Energy and Society - Rutgers University

Energy and Society 11:374:175 Fall 2011

Lecture on Tuesday and Fridays in 12:50-1:45 pm in CDL 103

Dr. Rachael Shwom shwomrac@rci.rutgers.edu Office Hours: Tuesday and Fridays, 11:30-12:30 Room 212, Cook Office Building

732-932-9153 ext. 416

Recitation on Tuesdays (all in Food Science 109): Section 1, 9:30-10:25 Section 2, 11:10-12:05 Section 3, 2:30-3:25

Our lives, homes, workplaces, and whole societies are highly dependent upon a constant flow of energy ? we can barely imagine an hour without the use of electricity, natural gas, or gasoline. The amount of energy we use and how it is produced has major impacts on the health of our environment, our economy, and local, national, and international politics. The problems, such as climate change, posed by our current human-energy system highlights the need for us to find new ways of living. But how do we change our energy system? To begin to answer this question, we must realize the extent that our lives are integrated with energy production and consumption. Only then can we realize that changing our energy system is not just an engineering or physics problem, but also a social problem that requires societal changes.

In this class you will learn: ? How societies' historical relationships with energy have shaped the development of nations, economies, and environments. ? The current U.S. and global energy production and consumption systems and the environmental, economic, political and social impacts. ? Why individuals, households, business organizations, and governments make the decisions they do about energy consumption and production. ? Policy tools and approaches for analyzing energy choices and changing individual, household, business, and governmental decisions about energy production and consumption.

Unit One: Understanding why businesses, governments, and people make the energy choices they make

Unit Two: Understanding the far-reaching consequences of these energy choices

Unit Three: Tools for Analyzing Energy Choices

Unit Four: Tools for Changing Energy Choices

1

How Will We Learn About Energy & Society?

In this class, we will learn about the relationships between energy and society by engaging with readings, lecture materials, films, active discussions, periodic class assignments and a semester long experimental project to improve your understanding of our current human-energy system and how we can change it. This class is a 100 level class and is meant to be an accessible introduction to human-energy systems. However, it will require a reasonable commitment of your time to complete the readings and assignments thoroughly. Some weeks readings will be easier than others ? use the reading guides supplied to make sure you are understanding the key concepts. Lectures and recitations will follow-up and reinforce these key concepts by introducing different examples and case studies. All required readings will be posted at .

In the first half of the class, we will learn about the current human-energy system and the individual, household, organizational, and institutional decisions that constitute the human-energy system. We'll learn about the competing theories to explain why we make the energy decisions we do and the extensive impacts of those decisions. In the second half of the class, we will learn and apply the tools needed for analyzing and changing our human-energy system at multiple levels. The ultimate objective of these sections is for you to be able to demonstrate a competent well-developed understanding of our current human-energy system, its impacts, and energy decision-making on 2 quizzes, a mid-term, and final exam. An additional objective is for you to be able to apply this understanding to be able to write a quantitative and qualitative assessment of your own role in the energy system through the completion of an energy diary.

How Will You Be Evaluated ?

Assignments 2 Quizzes Mid-term Exam Recitation Energy Diary Final Exam

15% 20%

Your grade will be based upon several different kinds of assessments of your

20%

knowledge of and ability to apply class

20%

lessons.

25%

Two Quizzes (10%): You will have a quiz on in your recitation. These quizzes will each be 2 multiple choice and 3 short answer (1 point each question). They are mainly meant to help you study as we go along, help you assess how well you are learning the material, and prepare you for the kinds of questions that will be on the mid-term and final.

Mid-Term Exam (20%): You will have a mid-term exam on October 15th in class that will cover classes through October 12th. Questions will be 10 multiple choice (1 point each) and 5 short answers (2 points each). Your mid-term exam will cover all topics/questions identified in your reading and lecture guides posted on sakai for each class. The answers to these guides are found in readings, lectures, and films from class.

Final Exam (25%): You will have a final exam on December 22nd 8:00-10:00 am that will cover class material from 10/19 ? 12/10. Questions will be 15 multiple choice (1 point each) and 5 short answers (2 points each). Your final exam will cover all topics/questions identified in your reading and lecture guides posted on sakai for each class. The answers to these guides are found in readings, lectures, and films from class.

2

Recitation (20%): Recitation is a great chance to discuss what you have read and learned in lecture in a small class and this is where lots of students do their learning. To receive credit for recitation students MAY NOT MISS MORE THAN THREE RECITATIONS (no excuses please ? that is why we give you three). More than three absences during the semester will result in losing 10 points from your recitation grade (effectively lowering your class one whole grade). Class assignments identified on the syllabus that contribute to your grade include:

? Due Friday October 8th in class: Early in the semester, the class will submit questions they have on energy and society and we will select one to discuss. You will be responsible for finding and posting on sakai a newspaper, journal, or magazine article that answers the selected question in some way. A paragraph explaining how the article you submitted answered the class's question is due in recitation.

? Other recitation activities and assignments made at your TAs discretion.

