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. |
Element: |
2 Comply with environmental regulations. |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Follow procedures to ensure compliance. |
Element: |
2 Comply with environmental regulations. |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Follow procedures to ensure compliance. |
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. |
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. |
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