An in-depth discussion of the ethical implications of major environmental problems such as world population and food supply, inequities in land and resource distribution, materialism and personal life styles, and exploitation vs. stewardship of the environment. Lectures and case studies focus on the integration of ecological concepts and evaluation methods including cost-benefit analysis, environmental impact assessment, landscape suitability analysis, and energy assessment. Public presentation techniques and debate skills will be introduced. A course which emphasizes principles and analysis of chemical movement and distribution in natural environments. This laboratory provides experiences in sampling and analysis of water, soil, and air.
Experimental work is conducted in both natural habitats and the laboratory.
This course focuses on the economics of extracting both depletable and renewable resources from the environment. Natural resources studied include energy resources, water resources, forestry, and fisheries. Trends in resource scarcity are discussed. The economics of recycling is considered as time permits. This course follows and complements Eco 421.