Global Food Systems: Environmental Issues, Sustainability, and Health

Catalog description

Environmental changes impact humans worldwide, with an influence lasting many generations into the future. An in-depth understanding of the interplay between food systems - global food production, distribution, and selection - and environment and sustainability issues, as related to human nutrition, health, and well-being has never been more important. This course will provide an in-depth analysis regarding how food systems and the environment are interconnected in a multitude of ways. Additionally, the course will examine how issues of sustainability effect food production, distribution, and quality. Further, how environmental and sustainability issues directly affect the nutritive qualities of foods. Course topics initially include a review of environmental factors impacting food systems, types of sustainable food systems, historical perspectives, and aspects of human nutrition. Once students master the initial concepts, then into more detailed topics related to production approaches, biotechnology, soil/water quality, and food security on a local, national, and global level will be studied. Counts as a Moral & Ethical Reasoning course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course.