Global warming: are we responsible? Is our environmental impact damaging the planet? This free course, Working with our environment: an introduction, examines the use of ozone-depleting technology, the impact of fossil fuel use and explores how the development of technology can influence the direction of a society. From the Industrial Revolution to the present day, find out how we have changed the planet.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Introductory advice
- 1 Introductory advice
- 2 The world we live in
- 2 The world we live in
- 2.1 Environment and technology
- 2.2 We are part of nature
- 2.3 The Industrial Revolution and its environmental impacts
- 2.4 Changing environmental attitudes
- 3 Case study 1: Refrigerators and the ozone layer
- 3 Case study 1: Refrigerators and the ozone layer
- 3.1 Refrigeration and chlorofluorocarbons
- 3.2 The agreement to protect the ozone layer
- 3.3 Greenfreeze: the Greens fight back
- 4 Case study 2: Refrigerators and climate change
- 4 Case study 2: Refrigerators and climate change
- 4.1 Domestic appliances and fossil fuels
- 4.2 The US experience: wasteful innovation?
- 4.3 The UK experience: competing trends
- 4.4 Discussion
- 4.5 Global climate change
- 4.6 Global climate change continued
- 5 Case study 3: Some early uses of refrigeration
- 5 Case study 3: Some early uses of refrigeration
- 5.1 Food preservation and the development of refrigeration
- 5.2 New Zealand's changing environment
- 5.3 Settlement, deforestation and endangered species
- 5.4 Discussion
- 6 Finding a balance
- 6 Finding a balance
- 6.1 The path to prevention
- 6.2 The hierarchy of human needs
- 6.3 Sustainable development
- 6.4 Technology and environment
- 6.4.1 The dual nature of technology
- 6.4.2 A broad view of technology
- 6.4.3 Problems and solutions
- 6.4.4 Environmental limits
- 6.4.5 Complexity
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- References
- Acknowledgements
