- Earth Resources

Catalog description

This course examines the Earth resources that humans exploit, including (but not limited to) energy, metals, and soil, from both geologic and societal perspectives. We will study: (1) the geologic processes that form these deposits and control their distribution; (2) the methods used to extract the resources and; (3) environmental impact of extraction and resource use. We will also scrutinize the effect on society of the resource, including conflict, labor, sustainability and class issues. The course will combine lab activities, scientific discussion and readings from academic literature, popular media, and activist propaganda. The end result will be the ability to bring together the science of Earth resources with the broader human context of resource exploitation. This course fulfills the P (Power & Justice) GE requirement.