L.CHE 100 - Chemistry of Environmental Sustainability-ES

Credits: 4

This class will explore the chemistry that underlies current sustainability problems and solutions such as air and water quality, climate change, fossil fuel use, renewable energy sources, waste and recycling, and sustainable farming. With this knowledge, students will place environmental problems in a scientific context, and identify a variety of potential options to overcome personal and public sustainability issues. Additionally, students will examine ways in which scientific information is communicated particularly in the media, learn how to evaluate various sources of scientific information, and how to most effectively construct messages about environmental science research to various audiences. In the lab, students will utilize critical scientific hands-on and reasoning skills to investigate their local environment, including such things as synthesizing biodiesel, analyzing the energy footprint of different types of light bulbs, and analyzing water and soil samples from the Dubuque area.
Prerequisite: None
Co-requisite: None
General Education Classification: Scientific Inquiry and Innovation-ES