ENVS 300 Outline

THE KING'S UNIVERSITY

COURSE NUMBER:

ENVS 300

COURSE TITLE:

Humankind and the Biosphere

NAME OF INSTRUCTOR:

Dr. Harry Spaling

CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION:

credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 2 - hrs lab 0)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is a discussion of humankind's place in nature and of its responsibility for other organisms, the environment and resources. Environmental issues such as population, climate change, air and water pollution, energy and biodiversity are discussed with global and Canadian applications.

Prerequisites: 3 credits of natural science

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Norman Myers and Scott E. Spoolman 2014. Environmental Issues & Solutions: A Modular Approach. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA

MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:


ENVS Seminar Journal	25%
Resume & Interview Assignment	10%
Term tests (3)	50%
Active participation	15%

	100%

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

We will enter the “university of creation” and continue (because you have already started!) a lifelong education of being aware of and learning from human interactions with the creation so that we may become better caretakers of it. Specifically, you will:

Survey the local, regional, and global impact of human interactions with the environment, natural resources and other organisms.
Explore the ethical dimensions of these interactions and discover how a stewardship ethic speaks to these issues.
Develop critical thinking skills relative to human-environment interactions.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Sustainability
Population
Urbanization
Food resources
Renewable energy
Nonrenewable energy
Water resources
Water pollution
Air pollution
Climate change
Waste
Species Extinction

SEMINAR OUTLINE:

Biblical principles for creation care
Field trip: Urban natural spaces: Larch Sanctuary
Field trip: Farmland in the urban fringe: Pave it or preserve it?
Internship workshop #1: Resumes & cover letters (Nancy Burford)
Select a position for your mock interview
Internship workshop #2: Role-play interview (Nancy Burford)
Submit cover letter and resume for selected position
Mock interviews
Field trip: Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant
Video: Sun come up
"Last chance to see" Guest: Dr Joanne Moyer
Field trip: Edmonton Waste Management Centre.
Video: Between heaven & earth

Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.