3-12: Developments in China

Importance of this Unit to the Course

One fifth of the world's people lives in China, so personal consumption habits of Chinese will have a profound impact on the global environment. Energy policy and industrial development in China also have major implications on global greenhouse gas emissions.

Objectives

To understand the global implications of societal developments in China.
To explore ways that the U.S. can assist China in its development path.

Preparation for Discussion (You must complete this section before class.)

Read the summary information. (Print text for offline review; images only.)

Take the Quiz over the summary information. (see your portfolio)

Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)

Discussion (online / face-to-face) (See your portfolio for due dates and times)

A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog. The following types of comments are required:

Social Comments
Knowledge-building Comments
Ethical Comments

The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:

Unit Problem to Ponder:

If every adult Chinese person had an automobile and drove 50 miles per day, how much gasoline would be needed per year? How does this volume compare with the volume of Saylorville Reservoir? What would be the size of the parking lot to accommodate these cars? How does this compare with the area of Iowa?
Unit exam questions from previous years
Unit discussions from previous years, available from the current online discussion page

Additional Reading