Course Syllabus

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DESCRIPTION

This course introduces the concept of sustainable development with emphasis on applications in design, planning, and public policy. During the first three weeks we ask “what is sustainability and where did this discourse come from”? For the rest of the quarter we explore how this concept might be applied to topics such as land use planning, urban design, transportation planning, housing policy, energy systems, food systems, economic development, and international development. Through short exercises we seek to identify sustainable solutions to problems at different scales.

Following a philosophy of “active learning,” LDA 3 combines short lectures with in-class sketch exercises, role plays, discussions, a walking tour of three very different ecovillages, and guest appearances by practitioners. As a GE visual literacy course, LDA 3 includes a number of graphic exercises, but no drawing experience is required. As a GE writing course, LDA 3 emphasizes writing skills through a short 2-page paper and a 10-page research paper. Through the longer paper students are able to explore a sustainability topic of their choosing. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with the instructor and teaching assistants to discuss writing and research questions as well as their project ideas.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

-- Understand the origins of the sustainability concept and theoretical perspectives on it

-- Improve ability to think critically and holistically about current issues

-- Improve ability to develop constructive solutions to real-world problems

-- Improve ability to be productive leaders within a range of settings

-- Improve writing, research, graphic representation, oral presentation, and site design skills

CLASS REQUIREMENTS

  • Regular attendance to lectures and sections
  • Complete assigned readings on-time (important for class discussions)
  • Walking tour (sign up for one of five Saturday morning dates; information from the walking tour will be on the final exam)
  • Assignments: 1 two-page paper, 1 design exercise, 1 ten-page research paper (draft and final due separately)

 GRADING

5 percent – Two-page paper

10 percent – Design exercise

10 percent – Draft of 10-page Research Paper

20 percent – Final 10-page Research Paper

20 percent – Midterm

25 percent – Final Exam

10 percent – Participation/Effort (especially in sections)

Potential 2 points extra credit: attend a City Council meeting or other public engagement activity & write a 2-page double-spaced reflection. Include a selfie at the meeting. 

COURSE MATERIALS

The text for this course is The Sustainable Urban Development Reader, Third Edition (Routledge, 2013), edited by Stephen M. Wheeler and Timothy Beatley, available at the UCD bookstore. The readings related to writing are in Zinsser, William, On Writing Well, Seventh Edition (HarperCollins, 2006), and can be downloaded from the course Canvas site. A few additional readings may be on Canvas. All enrolled students will have access to this website.

One or two short readings will usually be assigned for each class period. These are intended to give you insight into different perspectives related to sustainable development. Read the Editors’ Introduction as well as the text of each reading. Look for key concepts and phrases. Ask yourself questions such as:

  • What are this author’s main themes/interests?
  • In what historical context were they writing?
  • Were they reacting to a particular tradition or situation?
  • What is the style of their writing?
  • What about their work is most useful to situations today?

Although we will read only some pieces in The Sustainable Urban Development Reader, students are encouraged to look at other chapters as well.

OFFICE HOURS

Wed mornings 10-12 or by appointment (email smwheeler@ucdavis.edu) in Room 165 Hunt Hall.

 The teaching assistants for LDA 3 are Nichole Zaragoza-Smith nezaragozasmith@ucdavis.edu, J. Scarlett Kingsley jakingsley@ucdavis.edu, Mina Rezaei minrezaei@ucdavis.edu, and Siya Qi siyqi@ucdavis.edu. They are available to meet with students individually and will hold office hours each week at times to be announced. Email them for other times if you can’t make those.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

In line with U.C. Davis policy, students are expected to maintain high standards of academic honesty. This means that all work that you present as your own must in fact have been done by you, and that all sources must be properly cited. In particular, do not copy material from websites unless for short quotes with citations. Also, do not copy graphics without citation. There are a number of possible ways to cite information. APA style is recommended for this course, as this format is most common in the social sciences. An APA Style Sheet is available on the LDA 3 Canvas site and from http://guides.lib.ucdavis.edu/friendly.php?s=citations. If you have questions about either citation procedures or academic honesty, please ask the instructor or teaching assistants. Academic dishonesty may lead to failing the course or other more serious measures.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

In this course we try to link class material to real-world events. So at the beginning of each class we’ll have “News and Announcements.” This is an opportunity for students to bring the class’ attention to news items or current events related to the subject of the course. Please feel free to speak up during this time, but keep your announcement or comments brief.

