Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
E SD050.
Course Title (CB02)
Introduction to Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the interrelated fields of Environmental Resource Management (ERM) and Pollution Prevention (P2), surveying the areas of environmental law and regulation, environmental health, pollution control and prevention, environmental impact assessment, sustainable/"green" design, climate protection, and efficient/sustainable use of our fundamental environmental resources (air, water, land, food, climate, and extracted materials including timber, energy resources, and minerals/mined materials). The course explores associated job and career opportunities in the ERM and P2 fields.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course meets a General Education requirement for 爱豆传媒. It is CSU transferable and is a requirement for the CTE Certificate and Degree in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention. The course meets a student identified need for an introductory survey course of the major.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to CSU only
爱豆传媒 GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GBX爱豆传媒 GE Area B - Natural SciencesApproved
2GDX爱豆传媒 GE Area D - Social and Behavioral SciencesApproved
2GES爱豆传媒 GE - Environment Sustainability and Global CitizenshipApproved

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D272. and ESL D273., or ESL D472. and ESL D473., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

In-class exploration of Internet sites

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Field observation and field trips

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Assignments

  1. Reading assignments from the text and other assigned sources.
  2. Writing assignments involving summary, synthesis and critical analysis of data and information
  3. In-class and/or online discussions, including collaborative group exercises.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Quizzes to evaluate student comprehension of course concepts and principles and their application.
  2. Written homework assignments that require students to demonstrate the ability to summarize, integrate and critically analyze course concepts and principles and their application.
  3. A comprehensive Final Exam to evaluate student comprehension of course concepts and principles and their application.
  4. Collaborative group exercises to evaluate student comprehension of course concepts and principles and their application.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials:聽
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies: A LEED Platinum-rated green building designed to showcase and teach effective energy management, efficient environmental resource use, and pollution prevention (which are the basic focuses of this course)
  • Includes various environmental monitoring equipment and systems, including a rooftop air pollution monitoring station

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Miller and Spoolman. "Sustaining The Earth." 11th Edition. Brooks-Cole. 2014.
Herson, Albert and Gary Lucks, "California Environmental Law and Policy," 2nd Edition. Solano Press. 2017.
Nathanson, Jerry. "Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste Management & Pollution Control," 6th Ed. Prentice Hall. 2015
Friis, Robert. "Essentials of Environmental Health." 3rd Edition. Jones and Bartlett. 2019.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). "ISO 14001: Standard For Environmental Management Systems (EMS): 2015 Version". Geneva, Switzerland.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Cox, Doye B. "Hazardous Materials Management Desk Reference." 3rd Edition. Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals. 2013.
Bass, Bogdan, and Rivasplata. "The CEQA Deskbook." 3rd Edition. Solano Press. 2012.
Hess-Kosa, Kathleen. "Environmental Site Assessment: Phase I Fundamentals, Guidelines, and Regulations." 3rd Edition. CRC Press. 2008
Kahrl and Roland-Holst. "Climate Change in California: Risk and Response." UC Press. 2012.
Graedel and Allenby "Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Engineering." Prentice Hall. 2009.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Explore the basic concepts of Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention
  • Examine how environmental resource management and pollution prevention plays a critical role in achieving a sustainable society.
  • Explore and assess the 6 basic Environmental Resources: Air, Water, Land, Food, Extracted Materials, and Climate System.
  • Examine major U.S. and California environmental laws and the associated governmental regulatory agencies that implement those laws.
  • Investigate basic environmentally-related human health concerns and the basic principles and practices employed in the field of Environmental Health.
  • Explore common pollution control technologies designed to treat or capture pollution at its source prior to release into the environment.
  • Examine pollution prevention approaches and techniques designed to reduce or eliminate pollution/waste at its source through use of the "three R's": Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.
  • Investigate the basics of Environmental Management, including ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and associated Environmental Performance Reports (EPRs).
  • Examine the "CEQA process" used to evaluate, mitigate & publicly disclose the potential environmental effects of proposed development projects.
  • Examine the Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) process used to assess industrial, commercial, multi-unit residential, and "brownfield" sites (properties) for environmental contamination and associated remediation (cleanup).
  • Investigate California's approach to addressing global warming/climate change.
  • Examine "big issues" in Environmental Resource Management.
  • Explore career opportunities in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.
  • Examine monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools employed in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.

CSLOs

  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate the elements, principles and practices involved with Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.

