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Earth and Environmental Sciences Home > Courses > Environmental Science Courses > EESC 460 - Environmental Science Seminar

EESC 460 - Environmental Science Seminar

Spring 2003

TEXT: Suggested

During this seminar we will be discussing many local, states, national and international problems that are current. Your source for these problem topics will be newspapers, Time, Newsweek, U. S. New & World Report, Science News, Environment, etc. We will discuss the causes and possible solutions to some problems faced by communities and nations. We will discuss these topics with a trans-disciplinary approach. One main objective of this course is to help you learn to understand the interrelationships involved with environment problems.

I will invite speakers who have first hand knowledge of working with environmental problems. They will share some of their experiences with us.

Throughout the semester we will be looking at several principles of environmental science. You are required to read information from your text and other sources. Some principles are listed below:

I The earth is the only suitable habitat we have, and its resources are finite (limited).
II Solutions to environmental problems most often require an understanding of systems and rate changes.
III. An understanding of complex environmental problems requires a trans-disciplinary team approach.
IV Living organisms have altered the atmosphere, oceans, and sediments of Earth and, these are quite different from what they would be on a lifeless planet.
V The continuing existence of life on Earth is the result of the characteristics of ecosystems and not of individual organisms or populations.
VI All human activities from the most primitive farming to the most recent technological innovations, cause some environmental changes.
VII What we do to land usually has a cumulative effect. Thus, if future generations are to survive, we must seek to limit negative effects.
VIII Every human society has a set of beliefs about nature, and the effects of nature on man and the effects man on his natural surroundings.
IX Requirement for living organisms is a scientific question: The choice of what we do to sustain our life is usually an ethical question beyond science.

These principles should be kept in mind when we discuss: Energy demands and the problems associated with the types of energy used. Sources of water, air, solid waste and noise pollution.

You will be required to read material in preparation for each class so that you can contribute effectively to the discussion. You will be required to generate an in-depth trans-disciplinary research paper concerning and environmental problems that you will select, also, you will make an oral presentation of your topic.

The following will generate your grade:

1. Your effective participation in class discussions and the material that you bring to share with the class.
2. The paper that you generate on your selected topic.
3. The research paper will be shared with the class by the oral presentation, and I and your peers will evaluate your presentation
4. Your performance on the final exam. (5/2/02 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 pm)

You will be required to take the Environmental Science Outcome Assessment Test, but it will not count as part of your grade.

I expect you to be present at each class meeting and to be prepared to discuss the topic(s) of the day.

I will suggest readings in other texts and will help you in acquiring pertinent text.