FOUN 09#-31: Consuming Nature (Fall semester)

Consuming Nature is a foundation seminar for first-year students.   It focuses on the following core question: Is it possible for human societies to prosper without sacrificing the basis of existence (nature) in the process? The course takes a student-centered approach where members carry out experiential and reading-based exercises and present them either individually or in groups to the rest of the class.   It focuses on basic skills like observation, critical analysis, close reading, writing, and oral presentation.   Topics covered include modern food production, the global oil economy/energy production, global climate change, and conflict diamonds.  Readings draw mainly from The Omnivore's Dilemma (Pollan 2006), Blood Diamonds (Campbell, 2002), Field Notes from a Catastrophe (Kolbert 2006), and The End of OIl (Roberts, 2004).  The main requirements are a group research project, argument paper, a reading journal, short exercises, and in class participation.

Consuming Nature is linked to the Environmental Residential College

Fall 2006 syllabus pdf format

Environmental Residential College Fall Retreat Pictures (Sept. 16-17, 2005) Powerpoint

Fulfills these CLA (common learning agenda) requirements: W1 (writing course), NFBW (natural and fabricated worlds), foundation seminar, SSHU (soc./hum. for engineers).

Prerequisites: none; first-year students only.