Environmental Awareness

This course introduces the student to a basic description of the environment as defined by the earth, its atmosphere, and its global watershed. The course presents environmental concerns and specific problems in terms of global, national, local, and personal perspectives. Some specific concerns addressed in this course include air pollution, water pollution and scarcity, acidic precipitation, plastics, genetically modified organisms, food waste, the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, climate change, renewable energy, and space junk. The sources and effects of pollution in the atmosphere, water systems, and land are discussed along with possible solution(s) to these problems. Current technologies for air and water purification, sewage and solid waste reduction, food management, energy capture and conservation, and space debris removal are presented. Current issues and concerns related to the environment will be discussed.