ENV 320W - Environmental Management Systems

1. Describe the process by which environmental regulations are enacted and how the environment/business climate may change from command and control to voluntary programs.
   1. Identify three benefits of “command and control”
   2. List two needs that current environmental programs are not addressing
   3. List two examples of voluntary programs
2. Identify environmental management systems and describe the goals and standards typical of the systems.
   1. Define a systems approach to management and list three benefits
   2. Identify four steps in the Deming Model
   3. Define a standard and list one example
   4. List two organizations who promulgate standards
   5. Compare and contrast ISO 14000 standards with regulations
   6. Explain two reasons why ISO got involved in environmental management standards
3. Describe the benefits of and the barriers to the establishment of an Environmental Management System.
   1. List one major difference between process and performance standard
   2. Identify three reasons why employee involvement in an EMS is important
   3. List one major goal of training other than job competence
   4. Identify three hurdles to introducing organizational change
   5. List three organizational benefits derived from using an EMS
4. Describe the components of the ISO 14000 Environmental Management System.
   1. Identify two branches of the ISO 14000 Family of Standards
   2. Describe the purpose of the Organizational Evaluation Standards and list three components of OES
   3. List two purposes of an EMS internal audit
   4. Describe one way that the registration audit differs from the internal EMS audit
   5. Describe one way that the internal audit is different from the compliance audit
   6. Describe the purpose of the Product Evaluation Standards and list three components
   7. Explain two difficulties in harmonizing product evaluation standards
5. Describe the requirements of ISO 14001 standards.
   1. List the five key elements in the ISO 14001 standard
   2. Identify three components of each key element
   3. List two requirements that top management must fulfill
   4. List two purposes of the EMS audit
   5. Explain one key element of commitment to continual improvement
   6. Identify two key elements of prevention of pollution
   7. List two communication requirements that ISO 14001 makes
   8. Give one example of an environmental aspect
   9. List two requirements for compliance to the law that ISO 14001 makes
   10. Explain why ISO 14001 assigns responsibility for determining effectiveness, adequacy, and suitability of the EMS to management rather than to the auditor
6. Describe the issues involved in incorporating ISO 14000 into the existing environmental management elements of a business.
   1. List two key elements of the Alternative Track
   2. List three benefits to integrating ISO 14000 EMS with the current regulatory scheme
   3. Explain three obstacles to integrating ISO 14000 EMS with the current regulatory scheme
7. Describe the process of implementing ISO 14000 into a business.
   1. List three steps in establishing an implementation action plan
   2. Describe two steps in developing a registration strategy
   3. Identify two steps in developing a registration strategy
   4. List two benefits of implementing ISO 14001
8. Analyze a case study and describe issues related to the implementation of an environmental management system
   1. Describe the products, operations, organizational structure of the organization described in the case study.
   2. Apply the ISO 14000 foundations, fundamental concepts, components and elements of ISO 14001 they have learned in the course to a hypothetical organization.
9. Perform writing tasks to promote learning.
10. Write effectively for a specific audience and purpose.
11. Demonstrate the learning of concepts through writing.