GRAPHIC EXERCISES

We will do some graphic exercises (quick drawings of various types) either in class or section. No experience is needed. Please bring 3-5 colored markers with broad (chisel) tips with you on those days. If you forget, borrow markers from a neighbor but remember to return them.

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

 

PART 1: WHAT IS “SUSTAINABILITY” AND WHERE DID THIS DISCOURSE COME FROM?

 

Class 1

Tues 4/3

 

How is sustainability planning & design different from business-as-usual?

What are some examples of sustainability problems and solutions?

How do we define “sustainable development”? (class brainstorm)

                              

Class 2

Thurs 4/5

 

Reading:

How can we understand different perspectives on sustainability? (videos)

Exercise: Role play of different perspectives (Cape Wind)

 

§  Introduction to Part 1 (pp. 8-10)

§  Donella Meadows et al.: “Perspectives, Problems, and Models” (pp. 49-54)

 

Section #1

Cognitive mapping of sustainability issues in a place you grew up

 

Class 3

Tues 4/10

 

 

Reading:

 

How did evolving environmentalism led to the sustainability movement?

How can you write a great paper for this class?

Exercise: Sketch Design for a Development Site (bring markers)

 

§  Ann Whiston Spirn, “City and Nature” (pp. 61-65)

§  William Zinsser “Principles of Writing” (skim pp. 6-45; it’s easy reading)

 

Class 4

Thur 4/12

 

 

Reading:

How have economic criticisms of consumption and capitalism led to sustainability?

In-Class Debate: Is capitalism sustainable?

Video: The example of Mondragon

 

§  Herman Daly: “The Steady-State Economy” (pp. 55-60)

§  William Zinsser, Part 2, “Methods” (pp. 49-91)

 

TWO-PAGE PAPER Due THURS 4/12 10 PM: Two-page, double-spaced analysis of a sustainability issue in a place you grew up, why you think it arose, and how you think it might be addressed. Photo and attach your cognitive map from Section 1 (the map won’t be graded, but complements the analysis).

 

Section #2

Brainstorming topics for final papers

 

Class 5

Tues 4/17

 

Reading:

 

What are social equity perspectives on sustainability?

Brainstorm: How has social inequity affected each of us?

 

§  Robert Bullard: “People-of-Color Environmentalism” (pp. 235-241)

§  Dolores Hayden: “Domesticating Urban Space” (pp. 242-247)

 

Class 6

Thurs 4/19

 

Reading:

 

What are the ethical/spiritual roots of the sustainability discourse?

Exercise analyzing an issue: Is desalinization a sustainable water solution for CA?

 

§  Aldo Leopold: “The Land Ethic” (pp. 24-33)

Section #3

Review of final paper proposals – bring 1p proposal w/ title, research question, list of key sources, research strategy for finding other material, and 3-5 section outline

 

**Sat 4/21

9-12 AM

 

WALKING TOUR (Group #1): Three Ecovillages – Village Homes, West Village, and the Domes. Meet with bikes at 9 sharp the Village Homes parking lot, a right turn off Portage Bay Ave. East (off Russell in West Davis)

 

Class 7

Tues 4/24

 

Reading:

 

Who can influence action towards sustainability?

Guest Speaker: Camille Kirk, Director, UCD Office of Sustainability

 

UCD Long Range Development Plan Draft, at: http://campustomorrow.ucdavis.edu

Class 8

Thur 4/26

 

 

Reading:

 

What tools can help guide us toward sustainability? (Indicators, Ecological Footprints, Carbon Calculators, etc.)

In-Class Indicator Exercise

 

§  Virginia Maclaren, “Urban Sustainability Reporting” (pp. 281-287)

§  M. Wackernagel & W. Rees, “What Is an Ecological Footprint?” (pp. 289-296)

 

Section #4

Introduce neighborhood design assignment; site analysis discussion in groups

 

Class 9

Tues 5/1

 

MIDTERM

 

 

PART 2: HOW CAN WE PUT SUSTAINABILITY GOALS INTO PRACTICE?

 

Class 10

Thur 5/3

 

Reading

How can land be used more sustainably?

Guest Speaker: Siya Qi – Design for the Elderly

 

§  Peter Calthorpe, “The Next American Metropolis” (pp. 119-129)

Section #5

Development approval role-play

 

Sat 5/5

Walking Tour Group #2

 

Class 11

Tues 5/8

 

Reading:

 

How can we get around more sustainably?

