Sports and Sustainability

Catalog description

Sports are a vital part of American culture, a small part of the American economy, and a disproportionate contributor to global emissions. This combination describes the problem that many sport organizations have created but also provides an opportunity for these same organizations to be a leader in helping find solutions. This course will examine the ways in which sports are simultaneously contributing to climate change and are affected by environmental forces. We will examine the ways in which sports are a part of a larger society and are embedded in the economic, political, social, and environmental fabric of their communities. The course is broken down into four main sections: climate vulnerability and adaptation, sport facilities and events, consumer behavior in sport, and sporting goods/products. Students will blend their experiences in sports with industry white papers to imagine a better world of sports in the next two decades.