Packaging

Environmental Issues in Packaging: Foundational Studies in Ethics and Social Responsibility

This course is delivered through the Blackboard Site accessible via your Portal

Prerequisites: Junior status or consent of instructor

Course Description: The course investigates the impact of political climates, cultural norms, and other situations on the way environmental issues are viewed around the world. Emphasis is placed on ethical decision-making, personal responsibility, and the sociological impacts of choices made.

This course assumes that you have had no coursework in packaging, but that you have an adequate understanding of researching, critical thinking, and writing. This course is intended to teach you how to think critically about ethics and social responsibilities related to environmental issues. Simply put, the student will be expected to be able to read articles and books, and to view videos containing information and viewpoints about environmental issues from around the world, and from those, form opinions on how those issues mesh with ethics and social responsibility. The student will defend those views in written reports. At times, the student will be assigned a view to defend in and on-line debate format, without regard to the student’s personal opinions on the subject. These debates will be designed to cause students to see and defend other points of view with the goal of increasing and awareness and appreciation for the value of diversity.

Foundational Studies Program Learning Objectives (FSLO):

This course fulfills the Foundational Studies requirement for a course in Ethics and Social Responsibility. In accordance with the goals of the Foundational Studies Program, upon completing the program students will be able to:

1. Locate, critically read, and evaluate information to solve problems;

2. Critically evaluate the ideas of others;

3. Apply knowledge and skills within and across the fundamental ways of knowing (natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, mathematics, and history);

4. Demonstrate an appreciation of human expression through literature and fine and performing arts;

5. Demonstrate the skills for effective citizenship and stewardship;

6. Demonstrate an understanding of diverse cultures within and across societies;

7. Demonstrate the skills to place their current and local experience in a global, cultural, and historical context;

8. Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical implications of decisions and actions;

9. Apply principles of physical and emotional health to wellness;

10. Express themselves effectively, professionally, and persuasively both orally and in writing.

As a Foundational Studies course in Ethics and Social Responsibility (E&SRO), students will:

1. Understand the historical and philosophical bases of ethical decision-making and social responsibility;[footnoteRef:1] [1: This course examines the historical roots of social responsibility in regards to environmental issues by tracing the policies and practices of the past, as well as examining religious and secular philosophies related to environmental issues, and examining them within an ethical framework.]

2. Use independent thinking, critical analysis, and reasoned inquiry when assessing personal, professional, and societal issues;[footnoteRef:2] [2: This course is designed to help students acquire the means to evaluate policies in light of current thinking and apply critical analysis to environmental issues and practices in order to better meet their ethical responsibilities as citizens of the world. This critical ability will be developed through readings on current topics in environmental issues, with a focus on packaging.]

3. Demonstrate the ability to make personal and professional decisions by applying knowledge and skills obtained from the study of ethics and theories of social responsibility; [footnoteRef:3] and [3: Throughout the application assignments in this class, students are reflecting on their philosophical and theoretical grounding in ethics and social responsibility in order to inform the decisions they will be making. This is accomplished through reflective writing about these issues, and on-line class discussion and debriefing.]

4. Articulate how one’s ethical framework and understanding of social responsibility shape one’s actions.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Students in this course will need to be able to articulate an ethical basis for the way they view their responsibility to society and the earth in reflective essay writing and on-line classroom discussions. The goal is for students to develop their own ethical basis for viewing and reacting to environmental issues.]

Skill Applied Learning Requirements (SALR): This course is specifically designed to develop skills for the application of learning. The course will

1. Explicitly demonstrate how the curriculum will develop critical thinking skills[footnoteRef:5] [5: In the context of the philosophical and ethical content of our readings, students will be considering real-life scenarios in environmental issues of packaging through a critical lens, and evaluating possible actions and their repercussions in on-line class discussions.]

2. Explicitly demonstrate how the curriculum will develop information literacy skills[footnoteRef:6] [6: Students will be consulting electronic databases and print sources for journal articles in the field of environmental issues and packaging. They will be evaluating the sources and content of these articles in light of their background knowledge and experiences.]

3. Include a graded writing component, which whenever possible is developmental[footnoteRef:7] [7: The coursework for this class includes two research papers on selected topics involving ethical decisions in environmental issues and packaging. This paper will address the four major stages of the writing process: Planning/Development, Drafting, Revising, and Editing.]

