Environmental Science

Environmental Science: Active Learning Laboratories and Applied Problem Sets is designed to intro­duce environmental science students to the broad, interdisciplinary field of environmen­tal science by presenting specific labs that use natural and social science concepts to varying degrees and by encouraging a “hands on” approach to understanding the impacts from the environmental/human interface. The laboratory and homework activities are de­signed to be low-cost and to reflect a sustainability approach in practice and in theory.

• Uses innovative learning techniques, such as problem-based, active, and critical learning. Group and cohort paths to knowledge are encouraged. As part of this ap­proach, we stress student-initiated inquiry and experimentation as well as empha­sizing civic responsibility in environmental science.
• Develops a variety of topics that mirrors the variety of subjects found in environ­mental science, including urban ecology, global impacts, air pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, soils identification, water quality assessment, and the scien­tific method.
• Encourages students to grasp the big picture by relating the lab activity to real life conditions and their individual contribution to environmental problems. We have individual measures and descriptions, but we also nurture application of this learn­ing to the larger ecological picture.
• Develops a variety of techniques that include traditional laboratory activities, field exercises, Internet research, calculations/extrapolations, and critical analysis. Be­cause the pursuit of real-world environmental science involves all these compo­nents, so do our lab activities.
• Emphasizes the improvement of written and other forms of communication. So much of science has become participatory, particularly in making decisions about its application (i.e., environmental policy). We provide ways for the student to dis­cover that the communication of scientific information is as important as the ac­quisition of scientific knowledge.
• Contains relevant problem sets that can be used as labs, lab supplements, or homework assignments for environmental science lectures.

New to This Edition:

• Updated the laboratory activities and homework problem sets.
• These laboratory exercises and problem sets have been designed to use a minimum of equipment at a minimum of cost.

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