RYERSON UNIVERSITY

Department of Geography
GEO702: Technology and the Contemporary Environment

FALL 2011

Instructor: Dr Abednego Aryee

Section: 011
Office: JOR 429
Phone: 416-979-5000 ext 6905
Email: aaryee@ryerson.ca
Office Hours: Mon 1:00-2:00 or by appointment

This course is an upper level liberal study. Environmental Health students and Urban and Regional
Planning students may not take this course. Food, Nutrition, Consumer and Family Studies students
and SHTM students who take GEO 703 as a professionally related elective may not take this course.
Students are required to use their Ryerson e-mail address. The address will be the only one used
to communicate with you. It is your responsibility to check your Ryerson e-mail and course
blackboard site regularly.
Replies to e-mail normally will be made within two working days from Monday to Friday but should not be expected
if more than a simple response is required.
Complete Lectures will not be posted, although blackboard will contain supporting illustrative materials.

Lecture presentations are considered to have copyright protection. Use of photographic and/or
video equipment is prohibited in the classroom unless written permission is given by the instructor.
Use of all class material is for personal use only and may not be redistributed.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Public concern for the environment continues to exert a major influence on how society
functions. More than ever, governments, individuals, technologies and corporations are asserting
their greenness. At the same time, human activities are increasingly being recognized as having
far-reaching consequences, affecting politics, economics and society, as well as individuals, for
generations to come. That these consequences are now recognized to extend to a global scale
emphasizes that there is a significant geographic dimension to the issues we face. This
geographic perspective on the environment, which encompasses consideration of the many
interactions between humans and nature, is the focus of this course. Both recurring and new
issues are examined in terms of their implications for North American society.
METHOD AND SCHEDULE OF STUDENT EVALUATION:

CRITERIA
Term test 1 (multiple choice)
Individual term paper (essay)
Term test 2 (multiple choice)
Final exam (multiple choice)

DATE
October 5
November 2
November 14
TBA

VALUE
20%
35%
20%
25%

Should a student miss a mid-term test or final exam, make-up tests and/or exams
will be arranged according to Ryerson University Course Management Policy
A penalty of 10% per working day (Monday to Saturday) will be deducted from the
value of the individual term paper for late submission
Exceptions re late penalty: medical grounds will be considered only for students
who complete the Ryerson Medical Form which can be accessed at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf.
Requests for reassessment must be received within three days after graded material is
returned in class. Only detailed written requests will be accepted.
TEXTBOOK
Withgott, J., Brennan S., Murck B. 2009. Environment: the science behind the stories (Canadian
edition). Toronto: Pearson Canada. ISBN-978-0-321-31533-5. Specific Required Readings
from the text will be detailed on the Blackboard site.

NOTE: The topical outline below is organized around three major themes: Concepts, Issues
and Responses. Not all the topics under each theme will be addressed. Variations among the
instructors in terms of content, scheduling, and emphasis will be discussed in class.

The Faculty Course Survey will be available on-line between - November 11, 6 PM to
November 21, 6 AM

WEEKLY LECTURE SCHEDULES & TEXTBOOK READINGS

WEEKS
TOPICS
READINGS & RESOURCES
Week 1

SEPT 7

Introduction: Course overview

Week 2

SEPT 12

Technology & environment,

Concepts: conflicts and
uncertainties, the tragedy of the
commons, property regimes, &
human-environment interaction
Sustainable development

Sept 14
Week 3

SEPT 19
Sept 21

Week 4

SEPT 26

Agriculture and food production

Week 5

Sept 28
OCT 3

Cities and urban environments

Week 6

Oct 5
OCT 10

Week 7

Oct 12
OCT 17

Week 8

Oct 19
OCT 24

Week 9

Oct 26
OCT 31

Nov 2
Week 10 NOV 7

Pages 125-139, pages 160-182

Pages 20-27
Our Common Future, Video:
Economic development: a
global challenge
Pages 188-246
Food Inc
Pages 624-651

TERM TEST 1
NO CLASS- THANKSGIVING
HOLIDAY
Fossil Fuels: energy & impacts,
atmosphere & global warming

Pages 461-494

Renewable energy resources

Pages 497-522
Visions of the future
Pages 556-580

Environmental pollution and

waste management
ESSAY DUE
Environmental impact assessment
& agencies of change

Pages 690-717
When is enough, enough?

Nov 9
Week 11 NOV 14

TERM TEST 2

Pages 316-346

Nov 16
Week 12 NOV 21

Water resources
Fisheries & oceans

Water under fire

Pages 351-378

Nov 23
Week 13 NOV 28

Forestry

Empty oceans, empty nets

Pages 287-310

Nov 30
Week 13 FRIDAY

Parks and protected areas

Forbidden forest
Pages 307-315

DEC 2

Course summary & final exam