Sustainability paper (Environment)

Report Guidelines

Written Report Due Date: April 12, 2016 (Late reports will not be excepted.) Oral reports will be given starting the 14th. We will not be able to have everyone presenting their findings on the same day. We will use several class periods for your presentations. Be ready to report your findings to the class on the 14th. I will discuss this with you in more detail in class.

Please read the following carefully before constructing your thoughts about your report. Using a standard 12-point font, one-inch margins, you should plan on typing a minimum of 4 pages (double spaced) for your report. You can include diagrams, figures, and tables in your report but these are not included in the 4 pages of text. You can place any figures or tables at the back of the report and make reference to them in your text. If you obtain these from a source you must reference where you obtained your figures or tables, graphs, charts etc.

Now that you have selected a specific environmental topic that pertains to some aspect of sustainability, use the following guidelines to direct your thoughts/efforts in completing the assignment.

I. History of the problem. You should provide the history of the problem or why the particular issue is important to the sustainability movement. If there is an extensive history documenting the issue describe where, when and how this became an important environmental issue. How wide spread is the problem/issue? Provide any statistics that you can in reference to the problem/issue.

II. Are there any types of technological advancements that can be used to help diminish the environmental issue(s)/problem(s)? Describe a technological advancement or solution that has or can potentially help resolve the problem. If there is a distinct piece of technology or solution being used to combat the problem, explain how this works. Is this new technology/solution or has it been in existence for a considerable period of time? Has the technology/solution been improved recently? What has hindered its use if anything? E.g. economic concerns, political concerns, religious or ethical issues, etc. If there currently is not a technological solution in place, develop your own ideas as to how the problem might be resolved. This may be a bit more cumbersome to do but take the liberty to be creative but yet realistic.

III. Specifically explain how the technology works or how the solution would specifically work? Provide a detailed/thorough review of how the technology/solution works. You may use maps, diagrams, or anything you feel will help augment your review. If you are using diagrams or maps please place these at the end of your report rather than within the text.

IV. What is the payback (could be monetary but not necessarily) for using this technology compared to conventional technology? (This may not apply to your topic, so if it does not, state such). Research the cost of employing this in a home, factory, or business setting. Discuss the pros and cons of this and determine the practicality of using this for the common homeowner. What is the pay back period? Is the technology/solution likely to be improved in the future and if so, how? Has there been any tax benefits or associated sanctions (either positive or negative) associated with addressing this problem? Explain. How is this likely to improve our global society? Is this very realistic with regard to wide scale use or is it exclusively for a narrow portion of the global society?

V. What are your personal thoughts about this topic? Take the liberty to say what is really on your mind. Are you in favor of the current practices that employ this technology/solution or do you feel that there are other approaches that could or should be used to address the problem? Who should be involved (e.g. private or public governmental sector, average citizens, individuals from the United States or other parts of the world? Explain.

VI. References or Sources: You must use at least 4 references in your report. These can be from magazine articles such as Time, National Geographic, Popular Mechanics, or any other respected magazine. Other sources could include articles from bound periodicals, textbooks, professional manuscripts, dissertations, or other scholarly sources. Use the following format to list your references: embedded

Reference Format:

Dillard, J. N. 2014. The usefulness of solar technology in reaching zero carbon emissions. The Journal of Sustainable Growth and Development. Vol. 9:15 pp. 45-67.

If you are using a URL, use the format above if at all possible followed by the actual URL. Avoid using all URLs for your report. I want you to look I n several sources as those listed above, not solely URLs.

You will also present your findings to the class so prepare a well-organized report.