Energy Diary (25%): Each student will be responsible for making 5 two-page entries in an "energy diary." The first entry will chronicle your energy use for two hours. You should identify your activities for two hours in a day and analyze the amount and source of energy used. For the next four entries you will choose an energy-saving activity from the list provided and undertake it in your life. You will conduct a short analysis of the energy saved from you undertaking that activity. You will also reflect on the activity answering the following questions: 1) Why did you choose that activity? 2) What made it an easy activity? 3) What made it a hard activity? 4) What do you think could be done to encourage people to undertake that activity more often? The purpose of the energy diary is for you to learn by doing in your own life and be able to apply your analytic skills to figuring out how much energy can be saved and how these activities fit into the social world. See additional paper for list of activities and further instructions for the energy diary.

The Rules 1. No plagiarism. 2. No cheating. 3. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL LOSE HALF A GRADE FOR EACH CALENDAR DAY LATE. If your paper is a 3.0 then it will be marked as a 2.5 for a day late, a 2.0 for 2 days late. If you must miss a deadline due to illness or emergency, notify all of us via email on or before the due date. 4. THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT. There will be not additional assignments or revised work for re-grading. Instead, be prepared for tests and quizzes and we are happy to review drafts of your work and answer questions before it is due. 5. IF YOU CONTEST A GRADE, you must do it in writing to the grader. Write your argument presenting evidence supporting a grade change and attach your original work with our grading on it.

3

Energy and Society / 11:374:175 / Fall 2010

All Readings listed here are posted on

DATE

ASSIGNED READINGS

Syllabus

09/03 Fri.

Class Guide

09/07 Tues. 09/10 Fri. (Rosh Hashanah) 09/14 Tues.

09/17 Fri.

09/21 Tues.

Sieferle, R.P. 1990. "The Energy System ? A Basic Concept of Environmental History" in The Silent Countdown ? Essays in European Environmental History NO CLASS ? Monday Classes due to Labor Day

Chow, J., Kopp, R.J., & Portney, P. 2003. "Energy Resources & Global Development" Science 302: 1528-1531.

Vaughn, J. 2007. "CAF? Standards" in Environmental Politics: Domestic and Global Dimensions. Broder, John M. and Maynard, M. May 20, 2009. "As Political Winds Shift, Detroit Charts New Course" New York Times.

Levy, David L. and Sandra Rothenberg (2002) "Heterogeneity and change in environmental strategy: technological and political responses to climate change in the automobile industry."

READING & LECTURE TOPICS Worst Case Scenarios: Why is it important to understand our relationships with energy? What is the case for transforming our energy system? The Basics: What is an energy system? Where do humans fit in? What is a human-energy system?

A Global View: How are U.S. Energy Choices Different than the Rest of the World? Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why did it take the U.S. government over 30 years to increase the fuel economy standards for vehicles? Recitation Movie: Who Killed the Electric Car? (First half) Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why did U.S. manufacturers make gas guzzlers when others were making hybrids?

09/24 Fri. 09/28 Tues. 10/01 Fri. 10/05 Tues.

Lauer, J. 2005. "Driven to extremes: Fear of crime and the rise of the sport utility vehicle in the United States" Crime Media Culture 1(2): 149?168 Hakim, D. May 21 2005. "A Love Affair with S.U.V.s Begins to Cool." New York Times. C13.

Silver, Nate. May 6, 2009. "The End of Car Culture?" Esquire. Rosenthal, E. May 11, 2009. "In German Suburb, Life Goes on Without Cars" New York Times. Multiple Contributors, May 12, 2009. "Car-Free in America?" New York Times.

QUIZ IN RECITATION COVERING 9/03 THROUGH 9/24

The Economist. May 7, 2009. "Coal-fired power plants: The writing on the wall" Warner, Melanie. Feb. 14, 2009. "Is America Ready to Quit Coal?" New York Times Hoffman, A. "Managing Stroke of the Pen Risk: Cinergy Case Study" from Getting Ahead of the Curve: Corporate Strategies that Address Climate Change Vaughn, J. 2007. "The Nuclear Power Debate" in Environmental Politics: Domestic and Global Dimensions. Keystone Center. 2007. Nuclear Power Fact Finding: Executive Summary. Perrow, C. 1999. "Normal Accident at Three Mile Island" through page 49 only. From Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies.

Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why do so many Americans choose to drive SUVs?

Recitation Movie: Who Killed the Electric Car? (Second Half) Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why do Americans Drive So much?

In-class segments of Blueprint for America: Road to the Future ca/reports/road-to-the-future/video-fulldocumentary/648/ Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why are electric companies re-thinking coal power plants?

Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why may the first nuclear power plant since 1977 be built this year?

4

10/08 Fri.

10/12 Tues. 10/15 Fri. 10/19 Tues.

"The Elusive Negawatt ? Energy Efficiency" The Economist. May 10, 2008.

