Sustainable Lifecycle Project
Summary
Group of students investigate impacts on health from linear lifecycle and propose how to make it circular lifecycle. Students are required to interview stakeholders, conduct SWOT analysis, and address challenges and solution associated with the SDGs.
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Learning Goals
The goals of the activities are 1) learning how to investigate products they are familiar with from multiple perspectives including environmental, economical, and health, and 2) propose feasible actions to make a difference in SDGs.
Through activities, students will multiple skills including systems thinking align to SDGs, professional communication with stakeholders, and oral presentation skills,
Context for Use
This activity is a follow-on to the Wicked Problem of an Equitable Zero-Waste Circular Economy module.
This exercise is for undergrad junior and seniors. For group project (Sustainable lifecycle product project) the number of students in each group should be no more than 4.
This project take place mostly outside class with in-class discussions and final presentations.
Information and communication skills are required for students to complete the activities.
No special disciplinary skills and concepts are required to have prior to the activities.
It is easy to adapt for any courses.
Description and Teaching Materials
Group of students (e.g., 4 students/group) will be signed randomly or formed based on their interests. Each group will pick one item and investigate its sustainability from multidisciplinary perspectives. Students will prepare proposal to make the item in circular lifecycle and evaluate it based on stakeholder interview and SWOT analysis.
They will address the chains of problems and solutions toward the SDGs
Investigate impacts on health from linear lifecycle and propose how to make it circular lifecycle. Students are required to interview stakeholders, conduct SWOT analysis, and address challenges and solution associated with the SDGs.
Sustainable Lifecycle Project (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 485kB May3 23)
Sustainable lifecyle (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 485kB May3 23)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Overall framework and importance of SDGs are introduced at the beginning of the semester. Relevant SDG targets are introduced in each module.
Assessment
The final product is an oral presentation using PowerPoint slides.
The evaluation is based on the following criteria:
- descriptions of products from multidisciplinary perspectives,
- feasible recommendation to make the item in circular lifecycle,
- understanding roles of policies and stakeholders,
- SWOT analysis
- making a difference in SDGs.