4. Must give students the opportunity to apply what they are learning to real world scenarios[footnoteRef:8] [8: Students will be reading about issues from around the globe and will be asked to take actions that address the environmental issues they read about, which connects course content to their applied experience, and helps them internalize these issues.]

5. Must include opportunities for experiential learning or community engagement[footnoteRef:9] [9: Students are required to perform community engagement activities, or experiential learning activities that must relate to the subject of the course. This component is included to build a service mentality in each student and to reinforce the concepts presented.]

6. Must give students the opportunity to identify and solve problems[footnoteRef:10] [10: The weekly application assignments are designed to give students a chance to identify and think about ways to solve problems. The goal is to inspire students to take actions in their own lives that will address these and other problems in the future.]

7. Must incorporate opportunities for students to critically read and analyze text-based materials beyond textbooks (e.g., novels, classical literature, primary sources, science journals, poems, lyrics, blogs, etc.)[footnoteRef:11] [11: Students will consult journals in a variety of fields, as well as less conventional sources, such as YouTube and other contemporary sources to learn about various sides of the issues presented. Students are encouraged to read widely and analyze work from a variety of sources.]

Course Objectives:

· To understand the current profile of students with disabilities in public schools and the implications for general music specialists

· To understand the legal requirements for the education of students with special needs

· To become conversant with the principles of inclusion and knowledgeable about a variety of settings for teaching music to students with special needs

· To gain practical tools and confidence in creating meaningful and challenging musical experiences for children with a wide range of disabilities

Required Textbook: Clowney, D. & Mosto, P. eds. (2009). Earthcare: An Anthology in Environmental Ethics. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 978-7425-6047-5

Or ISBN 978-0-7425-6046-8

Evaluation:

1. Weekly text-based reflective writing assignments (Reading Assignments 1 – 14) 28%

2. Weekly outside reading and activity-based reflective writing assignments (Application Assignments 1 – 14) 28%

3. Community Engagement/Experiential learning activities report 10%

4. Research report 20%

5. Participation in online discussions (Assignments 1-14) 14%

Community Engagement or Experiential Learning Activities: Points are given for participation in approved community engagement activities, or experiential learning activities and preparing a journal of those activities. Community engagement activities include those organized or approved by Indiana State University, as well as other such activities the instructor fits the spirit of the ISU definition of community engagement, and the intersect the content of this course. Experiential learning activities allow the student to apply the principles learned in the course in a practical way, so the students may “get their hands dirty” with an appropriate learning activity to help students gain a deeper understanding of the ideas and concepts presented in the course. If unsure of what is appropriate, please contact the instructor for clarification.

Special Needs: Any student with a physical or learning disability is invited to make the instructor aware of the circumstances so that reasonable accommodation can be made.

Participation: Participation for distance students means regularly turning in assignments on time and participating in any online discussions. Your participation in class, whether on campus or on-line, is EXPECTED, just as it would be in industry on the job (You cannot participate if you are not here)! If you do not attend your job as required you will be fired. This course offers a similar result.

Academic Honesty: The Indiana State University policies on academic honesty will be enforced in this course. It is the responsibility of each student to read and understand those policies. Any case of cheating or plagiarism will be dealt with according to that policy, which can involve an “F” grade or, in extreme cases, expulsion from the university.

Grades will be determined on the following scale, based on the above weighting proportions.

A+ = >98%; A = 90-98%; A- = 88-90%; B+ = 84-88%; B = 80-84%; B- = 78-80%; C+ = 7478%; C = 70-74%; C- = 68-70%; D+ = 64-68%; D = 6064%; F = <60%

"The Standard"

State University

Students at Indiana State University are expected to accept certain personal responsibilities that constitute the "standard" for behavior in a community of scholars.

As a student at Indiana State University:

I will practice personal and academic integrity; I will commit my energies to the pursuit of truth, learning, and scholarship; I will foster an environment conducive to the personal and academic accomplishment of all students; I will avoid activities that promote bigotry or intolerance; I will choose associations and define my relationships with others based on respect for individual rights and human dignity; I will conduct my life as a student in a manner that brings honor to me and to the University Community; I will discourage actions or behaviors by others that are contrary to these standards.

