E&ES199 - Introduction to Environmental Science

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Academic Year 2005/2006

Introduction to Environmental Science
E&ES 199 SP

In this course we address: How does the natural environment function and what are the impacts of human activities on our natural environment. Discussions about global warming, nuclear pollution and disappearance of species crowd the headlines every day, but what is natural variation and what is human impact? The course provides a short introduction to the four spheres of the earth (rock, water, air, life) and their interactions. Active earth processes (plate tectonics, weathering, volcanism etc) are reviewed, and than we discuss in some detail five main topics:
1. Population growth, 2. Energy supplies and demand, 3. Global climate change, 4. Ecology - biodiversity, 5. Pollution of air, water and food together with a host of smaller topics and issues.

MAJOR READINGS

Much of the course content is covered by the textbook (McKinney and Schoch, Environmental Science). Some sections have exercises using e.g., Excel spread sheets (e.g., when do we run out of oil, what alternate energy sources are available and viable). Help sessions are available for those who lack experience with Excel. Economic, social and public policy aspects of global change are discussed within the context of scientific evidence.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Examinations and assignments:
There is a midterm and a final exam, 5 assignments, and final projects and/or a term paper. Group projects in the past have covered environmental movies, theater, paintings, sketches, music as well as more conventional term papers. There are optional lab demonstrations and a fieldtrip.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Basic (high school) science skills required but no prior knowledge of the topic is assumed.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NSM E&ES Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Varekamp,Johan C.

Times: .M.W.F. 10:00AM-10:50AM; Location: SCIE121;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 80)

SR. major: 0 Jr. major: 0

SR. non-major: 5 Jr. non-major: 10 SO: 20 FR: 45

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Quantitative Reasoning, Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-30-2006