This course is designed as an introduction to the concept of sustainable communities from a multidisciplinary perspective. Students will investigate fundamental concepts of ecological economics, ecosystem health, and social ecology and learn multiple perspectives of sustainability that include sustainability as an ethical concept. Students will gain a working knowledge of sustainability through readings and class discussion of theory and case studies on topics that include climate change, eco-efficiency, life cycle analysis, inequitable distribution of limited resources, and carbon trading. Students will conduct lab research that explores the various aspects of sustainability, such as energy use, industrial processes, waste generation and disposal, and the built environment. A student proficient in this course will have the skills for success in higher-level science courses.
Requested competency code:
- Lab Science
In order to be reviewed as a laboratory science, we will need a list of physical laboratory experiments completed for this course and number of hours students spend doing laboratory assignments each week.