GEO 702: Technology & Contemporary Environment- Fall 2014

Course Instructor: Valentina Capurri

JOR 601
Ext. 3120
vcapurri@ryerson.ca
Office Hours: Wednesday 2 to 4


Lectures: SEC 1: Wednesday 11 to 12 (DSQ2)
and Friday 2 to 4 (LIB72)
SEC 2: Monday 2 to 3 and Wednesday
12 to 2 (DSQ2)
Pre-requisites: none
Course Exclusions: course is not available
for credit to students who choose GEO 703

***Faculty Course Surveys will be conducted online between November 7 - 17, 2014***

Course Description: The contemporary world is influenced to a very considerable extent by
technology. However, relationships between this technology and our environment continue to be the
subject of considerable public debate. The geographic dimensions of these environmental controversies
provide a convenient and meaningful framework for their analysis. In this course, both recurring and
contemporary environmental issues are examined in terms of implications for North American society.

Course Objectives: At the end of the course students should:
Have a basic knowledge of current technological developments across the world
Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between technology and the
environment
Be able to identify the most significant environmental issues and their implications for the world
populations and in particular for North America society
Have acquired the ability to formulate meaningful suggestions on how to address current major
environmental issues

Required Texts: Myers, Norman and Scott E. Spoolman. Environmental Issues & Solutions.
Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Teaching Method: lecture
Posting of Grades: blackboard

Course Evaluation:

Course Component Weight Due Date
Quiz 1 5% Week 3
Quiz 2 5% Week 6
Quiz 3 5% Week 9
Quiz 4 5% Week 12

Preliminary Bibliography 5% 1 October
Midterm 15% 8 October
Research Paper 30% 5 November
Final Exam 30% Exam Period

Quizzes marks are immediately available upon completion. I will try to return other assignments/test
within two weeks of the due date


Quizzes

Quizzes must be completed online during the week indicated in the course outline. No excuses for
forgetting to complete any of the quizzes. In each quiz, students are given 20min to answer 10 questions
(combination of MC, true/false, fill the blanket).

Midterm

Students have 1 hour to answer 30 MC questions. Material covered is from week 2 to week 5 included.

Final Exam

Students have 2 hours to answer 60 MC questions. Material covered is from week 6 to week 13.

Research Paper

STEP 1: CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC
Think about a research topic that interests you. Ask yourself: why this is an important issue? In other
words, why is this research important for the society at large, and to me, personally? What is the main
research question that I would want to investigate? How is this topic geographical in nature?
STEP 2: FIND RELEVANT ARTICLES
A prerequisite for conducting library search is developing a set of keywords. For instance, if you want to
get articles on air pollution in Ontario, you should probably use keywords such as air pollution,
environment, Ontario. Input your keywords into electronic resources and specific bibliographic
databases, such as Geography, PAIS, Social Science Abstracts, and Social Work.
While preparing the reading list collect and read the abstracts only. Your goal at this stage should be to
get an idea about the authors, their theoretical perspectives and general arguments, and research
methods (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods). Ask yourself how this article may be related to
your proposed research topic.
STEP 3: PREPARING THE FINAL READING LIST
Your final reading list should consist of at least 6 sources in peer-reviewed journals. The essay is around
2000-2500 words (bibliography included). Use Times New Roman style and 12-size font. Papers must be
double space. Students should follow the MLA or APA style.
Grammar and Style:
Before submitting your work, please make sure that you have conducted a spell and grammar check in
word, made appropriate subheadings, used 12-size font and double spacing, and strictly followed the
page limits (essays shorter than 2000 or longer than 2500 words will not be graded). In order to write a
good essay, it is not enough to have thoughtful arguments, but also present them in a clear and
organized fashion. The goal is to make the essay accessible and a pleasure to read.
The essay must be provided in hard copy along with an attached receipt that an electronic copy was
submitted to Turnitin (penalty for non-compliance 20%).

Here is a non-exhaustive list of Peer Reviewed Journals whose focus is on the environment:
Energy & Environment
Energy and Environmental Science
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
McGill International Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
Ecological Economics
Land Economics
Marine Resource Economics
Environmental Health Perspectives
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Cultural Geographies
Environmental Education Research
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Global Environmental Politics
Population and Environment
Journal of Ecology


Course Schedule:

Week Date Topic Readings and
Resources
1 Week of
Sept. 1
Introduction No reading
2 Week of
Sept. 8
Environmental science & sustainability Module 1
3 Week of
Sept. 15
Population growth Module 2
4 Week of
Sept. 22
Urbanization Module 3
5 Week of
Sept. 29
Food resources Module 4
6 Week of
Oct. 6
Energy efficiency and renewable energy Module 5
7 Week of
Oct. 13
Study Week
8 Week of
Oct. 20
Nonrenewable energy Module 6