Adopted by the Indiana State University Student Government Association April 17, 2002

AMERICAN WITH DISABILITES ACT STATEMENT

“Indiana State University seeks to provide effective services and accommodation for qualified individuals with documented disabilities. If you need an accommodation because of a documented disability, you are required to register with Disability Support Services at the beginning of the semester. Contact the Director of Student Support Services. The telephone number is 237-2301 and the office is located in Gillum Hall, Room 202A. The Director will ensure that you receive all the additional help that Indiana State offers.

If you will require assistance during an emergency evacuation, notify your instructor immediately. Look for evacuation procedures posted in your classrooms.”

Laptop Usage

While there will be no assignments or examinations for which the laptop will be used (in class), your use of a laptop is generally permitted as long as such usage remains within the bounds of the Code of Student Conduct and it conforms to the provisions of its use as laid out in this syllabus. There may be occasions where laptop usage is forbidden and if that occurs, failure to comply with this direction will be viewed as a violation of the Code of Student Conduct.

Academic Freedom

Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject.

The preceding comes from the American Association of University Professors statement on academic freedom. Though the entire statement1 speaks to many issues, it is this portion on the conduct of the course that is most relevant. For the purpose of Foundational Studies courses this means that faculty have the right to conduct their class in a fashion they deem appropriate as long as the material presented meets the learning objectives laid out by the entire faculty.

1 http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/policydocs/contents/1940statement.htm

1

Grading Rubric for Application Assignments and Reading Assignments

Grading Rubric for Research Papers

FOR YOUR SUCCESS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THROUGH ALL ASSIGNMENTS THOROUGHLY TO UNDERSTAND THEM BEFORE DOING THE WORK AND TURNING IT IN

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

1. Each lesson will be comprised of a reading assignment from the text and an application assignment from other sources.

2. The Community Engagement Assignment should be performed over the course of the semester and posted to the Discussion Board by 4:00 p.m. on the date specified. We will also share these in class for on-campus sections.

3. Any assignment may be turned in through the Discussion Board before the due date. The instructor is not obligated to look at or grade any assignment turned in after midnight on the due date.

4. The comments each student posts will be the basis for the participation grade for the course. In order to get participation points, you must comment on at least one other student’s posting on the Discussion Board for each assignment during the class discussion of that assignment.

5. The instructor will read and assign a grade for each assignment properly posted by the due date.

6. The research paper will be submitted through TURNITIN, and it will also be posted on the Discussion Board. For on-campus sections, a paper copy may also be submitted during class.

7. These assignments are designed to address the requirements of FSLO items 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, & 10, as well as all requirements for E & SRO and SALR, as listed above.

Assignments and Schedule

Lesson #1 Due Date: July 9, 2013 Application Assignment: In order to begin thinking with environmental issues in mind, the first assignment is designed to get you thinking and interacting with each other on the Discussion Board. This assignment will probably work best by going to a store. You are to choose four packaged products—two of these products are to be in packages you feel are friendly to the environment, the other two are to be in packages you feel are harmful to the environment in some way.

You are to write about these packages and the reasons you feel they are harmful or environmentally friendly. Post your write-ups to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #1 before 10:00 P.M. EDT on the due date below. Over the following week, you should read each others’ posts and add comment threads. (Please read the Grading Rubric for Application and Reading Assignments above.)

I have no right answers for this assignment—these are your opinions—so say what you really believe. By commenting on each others’ posts, we will begin to gain understanding and appreciation for different views and ways of thinking.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 1 – Read the sections titled “Worldviews, Values, and forms of Life: Why do we think the way we do?,” “What is Ethics and Why Study It?,” “Human Beings, Other Life-forms and Ethics,” and “Three Points of View on Ethics.” Begin to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Also, answer this question: “Do human beings have an ethical or moral obligation to look after the welfare of other life forms?” Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #1.

Lesson #2 Due Date: July 10, 2013 Application Assignment: An article in the August 25, 2009 Indianapolis Star has relevance to this class. I will quote the article below, but your assignment is to carry on a discussion about the issue on the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #2. If you are not familiar with the issue of discarded plastics floating in the ocean, please find some articles on this to help you understand it better. You will use those resources later, so keep them handy.

(Associated Press) “Washington—Environmentalists long have denounced plastic as a pollutant that doesn’t break down. A new study indicates plastic does decompose in the oceans but says that’s not good, either.”

“Thousands of tons of plastic debris wind up in the oceans every year, some being swirled by currents into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii, said to be larger than Texas.”

“Katsuhitko Saido, a chemist at Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, said, ‘We found that plastic in the ocean actually decomposes as it is exposed to the rain and sun, giving rise to yet another source of global contamination.’ He presented his work at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.”

