This course is an introduction to the big questions about environmental degradation, resource consumption, and quality of life for people, now and in the future. We survey the environmental state of the world in 1999, including the health of physical systems such as climate and water, the biodiversity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and human habitations and quality of life around the world. We review the physical and biological processes that make the earth a life-support system. Also, we survey policies and economics of resource use and the ways in which different societies consume resources. Linking these themes is the outlook for a sustainable future, in terms of the size of the human population and the quality of life, the status of other species, and the integrity of physical systems.
Sections involve discussion of readings, field trips, and collaboration on projects.
Students keep a journal, write research paper, design individual and group projects, and take two essay exams. Special Problems in Environmental Studies. Meets with American Culture 301.001. May not be repeated for credit. This course will examine environmental planning, patterns of land use, and racial change in U.S. metropolitan regions.