Click any of the underlined topics above to see the detailed Program Objectives below:

Program Objectives

Orientation

• Present a brief history of the Forum and explain its structure.
• Introduce the participants to one another and to the Environmental Forum’s Board and Coordinators.
• Introduce the concept of advocacy.
• Explain the Sustainable Earth Forum and distribute program materials.
• Establish a sense of class community.
• Introduce the concept of sustainability, explain the Forum’s focus on the theme of climate change, and explore reasons for preserving the environment, including the web of life.

Geology

• Introduce plate tectonics and the geologic history of Marin County.
• Introduce the major rock types of Marin County and their locations.
• Introduce the major soils found in Marin County, their key characteristics, and the rock types and processes that produce them.
• Introduce the major earthquake faults and their importance in shaping Marin County, their past behaviors and the hazards they represent, and the county agencies involved with such issues.
• Introduce other hazards such as landslides, debris flows, floods, subsidence, liquefaction, and soil and groundwater contamination, and the county agencies involved with such issues.
• Introduce streams as a force shaping the landforms of Marin and explain other impacts of their flow.

Plant Communities

• Introduce some of the many natural plant communities found in Marin County.
• Consider the physical factors that shape and limit these biological communities such as soils, climate, topography, wildlife, and natural fire.
• Examine the special adaptations of plants living in each of these communities and introduce the ideas of distribution range and endemism.
• Introduce the ideas and significance of biodiversity, the position of endangered or threatened species, and show how human activities, such as destruction of habitat, anthropogenic fire and fire suppression, invasive non-native species, and global warming may affect them.

Wildlife

• Gain an understanding of ecosystems, habitat fragmentation, island biology and the implications for biodiversity.
• Acquire a basic understanding of the web of life: the interdependency of species and how changes in food supply and changes in population filter through from one species to another.
• Learn the history of wildlife in Marin, understand changes that have taken place over the past 200 years and consider the condition of wildlife today, including possible impacts of climate change.
• Explore major proposed policies and programs that would affect the existing ecosystem, and identify the agencies that would be involved.

Agriculture and Mariculture

• Review some of Marin’s plant communities and look at watersheds en route to West Marin.
• Visit two of West Marin’s agricultural and maricultural operations and gain some understanding of their operations and some of their environmental challenges.
• Introduce the history of coastal zone management in Marin County and its relationship to agriculture.
• Learn about the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) that preserves ag land in Marin.
• Learn about innovative agricultural operations changing the ag industry in this county, including controlling waste and harnessing it to produce renewable energy.

Baylands

The Marin baylands comprise numerous habitats: salt marshes, diked baylands, seasonal wetlands, riparian corridors, adjacent uplands, grasslands, oak woodlands and the bay.

• Study the baylands as an ecosystem, including watershed linkages with the bay, bringing in energy flow and nutrient cycling.
• Study the biology of a salt marsh habitat and how the bayland habitats function as an environmental unit.
• Understand the spectrum of human uses of baylands, their resulting impacts on the ecosystem, and the potential effects of rising sea levels.
• Review current efforts to protect and restore baylands and their contributing watersheds – in Marin County as well as the larger San Francisco Bay-Estuary.

Bay/Estuary/Ocean Ecosystems

• Gain a basic understanding of the geology and hydrology of the San Francisco Bay ecosystem.
• Present a historical perspective of the bay and ocean, and learn about harmful human impacts on them.
• Understand why sea levels and temperatures are rising, and how warmer oceans affect climate.
• Introduce advocacy organizations and government agencies that are working to reduce harmful human impacts on the bay and ocean systems.
• Help students better understand the impact of daily food decisions on ocean ecosystem health and the economy.
• Review the importance of watershed management in providing a sustainable water supply for both people and wildlife.

Water

• Water: a fragile balance; water as a global resource; water management and water scarcity context.