Outline

  1. Explore the basic concepts of Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention
    1. Compare and contrast Environmental Resource Management versus Natural Resource Management
    2. Compare and contrast Pollution Prevention versus Pollution Control versus Pollution Cleanup
  2. Examine how environmental resource management and pollution prevention plays a critical role in achieving a sustainable society.
    1. Examine the general concepts of sustainability/sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and environmental equity/justice.
    2. Examine the seven central themes of Agenda 21, the UN-led development of a worldwide 鈥渂lueprint for sustainability.鈥
    3. Examine how environmental resource management helps conserves natural resources and prevents pollution and waste.
    4. Examine how environmental resource management and pollution prevention helps alleviate global climate change.
    5. Examine the economic benefits that environmental resource management and pollution prevention provides to both business/industry and society at large.
  3. Explore and assess the 6 basic Environmental Resources: Air, Water, Land, Food, Extracted Materials, and Climate System.
    1. Explore the key human uses of each basic environmental resource.
    2. Explore the key concerns (pollution, etc.) surrounding each basic environmental resource.
    3. Explore the key U.S. and state governmental agencies responsible for protection and management of our basic environmental resources.
  4. Examine major U.S. and California environmental laws and the associated governmental regulatory agencies that implement those laws.
    1. Examine how laws are made (the "legislative process") and subsequently implemented (by governmental regulatory agencies).
    2. Examine major U.S. environmental laws (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, etc.) and the associated governmental regulatory agencies that implement those laws (USEPA, etc.).
    3. Examine major California environmental laws (California Air Pollution Control Laws, California Water Code, AB 32-The Global Warming Solutions Act, etc.) and the associated governmental regulatory agencies that implement those laws (Cal/EPA, etc.).
    4. Examine the legal interaction between federal, state and local/regional environmental laws and associated regulations.
  5. Investigate basic environmentally-related human health concerns and the basic principles and practices employed in the field of Environmental Health.
    1. Investigate and assess the 3 basic types of environmentally-related human health hazards (chemical, biological, and radiation) and the 5 basic sources of those hazards (Air/Water/Land Pollution; Toxic Chemicals & Hazardous Waste; Radiation Sources & Radioactive Waste; Food & Drinking Water Contamination; Environmental Diseases & Associated Pathogens).
    2. Investigate the basic risk assessment and risk management processes used to address environmentally-related human health concerns.
    3. Investigate basic chemical hazards (cancer, etc.), their evaluation, and approaches used to deal with chemical hazard risks.
    4. Investigate the concept of environmental equity/justice and its relationship to the field of environmental health.
  6. Explore common pollution control technologies designed to treat or capture pollution at its source prior to release into the environment.
    1. Explore common air pollution control technologies employed.
    2. Explore common water pollution control technologies employed.
    3. Explore common waste treatment and disposal technologies employed.
    4. Explore assessment, cleanup and restoration/redevelopment of contaminated land and "brownfields", including via the standardized Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) process.
  7. Examine pollution prevention approaches and techniques designed to reduce or eliminate pollution/waste at its source through use of the 鈥渢hree R鈥檚鈥: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.
    1. Examine the general use of the "3-R's" for pollution prevention.
    2. Examine the general public and its embrace/non-embrace of the "4-R's" (the traditional 3-R's plus the "4th R" of "Refuse).
    3. Examine the 5 Basic Approaches used for Pollution Reduction: Laws & Regulations; Standards & Certifications; Economic Incentives; Public Information Reporting & Consumer Awareness; Public Pressure.
    4. Examine select specific pollution prevention approaches and techniques (such as Life Cycle Assessment, Design for the Environment, Product Stewardship, Green Building, Green Chemistry, Energy Management, Water Conservation, etc.)
    5. Investigate the related concepts of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Design.
    6. Examine the future of Pollution Prevention.
  8. Investigate the basics of Environmental Management, including ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and associated Environmental Performance Reports (EPRs).
    1. Investigate the relationship between Environmental Management (EM) and use of Environmental Management Systems (EMS).
    2. Investigate the basics of the ISO 14001 EMS Standard and the key components of an ISO 14001-certified EMS.
    3. Investigate the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) Framework for Environmental and Sustainability Performance Reports and its associated database of such company-generated reports.
    4. Examine select Environmental/Sustainability Management Plans and Performance Reports (such as DeAnza's Sustainability Management Plan, San Mateo County's Annual Sustainability Indicators Report, etc.).
  9. Examine the "CEQA process" used to evaluate, mitigate & publicly disclose the potential environmental effects of proposed development projects.
    1. Examine the history and background to passage of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
    2. Examine the basic components of the CEQA Process: Preliminary Review, Initial Study, and Environmental Impact Report.
    3. Examine a real-world Environmental Impact Report such as the one prepared for Apple's "Spaceship Campus" in Cupertino.
    4. Examine the controversy over CEQA between developers and environmentalists.
  10. Examine the Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) process used to assess industrial, commercial, multi-unit residential, and 鈥渂rownfield鈥 sites (properties) for environmental contamination and associated remediation (cleanup).
    1. Examine the Phase I ESA process (Site Investigation & Screening)
    2. Examine the Phase II ESA process (Site Sampling & Characterization).
    3. Examine the Phase III ESA Process (Remediation Plan Development).
  11. Investigate California's approach to addressing global warming/climate change.
    1. Investigate state law AB 32, California's Global Warming Solutions Act, for reducing greenhouse gas emissions statewide.
    2. Investigate state and local climate change adaptation strategies & implementation plans.
    3. Investigate other notable state & local efforts to address global warming/climate change, including local (city/county) Climate Action Plans.
  12. Examine "big issues" in Environmental Resource Management.
    1. Examine what an environmentally sustainable society is.
    2. Examine how environmentally sustainable societies can grow economically.
    3. Examine how our ecological footprints are affecting the Earth.
    4. Examine why we have major environmental problems (i.e., the primary causes of environmental problems - population, wasteful resource use, etc.)
    5. Examine the Scientific Principles of Sustainability (reliance on solar energy, biodiversity, etc.) and an associated Roadmap to Sustainability.
    6. Examine consumerism and our linear "materials economy" using the "Story of Stuff" video and associated website as a launching point.
  13. Explore career opportunities in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.
    1. Explore the current overall employment outlook in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.
    2. Explore potential employers in both the public and private sectors: business/industry, government and non-profits/NGOs.
  14. Examine monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools employed in Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention.
    1. Examine environmental health monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools.
    2. Examine air, water, and land monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools.
    3. Examine pollution and waste monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools.
    4. Examine Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) monitoring and assessment technologies, systems, and tools.
    5. Examine Environmental Management Systems (EMS) software systems and tools.
    6. Examine Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) software systems and tools.
Back to Top