Our lives are touched increasingly by questions about environmental degradation at local, regional, and global scales. Business-as-usual is being challenged. This course stimulates students to go beyond the often-simplistic portraits of environmental dilemmas offered by the mass media to gain a firmer basis for responsible stewardship and informed action on environmental issues. Students will practice and apply critical-thinking skills.

Outcome 1
Describe the history of environmental thought and how ideas in the past shape present-day environment management.

Outcome 2
Apply the basic principles of physical, chemical, biological and social sciences to explain environmental problems and solutions to those problems, including climate change, human population growth, agriculture, energy and the environment, ecosystem and species management, biodiversity, and pollution.

Outcome 3
Create an argument for a solution to an environmental problem that also recognizes the counter argument.

Outcome 4
Debate the fundamental concepts of environmental management, both in written and oral format.