Syllabus
Section 1: Introduction, concepts and tools
Date |
Topic # |
Topic |
Instructor* |
Learning Materials available on Blackboard |
Aug. 26 |
1 |
Problems facing Planet Earth and modern society; course
logistics |
DA, JB |
now available |
Aug. 28 |
2 |
Signature Course concept; Expectations for Discussion Section;
The concept of Sustainability: Social equity, economy, and
environment |
DA, JB |
now available |
Aug. 31 |
3 |
The Scientific Method |
JB |
now available |
Sept. 2 |
4 |
Tragedy of the Commons I: The history of civilizations and
sustainability |
JB |
|
Sept. 4 |
4 |
Tragedy of the Commons II |
JB |
|
Sept. 7 |
|
Labor Day Holiday |
|
|
Section 2: Natural cycles: How the Earth works
Sept. 9 |
5 |
Plate tectonics and the rock cycle |
JB |
|
Sept. 11 |
6 |
Atmosphere I: Structure and composition |
DA |
|
Sept. 14 |
7 |
Atmosphere II: Circulation |
JB |
|
Sept. 16 |
7 |
Atmosphere III: Weather and climate |
JB |
|
Sept. 18 |
8 |
Climate change through time |
JB |
|
Sept. 21 |
9 |
Hydrosphere and the water cycle |
JB |
|
Sept. 23 |
|
Exam I |
JB |
|
Sept. 25 |
11 |
Grand Cycles and the Anthropocene |
DA |
|
Sept. 28 |
10 |
Hydrosphere and the oceans: Structure, composition
and circulation |
JB |
|
Sept. 30 |
12 |
Ocean-atmopshere interactions& Abrupt Climate Change |
JB |
|
Oct. 2 |
13 |
Cycles of life - Introduction |
DA |
|
Oct. 5 |
13 |
Cycles of life - Carbon |
DA |
|
Section 3: Human perturbation of natural cycles and sustainability
Oct. 7 |
13 |
Cycles of life - Nitrogen |
DA |
|
Oct. 9 |
14 |
Human Impact on the water cycle |
JB |
|
Oct. 12 |
15 |
Sustainability of Freshwater Resources - 1 |
JB |
|
Oct. 14 |
15 |
Sustainability of Freshwater Resources - 2 |
JB |
|
Oct. 16 |
16 |
Sustainability of the Oceans |
JB |
|
Oct. 19 |
|
Exam II |
|
|
Oct. 21 |
18 |
Energy I |
DA |
|
Oct. 23 |
18 |
Energy II |
DA |
|
Oct. 26 |
19 |
Energy III |
MW |
|
Oct. 28 |
20 |
Human impact on the atmosphere I |
DA |
|
Oct. 30 |
20 |
Human impact on the atmosphere II |
DA |
|
Section 4: Societies, economies, technologies, ecologies, and paths to sustainable solutions
Nov. 2 |
20 |
Human impact on the atmosphere II (cont'd) |
DA |
|
Nov. 4 |
21 |
Green Products |
DA |
|
Nov. 6 |
22 |
Industrial Ecology I |
DA |
|
Nov. 9 |
23 |
Industrial Ecology II |
DA |
|
Nov. 11 |
|
Exam 3 |
DA |
|
Nov. 13 |
24 |
Environmental change and biodiversity |
TBA |
|
Nov. 16 |
25 |
Climate change impacts on ecosystems and landscapes |
KY |
|
Nov. 18 |
25 |
Environment, science and the media |
JB |
|
Nov. 20 |
26 |
Environmental Music Symposium |
JB, DA |
|
Nov. 23 |
|
Sustainable development of cities |
SM |
|
Nov. 25 |
27 |
Environmental Change, Policy and Society I |
DA |
|
Nov. 27 |
|
Thanksgiving Holiday |
|
|
Nov. 30 |
27 |
Environmental Change, Policy and Society II |
JB |
|
Dec. 2 |
27 |
Environmental Change, Policy and Society III |
JB |
|
Dec. 4 |
|
Final thoughts and final exam review |
DA, JB |
|
* Denotes Instructor or Guest Speaker
DA - David Allen, Chemical Engineering
JB - Jay Banner, Geological Sciences
KY - Ken Young
SM - Steven Moore, School of Architecture