Unintended Consequences In The Environment

3 Credits

Humans’ impact on the Earth is so profound that a new geological epoch - the Anthropocene - has begun. Human decisions often have unintended effects on the environment. For example, Indonesia government jeopardized the conservation efforts of the Javan hawk eagle by declaring it a National Rare animal. In another example, subsidies that promote energy-efficient appliances often backfire by increasing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Why did these unintended consequences happen? How can we better predict and prevent them? To answer these questions, we will seek to explore the complex relationships between humans and the environment using a systems approach. This course affords students the ability to critically examine and evaluate the principles of the scientific method, model construction, and use the scientific method to explain natural experiences and phenomena.