Creating sustainable futures/CSF101/Course aims

Aims

The Inspiring Challenge of Sustainable Development (CSF101) is a free micro Open Online Course (mOOC) designed for anyone who wants to learn more about creating a future where society thrives, through effective, strategic methodologies. This course will help you to:

1. Understand how social, economic and ecological systems are connected.
2. Understand the pressure humans are putting on natural systems
3. Reflect on the systems you are involved in and the benefit/harm being done by participating.

Learning objectives

At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Gain insights into what’s already possible by exploring examples of sustainable and symbiotic industrial design.
2. Learn how completely sustainable buildings are being built with the Living Building Challenge.
3. Introduce the concept of systems thinking, and why this approach so critical to tackling issues of sustainability in an effective and meaningful way.
4. Introduce the Natural Step’s Five Level Framework for an effective and strategic approach to sustainable development.
5. Learn how the ecological system works, and how humans are adversely affecting it.
6. Learn how the social system works.
7. Learn how humans have become the dominant shaping force on the planet.
8. Explore the definitions of sustainable development and sustainability.
9. Understand how the social system works, and why meeting human needs sits at the very core of sustainability.