“ He said the decomposing plastics release potentially toxic chemicals.”

You should also go to http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/pollution/trash-vortex/ and read this article on the same subject.

As with the first assignment, I have no right answers for this assignment—these are your opinions—so say what you really believe. By commenting on each others’ posts, we will begin to gain understanding and appreciation for different views and ways of thinking.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 1 – Read the section titled “A Short History of Ethical Theories” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Write a definition of ethics in your own words. Post your definition and your thoughts on ethics to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #2.

Lesson #3 Due Date: July 11, 2013 Application Assignment: Please follow the link  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7MGNmmnw68  to view a video on YouTube about sustainability in packaging. The presenter is talking about paper-based packaging as the best alternative. It is up for debate whether his arguments are valid, so your assignment is to debate this issue. You will either be taking the side agreeing with the speaker or you will be taking the side disagreeing with the speaker. You should have done enough research to understand the issues and cite your sources of information.

Your argument should be prepared using Word so it is compatible and posted to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #3. You can just type it into the box on Discussion Board, but writing it out beforehand allows you to be more careful in what you write.

If you have questions, please send them to me by email to: [email protected] and I will respond as quickly as I can. If the question seems universal I will send my reply to everyone.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 1 – Read the remaining sections of Chapter 1. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Answer the following question in your own words: What does “environmental ethics” mean to me? Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #3.

Lesson #4 Due Date: July 15, 2013 Application Assignment: Plastics are the subject of this assignment. Please view the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Fuo0iv0pI&feature=related before doing the assignment. You may also want to view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVw19bP0tw&feature=related that relates to the earlier assignment on the plastic in the ocean just to get more insight. The assignment is to discuss the alternative materials mentioned in the video, pro and con. What are the advantages and disadvantages you find to using such alternative materials for packaging? Feel free to find a variety of sources on the internet and elsewhere. Post your thoughts on the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #4 so everyone can debate your ideas. Due

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 2 – Read the sections on pages 39-49. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the worldviews discussed in the reading to analyze. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #4.

Lesson #5 Due Date: July 16, 2013 Application Assignment: As we continue the issue of sustainability, please view the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9ejG83lrX4&feature=related before writing your evaluation of the efforts at McDonald's to help protect the environment through their packaging measures. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvIeY9Qa6E4&feature=related is another video of a proposed sustainable packaging solution that you may choose to discuss as an alternate to the McDonald's issue. Please place your Word document onto the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #5 as a link for space reasons where others can read it and comment as you will do with their papers.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 2 – Read the included in pages 62-71 and 82-90. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Compare/contrast the environmental worldviews of any two of the religious views in this chapter. 2. Make an argument for the environmental worldview of one of the religions here (other than your own). 3. Make an argument that your own environmental worldview is correct (outside sources must be used in this argument). Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #5.

Lesson #6 Due Date: July 17, 2013 Application Assignment: Please view the videos about foam recycling at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MLSrb2uMZs and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9FHOil4tKw&feature=related before you discuss why you think expanded polystyrene (EPS, also improperly called Styrofoam) is not recycled more, and what are your thoughts about EPS as a packaging material for the future. Post your responses to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #6 for this assignment.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 3 – Read the sections on pages 93-109. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Think about what you know about environmental science and the ethics of it. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #6..

Lesson #7 Due Date: July 18, 2013 Application Assignment: For those of you have not viewed the Green channel, making people aware of how they waste and how they can improve and live a greener life is the purpose. Please go to http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/gozero-waste.html to see what one person is proposing to try to use less plastic. Your assignment will be to study this article and think about whether this is reasonable in your opinion, then write about what you think about this on the Discussion Board for this assignment. You may choose to focus on the specific things in this article and your agreement or disagreement with it, or you may choose to focus on how you would apply these principles to something other than packaging materials that are used in your daily life. Post these write-ups to the Discussion Board under Application Project #7 and read what others have done and comment on them.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 3 – Read the sections on pages 109-133. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. How do these worldviews compare with your own? Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #7.

