| Credit- Degree applicable | | Effective Quarter: Fall 2020 | I. Catalog Information
| E S 1 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 4 Unit(s) |
| | (See general education pages for the requirement this course meets.) Advisory: EWRT 1A or EWRT 1AH or (EWRT 1AS and EWRT 1AT) or ESL 5. Lec Hrs: 48.00
Out of Class Hrs: 96.00
Total Student Learning Hrs: 144.00 An introductory study of environmental issues, their underlying causes and potential solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective, considering science, history, culture, philosophy, and ethics, law and regulation, politics, economics, and management practices. Topics include current environmental issues related to nature/wildlife preservation, natural resource use and conservation, pollution control and prevention, and energy use and climate change. Students learn how their personal and career choices and actions can protect nature, preserve natural resources, prevent pollution, reduce energy demands and decrease climate change impacts for the benefit of current and future generations.
(One field trip may be required outside of class time.) |
| Student Learning Outcome Statements (SLO)
| | | Examine, analyze, and demonstrate an understanding of the impact associated with human interaction with the environment based on interdisciplinary factors such as worldviews, cultures, politics, history, ethics, laws and regulations, economics, and management principles. |
| | | Demonstrate a coherent understanding of environmental issues, their underlying causes and potential solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective. |
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II. Course Objectives | A. | Examine environmental studies as an interdisciplinary field, considering science, history, culture, philosophy and ethics, law and regulation, politics, economics, and management practices. |
| B. | Assess and apply environmental and ecological concepts to modern life and a technologically based society |
| C. | Assess and explore the career opportunities in environmental studies field |
| D. | Analyze the history of human use and exploitation of the earth's natural resources |
| E. | Examine the relationship between resource degradation and the changing role of humans in society |
| F. | Compare and contrast the history of land use ethics in Western versus non-Western cultures |
| G. | Explore the impact of the industrial revolution and other technological advances on the human relationship with nature |
| H. | Evaluate the effects of the environmental movement in the United States; including key individuals in U.S. environmental history |
| I. | Assess the political system within the United States and its relationship to environmental degradation including federal and state regulatory agencies and environmental laws |
| J. | Analyze how ethics, politics and the current economic system within the United States has influenced environmental policies, laws and regulations |
| K. | Assess the relationship between environmental degradation and poverty and how it potentially can be addressed |
| L. | Examine and describe the United States' natural resources including protected lands (parks, forests and wildlife refuges) |
| M. | Assess and explore the current status of the world's natural resources and the impact on those resources due to human population growth |
| N. | Evaluate the impact of growing human population on the world's available resources, waste and pollution. |
| O. | Examine the basic science of climate change/global warming |
III. Essential Student Materials IV. Essential College Facilities | | Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies and surrounding Environmental Studies Area (ESA) gardens. |
V. Expanded Description: Content and Form | A. | Examine environmental studies as an interdisciplinary field, considering science, history, culture, philosophy and ethics, law and regulation, politics, economics, and management practices. |
| 1. | Analyze the characteristics of the discipline |
| 2. | Assess the relationship of environmental studies to other disciplines |
| 3. | Examine the role of environmental studies in a changing society such as the significance in health related fields, agriculture, energy use, pollution prevention, transportation and industry |
| 4. | Assess the contributions to environmental studies by cultural, ethnic and gender groups |
| B. | Assess and apply environmental and ecological concepts to modern life and a technologically based society |
| 1. | Compare and contrast the principles of a sustainable society and the services provided by nature and ecosystems |
| 2. | Assess the impacts of our industrial society on these life sustaining systems such as the impacts of toxic chemicals on human and ecological health |
| 3. | Understand the concept and importance of the “5 R’s”: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink |
| C. | Assess and explore the career opportunities in environmental studies field |
| 1. | Examine the major sub-disciplines within environmental studies, including career opportunities in Energy Management and Building Science, Facilities and Sustainable Building Management, Environmental Resource Management and Pollution Prevention, and Natural Resource Management |
| 2. | Examine other sub-disciplines within environmental studies including environmental education, habitat restoration, sustainability studies, environmental stewardship and related fields |
| D. | Analyze the history of human use and exploitation of the earth's natural resources |
| 1. | Examine resource use by evolutionary societal changes over time including Native Americans, hunter-gathers, agricultural societies, industrialization and globalization |
| 2. | Explore the recent past to current use of natural resources by humans with an emphasis on the impact on critical earth services such as water, air, soil, species, ecosystems, energy and minerals |
| E. | Examine the relationship between resource degradation and the changing role of humans in society |
| 1. | Compare humans as a part of nature versus apart from nature |
| 2. | Explore the effect of technological advancement and high waste society on the environment |
| F. | Compare and contrast the history of land use ethics in Western versus non-Western cultures |
| 1. | Examine characteristics of Western cultures (for example: Thoreau, Muir, Pinchot, Leopold, Carson and others) |
| 2. | Explore characteristics of non-Western cultures including Native Americans |
| 3. | Assess development of human rights and eventual acknowledgment of the rights of nature |
| G. | Explore the impact of the industrial revolution and other technological advances on the human relationship with nature |
| 1. | Examine characteristics of an industrial society |
| 2. | Review industrial society's view of natural resources |
| 3. | Explore the related concepts of Natural Capital and Ecological Services |
