This course is general in nature and will introduce students to the basic principles of ecology and sustainability as they apply to the analysis of environmental systems on a global scale. The integrated nature of oceans, terrestrial and atmospheric systems, effects of human footprint, pollution creation, climate change, rates of resource harvest and sustainable food, energy and materials are some of the topics that will be covered. This course will better equip students for making informed decisions and taking economically feasible actions now that are in the interests of protecting the future of the planet we call home.

This course is not simply a rote-learning course in which the goal is to memorize information. Instead, the focus is on developing certain skills and practices, particularly thinking skills. In this course, students are expected to actively engage with the material, develop their own views on the topics, and defend those views through careful argument and analysis. This means that the course is about developing the ability to think carefully about concepts, ideas, and arguments. This requires practice, and there are no shortcuts to developing these skills. Just like with any other skill, such as playing sports, music, or learning a language, the only way to improve is through practice.

Simon P. James, Environmental Philosophy: An Introduction (Cambridge, Polity Press: 2015)