9 Week of
Oct. 27
Mineral resources Module 7
10 Week of
Nov. 3
Water pollution Module 11
11 Week of
Nov. 10
Air pollution Module 12
12 Week of
Nov. 17
Climate change Module 13
13 Week of
Nov. 24
Wastes Module 14
14


Course Policies

Students are required to use their Ryerson e-mail address for communication with the instructor (see
policy below). Replies normally will be made from Monday to Friday no later than the end of the next
working day, but should not be expected if more than a simple response is required. Lectures will be
posted. Class attendance and comprehensive note taking are strongly recommended.
Lecture presentations are considered to have copyright protection. Use of photographic equipment is
prohibited in the classroom unless written permission is given by the instructor. Class material is
limited to personal use only and may not be redistributed.
Requests for deadline extensions will not be accepted.
Requests for reassessment must be received within ten days after graded material is returned in class.
Only detailed word processed requests will be accepted.

Electronics in Class
Please turn off cellular phones before entering the classroom. Use of laptop computers is permitted as
long as it does not disturb the other students in the classroom.

Department Late Policy
The Department of Geography has a late assignment policy which specifies a minimum penalty of 20%
per calendar day, as outlined in the Department of Geography Student Handbook.

Provision for Missed Assignments, Term Tests and/or Final Examination
If a student misses an assignment, test or exam, alternate arrangements will be made according to
Ryerson's Undergraduate Course Management Policy. The requirement for medical
documentation/notification for missed work, or other issues is set out in the Undergraduate Academic
Consideration and Appeals Policy.

If an assignment, test or exam is missed for medical reasons, the student shall inform the instructor (via
email whenever possible) in advance when they will be missing an assignment, test or exam for medical
reasons. A Ryerson Medical Certificate and a Academic Consideration Form must be supplied to the
student's program department within 3 working days of missed or affected classes, assignments, tests or
examinations to receive consideration.

If an assignment, test or exam is missed for compassionate reasons, the student must contact the
instructor (via email whenever possible) in advance when they will be missing an assignment, test or
exam for compassionate reasons. It is advisable that the student supplies relevant and appropriate
documentation when possible along with the completed Academic Consideration Form, within 3
working days to the student's program department. For more information, consult the Undergraduate
Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy.

Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
Students who require academic accommodation services and support should contact the Access Centre
and refer to Academic Accommodations of Students with Disabilities Policy. If academic
accommodations for tests and exams are required, it is the student's responsibility to book at least 7
business days prior to the date of writing any test or exam. Late test/exam bookings are no longer
accepted. For more information, refer to the Access Centre Test/Exam Booking Procedure website.

Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance
Requests for accommodation of observance can be made formally to the course instructor. The student
must submit a clear explanation of the observance and requested accommodation along with a copy of
the Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance form. Instructors will
confirm accommodations, in writing, within 5 days of receiving the request.
Refer to Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance Policy for more
information.

Academic Integrity
It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Academic Conduct and
understand what plagiarism means. Quoting from to the Code of Academic Conduct (2009), "plagiarism
means claiming the words, ideas, artistry, drawings, images or data of another person as if they were
your own".

According to the Office of Academic Integrity website at Ryerson University (2013) "there are many
different types of plagiarism, including:
Copying and pasting material from a website
Making minor changes to an author's words or style and then presenting the material as
your own
Taking text from published authors, your friend's paper, or work you've already handed in
Using a direct quotation but leaving out the quotation marks
Paraphrasing too closely to the original
Failing to cite sources or citing them incorrectly such that the work cannot be properly
found
Working with another student on a project but failing to put both names on the final
product
Having someone else re-write or heavily edit your paper

Just remember, if you are found guilty of academic misconduct in a course:
the minimum penalty you will receive is a mark of zero on the test, exam, paper, project or
assignment in question
the Disciplinary Notice (DN) will be placed on your academic record
The professor might also decide to fail you in the course
If you already have a DN on your record you will be placed on Disciplinary Suspension (DS)
The University also has the right to place you on Disciplinary Withdrawal or to expel you
from the University"

For more information about plagiarism, please refer to the Office of Academic Integrity website.

Plagiarism Detection Service
Students must submit their essay to Turnitin and attach a copy of the receipt to the hard copy submitted
in class. Students who do not want their work submitted to this plagiarism detection service must, by
the end of the second week, consult with the instructor to make alternate arrangements.

Student Email Policy
According to the Establishment And Use Of Ryerson Student E-Mail Accounts For Official University
Communication Policy, students are required to use their Ryerson email address for communication
with the instructor. It is the responsibility of students to check their Ryerson email and the course
website (blackboard) regularly.

Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct
It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct and
conduct themselves in a manner consistent with generally accepted standards of behaviour, University
regulations and policies.