environmental

The need for environmental and sustainability education in many areas is great, as a variety of environmental problems pose risks, and sustainability opportunities are tremendous. We need for our workers and leaders to increase their ability to critically assess and address how we contribute to environmental problems and how we can implement measures to resolve or mitigate them. Environmental education, while essential for environmental scientists, is for people in all walks of life. We need environmentally literate professionals, policy-makers, journalists, social workers, health providers, educators, business people, and artists.

 

 

 UTPA Environmental Studies Minor promotes environmental literacy and sustainability and raises awareness of the effects of daily decisions on how we interact with animals and plants and how we use natural resources such as water, air, and soil.  It takes a holistic ecological perspective, reflecting the recognition that human activities are dependent upon natural processes and that humans are a part of interconnected systems. It is broadly interdisciplinary, encompassing courses from the humanities, social sciences, health and human services, sciences, business, engineering, and public policy. It enables students to identify environmental problems, communicate across disciplines, and promote sustainable solutions. Students can explore relationships between global ecology and our South Texas environment, and also examine the relationships among social inequalities, negative environmental impacts, and environmental justice.