Course Description
Builds on lecture (Ecological Basis of Environmental Issues) themes and gives students a chance to investigate natural systems and explore ways human activities affect the environment. Students practice working with and interpreting environmental data and communicating their findings throughout the semester. Students will also put these ideas into practice by making an ecologically-based change in their lifestyle and quantifying its impact on environmental sustainability.
Athena Title
Environmental Issues Lab
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in ECOL 1000L
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Pre or Corequisite
ECOL 1000 or ECOL 1000E or ECOL 1000H
Semester Course Offered
Offered summer semester every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
An overarching goal of this lab is to help students become environmentally literate community members who are able to use a scientific framework to objectively analyze ecological data and critique environmental issues and proposed solutions. After taking this course, students should be able to: • Apply scientific principles to understand how natural systems and human activities affect the earth’s capacity to sustain life • Describe linkages between organisms and their environment • Communicate environmental consequences of various human activities • Describe the impact of environmental changes on human life, health, and wellbeing • Evaluate ethical and moral issues involved with environmental decision making
Topical Outline
Labs will include an exploration of the following topics. Some topics span multiple lab sessions. • Assessment of environmental impacts on students’ day-to-day lifestyle • Understanding scientific research and peer review processes • Making ecological observations • Visualizing and interpreting environmental data • Science in the headlines and information reliability • Sustainability metrics • Water quality and land-use analysis • Environmental ethics • Environmental impacts of food • Climate change impacts and actions • Science communication
General Education Core
CORE II: Life Sciences