NR 26 - Environmental World

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is an interdisciplinary study of the world environment with a focus on human use and protection of natural resources across ethnic and cultural boundaries. Environmental issues involving the exploitation and conservation of natural resources will be studied for their modern as well as historical, political, economic and social implications. Particular attention is paid to the condition of natural resources, including soil, water, forest, mineral, plant and animal life throughout California. The citizen's role in natural resource conservation is stressed throughout the course. Graded only.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe environmental issues related to cultural and ethnic diversity, and discuss ideas to reduce the human impact on the environment.
2. Evaluate ecological inter-relationships between living and non-living components of an ecosystem.
3. List and evaluate human influences and potential impacts on the conservation of our natural resources.
4. Identify and describe characteristics and general distributions of major biomes and discuss how humans have impacted each of them.
5. Explain how the use and misuse of mineral, forest, wildlife, agricultural land and water resources impact our world environments.
6. List and analyze historical and theoretical factors that have contributed to human population growth, including ethnicity and cultural aspects.
7. Differentiate between the sources of land degradation and list possible sustainable solutions for each source.
8. List the sources of air and water pollution and identify how these pollutants are hazardous to the health of humans, plants, and wildlife.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Collaborative Group Work
2. Guest Speakers
3. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
4. Instructor Demonstrations
5. Lecture
6. Multicultural Case Studies

1. Exams/Tests
2. Oral Presentation
3. Class participation
4. Short papers
5. Essays and research papers

Reading Assignments

1. Read the chapter on energy sources and be prepared to discuss in class the issues related to the use of fossil-fuels.
2. Read an article on the United States population trends and present your findings to the class.

Writing Assignments

1. Select a recent news article on environmental issues and write a 2-page synopsis about one of the issues.
2. Write a 3-page research paper on the benefits and consequences of "fracking" and be sure to cite your sources.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Use the ecological footprint calculator on the Internet to determine your ecological footprint and report your findings during the next class.
2. Attend a local land-use planning meeting and write a brief summary of the meeting.

Enger, E.D. & Smith, B.F. (2025). Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships. McGraw Hill, 2025 Release. 9781266663208.

Cunningham, P. & Cunningham, M.A. (2025). Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications. McGraw-Hill, 2025 release. 9781266680878.

Cunningham, W. & Cunningham, M. (2025). Environmental Science: A Global Concern. McGraw-Hill, 16th. 9781264647842.

Other Learning Materials

Selected readings from library/online

Forestry/Natural Resources