This assignment asks you to produce a research-based essay on something you use/consume routinely in your daily life. This can be a food item, a type of fuel, or something more durable, such as an article of clothing or an electronic device. The possibilities are limitless. Your job is to account as thoroughly as possible for this item’s contribution to your overall ecological footprint. To do this, you will need to research information such as where it comes from, how and by whom it is made, the origins of its raw material inputs, packaging, and how (and how far) it travels to reach you. You will also want to account for what happens to this item when you finish with it.

Your essay should relate explicitly to principles and practices of sustainability as explored in this course. Essays must consider both the item’s physical impact on the earth and the positive and/or negative impacts the item has on human communities involved in and affected by its production, transport, and/or disposal. You must choose to emphasize either the physical or the social, rather than both. You are expected to also convey an awareness of the other’s impacts (i.e., if you focus on the physical, you must convey an awareness of the social, and vice-versa). All essays should also explore and address more sustainable alternatives to the item under consideration.

Your audience for this essay is an intelligent general readership. The essay should be between 2000 and 3000 words long (that’s 7 to 10 pages of double-spaced text if you’re using standard one inch margins and 12 point font). In addition, your essay must include a bibliography (using MLA or APA format) of all sources cited with information drawn from each of the following source categories (the guidelines below are a minimum):

• 2 scholarly sources from books and/or peer-reviewed journals

• 3 high quality and reliable websites —Wikipedia will NOT be accepted as a credible source

• 3 other high quality and reliable sources of your choice

Learning Objectives

• To develop research skills within the field of sustainability studies and use these skills to heighten your awareness of your own ecological footprint.

• To use written communication skills to inform others about ways consumption practices in the developed world can affect the earth and other humans.

• To think critically about the environmental and social implications of your own and others’ habits.

Topic Exploration —Preliminary list of sources (at least six per topic) and reflection on two possible topics. Two double-spaced pages

you need to do three things

1.Topic clearly defined

2.Exploration of pros

3.Exploration of cons