Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    ENVC

 Course #:    165

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5.5

 CIP:    n/a

 EPC:    n/a

 Course Description  

Introduction to understanding sustainability principles in human societies. Evaluate how sustainability principles can be applied to urbanization, agriculture and the business world in light of climate change. Solutions will be explored in renewable energy, water resources, transportation, and globalization in the light of environmental economics.

 Prerequisite  

None

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 44

Lab: 22

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Supplementary Elective  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate information sources for sustainability and climate change.
2. Understand how humans interact with the natural world.
3. Understand ecosystems and their services.
4. Understand ecological sustainability and limits to our water resources.
5. Understand the implications of human impacts from urbanization, transportation, and agriculture.
6. Understand climate change and its consequences.
7. Understand the choices and consequences of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
8. Understand environmental economics.
9. Calculate the carbon footprint of human activities and resource consumptions.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

2. Critical Thinking

Definition: The ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge within a discipline and about the ways in which that knowledge is constructed and validated and to be sensitive to the ways these processes often vary among disciplines.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
2.8 Describe how one’s own preconceptions, biases and values affect one’s response to new and ambiguous situations.

5. Global & Local Awareness & Responsibility

Definition: Understanding the complexity and interdependence of, and stewardship responsibilities to, local and global communities and environments.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
5.1 Understand the impact of their own and other’s actions on local/global communities and environments and how those communities/environments affect them in turn.

Course Contents

1. Humans and ecological sustainability.
2. Sustaining biodiversity.
3. Ecosystems and ecosystem services.
4. Water resources.
5. Human population and urbanization.
6. Agriculture – from green revolution to globalization.
7. Globalization of goods and services.
8. Climate change and air pollution – causes and projections.
9. Transportation – from fossil fuels to biofuels and more.
10. Energy – renewable and nonrenewable sources.
11. Environmental economics.
12. Carbon and human footprint calculations.