Environmental Science 120

Unit 1: An Overview of Environmental Science

Populations, limiting factors, carrying capacity, natural capital, human population growth, and an introduction to investigating environmental issues.

• Populations in equilibrium
• Limiting factors and carrying capacity
• Natural capital and natural income
• Human population growth
• Measuring populations
• Earth's carrying capacity
• Issues from overpopulation

• Exploring a local issue
• Research and presentation skills
• Technology for information
• Technology and understanding the environment
• Choosing a research project

Unit 2: Sustainable Development

The organization and cycles of life, the biosphere, evolution, environmental attitudes and their history in New Brunswick, and the principles of sustainable development and stewardship.

• Organization of life
• Indigenous ways of knowing
• Energy flow and chemical cycling
• Technology measuring natural systems
• The biosphere as a system
• Evolution and natural selection
• Humans in the biosphere

• Attitudes toward the environment
• History of environmental attitudes
• Changing land and water use
• Growing environmental awareness
• Technology and land/water use
• The environmental movement
• Canadian environmental contributors

• Principles of sustainable development
• Dynamics of sustainable ecosystems
• Sustainable human communities
• Ecosystems and communities
• Sustainable and unsustainable development
• Stewardship and sustainability

Unit 3: Investigating Environmental Issues

Applied investigation of agriculture, forestry, fresh water, oceans and fisheries, energy, climate change, and pollution in New Brunswick, culminating in an independent research project and environmental action.

• Agriculture in New Brunswick
• Agriculture and natural ecology
• Testing agriculture's impact
• Methods of farming
• Soil structure and fertility
• Global food production
• Agriculture organizations
• Agriculture legislation

• Forest regions of Canada
• New Brunswick forest types
• Forests as natural capital
• Forestry and forest ecology
• Testing forestry's impact
• Managing forests sustainably

• History of NB forests
• Forestry organizations
• Forestry legislation

• Earth's water supply
• Water use
• Freshwater ecology and impact
• Testing impact on fresh water
• Water scarcity

• Using water sustainably
• Water organizations
• Research methods for water issues
• Water legislation

• Importance of ocean resources
• Fishery practices
• Fisheries and ocean ecology
• Testing fisheries' impact
• Global ocean issues
• Fisheries organizations
• Fisheries legislation

• NB energy resources
• Advantages and disadvantages of energy sources
• Energy use in NB
• Testing energy use and efficiency
• Improving energy efficiency
• Energy organizations
• Energy legislation

• Greenhouse effect and climate change
• Past climate change
• Climate change effects on NB
• Climate change organizations
• Testing a climate change impact
• Climate change legislation

• Effects of pollution
• Types and sources of water pollution
• Cultural eutrophication
• Testing for pollutants
• Preventing and cleaning up pollution
• Pollution organizations
• Research methods for pollution issues
• Pollution legislation

• Independent research
• Analyzing and communicating results
• Collaborative presentation
• Participating in presentations
• Appreciation of the environment
• Stewardship of the environment
• Advocacy for the environment
• Engaging others