Local and Global Environmental Issues

The world's environment has emerged as a major subject of political, economic, scientific, ethical and theological discussion and inquiry. Issues related to environmental issues, by their nature and scope, affect the whole earth and its inhabitants, of which humans are an important part. The courses and activities of Perspectives in Global Environmental Issues (PGEI) Cluster examine environmental issues, with a view to helping students to recognize their multifaceted scope and global extent. Addressing the workings of Earth through a variety of disciplines leads us to appreciate ever more deeply the wonder of our participation in its natural processes. Participation in the PGEI Cluster has the potential to continue the development of your understanding of what it means to be human and so significantly change the way you relate to the events of everyday life.

• Understand and accept the participation of humans in earth processes;
• Recognize natural environmental processes that sustain life on earth;
• Relate the global scope of environmental issues to local as well as global problems;
• Understand the importance of values in assessing issues, choices and consequences that affect the state of our environment;
• Discuss human impact on the environment and judge our ability to alter the impact;
• Relate the role of science, religion, politics and economy to the analysis of and action on problems of environmental degradation.