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Eco Management Schemes

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course provides an insight into the basic issues of ecology and environmental protection. It explains the regularities and fundamental processes in the biosphere and ecosystems. It substantiates the existence of life and the significance of ecological factors. It examines both the natural and anthropogenic environment. Practical work teaches students to critically evaluate societal and individual actions. It helps to define and solve priority issues, model realistic problem situations, identify the involved parties, assess differing opinions and needs, as well as find compromises in the course of social and economic development.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge of:
1. general natural regularities – assessment work;
2. the interaction, variability, and adaptation of non-living and living nature – assessment work;
3. the basic functions of ecosystems and ecosystem stability – assessment work;
4. human impact on ecosystem stability, environmental problems, and the importance and solutions of sustainable management – assessment work.
Skills:
1. to critically evaluate one’s own and society’s lifestyle and its sustainability – practical work;
2. to align economic activity with the interests of different social groups – practical work;
3. to evaluate a company’s conceptual operations, develop and integrate environmental protection plans to increase more efficient resource use, motivate employees, and reduce or prevent negative environmental impact – practical work.
Competence:
1. to generally evaluate people’s daily habits and possibilities to reduce negative environmental impact – practical/assessment work;
2. to generally assess the impact of economic activities and propose environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives – practical and assessment work;
3. to assess local and global environmental problems, existing solutions, and the need for innovative approaches – assessment work;

4. to practically work on implementing an environmental monitoring system within a company – practical work.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction, course content, scope, implementation; concepts of ecology and environmental protection – 2 hours.
2. 1st practical work: “General overview of environmental protection issues” – 2 hours.
3. Biosphere, ecosystem, biocenosis, biotope, biological diversity – 2 hours.
4. Basic functions of ecosystems, energy flow and consumption, food chains, ecological niche, interaction of processes – 2 hours.
5. Ecological factors, their optimum and limiting ranges, application of ecological factors in practice – 2 hours.
6. Ecological factors and their practical application – 2 hours.
7. 2nd practical work: “Environmental protection and its importance in ensuring individual and public welfare” – 2 hours.
8. Population, mechanisms of self-regulation and dynamics, humans and natural populations; humans and material cycles, environmental monitoring – 2 hours.
9. Water consumption, pollution, and protection – 2 hours.
10. Soil properties, degradation, and protection – 2 hours.
11. Atmosphere, air pollution, climate change; classification of natural resources, usage trends; sustainable resource use and environmental protection, waste management trends – 2 hours.
12. 3rd practical work: “Environmental management and audit system (EMAS) and ISO 14001 standard” – 2 hours.
13. 4th practical work: “Identification of workplace environmental aspects” – 2 hours.
14. 5th practical work: “Environmental impact assessment” – 2 hours.
15. 6th practical work: “Environmentally friendly workplace, employee involvement, and public awareness” – 2 hours.

16. Defense of practical works 3 to 6; final questions – 2 hours.

Requirements for awarding credit points

At least 70 points have been scored as part of the course.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Basic Information. Practical Work:
1) To be carried out in groups of two to three people;
2) Each group receives thematically similar tasks.
1. Practical Work:
Before the practical work, students independently familiarize themselves with the concept of the ecological footprint and the aspects included in its calculation (e.g., by completing an online test). During the practical work, students:
1) Identify daily activities that require energy and natural resource consumption, and generate pollution and waste;
2) Identify the environmental impact of producing, transporting, and disposing of locally or internationally sourced products and services;
3) Evaluate everyday activities, such as water and food consumption, internet usage on smartphones, and mobility;
4) Assess, on a broader scale, the need for national, European Union, and global planning to address environmental issues.
As a result of this work, students:
1) Define potential problems;
2) Provide an individual perspective and conclusions regarding the desired outcome;
3) Offer recommendations and define the resources to be used in solving the problems.
2. Practical Work:
Students:
1) Define the planned activity at the start of the practical work (e.g., business expansion, establishment of a new production facility);
2) Divide into several hypothetical stakeholder groups (e.g., producers, local residents, environmentalists, etc.);
3) Define the core values of their stakeholder group;
4) Analyze the desires, needs, and requirements of each stakeholder group and potential compromises to be made;
5) Discuss with other groups to determine preconditions for the possible implementation of the planned activity;
6) Follow the principle of having as few losers and as many beneficiaries as possible.
Practical works 3 to 6 are interrelated and form a unified work result.
Objective of the work: To assess the environmental impact of a company/institution and provide recommendations for improving its environmental performance.
During contact hours, the instructor provides guidance on the tasks and discusses progress and unclear questions with the students. At the end, each student group presents the results of practical works 3–6. Group discussions take place, and both students and the instructor ask questions, give recommendations, and provide a final assessment.
3. Practical Work:
Select an existing company/institution and identify its structure and activities. Describe the specifics of the tasks performed by each organizational unit and the involved employees.
4. Practical Work:
Based on the results of practical work 3, identify and compile in a table the company’s direct activities (activities carried out within the company) and indirect activities related to the company (activities of cooperating organizations). Describe the aspects associated with each activity that impact environmental quality (e.g., GHG emissions, dust, noise, waste, etc.).
5. Practical Work:
For direct and indirect activities separately, calculate and evaluate the environmental impact (harm) of each activity, scoring according to the methodology provided by the instructor.
6. Practical Work:
Develop proposals to improve the company’s environmental performance. Prioritize the proposals in order of importance. Define employee engagement mechanisms and motivation tools. Plan mechanisms for informing the public.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final grade for a student's work is determined by the points earned in the assessment and practical tasks. The assessment includes 50 multiple-choice questions and 3 written-response questions.
A total of 100 points can be earned: 65 points for the assessment and 35 points for the practical tasks.

To successfully complete the course, a student must earn at least 70 points within the course.

Compulsory reading

1. Ekoloģija un vides aizsardzība. J.Švarcbahs, R.Sudārs, V.Jansons, A.Zīverts, U.Kļaviņš, Ē.Dreimanis, P.Bušmanis. Mācību līdzeklis. Jelgava: LLU, 2006. 225 lpp.
2. Vides zinātne. M.Kļaviņš (red.). Rīga: LU akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. 599 lpp.

3. Vides un ilgtspējīga attīstība. M. Kļaviņš un J.Zaļoksnis (red.). Rīga: LU akadēmiskais apgāds, 2010. 334 lpp.
Pieejams: http://zalie.lv/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/TAM-publikacija-web.pdf

Further reading

1. Eiropas kopienas regula EEC Nr. 1836/93 Pieejams (angļu val.) http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1993/1836/oj
2. Belmane I., Dalhammars K. Rokas grāmata vides pārvaldības sistēmas ieviešanai atbilstoši ISO 14001. Praktiski padomi un standarta prasību skaidrojumi. Lunda, 2002. ISBN 91-88902-25-080.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Vides pārraudzības un valsts birojs. EMAS. Materiāli. http://www.vpvb.gov.lv/lv/emas/materiali (resurss skatīts. 10.02.2017)

Notes

This study course is compulsory for professional bachelor study program Wood Processing.