Prerequisite:

Finished second Bologna levelor University degree VII.

Content (Syllabus outline):

• environmental problems and the role of human behaviour in the environment
• society’s responses to human activity in the environment and the development of environmental paradigms
• environmental effects of pollution sources (transport, agriculture, industry, mining, energy, households)
• contemporary environmental challenges in urban areas
• relationship between man and living environment
• development of environmental awareness and environmentally friendly behaviour
• methods to strengthen environmental awareness and behaviour

Readings:

• Akintunde E. A. 2017. Theories and Concepts for Human Behavior in Environmental Preservation. Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health. 1-2.
• Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., Gaillard, E. 2020.Environmental education outcomes for conservation: A systematic review. Biological Conservation, 241.
• Ensuring quality of life in Europe’s cities and towns. 2009. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 108 str.
• Gardner, G. T., Stern, P. C. 2002: Environmental problems and human behaviour. Boston.
• Harper, C., Snowden, M. 2017: Environment and Society. New York.
• Kirn, A. 2004: Narava – družba – ekološka zavest. Ljubljana.
• Kos, D. 2004: Tri ravni trajnostnega razvoja. Teorija in praksa, 41-1/2.
• Plut, D. 2006: Mesta in sonaravni razvoj. Ljubljana.
• Plut, D. 2008: Vrednotenje geografskega okolja in okoljska etika. Dela 29.
• Polajnar Horvat, K. 2015: Okolju prijazno vedenje. Georitem 26. Ljubljana.
• Smrekar, A. 2011: From environmental awareness in word to environmental awareness in deed: the case of Ljubljana. Acta geographica Slovenica 51-2.
• Smrekar, A., Breg Valjavec, M.), Polajnar Horvat, K., Tiran, J. 2019: geography of urban environmental protection in Slovenia : the case of Ljubljana. Acta geographica Slovenica. 59-3.
• Steg, L., Vlek, C. 2009: Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda. Journal of environmental psychology 29.
• Špes, M. 1998: Degradacija okolja kot dejavnik diferenciacije urbane pokrajine. Geographica Slovenica 30. Ljubljana

Objectives and competences:

The main objective of the course is to introduce the student to selected topics from researching human-environment relations.

During the course, students will gain the following competences:

• understanding the role of human behaviour in generating and solving contemporary environmental problems,
• awareness about key environmental paradigms,
• understanding the development of environmental thought, awareness, and environmental behavior as the key factors in burdening and protecting the environment,
• ability to recognize the main sources of environmental pollution and to understand their activity and effect on the environment,
• ability to understand the city as an ecosystem and awareness about key urban environmental problems,
• understanding the complexity of the relation between man and living environment and its perception and evaluation,
• ability to recognize and understand the role of internal and external factors in environmental awareness and behavior and
• awareness on the importance and role of informational and structural strategies to promote environmental awareness and behavior.

Students will be encouraged to adopt critical thinking, use the problem approach, and independent research. Therefore,submitting an individual seminar paper on the selected topic will be required.

Intended learning outcomes:

Participation in the course will bring the student:

• an in-depth understanding of contemporary environmental problems and ways of solving them,
• the ability to recognize environmental pollution sources and their effects on the landscape,
• the ability to perform a complex evaluation of the urban environment and its elements,
• an in-depth understanding of the complex relation between man and living environment,
• the ability to understand the reciprocal factors in the development of environmental awareness and behavior, and
• practical knowledge about the usefulness of informational and structural strategies for promoting environmental awareness and changing environmental behaviors.

Learning and teaching methods:

Types of learning/teaching:

• Frontal teaching
• Work in smaller groups or pair work
• Independent students work
• e-learning

Teaching methods:

• Explanation
• Conversation/discussion/debate
• Case studies
• Different presentation
• Inviting guests from companies

Assessment:

• Short written assignments (30 %)
• Final examination (written/oral)  (70 %)

Lecturer’s references:

• Smrekar, A. 2006: Zavest ljudi o pitni vodi. Geografija Slovenije 12. Ljubljana.
• Smrekar, A. 2007: Divja odlagališča odpadkov na območju Ljubljane. Georitem 1. Ljubljana.
• Smrekar, A. 2011: From environmental awareness in word to environmental awareness in deed: the case of Ljubljana. Acta geographica Slovenica 51-2.
• Smrekar, A., Tiran, J. 2013: Pomen zelenih površin za kakovost bivanja v mestih : razvoj misli skozi čas. Geografski vestnik 85-2.
• Smrekar, A., Breg Valjavec, M. 2014: Vrednotenje nekdanje in sedanje proizvodnje nevarnih odpadkov v Ljubljani z vidika obremenjevanja podtalnice. Geografski vestnik 86-2.
• Smrekar, A., Breg Valjavec, M.), Polajnar Horvat, K., Tiran, J. 2019: geography of urban environmental protection in Slovenia : the case of Ljubljana. Acta geographica Slovenica. 59-3.
• Smrekar, A., Gašperič, P., Tičar, J., Polajnar Horvat, K. 2023: Aktivno vključevanje deležnikov v upravljanje zavarovanih območij: primer mokrišča Krajinski park Sečoveljske soline. Geografski vestnik 95-1.