Welcome to the GEOS 330W, Environmental Science, webpage for the Spring 2021 semester.

Paradise, California on November 8, 2018. Photo credit: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images.

Spring 2021 Lectures on Zoom: MWF, 2:00 - 2:50 PM.

Required book: Environment 10e by Dr. David Hassenzahl et al.

Mon. 25 Jan., Review syllabus and begin Chapter 1: Intro to Env. Sci. and Sustainability
Weds., 27 Jan., Population, wealth and poverty, resources, consumption, footprint, IPAT.
Fri., 29 Jan., Sustainability discussion: what choices can we make to live more sustainably?
Mon., 1 Feb., Conclude Chapter 1: systems, scientific method, Lake Washington as an example.
Weds., 3 Feb., Begin Chapter 3: Ecosystems and Energy. Writing assignment #1 due at midnight.
Fri., 5 Feb., Radiant energy, revisit system concept, photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Mon., 8 Feb., Complete Ch. 3. Trophic levels, ecological pyramids, NPP.
Weds., 10 Feb., Begin Chapter 4: Carbon and nitrogen cycles. Writing assignment #2 due.
Fri., 12 Feb., Quiz 1 Phosphorous, sulfur, and water cycles.
Mon., 15 Feb., Seasons, latitudes, composition of air, average vertical structure of the atmosphere.
Weds., 17 Feb., Convection, latitudinal dependence of insolation and temperature, three cell-model
Fri., 19 Feb., Coriolis, Ekman, and major ocean gyres.
Mon., 22 Feb., Sea ice and deep ocean circulation.
Weds., 24 Feb., Writing assignment #3 due. El Nino, La Nina, and weather versus climate.
Fri., 26 Feb., Lecture cancelled due to illness.
Mon., 1 Mar., Discussion of recycling plastic bags. Then, scales of climate.
Weds., 3 Mar., Causes and types of precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, hail.
Fri., 5 Mar., Quiz on Chap. 4. $1B weather and climate disasters; thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes.
Sun. 7 Mar., Writing assignment #4 due at midnight.
Mon., 8 Mar., Editing sentences together. Then, lecture on profound importance of Earth's rotation.
Weds., 10 Mar., The "Solid" Earth (Internal Earth Processes)
Fri., 12 Mar., Another quiz on Chapter 4. Reading assignment: Clouds in a Glass of Beer.
Mon., 15 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Weds., 17 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Fri., 19 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Mon., 22 Mar., Begin Chapter 10: Energy Consumption. Begin sources: biomass and coal.
Weds., 24 Mar., Editing sentences together. Then, lecture on oil, natural gas, nuclear.
Fri., 26 Mar., Hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, energy flow diagram, wasted energy, and insulation.
Mon., 29 Mar., Energy efficiency and conservation
Weds., 31 Mar., Holiday: Cesar Chavez Day. No Classes.
Fri., 2 Apr., Quiz on Chap. 10.. Begin Ch. 12: Renewable Energy. Today: solar thermal and daylighting.
Mon., 5 Apr., Solar photovoltaics and biomass.
Weds., 7 Apr., Wind energy
Fri., 9 Apr., Pros and cons of various energy sources. Then begin hydropower.
Mon., 12 Apr., Quiz on Chap. 12. Ways to improve writing. Then continue hydropower.
Weds., 14 Apr., Daily variation in energy demand, pumped storage, dams, tides and waves energy as sources.
Fri., 16 Apr., Complete Chapter 1: Geothermal and Nuclear energy.
Mon., 19 Apr., Second quiz on Chapter 12.
Weds., 21 Apr., Begin Chapter 19: Air pollution. Examples of impact of air pollutants.
Fri., 23 Apr., Continue Chapter 19. Air pollutants: PM, NO_x, SO₂, CO, VOCs, O₃.
Mon., 26 Apr., Criteria air pollutants, AQI, trends in US air pollutants, factors that influence air pollution.
Weds., 28 Apr., Complete Ch. 19. Air pollution control technologies and acid deposition/rain.
Fri., 30 Apr., Quiz on Ch. 19. Begin Ch. 20: Global Climate Change. Trends in GMST and CO₂ conc.
Mon., 3 May, Greenhouse effect and global warming, climate modeling, climate prediction.
Weds., 5 May, Radiative forcing, Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, sea level rise, thawing permafrost and CH₄
Fri., 7 May, Drought, reservoir levels in CA, sea ice extent, regional climate forecasts.
Mon., 10 May, Quiz on Ch. 20. Discussion on effects of global climate change.
Weds., 12 May, Continued discussion of effects of global climate change.
Fri., 14 May, Opportunity for questions and discussion on any subject over entire semester.
Fri., 21 May, Comprehensive final exam.

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