| H. | Evaluate the effects of the environmental movement in the United States; including key individuals in U.S. environmental history |
| 1. | Examine the time period of the1900's: First Wave of Conservation |
| 2. | Examine the time period of the1930's: Second Wave of Conservation |
| 3. | Examine the time period of the 1970's and 1980's: Modern Environmental Movement |
| 4. | Examine the time period of the 1990’s and 2000’s: Sustainable Development/Era of Sustainability |
| I. | Assess the political system within the United States and its relationship to environmental degradation including federal and state regulatory agencies and environmental laws |
| 1. | Examine the U.S. political system in relation to environmental protection and preservation |
| 2. | Examine the major Federal, State and Local government agencies involved in environmental regulation |
| 3. | Review major environmental laws and regulations |
| J. | Analyze how ethics, politics and the current economic system within the United States has influenced environmental policies, laws and regulations |
| 1. | Examine selected case studies such as Superfund Cleanup and CERCLA, the Endangered Species Act, The Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act |
| 2. | Explore how systems and processes can be changed to improve environmental outcomes |
| K. | Assess the relationship between environmental degradation and poverty and how it potentially can be addressed |
| 1. | Examine the concept of the tragedy of the commons and how it can potentially be addressed |
| 2. | Explore the concept of the cycle of poverty and how it can potentially be addressed |
| 3. | Explore the concept of environmental justice and how it can be addressed |
| L. | Examine and describe the United States' natural resources including protected lands (parks, forests and wildlife refuges) |
| 1. | Assess the 4 major categories of federally protected lands in the U.S. including National Parks, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges and BLM lands(Bureau of Land Management) |
| 2. | Examine the concept of wilderness designation on Federally Protected lands |
| 3. | Assess State and Local protected lands (For example: State parks, Palo Alto Baylands, Open Space Districts and others) |
| M. | Assess and explore the current status of the world's natural resources and the impact on those resources due to human population growth |
| 1. | Assess the earth’s stock of natural resources such as water, air, soil, species, ecosystems, energy and minerals) |
| 2. | Assess local use of resources and potential solutions to local problems |
| 3. | Compare and contrast the United States' use of resources and evaluate the problems associated with the non sustainable use of our resources |
| 4. | Evaluate alternative lifestyles and scenarios such as simple living, veganism, zero waste, and net zero energy buildings as a means to reduce consumption of resources |
| N. | Evaluate the impact of growing human population on the world's available resources, waste and pollution. |
| 1. | Examine long term versus short-term resource use and its implications |
| 2. | Assess sustainable uses of the world's resources, such as sustainable harvesting of our forests, expanded recycling and reuse programs and expanded use of renewable energy. |
| 3. | Assess and evaluate renewable (solar, wind and hydroelectric) versus nonrenewable (oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear) forms of energy and the impact of each upon the world's resources |
| 4. | Analyze and explore possible solutions and sustainable projects occurring worldwide addressing resource use and its impacts |
| O. | Examine the basic science of climate change/global warming |
| 1. | Examine climate change/global warming, its potential affects on humans and the natural environment, and potential solutions |
| 2. | Assess the potential affects of climate change/global warming on humans and the natural environment ( For example, sea level rise, increased extreme weather events, decreased water supplies, increased chance of wildfires, spread of tropic diseases, and ocean acidification) |
| 3. | Explore potential solutions to combat climate change/global warming, such as increased use of renewable energy, more fuel efficient vehicles, zero net energy buildings (ZNE) and carbon capture and sequestration technologies. |
VI. Assignments | A. | Reading assignments from the text and other pertinent readings |
| B. | Writing assignments involving summary, synthesis and critical analysis of data and information |
| C. | Team project(including written summary and oral presentation) on an assigned topic |
| D. | Completion of a Student Action Plan (personal actions aimed at reducing their environmental footprint) |
| E. | Final assessment that will require students to demonstrate the ability to summarize, integrate and critically analyze principles and concepts |
| F. | One field trip may be required outside of class time. |
VII. Methods of Instruction | | Lecture and visual aids
Discussion of assigned reading
Discussion and problem solving performed in class
In-class exploration of Internet sites
Quiz and examination review performed in class
Homework and extended projects
Field observation and field trips
Guest speakers
Collaborative learning and small group exercises
Collaborative projects
Final Assessment
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VIII. Methods of Evaluating Objectives | A. | Completion of reading and writing assignments including an assessment (quiz) process to evaluate student comprehension of concepts and principles (e.g., identification of public lands systems in the U.S.). |
| B. | Completion of team project including an assessment process to evaluate student comprehension of concepts and principles (e.g., solar energy in California). |
| C. | A final assessment (exam) that will require students to demonstrate the ability to summarize, integrate and critically analyze principles and concepts examined throughout the course |
IX. Texts and Supporting References | A. | Examples of Primary Texts and References |
| 1. | OpenStax: Sustainability, A Comprehensive Foundation: Available at: https://cnx.org/contents/F0Hv_Zza@43.5:HdWd2hN5@2Foreward |
| 2. | Miller & Spoolman. “Sustaining the Earth”. 11th Edition. 2014. Cengage Learning. |
| B. | Examples of Supporting Texts and References |
| 1. | Carson, R. “Silent Spring.” 40th Anniversary Edition. Houghton Mifflin. 2002. |
| 2. | Worldwatch Institute. “State of the World” series (annual publication). Worldwatch Institute. |
| 3. | Withgott & Brennan, Environmental Science: The Science Behind the Stories, "1st Custom edition, 2011 |
| 4. | Hawken, P., Lovins, A., and Lovins, H. “Natural Capitalism.” 2nd Edition. Earthscan. 2010. |
| 5. | Leopold, A. “A Sand County Almanac.” Library of America Special Edition. 2013. |
| 6. | Hawken, P. “The Ecology of Commerce.” Revised Edition. Collins Business. 2010. |
| 7. | Gore, A. "Earth in the Balance." Rodale Books. Re-release Edition. 2006. |
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