Syllabus
Section 1: Introduction, concepts and tools
| Date | Topic # | Topic | Instructor* | Learning Materials available on Blackboard |
| Aug. 27 | 1 | Problems facing Planet Earth and modern society; course logistics | DA, JB | now available |
| Aug. 29 | 2 | Signature Course concept; Expectations for Discussion Section; The concept of Sustainability: Social equity, economy, and environment | DA, JB | now available |
| Sept. 1 | Labor Day Holiday | |||
| Sept. 3 | 3 | The Scientific Method | JB | now available |
| Sept. 5 | 4 | Tragedy of the Commons I: The history of civilizations and sustainability | JB | now available |
| Sept. 8 | 4 | Tragedy of the Commons II | JB | now available |
Section 2: Natural cycles: How the Earth works
| Sept. 10 | 5 | Plate tectonics and the rock cycle | JB | now available |
| Sept. 12 | 6 | Atmosphere I: Structure and composition | DA | now available |
| Sept. 15 | 7 | Atmosphere II: Circulation | JB | now available |
| Sept. 17 | 7 | Atmosphere III: Weather and climate | JB | now available |
| Sept. 19 | 8 | Climate change through time | JB | now available |
| Sept. 22 | 9 | Hydrosphere and the water cycle | JB | now available |
| Sept. 24 | 10 | Exam I | JB | |
| Sept. 26 | 11 | Grand Cycles and the Anthropocene | DA | now available |
| Sept. 29 | 12 | Hydrosphere and the oceans: Structure, composition and circulation | JB | now available |
| Oct. 1 | 12 | Ocean-atmopshere interactions | JB |
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| Oct. 3 | 13 | Cycles of life - Introduction | DA | now available |
| Oct. 6 | 13 | Cycles of life - Carbon | DA | now available |
Section 3: Human perturbation of natural cycles and sustainability
| Oct. 8 | 13 | Cycles of life - Nitrogen | DA | now available |
| Oct. 10 | 14 | Human Impact on the water cycle | JB | now available |
| Oct. 13 | 15 | Sustainability of Freshwater Resources - 1 | JB | now available |
| Oct. 15 | 15 | Sustainability of Freshwater Resources - 2 | JB | now available |
| Oct. 17 | 16 | Sustainability of the Oceans | JB | now available |
| Oct. 20 | Exam II |
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| Oct. 22 | 18 | Energy I | DA | now available |
| Oct. 24 | 18 | Energy II | DA | now available |
| Oct. 27 | 19 | Energy III | MW | now available |
| Oct. 29 | 20 | Human impact on the atmosphere I | DA | now available |
| Oct. 31 | 20 | Human impact on the atmosphere II | DA |
Section 4: Societies, economies, technologies, ecologies, and paths to sustainable solutions
* Denotes Instructor or Guest Speaker
DA - David Allen, Chemical Engineering
JB - Jay Banner, Geological Sciences
MW - Michael Webber, School of Engineering
CP - Camille Parmesan, Section of Integrative Biology
SD - Sarah Dooling, School of Architecture
SM - Steven Moore, School of Architecture