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Technological University of the Philippines

Ayala Blvd., Ermita, Manila 1000

GEE11B-M People and Earth Ecosystem


First Semester, 2019-2020

Instructor Information
Instructor Email Office Location & Hours
Engr. John Lemar M. Tirao johnlemartirao@gmail.com TBA (By appointment)

General Information
Description
This course examines people’s impacts on the environment over a local, regional and global spatial scale. In
particular, this course will examine people, people’s historic and contemporary impacts on climate, landscapes,
the ocean, endangered species and habitats in the Philippines and the world.

Course Materials
Required Materials
Any environmental engineering books can be used for this class, therefore, students are not required to purchase
books. However, it is expected that students have already read relevant sections in the prescribed set of books
prior to coming to class.
 “Visualizing Environmental Science” by David M. Hassenzahl, Mary Catherine Hager, and Linda R. Berg

Course Schedule
Course schedule GEE11B-M People and Earth Ecosystem is shown below. In the event that the proposed schedule
was not followed due to certain reasons (i.e. cancellation of classes, holidays, discussion not finished due to
time constraints) arrangement of topics will still be pushed through as stated.
Week Topic Sub-topics
Week 1 Aug. 7 Class orientation
Week 2 Aug. 14 Science and art of Human impacts on the environment, environmental
geography ecosystems science, sustainability, handling environmental
problems

Describing earth’s major biomes, aquatic ecosystems,


population and community responses to changing
condition over time
Week 3 Aug. 21 (No classes; Ninoy Aquino Day)
Week 4 Aug. 28 Sustainability Human use of the earth, human values and
environmental problems, environmental justice
Week 5 Sep. 4 Human population change Population ecology, human population patterns,
and the environment stabilizing world population, population and
urbanization
Week 6 Sep. 11 Mineral and soil resources Plate tectonics and the rock cycle, economic geology,
environmental implications of mineral use, soil
properties, soil conservation

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Week Topic Sub-topics
Week 7 Sep. 18 Land resources Land use in the Philippines, forest management,
deforestation, rangelands, conservation of land
resources
Week 8 Sep. 25 Agriculture and World food problems, principal types of agriculture,
food resources challenges of producing more crops and livestock,
solutions to agricultural problems
Week 9 Oct. 2 Biodiversity and conservation Species richness and biological diversity, endangered
and extinct species, conservation biology, conservation
policies
Week 10 Oct. 9 MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Week 11 Oct. 16 Freshwater resources Importance of water, water resource problems, water
and water pollution management, water pollution, improving water quality

Global ocean, major ocean life zones, human impacts on


Ocean and fisheries the ocean, addressing ocean problems
Week 12 Oct. 23 Air and air pollution The atmosphere, types and sources of air pollution,
effects of air pollution, controlling air pollutants, indoor
air pollution

Global atmospheric changes Atmosphere and climate, global climate change, ozone
depletion, acid deposition
Week 13 Oct. 30 Solid and hazardous waste Solid waste, reducing solid waste, managing hazardous
waste
Week 14 Nov. 6 Nonrenewable energy resources Energy consumption, coal, oil and natural gas, nuclear
energy
Week 15 Nov. 13 Renewable energy resources Direct solar energy, indirect solar energy, other
renewable energy sources, conservation of energy
Week 16 Nov. 20 Environmental history, politics, Conservation and preservation of resources,
and economics environmental history, legislation and economics
Week 17 Nov. 27 Risk analysis and environmental A perspective on risks, environmental health hazards,
hazards movement of toxicants, determining health effects of
pollutants
Week 18 Dec. 4 FINAL EXAMINATION

Exam Schedule
Date Topics covered
September 4 Case Study 1
September 25 Case Study 2
October 9 MIDTERM EXAMINATION
October 30 Case Study 3
November 20 Case Study 4
December 4 FINAL EXAMINATION

Additional Information and Resources


Course Requirements
Class standing……………………………………………. 60%
Attendance……………………………10%
Discussion participation…………10%
Case Studies………………………….40%
Examinations……………………………………………… 40%
Midterm exam……………15%
Final exam…………………25%
Total 100%

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Grading System
Grading system for this course follows the grading system of the University. Passing rate is 75%. No rounding-off
of decimals.

Case Studies
Quizzes for this course are reorganized as Case Studies, where students will be given relevant case study
questions to think scientifically for solutions. Answers to each case study should be supported and properly
sourced. If you copy and paste anything from the internet and/or someone else’s work is plagiarism. Plagiarism
will be given 0% for the respective case study where it was committed.

Case studies should be in .pdf format and must bear student’s name and student number. You may add photos,
graphs, maps, and charts (must be sourced) to support your answer/argument.

Topics for each Case Study are as follows:


Case Study 1: (due September 4, via e-mail)
Question 1: Making effective personal and professional decisions requires access to appropriate, high-quality
information. Where would you go for information to make decisions about the environment? How would you rank
the following as trusted sources? Which of these do you rely on?
 Friends and family
 Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
 News media (websites, printed newspapers, magazines, television, radio, etc.)
 Scientific journals and conference proceedings
 Political leaders
Question 2: In which biome do you live? What human-caused threats are faced by your biome and how might you
help reduce them? Which other biomes might be affected by your lifestyle, such as the foods you ear or other
resources you consume?

Case Study 2: (due September 25, via e-mail)


Question 1: Describe two conservation methods that assist in sustainable food production. As a food consumer,
where might you shop, what questions might you ask, or what sort of information on labels might you look for to
encourage soil conservation?

Question 2: What limits, if any, should there be on how private landowners use their land? If you were a
landowner, what are some land use decisions you might have to make that could affect both the public and the
environment?

Case Study 3: (due October 30, via e-mail)


Question 1: Write an outline of a brief water conservation plan for your own daily use. Consider both the
quantity and quality of water you use. How could you use water more sustainably?

Question 2: Identify the major sources of particulate matter near where you live. What actions could you take to
reduce particulate matter? What laws or regulations limit particulate matter in your region?

Case Study 4: (due November 20, via e-mail)


When oil spills like the 2006’s Guimaras oil spill occur, many people place the blame on the owners or operators.
Consider whether people who benefit from petroleum products (automobiles, plastic water bottles, farm
equipment, etc.) are also to blame. Should knowing that oil spills might occur matter as we make consumer
choices? Provide arguments on both sides of this issue.

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