Homework: Globalization and the Environment Sustainability
Overview: Read this with care and consideration.
Now that the semester and the course are nearly over, it's time to put much of what we've learned from this course into a single paper. For this homework express knowledge gained from the entire course. Your resources for this homework are all of the course materials: lectures, readings, videos, and discussions.
Here are some key elements of this course:
i. The global population has more than doubled in a generation. This has led to increased consumption of natural resources and significant environmental problems that threaten sustainability. The world's nations must work collaboratively to resolve many of these issues.
ii. Globalization has connected us with other countries, expanded markets and increased consumption of resources and goods. It has provided us with tremendous economic, social, and political opportunities.
iii. With more consumption comes more energy use, more pollution, and more waste.
iv. Globalization has accelerated and will not be reversed. It is guided by governments, trade organizations, and corporations. It is facilitated by cost-efficient transportation and comparative advantages. These, and other systems determine "winners and losers."
v. The primary "losers" are where rights, rules, and regulations are weak: the most vulnerable of which is the environment and some workers.
vi. We need not accept that having "losers" are inevitable. Having "losers" destabilizes society and we can create systems that support creating more "winners."
vii. It's been said that capital goes where it's welcome and stays where it's well treated (Walter Wriston). When countries embrace capital, especially LDC's, the Kuznet Curve shows that the initial negative impacts reduce over time as newer technologies replace the older dirtier ones.
viii. Principals of sustainability and respect for human rights creates economic opportunity, reduces pollution, respects labor, reduces exploitation, and contributes to a stable society.
Globalization and international trade can be a mechanism to alleviate poverty, increase efficiency, create profits and jobs, and do all of this while reducing negative environmental impacts. In fact, it can move us toward sustainability. Accomplishing this will take a lot of effort! If we are to prosper, be freer from the threat of war, and have enjoyable and equitable lives we must embrace principals of equity and sustainability. As a start, we'll need to overcome the broad array of environmental and social/environmental justice issues discussed in the course (environmental overview module, environmental justice module). So, what is the most effective way to move forward?
Many people believe, incorrectly, that the actions of individuals are the fundamental building blocks to embrace sustainability. While the organized actions by groups of individuals can occasionally influence corporate and political leaders, the great majority of us simply choose to buy products and services at the least cost. When corporations embrace sustainability and environmental justice, either through government regulation or internal practices, so do their products and services. That means that when consumers use their "dollar vote" and buy those goods and services, their personal ecological footprints are reduced and social justice is increased "automatically."
Businesses are in a never-ending quest to expand markets and to maintain and increase profits. They strive to influence consumers to buy their products and services. Globalization works to their advantage by increasing the size of markets. To maximize profit and attract customers in an ever-changing and growing global marketplace, they naturally make efforts to influence and control legislation and to weaken regulations that threaten maximizing profit.
Governments can influence industry to "close the loop," or industry can take actions to promote the circular economy, reduce exploitation of the environment and people, and to pay fair wages while still making a sizable profit. You and I are only consumers and we make purchasing choices from the alternatives that are provided and affordable to us. If products are wasteful and exploitive, so are we. When they are sustainable and respectful, so are we. Corporations and governments are the key decision-makers. Yet each of us can be empowered. These organizations hire people with college degrees, you, to be part of their decision-making process. If you want to be influential in making change, you can do it by being a replacement cog in the "system" armed with awareness, knowledge, and skills to move us toward a society that recognizes that the sustainability of the planet is the sustainability of the people and things that are on it.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
I. Start work on the homework EARLY. Rushing through the homework doesn't help you learn, and the poor work always shows in the paper. If you have general questions about the homework, see or email the Professor.
II. Expect losing a significant quantity of points for poor formatting, overlooking to spell and grammar check your work, and lack of editing.
III. Formatting is a critical skill. It is essential that every college student format papers correctly.
i. I recommend using 1.5-line spacing and 12-point type size. Choose a reasonable font.
ii. Word processing isn't about what the computer "automatically does" or just making words appear on paper. Students are expected to use the computer program to produce papers of sufficient quality and professional standards.
o Use Grammarly or a similar program.
iii. Properly format pages, use indents consistently, number each page, use spell and grammar check.
o Use the help button in your word processor to figure out what you don't know how to do.
iv. Papers will be greatly reduced in point value for failure to follow any part of the instructions. The reason for this is that 1) at this point of your academic career it is expected that you know and use these skills, 2) you are expected to have shown improvement throughout the course, 3) you are expected to know the materials presented in the course, and 4) employers expect you to be proficient with basic writing skills such as following instructions, writing, and word processing---and I do too.
Task
For this paper, address issues learned in the course that provide a framework for corporations operating in the global economy (globalization) in a manner that moves us towards sustainability (closing open loops of consumption). Consider actions that need to be addressed by trade organizations and governments. Be laser focused on achieving sustainability and environmental justice. Use materials from the course modules that respond to those items listed below. Be sure to discuss globalization and its relationship to environmental issues, key trade agreements, and mechanisms to move us toward sustainability. See the formatting instructions below.
I. In the introduction (see below), in one or two paragraphs define globalization, its relationship to environmental issues and explain why corporate and government globalization leaders must work to resolve to them while also addressing environmental justice issues. Discuss key environmental problems (threats to sustainability) that must be resolved. Discuss the role of scientific methods that industry and government can use to reduce negative environmental impacts and move us towards a sustainable global economy and society. (Critical thinking, scientific method as applied to TEP, LCA's, separating science from pseudoscience).
II. In subsequent sections, include concepts from your choice of at least three of the topical areas (each course module addressed a topical area) from the course and write at least two paragraphs about each of them. In the first paragraph define the concept. In the second paragraph, describe how it moves industry towards sustainability. We covered many topics in this course (see the course modules). Here are a few that you may consider.
i. Critical thinking and Total Environmental Perspective (TEP)
ii. Separating science from pseudoscience (avoiding poorly developed opinions)
iii. The LCA tool (two types) to find and reduce ecological footprints
iv. Applying mechanisms of Industrial Ecology to reduce pollution and to create markets for recyclables (discards) and making them into products
v. Importance of applying principals of eco-design to reduce negative environmental impacts
vi. Application of closed loop recycling using the European DSD as a model
vii. Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
viii. The use of the ISO as a mechanism of industry self-regulation
ix. Reduction of pollution and toxic exposure through WEEE, and/or ROHS
x. Circular economy
xi. Transportation and green supply chains
xii. The use of the ISO for industry to self-regulate and reduce environmental impacts
xiii. EPR as a mechanism for corporate responsibility that closes open loops of consumption, and internalizes externalities of production while managing discarded end-of-life products
xiv. Reducing negative environmental impacts and human rights abuse by applying principals of environmental justice and Fair Trade
xv. The role of the WTO or NAFTA in expanding markets, creating opportunities (Free Trade Agreements) and what they can do to reduce negative environmental impacts and poverty
xvi. Using Green Building principles to reduce energy use and reduce risks to workers within them
III. In the conclusion/recommendation section, write 1-3 paragraphs that tie together the concepts you've written about in the previous sections. In other words, briefly restate items to make a conclusion. Then use the logic of your conclusion(s) to make a recommendation or a set of recommendations for us to move toward sustainability. Do not introduce new idea in the conclusion/recommendation section.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.