Course Title: Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2015

Course Code: EASC5049C

Course Title: Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

School: 350T Fashion & Textiles

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C4218 - Certificate IV in Textile Design and Development

Course Contact : Peter Bonnell

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 9171

Course Contact Email:peter.bonnell@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Lucy Adam    lucy.adam@rmit.edu.au

ph - 9925 9421

Nominal Hours: 30

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Nil

Course Description

This course is designed to give you the skills and knowledge required to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

MSAENV272B Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

Element:

1 Identify current resource use and environmental issues

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify workplace environmental and resource efficiency issues.
1.2 Identify resources used in own work role.
1.3 Measure and record current usage of resources using appropriate techniques.
1.4 Identify and report workplace environmental hazards to appropriate personnel.
 

Element:

2 Comply with environmental regulations.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Follow procedures to ensure compliance.
2.2 Report environmental incidents to appropriate personnel.
 

Element:

2 Comply with environmental regulations.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Follow procedures to ensure compliance.
2.2 Report environmental incidents to appropriate personnel.
 

Element:

3 Seek opportunities to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Follow enterprise plans to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency.
3.2 Make suggestions for improvements to workplace practices in own work area.
 

Element:

3 Seek opportunities to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Follow enterprise plans to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency.
3.2 Make suggestions for improvements to workplace practices in own work area.
 


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in a variety of learning activities including: lectures, tutorials, class discussion, group activities, work sheets, analysis of case studies, research, report writing and presentations.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1:
Introduction to unit, course guide, assessment requirements.
Group activity – in small groups list all the things you do in your everyday life home/work that you think are sustainable. Define what you think sustainability is. Definitions are presented to class by groups.
Watch – The story of stuff and complete questionnaire
Homework – Calculate your ecological footprint - How many planets do you need to sustain your lifestyle?
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ecologicalfootprint/globalfootprint/index.asp

Week 2:
What is an ecological footprint – in small groups discuss findings and List 3 things you could change to reduce your footprint.
What’s driving sustainability? International and local agendas
Group activity – envision the future.

Week 3:
Ethics & Fashion Production a Global Perspective
Human Rights and Workers Rights Issues in the industry
Fairtrade principles, CSR models, People, Planet, Profit, Cradle to Cradle principles, Product stewardship,

Week 4:
Ethics & Fashion Production in Australia, Auditing for Ethics

Week 5:
Fibres & sustainability – devils in disguise
Manufactured fibres, Natural Fibres and Fibre ‘alternatives’.
New textiles and Fabric Technologies.

Week 6:
Life cycle assessment.
In small groups apply life cycle thinking for different objects.

Week 7:
Presentation brief handed out. Group allocation of topics for presentations, group topic and planning research, scheduled library time

Week 8:
Group topic and planning research, scheduled library time

Week 9:
Film: Wasteland - Reduce, reuse and recycle (+ rethink)Waste management strategies, waste disposal & resource efficiency issues.
The global textile recycling chain.

Week 10:
Identify resource use in own area: List all resources you use in your work area, describe, how they are used, in what quantities, consider waste and disposal.
Visualisation activity: How does sustainability work in your industry? Imagine an organisation in your industry, What would it look like? What would people be doing? What is best practice in your industry? What are the drivers, barriers and opportunities to change?

Week 11:
Develop an action plan: Using environmental management strategies develop plans to improve environmental practices in your working environment. This includes identifying areas for improvement and details about how your action plan is implemented

Week 12:
Presentations: Innovation in production
Fair Trade Principles
Corporate Social Responsibility


Week 13:
Presentations:
Big retail scan – corporate giants making a difference
Rethinking Fast – slow fashion/slow design


Week 14:
Presentations:
Packaging and design strategies
Life cycle analysis
Global Textile recycling chain


Week 15:
Ethical fashion organisations
Cradle to cradle principles
Local retail scan


Week 16:
Most significant change and journal submission


*Please note this weekly schedule is subject to change


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Recommended text: Sustainable Fashion & Textiles Design Journeys, Kate Fletcher
Recommended text: Eco-chic the fashion paradox, Sandy Black
Slow Living, Craig & Parkins
Sustainable Fashion: Why Now? Janet Hethorn & Connie Ulasewicz
Designers, visionaries & other stories, A collection of sustainable design essays, Jonathan Chapman & Nick Grant


Overview of Assessment

Assessment is ongoing through the course and may include demonstration and submission of evidence showing competency of work performed and through questioning for underpinning knowledge.


Assessment Tasks

There are 4 assessment tasks in this unit course:
1. Media article on a current sustainability issue - CA/NYC                                Due Monday 23rd March
2. Weekly Journal and Most Significant Change – CA/NYC                                Due Monday 1st June
3. Action Plan - 60%                                                                                                    Due Tuesday 20th April
4. Group/Individual presentation - 40%                                                                   Due Commencing week 12-week15                                                               
 


Assessment Matrix

 


Assessment tasks Element 1 Element 2 Element 3
Media article on a current sustainability issue X    
 Weekly Journal and Most Significant Change X   X
Action Plan X X X
Group/Individual presentation X   X

Other Information

Study and learning Support:
Study and Learning Centre (SLC) provides free learning and academic development advice to all RMIT students.
Services offered by SLC to support numeracy and literacy skills of the students are:
- Assignment writing, thesis writing and study skills advice
- Maths and science developmental support and advice
- English language development
Please refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre to find more information about Study and Learning Support.


Disability Liaison Unit:
Students with disability or long-term medical condition should contact Disability Liaison Unit to seek advice and support to complete their studies.
Please refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/disability to find more information about services offered by Disability Liaison Unit.


Late submission:
Students requiring extensions for 7 calendar days or less (from the original due date) must complete and lodge an Application for Extension of Submittable Work (7 Calendar Days or less) form and lodge it with the Senior Educator/ Program Manager.
The application must be lodged no later than one working day before the official due date. The student will be notified within no more than 2 working days of the date of lodgement as to whether the extension has been granted.
Students seeking an extension of more than 7 calendar days (from the original due date) must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form under the provisions of the Special Consideration Policy, preferably prior to, but no later than 2 working days after the official due date.
Assignments submitted late without approval of an extension will not be accepted or marked.

Special consideration:
Please refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=riderwtscifm to find more information about special consideration.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a form of cheating and it is very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University.
Please refer: www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity to find more information about plagiarism.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview