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.

Climate change, habitat loss, and rising extinction rates are both scientific issues as well as deeply philosophical ones that challenge our understanding of the natural world and our place within it. While we look to science to provide us with the facts about the physical and biological aspects of the world around us, it is also important to critically reflect on our moral obligations to the planet and its inhabitants, and the underlying assumptions and values that shape our attitudes towards the natural world. In this course, we will consider the environment and the complex moral relationships between humans, non-human organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth as a whole, asking tough questions, challenging long-held assumptions, and working towards a deeper understanding of our moral responsibilities to the planet we call home.

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