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Course Criteria
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4.00 Credits
The most colossal environmental perturbation in human history is in the air: CO2 is rising. This course provides a look at fossil-fuel-generated CO2 and the carbon cycle that is both detailed and big-picture in scope. We examine the dynamics of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, the circulation of atmosphere and ocean, and the soil. To project the future of atmospheric CO2, we also examine relationships among wealth, energy use, and CO2 emissions and explore how the emissions are tied Program in Environmental Studies to the present and future trends of the global economy. This is an inquiry-based course. Students work on a number of projects, both computational and descriptive.
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4.00 Credits
Provides a comprehensive overview of major topics in energy generation and their impact on our environment. The course is technical and requires an understanding of the vocabulary of energy, including the concepts of work, energy, and power. Some basic chemistry and thermodynamics are introduced, permitting students to perform comparative analysis of energy systems. An introduction to life-cycle cost estimation is included, and associated environmental-impact calculations for energy systems are presented.
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4.00 Credits
An introduction to the dynamical processes that drive the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean, and their interaction. This is the core of climate science. Lectures are guided by consideration of observations and experiments, but the goal is to develop an understanding of the unifying principles of planetary fluid dynamics. Topics include the global energy balance, convection and radiation (the greenhouse effect), effects of planetary rotation (the Coriolis force), structure of the atmospheric circulation (the Hadley cell and wind patterns), structure of the oceanic circulation (wind-driven currents and the thermohaline circulation), and climate and climate variability (including El Niño and anthropogenic warming).
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4.00 Credits
Biogeochemistry is the study of biological controls on the chemistry of the environment and geochemical regulation of ecological structure and function. This course introduces the fundamental principles of biogeochemistry. Additionally, we utilize the scientific literature from peer-reviewed journals to explore specific case studies on the global change of biogeochemistry (e.g., acid precipitation, nitrogen deposition, eutrophication of the oceans) from the field of biogeochemistry.
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4.00 Credits
Being able to organize and analyze ecological data is an essential research tool. Geographic information systems (GIS) are computerized systems for the capture, storage, management, analysis, and display of geographically referenced data and their attributes. Students learn the basic principles and applications of GIS, including coordinate systems, data transformations, spatial analysis, and accuracy assessment. Laboratory exercises use ecological data and examples to provide extensive handson experience with ArcGIS, a professional GIS software package.
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4.00 Credits
Environmental philosophy is a large subject that involves questions in metaphysics, the philosophy of science, and the history of philosophy, as well as in such normative areas as ethics, aesthetics, and political philosophy. This course is primarily devoted to these normative areas. Beginning with some basic concepts in value theory, the goal is not to arrive at definite solutions to specific environmental problems, but rather to improve students' ability to think critically, read closely, and argue well about environmental issues. The course also introduces students to some major controversies in environmental philosophy. The ultimate aim is to aid students in arriving at their own rational, clear-minded views about the matters under discussion.
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4.00 Credits
Students study how the earth's scarce resources are allocated by individuals and society, and how economic tools can contribute toward solutions to environmental challenges. Broad concepts considered include market failure; sustainability; valuation of social benefits provided by the environment; estimating social costs and benefits of alternate environmental policies; determining desirable levels of pollution control and choosing policies to achieve it; and managing natural resources, both renewable (e.g., forests, fisheries, and water) and nonrenewable (e.g., oil and minerals). The course format consists of lectures, discussions, and group projects.
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4.00 Credits
From the perspective of environmental history, the early modern period (ca. 1500-1800) marks a moment of sudden and unprecedented global transformation. Rising core populations created increasing demand for food and natural resources, which in turn led to major alterations to the landscape as states and individuals sought to derive greater benefits from nature. This course analyzes the ways in which this process unfolded in different parts of the world, while familiarizing students with basic problems in environmental history, including the changing human relationship to the natural world, the relationship between environmental change and human societies, and the importance of biotic exchange in world history. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, we consider what can be called the "Eurasian Advantage" or "Biological Conquest Model" made popular by Jared Diamond. In the second part, we consider parallel developments in other parts of the world that cast doubt on this account.
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4.00 Credits
This course investigates topics in the environmental history of New York City from the 17th century to the present. Environmental history is a relatively new field of history that attempts to take nature and natural forces seriously as key components of historical change. Through readings, site visits, and writing assignments, the course introduces students to the field of environmental history and investigates the history of our immediate environment. As a history-department workshop, the course also introduces students to the key elements of the discipline of history: finding and reading articles, conducting research, and evaluating primary and secondary sources.
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4.00 Credits
Students trace the history of ecology and environmentalism back to natural history collected in the 18th century. The global history of ecological concern stays at the center of this course, which discusses environmental worries in the British, German, Scandinavian, African, and American contexts in subsequent centuries. The chief focus is on more recent U.S. experience in trying to deal with pollution, asthma, and global warming, among other issues. Various ecological understandings of human philosophy, race, gender, fear, religion, sociology, and economy are subject to critical discussion. Readings include texts by scientists such as Carolus Linnaeus, Arthur Tansley, and Julian Huxley, as well as social and philosophical writings of authors such as H. G. Wells, John Muir, Jan Smuts, and Arne Naess.
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