ASSIGNMENT DUE Bring an article (from a newspaper, academic journal, or magazine) that provides some perspective on the question chosen by the class. Write a paragraph on how your article answers the question posed

by the class and pass it in in lecture. Two articles chosen from your suggestions will be posted on sakai on 10/07. MID-TERM EXAM IN CLASS ? 09/03/2010 THROUGH 10/12/2010 Friedman, Thomas L. 2008. "Fill `Er Up with Dictators: Petropolitics" pp.77-110 in Hot, Flat and Crowded Farar, Sraus and Giroux: New York.

Understanding Our Energy Choices: Why do investments in energy efficiency often lead to increases in energy use?

Understanding Our Energy Choices: A Question Chosen From Class Suggestions Our Energy Choices & their Impacts: What's oil got to do with freedom?

10/22 Fri. 10/26 Tues. 10/29 Fri. 11/02 Tues. 11/05 Fri. 11/09 Tues. 11/12 Fri. 11/16 Tues. 11/19 Fri. 11/23 Tues.

Kane, J. 1993 "Letter from the Amazon: With Spears at All Sides" The New Yorker: 69:31:54-79. The Economist. May 21st, 2009. "Justice or Extortion: The Hounding of an American Oil Company" Science Daily. June 19, 2007. "Crude Oil Contains Less Toxic Mercury Than Coal." Science Daily. May 3, 2009. "How Mercury Emissions Reach Tuna And Other Seafood, And Why Mercury Contamination Is Likely To Worsen" Assignment: Find the % of Mercury you are getting Parkinson, J. 2009. "The Not So Sunny Side of Solar Panels" Voice of San Diego. Cha, Ariana Eunjung. 2008. "Solar Energy Firms Leave Wastes Behind in China" Washington Post Pacala, S. and Socolow, R. 2004. "Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 years with Current Technologies" Science 305:968-972. Hoffert, Martin I. et al. 2002. "Advanced Technology Paths to Global Climate Stability: Energy for a Greenhouse Planet" Science Vol. 298 Issue 5595, p981 Grove, Andy. 2008. "Our Electric Future" The American, The Journal of The American Enterprise Institute Schumacher, E.F. 1977. "Technology with a Human Face" from Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered

Dietz, T. 2003. "What is a Good Environmental Decision?" Human Ecology Review 10:1:33-39. Clemen, R.T. Reilly. T. 1999. "Chapter 1 ? An Introduction to Decision Analysis" in Making Hard Decisions. Environmental Protection Agency. 2006. "Chapter 1 ? Life Cycle Assessment" from Life Cycle Assessment: Principles and Practice. Environmental Protection Agency. 2009. "EPA Life Cycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Renewable Fuels." Rosenthal, E. 2008. "Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World" New York Times. Costanza, R. 1980. "Embodied Energy and Economic Valuation" Science 210:4475:1219

QUIZ IN RECITATION on 10/19/2010 THROUGH 11/12/2010 Probyn, S. 2007. "The Tax that Saved the Planet" April 23, 2009. Vanity Fair. Broder, J. 2009. "With Something for Everyone, Climate Bill Passed" July 1, 2009. New York Times. (Lecture: Sarah Pena) Bowman, C. 2008. "SMUD rates customers on energy consumption" September 26, 2008. Sacramento Bee. Werthamer, C. 2007. "Five Years Later, Greenburgh's Code is

Our Energy Choices & their Impacts: Why are indigenous Amazonian populations losing their land?

Our Energy Choices & their Impacts: Why is there mercury in my tuna?

Our Energy Choices & their Impacts: Why are crops in Gaolong China dying?

Thinking About Our Energy Choices: What are the technological options available to us?

Thinking About Our Energy Choices: What should the goals for our future energy system be?

Thinking About Our Energy Choices: How can we analyze the tough choices we have to make about our energy system?

Thinking About Our Energy Choices: How can we can we assess which energy sources meet these goals?

Thinking About Our Energy Choices: How can we assess how our everyday consumption impacts the energy system?

Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System: How much did you pay for your carbon?

Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System: Changing Household Energy Decisions

5

11/26 Fri. 11/30 Tues.

Reaping Rewards" September 9, 2007. New York Times. The Economist. 2009. "Knowledge is Power" May 14, 2009.

NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING Mummolo, Jonathan. 2009. "Young People to Swarm Capitol with Green Agenda" March 1, 2009.

12/03 Fri.

12/07 Tues.

12/10 Fri. 12/22 Wed. 8:00-10:00 am

Associated Press. May 14, 2009. "Battery 'swap' station for electric vehicles unveiled". Friedman, T. 2009. "Start Up the Risk-Takers" February 22, 2009. Opinion-Editorial. New York Times. Donohue, Joe. 2008. "Pay-as-you-Drive insurance rates heading to N.J." The Star-Ledger. Robins, Martin., Weiner, Scott., and Zupan, S. 2006. "The 11 Million-Gallon Solution" October 1, 2006. New York times "Dear Energy Diary" : Turn in class energy project and discuss findings.

FINAL EXAM COVERING 10/19 to 12/10

Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System: Organizing for Change: Are you part of a "social movement" about energy? Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System: Organizing for Change Business Entrepreneurs

Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System: Changing Decisions to Drive

Strategies for Transforming Our Energy System:

6

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download