ENVS 160: Introduction to Environmental Studies
Lewis & Clark College | Fall 2020
Aidan O'Connor
Course Summary
ENVS-160 is not the traditional first-year environmental studies course that many have come to think of. Throughout this course, students learn to expand on the classic definition of what it means to be an environmentalist. Students are introduced to a wide variety of unique perspectives discussed in environmental academia, as well as the processes incorporated in creating environmental research. One of the primary focuses in the course is understanding the two modes of environmental thought: classic and contemporary. Using both classic and contemporary thought, I have come to understand how these base ideologies are embedded in numerous fundamental environmental arguments today, all while gaining a broader outlook on environmental stewardship. I entered this course ignorant and with a narrow perspective aligning solely with classic environmental thought. Now, I would consider myself a contemporary environmentalist- this allows me to transition into using multiple, varying thought approaches that differ from and question the solutions that have dominated environmental theory for decades. I adopted an educated opinion that reflects resiliency and adaptation in a world where change is omnipresent.Course Posts
When we started this project proposal, our group wanted to contribute to the primary mission of the Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC). According to their website, their primary mission is to “elevate the voices of communities most impacted by pollution in the Portland Harbor Superfund site, including Native, Black/African American, […]
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Introduction In the Situated Research overview, Jim Proctor asks, “What is good environmental research?” Environmentalists are constantly battling with this question. Today, we live in a world of information overload, where finding the truth has become an extremely difficult task. Therefore, we must rely on science even more. When it […]
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Introduction Are you a classic or contemporary environmentalist? Many may not have an answer to this question, or even understand what it is asking. My group and I have spent the past few weeks asking ourselves this question. We developed a full understanding of both classic and contemporary thought to […]
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