Lesson #8 Due Date: July 22, 2013 Application Assignment: Sustainability is the current buzzword for environmental friendliness in industries of all sorts. Your assignment is to write about: 1. your understanding of what sustainability is, 2. what industries do you think would have the most positive environmental impact by engaging in sustainable practices, 3. cite reasons for why you believe what you wrote in #2. To get you started, go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx9Cplv26NU&NR=1 to see a brief view of what is being done in Rochester, NY. As a counterpoint, please read the article found at http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/china-s-temperature-spikes-linked-to-greenhouse-gases-1.1236491 and think about what it has to say.

You are to begin to take some action toward sustainability of packaging this week, whether it is recycling, reusing containers for other purposes, or taking your own bags to the store. As usual, post your thoughts about your efforts and your thoughts on the above three items and post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #8.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 4 – Read the sections in pages 135-155. Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. How do you feel about nature? Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #8.

Lesson #9 Due Date: July 23, 2013 Application Assignment: Some communities are taking a proactive approach to environmental issues. For example, in the September 28, 2009 issue of Fortune magazine, there is an article about how San Francisco is using technology to reduce its environmental footprint. You will find that article http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/11/san-francisco-gets-smart-with-green-technology/ . Please read the article and post your comments about 1. Your thoughts about what San Francisco is doing, and 2. What you think your community could do by utilizing modern technology to help the environment. Post your comments to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #9 and share your comments about others' posts.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 4 – Read the sections in pages 159-184. “Valuing Nature” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #9.

Lesson #10 Due Date: July 24, 2013 Application Assignment: Indiana State University has a Sustainable Campus Initiative (see http://www.indstate.edu/facilities/sustainability/commitment.html) that addresses goals for the campus. For this assignment, read the ISU posting and think about it. Does it make sense? Are there things missing that should be there? Is the campus really doing these things? What can you do to help this along? Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #10 and share your comments with each other.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 8 – “Air Pollution and Climate Change” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Argue your ethical view of air pollution: is it the cause of climate change, and what are you personally doing about it? 2. Is air pollution a problem to be solved by the United Nations, your country, major companies, or individuals? Provide sources to back your opinion. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #10.

Lesson #11 Due Date: July 25, 2013 Application Assignment: This assignment deals with energy independence. Please read the article at http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/the-electric-company-pays-us.html as a starting point for your discussion of the topic of personal energy independence. Write about your thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of personal energy independence and post them to the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #11. Read the postings of other students and post your comments to the thread.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 9 – “Wastes” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Argue your ethical view of waste, and what are you personally doing about it? 2. Is waste a problem to be solved by the United Nations, your country, major companies, or individuals? Provide sources to back your opinion. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #11.

Lesson #12 Due Date: July 29, 2013 Application Assignment: This assignment involves reviewing an article written by the President of the Natural Resources Defense Council that appeared in the AARP Bulletin. You may access the article at http://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/life-stories/info-12-2009/resolved_a_cleaner_planet_in_2010_.html and write about your thoughts on this subject in the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #12. Please read and comment on the postings of your fellow students in the thread.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 11 – “Water Resources and Water Pollution” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Think about how packaging is both a part of the problem and of the solution to the problem of water pollution and, 2. How does our consumption affect our use of water resources. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #12.

Lesson #13 Due Date: July 30, 2013 Application Assignment: This assignment deals with new bioplastics. Please go to this site http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/plastic.html to learn about polylactic acid and how it could become a green solution for the environmental issue of plastics. Then go to http://www.ted.com/talks/eben_bayer_are_mushrooms_the_new_plastic.html to learn about plastics made from mushrooms. Form your own opinions about the feasibility and practicality of these materials to replace petroleum-based plastics and write about your thoughts in the Discussion Board under Application Assignment #13. Then read the postings of your fellow students and post your thoughts to the thread.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 14 – “Global Population Expansion” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Think about the expansion of the population and the ethical issues associated with it, and 2. Do we have an obligation to try to do something about this issue. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #13.

Lesson #14 Due Date: July 31, 2013

Application Assignment: This final application assignment is where you are to discuss how your ethical beliefs and attitudes about your social responsibility have changed as a result of this course. Please specifically address environmental issues in your responses, in particular as they relate to your use of and attitudes about packaging.

Reading Assignment: Earthcare Chapter 15 – “Sustainability, Consumption, Business, and Energy” Continue to analyze your own system of ethics in light of this reading. Choose one of the following to think about: 1. Think about how packaging could be produced from a sustainable resource. 2. How does our consumption affect our use of resources. Post your thoughts to the Discussion Board under Reading Assignment #14.

