Course Goals/Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able
to:
- understand the concept of human-caused, or anthropogenic, changes in
environmental systems
- demonstrate basic literacy in the scientific and social complexity of
the problem of global environmental change
- recognize that scientific conclusions are based on data that
are generally not disputed and on the interpretation of that data, a
creative scientific activity that follows specific rules
- recognize the importance of the global human population level on
environmental change
- explain how our current use of energy and other resources threatens
to bring about global environmental change
- explain how our current uses of biological and land resources cause
worldwide loss of biodiversity
- understand and evaluate the consequences of activities that affect
global environmental resources and policy options regarding resources
and activities
- describe social and economic activities that bear directly on
environmental change, such as agriculture, deforestation, manufacturing,
and transportation
- discuss the sustainability of human institutions and practices as a
necessary consideration in defining humanity's future relationship with
the natural environment
- describe alternative ways of carrying out social and economic
activities that are more sustainable than our present ways of doing
things
- develop an awareness that human ethics and activities may be
detrimental to the survival of humans
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