ENVI 102
Introduction to Environmental Science Spring 2014
Division III
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of the Earth’s systems through the synthesis of physical, chemical, geological, and biological perspectives. This course introduces students to the scientific methods used to assess human impacts on the environment. Through this course students will be introduced to scientific literature on local and regional issues and place them in a global context The environmental policy implications of the local and regional data that is collected also will be examined through discussions and class debates. We will explore the physical/natural environmental processes within the local Hoosic River Watershed through field and laboratory exercises, these local findings then will be interpreted in the broader context of the downstream watersheds and landscapes in which the Hoosic is situated, namely the Hudson River, and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. Examples of topics covered are: linkages between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, climate change, human impacts on water quality, acid rain, toxic metals, human influences on hydrology, ecosystem restoration/remediation, and waste treatment. Some to the analyses of these topics will be through short lab reports, while the applications of these science topics to policy issues will be explored through classroom debates. Students design and complete an independent project on one of these subjects as it pertains to their hometown. There will be an all-day field trip through the Hoosic River Valley early in the semester.
The Class: Format: two 75-minute workshop/discussion sessions, and one 3-hour field/laboratory session each week
Limit: 36
Expected: 36
Class#: 3180
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: lab reports; student debates; class discussion participation; independent project presentation and paper
Prerequisites: none; this course is an introductory science seminar, designed for students who have a strong interest in Environmental Science
Enrollment Preferences: first-year students
Unit Notes: it is a required course for the majors in Environmental Policy & Environmental Science
Distributions: Division III
Attributes: ENVI Natural World Electives
ENVP Core Courses
ENVS Core Courses
EXPE Experiential Education Courses

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