AGA 390 - Introduction to Renewable Resources

• Debate the crisis situation our natural ecosystem is facing and the forces behind the crisis.
• Compare the different ecological systems within our natural habitat.
• Examine the population challenge and world hunger.
• Distinguish between the different types of soils and methods of soil conservation.
• Discuss the conservation aspect of pests and pesticides, aquatic environments, water pollution, range management, wildlife management procedures and their importanc.
• Describe the air pollution problem and understand its impact on our world.
• Differentiate between non-renewable and renewable resources and evaluate options with each.

Course Objectives

• learn about three major factors behind the global environmental crisis
  • learn about four major waves and a few key figures in the US conservation history from the 19th to the 21st century
  • learn how natural resources can be classified
  • survey and differentiate among four different approaches to natural resource use: exploitation, preservation, utilitarian, and sustainable
  • understand difference between traditional economics and sustainable economics
  • find out about alternative economic strategies - appreciate what environmental ethics is
• think about interconnectedness of everything in nature
  • review important basic concepts of an ecology course, e.g., levels of organismal diversity, law of matter and energy conservation, food webs, succession, etc.
  • learn about major ecosystem processes
  • review Earth’s biggest ecosystems: biomes
• understand reasons behind explosive population growth in the 20th century
  • learn to calculate rate of natural increase and doubling time
  • appreciate role of changing economics, family planning, and education efforts in slowing down population growth
  • understand difference between malnutrition, under nutrition, and over nutrition
  • which factors decrease and increase availability of farmland worldwide
  • ethical dilemma of hunger: feeding people or controlling population growth
• learn basic characteristics of soil: texture, structure, organic contents, etc.
  • understand soil horizons – what they are, how they are produced and how they can be used to diagnose soil properties
  • explore major soil orders of the United States and the world
  • understand dangers and causes of soil erosion
  • learn about methods of erosion control
  • learn about alternative agriculture 
• find out who the pests are and why we have them around
  • appreciate the complexity of pesticide application
  • learn about harmful consequences of using pesticides
  • practice alternative ways of controlling pests
• learn to identify different types of wetlands
  • importance of wetlands in maintaining ecological balance on the planet
  • learn about current issues in sustainable wetlands’ management
  • learn how water impacts humans (floods, droughts)
  • understand how humans modify water resources (dams, irrigation, drainage, etc.)
• learn about main types of water pollutants
  • understand difference between point and non-point pollution
  • find out how water can be treated
  • learn about natural and human
  • induced limitations on fish populations - learn about main methods of catching fish
  • understand concept of sustainable fish harvest and main methods leading to sustainability of fish harvest 
• understand main features of rangelands’ ecology: how they differ from forests or croplands
  • remember a few key events in the history of range conservation in the US
  • name important rangelands’ management tools 
• understand different kinds of forest management techniques
  • learn why clear cutting is harmful
  • learn about National Park, National Forest, and Wilderness designations
  • understand international issues in forest management - understand why it is important to protect biodiversity
  • learn the main methods of biodiversity conservation
  • practice sustainable principles of biodiversity use in your personal life Objectives 10
  • know examples of successful and unsuccessful wildlife regulations
  • understand difference between consumptive and non-consumptive uses of wildlife
  • practice sustainable wildlife conservation as a member of a national wildlife society or your local community 
• understand that all human activities generate some waste
  • distinguish hazardous and non-hazardous waste, biodegradable and non-biodegradable
  • practice waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and responsible waste disposal in your life and community 
• understand what makes up air and know common air pollutants know the difference between natural and artificial air pollution
  • learn about main methods of air pollution control, both indoor and outdoor
  • understand what causes global change in temperature, how greenhouse effect works
  • understand what causes destruction of ozone, how it can be mitigated
  • earn about causes of acid rain and what can be done to avoid it 
• understand how we can reduce our dependence on minerals
  • understand the need for raw mineral materials, how ore is produced and why it cannot be recycled or replaced
  • find out what you personally can do to reduce the negative impact on mining 
• understand essential differences between coal, oil, and natural gas: where they are found, how they are produced and used, and what impact they have on the environment
  • understand why they are truly non-renewable and how we can make them last longer
  • learn about alternative non-renewable sources of power, especially nuclear power, its benefits and drawbacks - conceptualize a sustainable framework that would allow the world to transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable sources of energy
  • understand the need for alternative energy sources
  • discover how different sources work, challenges and solutions
  • practice conservation of energy and use alternative sources in your personal life procedures.