An introductory lab-science course suitable for non-science majors as well as science majors interested in the topic of sustainability. Not suitable for nursing majors seeking to fulfill science pre-requisites.
Students will learn about the interrelationships between humans and their environment by exploring the effects of the environment on organisms as well as sustainable solutions in the context of people, the planet, and economies. Topics include human population, biodiversity, ecosystem services, energy use, global climate trends, and food and water security.
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
Understand ecosystem services and ecology as they pertain to sustainable natural resource use.
Use the scientific method to analyze chosen issues of sustainability and offer solutions.
Recognize how economies, politics, historical background, and media shape values of resource use; and recognize how these forces affect individual perspectives of sustainability.
Recognize the interplay of institutional norms and personal agency with respect to living sustainably.