Understanding Environmental Sustainability (TQUK Level 2 Certificate) (19+) - Online Learning

This course is aimed at anyone seeking to improve their understanding and awareness of environmental sustainability.

This course is split into six manageable units, with a seventh optional unit available:

Unit 1: Principles of sustainable development

In this unit learners will cover:

• The definition of sustainable development
• Human and global issues that impact sustainability
• Common objections to sustainable development
• Benefits of sustainable development and environmental management systems
• The impact that organisations and the environment can have on each other
• How a carbon footprint is calculated
• How to manage carbon footprint in an organisation
• How to reduce carbon footprint in an organisation and at home
• What ‘resource efficiency’ means
• Benefits of using resources efficiently
• Circular sustainability
• Consequences of organisations polluting the environment
• How organisations help prevent pollution
• How management structure can support environmental sustainability
• How employees can help support environmental sustainability

Unit 2: Principles of sustainable communities

In this unit learners will cover:

• The definition of ‘sustainable community’
• What is required for a community to be sustainable
• The local and global benefits of a sustainable community
• Resources that can be used to support community development proposals
• Sources of support for implementing sustainable development in a community
• Engaging with sources of support for development proposals

Unit 3: Principles of sustainable energy management

In this unit learners will cover:

• The definition of sustainable energy management
• Legislation and international agreements relating to sustainable energy management
• Energy conservation techniques
• The contribution of renewable energy sources to sustainable energy management
• How energy saving can be monitored
• How to manage energy usage
• How to set targets for energy saving

Unit 4: Social responsibility of businesses in relation to sustainability

In this unit learners will cover:

• What is meant by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• The importance of social responsibility in businesses for sustainability
• Why businesses might take action to improve social responsibility
• The Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
• How the TBL can impact sustainability
• Greenwashing
• The impacts of greenwashing on society
• The implications of greenwashing on organisations

Unit 5: Principles of waste management

In this unit learners will cover:

• Types of waste
• Characteristics of different types of waste
• Factors which influence the quantity of waste produced by an organisation
• Legislation relevant to waste management
• Public and private sector organisations that have a role in waste management
• The need to manage and minimise waste
• How waste can be used
• How waste management can be promoted
• Methods for disposal of reusable or recyclable waste
• Methods for disposal of waste that is not reusable or recyclable
• How to dispose of waste safely

Unit 6: Principles of sustainable transport

In this unit learners will cover:

• What sustainable transport means
• Sustainable transport methods
• The importance of reducing transport vehicles
• Vehicle fuels not derived from petroleum
• Factors to consider when assessing alternative fuels as sustainable options
• Economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable fuels
• Economic, environmental and social benefits of reducing the use of vehicles
• Ways organisations use and interact with transport systems
• Impact of transport on the environment
• How organisations can incentivise staff to reduce transport use
• Incentives that can be offered to the public and transport providers to reduce vehicle use
• Schemes to penalise vehicle use
• Barriers that may inhibit the public from reducing vehicle use
• Types of leisure travel
• Sustainable options for leisure travel
• Carbon dioxide emissions of different transport types
• The impact of carbon dioxide emissions of different transport types
• Methods to promote more sustainable transport.

Unit 7: Sustainability applied in own setting (optional)

In this unit learners will cover:

• The purpose of carbon audits
• Carrying out a carbon audit in own setting
• Planning sustainability improvements based on the carbon audit
• What is meant by ‘zero waste’
• Evaluating a zero waste approach in own setting and creating an action plan
• How to address sustainability issues in own setting
• Sources of support when addressing sustainability issues
• Impacts on sustainability when working from home compared to working in a workplace
• Energy efficiency and transportation audit
• Challenges that may be faced when addressing sustainability issues in own setting

You must be aged 19+ to apply for this course.