• Learn about water demand, water supply and water-quality issues on the state, regional and local levels.
• Learn about the projected water needs of Marin and explore the pros and cons of several supply sources for the local water districts.
• Understand the energy requirements and global warming impacts of the existing and proposed water supply systems in Marin, and discuss the feasibility of using renewable systems.
• Consider possible impacts of global climate change on state and regional water sources and supplies.
• Learn about personal and local actions to reduce demand, conserve and protect water as a resource.

Advocacy (Introduction) and Environmental Education

• Provide an introduction to public speaking and communication skills, in preparation for Advocacy Day presentations, and learn what is required to be an effective advocate.
• Understand the full scope of participation in environmental issues by learning different ways that advocacy can take place.
• Appreciate examples of environmental activism and advocacy in action.
• Introduce local and regional political systems—including how Marin County’s major public agencies are organized and what their responsibilities are—so as to maximize advocacy efforts.
• Understand the role of environmental education as a foundation for environmental awareness and involvement.

Resource Recovery & Toxics

• Learn how the Precautionary Principle is being used in local government.
• Study waste reduction and waste as a resource.
• Understand solid waste practices and issues in Marin and beyond

Advocacy

• Practice communication skills and effective advocacy by delivering a two-minute presentation before the Sustainable Earth Forum class.
• Develop an understanding of the local and regional political systems so as to maximize your advocacy efforts.

Land Use

• Learn how land use patterns developed in Marin.
• Learn about the function and processes of general plans, including the current status and sustainability elements of the Countywide Plan.
• Acquire a basic understanding of land-use planning so as to be prepared to evaluate and comment on EIRs, CEQA and the application process.
• Understand local zoning designations and their effect on land use, how land use policies affect energy demand and how state property tax policies affect land-use decisions.
• Understand housing issues in Marin, including lack of affordable housing and its effect on energy use.
• Explore the concept of “smart growth” and how it can be applied in Marin County.

Energy

• Learn how alternative and conventional energy is produced and distributed.
• Learn the degree to which energy production and distribution affects the environment (pollution of air, land and water; climate change; etc.).
• Explore how individual energy choices affect the economy, human and ecological health, and sustainability.
• Understand global energy agreements and trends.
• Understand what corporations, utilities and governments are and are not doing to restore and maintain a healthy carbon economy.
• Reveal how energy is at the heart of the economics of capitalism and sustainability, and the tradeoffs associated with fossil-fuel and renewable energy sources.

Transportation

• Understand the past, present and future of transportation
• Understand current transformations in US transportation, based on global issues of climate change and peak oil.
• Understand upstream and downstream energy costs of various fuels and modes of transportation.
• Consider future possibilities for personal, mass and commercial transportation.
• Gain ‘big picture’ point-of-view: about the operation, planning, financing and environmental impact of Marin’s mass-transit systems.

Introduction to Sustainability

• Explore the meaning of “sustainability” and the impact of consumption and population on achieving sustainability goals.
• Examine the interconnectedness of consumption, overpopulation and the environment using various sustainability models, such as the three E's, Ecological Footprint and Natural Step.
• Present a global perspective on consumption, population and sustainability issues and link the global perspective to specifics in Marin County and the Bay Area, including how individuals can make more sustainable choices (review the three R’s).

Economics of Sustainability

• (Systems perspective – global, local) Examine the relationship between sustainability and capitalism.
• (Individual perspective) Encourage individuals to examine their own role(s) as economic decision-makers and make (and influence others to choose) more sustainable economic alternatives.
• (Markets perspective) Explore possible financial incentives to tackling climate change – voluntary carbon markets, etc.
• (Case study/studies) Demonstrate how businesses can pursue sustainable strategies, be responsible corporate citizens and be profitable / financially sustainable.

Environmental Ethics

• Examine our own environmental values and philosophy, their roots and evolution.
• Discover concepts and adopt strategies for honoring environmental principles and actions in our daily lives.

Projects

• Encourage students to learn more about and get more involved in an environmental issue that interests them, through research, advocacy or work on a practical project.
• Give students public speaking experience by presenting their projects to their classmates and EFM members.

Graduation

• Celebrate the graduation of the members of Forum XXXVII.