Global Environmental Problems: Surveying the Human Footprint
What you'll learn
- This course will provide students with a deeper understanding of anthropogenic influences on Earth.
- By the end of this course, students will be able to identify major causes of climate change.
- By the end of this course, students will be able to identify potential solutions to problems we are collectively facing, this century.
Requirements
- Other than a good internet connection, the ability to read and download pdfs, and an open mind, nothing is required.
Description
This course explores the environment through the lens of human influence. We will discuss human behavior as it relates to the treatment and use of the environment, from a geographical perspective. We will focus on spatial dimensions of global environmental issues, which includes Earth's subsystems, population growth, land-use change, industry and uneven development, specific examples of the human footprint, and climate change.
Who this course is for:
- This course is for anyone interested in understanding our changing climate and the role of humans in that change.
- Some experiences in reading graphs would be beneficial, but not required.
Instructor
- 4.5 Instructor Rating
- 487 Reviews
- 2,235 Students
- 3 Courses
Greetings. My name is Brian McCabe and I am Lecturer at California State University, Fullerton in the Department of Geography and the Environment. Although I mainly teach live classes now, I have extensive experience teaching online courses. My first teaching job was with the University of New Mexico, where I was nominated for the 2009-2010 Outstanding Online Instructor of the Year Award! I believe that online classes can be wonderful vehicles for learning.
Educationally, I earned my Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from Indiana University and have Master's degrees in Geography (CSUF) and Geographic Education (Arizona State University).
I have not always been an educator. Before becoming an educator, I worked for major companies like Marriott Hotels and Starbucks Coffee Company. Working for these corporations allowed me to live all around the United States, travel the world, and gain real world experiences that continue to inform my instruction, to this day.
I have published two books. My first is entitled, "Geography is Dead: How America Lost its Sense of Direction (2012)" and an academic textbook entitled,"Regional Conflict and Cooperation: A Framework for Understanding Global Geography (2016)". Both are available online.