HAPPY relating to some of the topics analysed in the
course and students will have to answer the questions to be mandatorily returned to the professor on the following lesson.