Research Paper Due Date: August 5, 2013 Your final will consist of a research paper. This paper should be a minimum of 2000 words, and a maximum of 3000 words, excluding title and references (Papers outsides these limits will be penalized). You must use APA style. Please site the edition of the APA manual you use. Edition 6 is available online at the http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx. You must reference and cite at least 4 scholarly sources for the information you include. Scholarly sources can include books, journal articles, and sometimes, personal interviews with experts. This paper should have a title that reflects the content of the paper, a list of references, a header on each page with the title, a footer with the page number, double-spaced 12 point Times New Roman font, as a Word document. The topic of this paper should explain your ethical stand on environmental issues, in keeping with the focus of this course. Proposed topics that you are not sure meet the intent of the course must be approved by the instructor. If you are not sure, please send your idea to me at [email protected]. A list of possible topics is listed below.

Possible topics: Environmental policies in [country X], Ethical issues in packaging practices, Sustainability issues of using [material X] for packaging, Comparison of the environmental policies of two States, or two countries, Incineration as an energy source--pro and con, Local food--an answer to waste and pollution?, Recycling, Global warming, many other topics are possible.

All papers must be received by midnight of the due date in TURNITIN, and to the Discussion Board. Please save your document as follows: last name-firstname-PKG381Research-title.doc so that I can keep track of it. Make sure you do not plagiarize your sources by improper citing. Please do use your sources to strengthen your arguments, just properly give credit to those sources.

Community Engagement/Experiential Learning Report Due Date: August 6, 2013

This assignment is to fulfill the requirements for the Community Engagement/Experiential Learning Activities. As stated in the syllabus, points are given for participation in approved community engagement activities and preparing a journal of those activities. Community engagement activities include those organized or approved by Indiana State University, as well as other such activities the instructor feels fits the spirit of the ISU definition of community engagement and is appropriate to the content of this course. Experiential learning activities allow the student to apply the principles learned in the course in a practical way, so the students may “get their hands dirty” with an appropriate learning activity to help students gain a deeper understanding of the ideas and concepts presented in the course. If unsure of what is appropriate, please contact the instructor for clarification. Some examples of things former students have done are listed at the end.

You may begin this assignment at any time during the term, but it must be completed by the deadline. You should submit your journal as a Word document attachment to the Discussion Board for this assignment. Please read and comment on the postings of your peers for this assignment. You may learn of many exciting activities that you can do in the future. If you are doing community engagement for this assignment, you should spend at least ten hours performing your activity. This can be done in one day, or broken up into several segments. Your journal is to provide a clear picture of: 1. What you did for this activity, 2. Who, or what organization did you perform this activity for, 3. How your activity related to the emphasis of this course, specifically ethics and social responsibility as they relate to environmental issues, if possible, and 4. Your feelings about doing this activity and whether it causes you to want to continue to perform such activities in the future.

If you are doing experiential learning for this assignment, you will need to work with the instructor on developing an appropriate activity that reinforces concepts learned in the course. Similar to the community engagement activity, you will keep a journal explaining: 1. What you did for this activity, 2. How you accomplished this activity, 3. How your activity related to the emphasis of this course, specifically ethics and social responsibility as they relate to environmental issues, if possible, and 4. Your feelings about doing this activity and whether it causes you to want to continue to perform such activities in the future.

Examples of Community Engagement Activities: 1. Volunteer service at established charitable organizations, i.e. Salvation Army, Boys & Girls Club, Planned Parenthood, Bethany House, Ryves Hall, Lighthouse Mission, or other similar organizations, 2, Volunteer service at daycare centers, elementary schools, senior centers, or assisted living centers, 3. Volunteer services at a religious center, or other organizations serving people, 4. Volunteer for charity fundraising events such as March of Dimes, Aids Task Force, Relay for Life, Race for the Cure, etc.5. Volunteer with organized events such as Earth Day, Donaghy Day, Make a Difference Day, and other organized beneficial events.

Examples of Experiential Learning Activities: 1. Clean up roadsides, parks, etc. of trash and recycle things that are recyclable, 2. Clean up communities after disasters such as tornadoes, floods, etc. 3. Construct homes, churches/mosques etc. in disadvantaged communities, 4. Perform other activities that put into action the principles of this course.

Please save your document as follows: last name-firstname-PKG381Community-Engagement-title.doc so that I can keep track of it. If there are any questions, This assignment must be posted to the Discussion Board on or before the due date.

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