Course Title: Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: EASC5049C

Course Title: Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

School: 350T Fashion & Textiles

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C4219 - Certificate IV in Fashion and Textiles Merchandising

Course Contact : Katrina Rose

Course Contact Phone: 9925 9138

Course Contact Email:katrina.rose@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Tullia Jack – tullia.jack@rmit.edu.au +61 9925 9253

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

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:

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:

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 required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


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 Sustainable Fashion
Assessment Requirements.
Film: An Inconvenient Truth
Discussion

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 a Global Perspective
Film: China Blue + Discussion
Human Rights and Workers Rights Issues in the industry
Fairtrade principles, CSR models

Week 4:
Ethics & Fashion Production in Australia
(Speaker: Ethical Clothing Australia)
Assignment handout: reflections on sustainability at LMFF

Week 5:
L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (No class)
Assignment Due: Reflections on Sustainability events/designers at LMFF due

Week 6:
Auditing for Ethics
Ethical Fashion organizations & crediting organisations
Assignment handout: Sustainable fashion communication

Week 7:
Fibres & sustainability – devils in disguise
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:
Using fashion: designing interventions
Problems in use
Case studies of designers and brands who positively influence the way garments are used
Assignment Due: sustainable fashion communication 20%

Week 10:
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 11:
Environmental Management Systems
Assignment handout: Environmental Management Systems Report (Group Work)

MID-TERM BREAK

Week 12:
Disposal: Fashion Wasted
Sources of fashion waste
Properties of fibres in landfill
Design strategies to overcome fashion waste

Week 13:
Rethinking Fast: Slow Fashion/Slow Design
Local and/or Global/ Bioregionalism
Traditional craftsmanship including drapery
User-Creator possibilities
Design-led alternatives, multifunctional clothes

Week 14:
Fashion Future
Scenario mapping for fashion systems
Case studies of best practice sustainable fashion practice

Week 15:
Communicating Fashion
You’re doing good– tell people!
Best practice in sustainable communication – information flows
Dangers of green washing
Channels and scheduling
Writing a good press release

Week 16:
Environmental Management Systems Assignment
In-class preparation and questions

Week 17
Assignment due: Environmental Management Systems Assignment

Degrees of Sustainability?
Revision and Conclusion.
Evaluation


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

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


References


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.

All assignments and tasks must be completed to be deemed competent.

Referencing must follow RMIT University regulations.


Assessment Tasks

Reflections on sustainability at LMFF email 10%
Sustainable Fashion Communication: article 500 words 20%
Environmental Management System Report 50% (group Work)
Press Release 500 words 20%


Assessment Matrix

   Reflections on sustainability at LMFF email (10%)                    Sustainable Fashion Communication (20%)                           Environmental Management System Report (Group work) (50%)      Press Release
(20%)                        
Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage.    X           X     X  
Set targets for improvements         X  
Implement performance improvement strategies.        
Monitor performance.          X        X
Communicate performance              X           X

Course Overview: Access Course Overview