Making Choices: Understanding Environmental Issues

The choices we face in our daily lives might include which policies to support and what personal actions to take or avoid. We will look at some physical processes that are central to our understanding of environmental issues. Topics to be covered include climate change, renewable energy, nuclear radiation and wastes, marine dead zones, and the fate of chemicals in the environment. Along the way we will look some facets of the norms and conduct of science research, including scientific publications, science advisory committees, and how journalism treats science. No scientific background is required.