Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: OHTH5461C

Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices

School: 350T Fashion & Textiles

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C5220 - Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology

Course Contact : Mandy Penton

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99259202

Course Contact Email:mandy.penton@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

PATRICIA BRIEN - patricia.brien@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 40

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

None

Course Description

This unit covers the outcomes required to effectively analyse the workplace in relation to environmentally sustainable work practices and to implement improvements and monitor their effectiveness.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

MSAENV472A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices

Element:

1. Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage.

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify environmental regulations applying to the enterprise.
1.2 Assess procedures for assessing compliance with environmental regulations.
1.3 Collect information on environmental and resource efficiency systems and procedures, and provide to the work group where appropriate.
1.4 Measure and record current resource usage by members of the work group.
1.5 Analyse and record current purchasing strategies.
1.6 Analyse current work processes to access information and data and assist in identifying areas for improvement.

Element:

2. Set targets for improvements.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Seek input from stakeholders, key personnel and specialist.
2.2 Access external sources of information and data as required.
2.3 Evaluate alternative solutions to workplace environmental and ethical issues.
2.4 Set efficiency targets.

Element:

3. Implement performance improvement strategies.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Source techniques/tools to assist in achieving targets.
3.2 Apply continuous improvement strategies to own work area of responsibility and communicate ideas and possible solutions to the work group and management.
3.3 Integrate environmental and resource efficiency improvement plans for own work group and other operational activities and implement them.
3.4 Seek suggestions and ideas about environmental and resource efficiency management from stakeholders and act upon them where appropriate.
3.5 Implement costing strategies to fully value environmental assets.

Element:

4. Monitor performance.

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Document outcomes and communicate reports on targets to key personnel and stakeholders.
4.2 Evaluate strategies.
4.3 Set new targets and investigate and apply new tools and strategies.
4.4 Promote successful strategies and reward participants where possible.


Learning Outcomes


In this unit you will be required to develop the skills and knowledge to address processes and techniques necessary to implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices, including the development of processes and tools.
It includes:
• Indentifying areas for improvement
• Developing plans to make improvements
• Implementing and monitoring improvements in environmental performance


Details of Learning Activities

• Assessing & understanding ethical workplace criteria,
• Current sustainability theories and practice in relation to fashion industry,
• In-class workshop in creative design & recycling,
• Research into design philosophy and practice of one environmentally-focused designer,
• Environmental Management Systems.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1:
Introduction to unit
Assessment Requirements.
Film: An Inconvenient Truth
Discussion
Assignment handout: Individual Designers (Design Influences Folio)

Week 2:
Lecture: Approaches to Sustainability
People, Planet, Profit (Triple Bottom Line)
Cradle to Cradle principles
Product Stewardship
EMS: ISO 14001 (+ ISO 19011)

Week 3:
Ethics & Fashion Production
Film: China Blue + Discussion
Human Rights and Workers Rights Issues in the industry
Fairtrade principles, CSR models

Week 4:
Ethics & Fashion Production
(Speaker: Ethical Clothing Australia)

Week 5:
Ethics & Fashion Production
Auditing for Ethics – (Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production - W.R.A.P.)
Ethical Fashion organizations & crediting organisations

Week 6:
Melbourne Fashion Week (No class)
Assignment: Reflections on Sustainability events/designers at Fashion Week

Week 7:
Fibres & sustainability
Manufactured fibres, Natural Fibres and Fibre ‘alternatives’.
New textiles and Fabric Technologies.

Week 8:
Innovation in Production
Fashion on Demand & Mass customisation
Principles of Biomimicry in design.
Life Cycle Assessments
Supply chain

Week 9:
Reduce, reuse and recycle (+ rethink)
Waste management strategies, waste disposal & resource efficiency issues.
The global textile recycling chain.
Precycling, packaging & Design strategies
Reducing the impact of use-phase

Week 10:
Reduce, reuse and recycle (+ rethink)
Workshop: Creative design possibilities with denim leftovers.

Week 11:
Environmental Management Systems
Assignment handout & explanation: Environmental Management Systems Report (group work)


MID-TERM BREAK

Week 12:
Rethinking Fast: Slow Fashion/Slow Design
Local and/or Global/ Bioregionalism
Traditional craftsmanship including drapery
User-Creator possibilities
Design-led alternatives, multifunctional clothes

Week 13:
Environmental Management Systems
+ Debate Topics

Week 14:
The Debate Series (in class) – cluster class
+ EMS group work

Week 15:
The Debate Series (in class) – cluster class + non-cluster classes
Due: EMS group work
Due: Design Folio with ‘Sustainable’ Designer

Week 16:
The Debate Series (in class) – cluster class

Degrees of Sustainability?
Revision and Conclusion.
Evaluation


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Recommended texts: Sustainable Fashion & Textiles Design Journeys, Kate Fletcher and 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

Biomimicry, Janine M. Benyus

Bioregional Solutions: For living on one planet, Pooran Desai

Environmental Law (Nutshells), Brenda Short

Environmental Management Systems: A Step by Step Guide to Implementation and Maintenance, Christopher Sheldon & Mark Yoxon


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Detailed course and assessment requirements and information will be made available to you first week of class. Specific details will be explained to you during scheduled classes.

This course comprises both practical and theory components. You will be expected to attend and participate in class activities.


As well as class activities you will be required to undertake research and assessment practice outside of regular class times and participate in formal assessment tasks.


PLEASE NOTE: work that has not been authenticated during class as your own work will not be considered for assessment.


Assessment Tasks

1. In-class Workshop: Creative Design & Recycling + prototype product (obligatory participation) Not graded.

2. The debate series (obligatory participation) Not Graded.

3. Visual & Written Research (1000 words min.) into one ‘Sustainable’ Designer’s practice & philosophy + Presentation (Design Influences Folio) Graded.

4. Environmental Management System Report (Group work) Graded.

5. Melbourne Fashion Week – Reflections on Sustainability events/designers (1,000 words min.) Graded.


Assessment Matrix

  In-class Workshop:
Creative Design & Recycling + prototype product (obligatory participation) 		The Debate Series
(obligatory participation)
Environmental Management System Report (Group work) (40%) Visual & Written Research (1000 words) into one Sustainable Designer practice & philosophy + Presentation (within Design Influences Folio) (40%)
 Reflections on sustainable events/designers at Melbourne Fashion Week via blogsite (20%)
Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage.      X  X  X  
 Set targets for improvements      X    
 Implement performance improvement strategies.  X  X      X
 Monitor performance.      X    

Environmental Management System Report (Group work) (40%) Visual & Written Research (1000 words) into one Sustainable Designer practice & philosophy + Presentation (within Design Influences Folio)
(40%) Reflections on sustainable events/designers at Melbourne Fashion Week (blog)
(20%)

Course Overview: Access Course Overview