Guest Speaker: Mina Rezai – Designing Public Spaces for Teenagers

 

§  Robert Cervero, “Transit and the Metropolis: Finding Harmony” (pp. 153-160)

§  John Pucher and Ralph Buehler, “Cycling for Everyone: Lessons from Europe” (pp. 168-178)

 

Draft Paper Due by 10 PM Wed 5/9 ON CANVAS

 

Class 12

Thur 5/10

 

 

Reading:

 

How can we move toward more sustainable economies?

Guest Lecture 1: Scarlett Kingsley -- The effect of the Tesla gigafactory on Reno

Guest Lecture 2: Keith Taylor -- The co-op model

 

§  Paul Hawken, “Natural Capitalism” (pp. 276-284)

§  Mark Roseland, “Strengthening Local Economies” (pp. 293-303)

 

Section #6

Site design exercise: The MU North Courtyard (bring markers)

 

Sat 5/12

Walking Tour Group #3

 

Class 13

Tues 5/15

 

Reading:

How could we have more sustainable food systems?

Exercise tbd

 

§  Michael Pollan, “The Food Movement, Rising” (pp. 339-343)

 

Wed 5/16

 

Walking Tour Group #5 4-7 PM

 

 

Class 14

Thur 5/17

 

Reading:

How can we use materials and energy more sustainably?

Case Study: “The Sustainable City” (in Dubai), Nermin Dessousky

 

§  Herbert Girardet, “The Metabolism of Cities” (pp. 197-204)

§  Lester Brown, “Harnessing Wind, Solar, and Geothermal Energy” (pp. 205-213)

 

Draft papers returned via Canvas

 

Thurs 5/17

Walking Tour Group #5 4-7 PM

 

Section #7
NEIGHBORHOOD Design Assignment presented 5/18 in section + DUE ON CANVAS

 

Class 15

Tues 5/22

 

Reading:

 

How could we have more sustainable and affordable housing?

Guest Speaker: Nichole Zaragosa-Smith -- The Mill at Broadway

 

§  Watch Film: The Nature of Cities, available at https://vimeo.com/98080426

§  Chapter 13 “Housing, Food, and Health” from Stephen M. Wheeler, Planning for Sustainability, Second Edition, pp. 174-183 (on Canvas)

 

Class 16

Thur 5/24

 

Reading:

 

How can buildings become more sustainable?

Guest Speaker: Malia Curby – UCD Design & Construction Management

 

§  W. McDonough, “Design, Ecology, Ethics, and the Making of Things” (311-317)

§  David Eisenberg & Peter Yost, “Sustainability and Building Codes” (323-327)

 

Section #8

To be determined

 

Class 17

Tues 5/29

 

Reading:

 

How do we deal with climate change?

Exercise: Design GHG reduction policies for CA

 

§  Bill McKibben, “The End of Nature” (pp. 71-78)

§  Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow, “Stabilization Wedges” (pp. 93-100)

 

RESEARCH PAPERS DUE BY 10PM WED 5/30 ON CANVAS SITE

 

Class 18

Thurs 5/31

 

Reading:

How can sustainable development happen in societies internationally?

Videos: Curitiba and other International Examples

 

§  Jonas Rabinovitch and Josef Leitman, “Urban Planning in Curitiba” (pp. 410-421)

§  Timothy Beatley, “Planning for Sustainability in Europe: A Review of Leading Practices” (pp. 422-431)

 

Section #9

Final Exam Review (Jeopardy)

 

Class 19

Tues 6/5

International Development (2)

In-Class Exercise: International development strategies

 

§  Janice E. Perlman with Molly O’Meara Sheehan, ““Fighting Poverty and Environmental Injustice in Cities” (pp. 248-260)

§  Kang-li Wu, “Sustainable Urban Development in China” (pp. 447-456)

 

Class 20

Thurs 6/7

 

Reading:

 

What can we learn from ecological utopias?

Review: What remaining questions do you have about sustainability?

 

§  Ernest Callenbach, selections from Ecotopia (pp. 478-486)

§  Ursula LeGuin, “Description of Abbenay” (pp. 487-490)

§  Stephen M. Wheeler, “The View from the Twenty-Third Century” (pp. 491-494)

 

Wed 6/13

FINAL EXAM 6-8 PM

Course Summary:

Date Details Due