ENVC 165 - Sustainability Fundamentals

Credits: 5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 44
Lab Hours: 22
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

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.
Distribution Requirements:

Natural Sciences Distribution Requirement

Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Critically evaluate information sources for sustainability and climate change.
Understand how humans interact with the natural world.
Understand ecosystems and their services.
Understand ecological sustainability and limits to our water resources.
Understand the implications of human impacts from urbanization, transportation, and agriculture.
Understand climate change and its consequences.
Understand the choices and consequences of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
Understand environmental economics.
Calculate the carbon footprint of human activities and resource consumptions.
PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL: Communicate environmental information to the public. Perform a wetland delineation procedure.

Course Contents

Humans and ecological sustainability.
Sustaining biodiversity.
Ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Water resources.
Human population and urbanization.
Agriculture - from green revolution to globalization.
Globalization of goods and services.
Climate change and air pollution - causes and projections.
Transportation ΓÇô from fossil fuels to biofuels and more.
Energy - renewable and nonrenewable sources.
Environmental economics.
Carbon and human footprint calculations.

Instructional Units: 5.5