L19 EPSc 216A
Section 41
3 Credits

Logistics:
Summer 2009 Session #4 (July 13th – August 13th)
MTWThF 3:00 - 4:45 PM
Location: EPSc 102
Instructor: Selby Cull
Email: selby@levee.wustl.edu
Office: EPSc 275
Office Phone: 314-935-8594

Course Description:
Our society is built using resources of the Earth: oil, natural gas, water, metals, soil, and many others. This course covers how the major Earth resources formed, were harnessed, and are processed and used in the world today. We will emphasize the environmental, health, and social issues arising from our use of Earth resources, especially oil products, water resources, metals, and alternative energy.

Course Goals:
By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Recognize the major issues arising from our use of Earth's resources
2. Develop informed opinions on these issues
3. Suuport those opinions with documented facts and scientific concepts
4. Evaluate competing strategies for solving these issues
5. Communicate their opinions and argument to their peers

Reading: Class handouts. (No textbook)

Topics Covered:

1. Energy
1. Energy in Human History: Observing Patterns in Our Energy Use - and Shortages
2. Oil: The Formation, Drilling, and Processing of Petroleum
3. Oil: Global Usage and Demand
4. Oil: Social, Economic, Political, and Environmental Issues
5. Natural Gas, Coal, and "Clean" Coal
6. Alternative Energy
2. Water Resources
1. Water Supply: The Global Hydrologic Cycle
2. Water Managment and Conservation
3. Global Water Usage Patterns
4. Water Resource Issues: Floods, Droughts, Dams, and Pollution
5. Water Politics: Allocation Law and Water Quality
3. Metal and Chemical Resources
1. Formation and Distribution of Metals
2. Mining: Techniques
3. Mining: Environmental and Health Issues
4. Chemical Cycles: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Sulfur, etc.
5. Chemical Usage: Patterns and Issues
4. Soil and Plant Resources
1. Soil: Formation and Soil Qualities
2. Soil: Global Usage Patterns
3. Soil: Erosion, Exhaustion, and Pollution
4. Plant Resources: Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products
5. Ecosystem Management and Forest Conservation
6. Forest Resources: Global Usage Patterns
8. Issues Arising from Deforestation

Additional Reading / Resources:

Policy - National & Local Issues Regarding Earth Resources

Coal

Oil – Human Rights Issues

Oil – Supply and Demand

Alternative Energy - Biofuel

Water Resources