ENVS 322 - Energy and Society

FC SSCI

4 credits
Energy issues are often characterized as problems we can ‘supply’ our way out of by changing the resources we rely on. Less frequently, energy issues are treated as a problem of consumption. This course adopts a sociotechnical perspective, regarding energy as an issue shaped by both technical factors and social patterns. The first part of this course explores physical, political, and economic aspects of energy supply through the examination of different energy sources (biomass, fossil fuels, electricity, renewables, nuclear). The second part of the course addresses social and political aspects of energy consumption in the industrial, commercial, residential, and transportation sectors.

Prerequisites: ENVS 101.

Community-Based Learning Sustainability