ES 110 Spring 2007
Introduction to Environmental Science

Professor Eric Pallant Doane Hall of Chemistry C.202 Phone: 332-2870 Email: eric.pallant@allegheny.edu Office Hours: M, 2:30 - 4:00; T, 2:30 - 4:00; F, 3:00 - 4:00	Professor Richard D. Bowden Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.203 Phone: 332-2869 Email: richard.bowden@allegheny.edu Office Hours: MWF 10:00 - 12:00
Course Objectives Readings Grading Honor Code

Date	Topic	Readings	PowerPoints	Homework
Introduction
W 1-17	Introduction, Ecological Footprint (Photos)	Introduction		Ecological Footprint, due 1/19
F 1-19	Environmental Philosophy	Environmental History		Ozone Assignment, due 1/31
M 1-22	Pace, Scale, Nature		Pace, Scale, Nature
W 1-24	Ecological Footprint - Discussion			Book Report Assignment, due 4/2

Energy and Air Pollution
F 1-26	Ozone 1	Ozone Depletion	Ozone
M 1-29	Ozone 2
W 1-31	Air Pollution I	Air Quality	Air Pollution -Local	Energy Assignment, due 2/7 Daily Appliance Worksheet Electricity Consumption Calculator
F 2-2	Air Pollution II & LA Basin DVD	Photos documenting smog conditions in China, James Booser	same as above
M 2-5	Climate Change I	Global Warming	Global Climate Change
W 2-7	Climate Change II
F 2-9	Energy - True costs
M 2-12	Renewable Energy - Field Trip	Renewable Energy	TBA
W 2-14	Energy Debate and Review for Exam			Energy Debate Assignment Gov. Rendell Press Release
F 2-16	EXAM I

Population
M 2-19	Population Demographics	Population	Population
W 2-21	Over-consumption and IPAT	Affluence and Over Consumption		Group Project Directions
F 2-23	Population Debate			Population Debate Assignment
M 2-26	Groups pick topics

Ecosystems and Industry
W 2-28	Life Cycle Analysis - Aluminum Cans	Life Cycle Analysis	Aluminum Cans
F 3-2	Life Cycle Analysis - Product as Service	Product as Service	Cyclic Society	Group Project Definition -due 3/9
M 3-5	Ecosystem Function		Ecosystem Function	Food Assignment -due 3/12
W 3-7	Ecosystem Services	Natural Capitalism
F 3-9	Urban Revitalization - Field Trip	Sprawl	Impacts of Sprawl
M 3-12	CEED	CEED
W 3-14	Questions for Exam II
F 3-16	EXAM II

Sustainable Development
M 3-26	International Environmental Security	Israel	Israel and the Environment
W 3-28	Food and Farming - Field trip	Agriculture and Pesticides	Modern Agriculture and Health
F 3-30	Food and Farming	Conventional Agriculture


M 4-2	Forests			Book Assignment due
W 4-4	Water	Water and Environment
F 4-6	In class workday for groups			Stupid Gifts Assignment, due 4/11
M 4-9	Toxins	Hazardous Chemicals
W 4-11	Stupid Gifts
F 4-13	Green Buildings: North Village - Field Trip	Green Buildings
Group Presentations
M 4-16	Group Presentations		Wendy Watt Watcher, (YouTube) Animal Shelter (ppt) and (pdf) Dave Smith, Campus Linebacker, (YouTube) or (VEOH)
W 4-18	Group Presentations		Toyota Prius, (YouTube) Pulp Non-Fiction (ppt) Student Activities Office (ppt)
F 4-20	Group Presentations
M 4-23	Group Presentations
W 4-25	Group Presentations
F 4-27	Religion and the Environment
M 4-30	Philosophy Revisited

F 5-4	EXAM III 9:00 am			Final Letter
M 5-7				Course Evaluation

Course Objectives: This course is designed to provide you with an introduction to some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, as well as some of the efforts being made to address them at the local, regional and global scale. You will learn not only the science behind these issues (e.g. what causes global climate change), you’ll also be exposed to the economic, political and social factors that influence environmental change and shape our responses to it. We will see that environmental problems are often characterized by significant levels of uncertainty, a situation that can result in contentious policy debates and lack of clear-cut technical solutions. We will examine various efforts being made to address our most challenging environmental issues and see that some of the most promising go far beyond the usual regulatory “fixes” and instead involve a complete re-thinking of the way we produce, consume and dispose of the products we use every day. While this class will bring to your attention the very real and growing environmental challenges we face in the years ahead, we also hope that it will provide you with the knowledge to move beyond the “red state / blue state,” “logger vs. tree hugger” mindset that seems to characterize environmental debates in the media and that can alienate even the most well-intentioned individual from getting involved. We also hope that it will raise your awareness of exciting efforts being made to address environmental problems throughout the world, and empower you, even slightly, to join in these efforts toward positive change.

Readings: This course is an experiment in “text-free,” web-based teaching. All of the readings required for this class will be available on-line at the course website. You are to do the course readings for a particular class in advance of the class meeting on that day. For example, the readings for January 26 on stratospheric ozone depletion should be completed before you come to class on that day, otherwise there is a good chance that you won’t know what’s going on and you’ll be forced to look out the windows (too bad our classroom doesn’t have any windows), pick your nose, fight off sleep (and maybe lose), or nod your head up and down like you know what we’re saying even though it’s obvious that you don’t. When you click on the readings for a particular day you will be instructed on what to read and you’ll usually be provided with some questions to consider while doing the readings. The web page will also have links to homework assignments and other class handouts, as well as a link to the Power Point presentations used during our lectures. Some of these will be posted or updated after class. We recommend that you stay on top of current environmental happenings — one of the best sources is the online environmental journal, Grist, to which we have provided links for you.

Grading:	Exams (two midterms, one final, each worth 100 points)	300
	In-Class Projects (four projects, each worth 25 points)	100
	Group Project and Presentation	50
	Attendance and Participation	50
	Total Points	500

Participation: Please note that a significant portion of your grade is determined by your regular attendance and your contribution to class discussions. You will be evaluated on the following criteria:

A for class participation is awarded when students regularly initiate discussion. This means coming to class thoroughly familiar with the assigned readings and prepared to raise questions, open discussion, and actively engage other students in discussion. This does not mean monopolizing a discussion, shutting other comments or ideas out or talking for its own sake rather than making a point on the topic. Students who are self-starters and do not rely on the instructors questions to set the agenda for discussion will be awarded a grade of A for participation as opposed to a B.
B for class participation is awarded to students who participate regularly and productively in class discussion, who are prepared, and who are willing to engage.
C for class participation is awarded to those who participate on a regular but less frequent basis than the B student. C discussants will be prepared for class, but their contributions will indicate that less thought has been given to the assigned materials.
D for class participation is given to those who contribute infrequently to the discussion and whose contributions do not appear to arise from thoughtful consideration of the assignments.
F for non-participation. Of course, participation is impossible if you don't attend class. Frequent absences mandate an F grade.

Honor Code: The honor code is strictly enforced in this class. If you have questions regarding honor code policies, please see us. Anyone suspected of plagiarism, the most common form of academic dishonesty, will be reported to the Honor Code Committee. A clear statement of what constitutes plagiarism is provided at:
http://webpub.allegheny.edu/dept/writingcenter/Links/plagiarism.htm