IDS-370: Honors: Human Health and the Environment: Healthy Planet, Healthy People

Explores the bidirectional relationship between our health and the health of our homes, communities, food, air, waterways and climate. We will examine the broad ecological impacts that are beginning to impede our goals of health and well-being as a result of our pursuit of health and comfort by manipulating the natural world through the creation of built environments, energy, chemicals, medicines and manufactured goods. Topics covered include: basic principles of environmental exposures, toxicology, risk assessment, infectious disease, natural radition, and crop and livestock production. Particular emphasis will be given to how methods of energy production affect our health and climate and to understanding the connection between fossil fuel consumption and air quality and climate change. Relevant and current environmental policies and regulation will also be discussed. Importantly, we will also define and emphasize the concept of environmental justice and how to learn from our mistakes of the past as they apply to environmental exposures, particularly in vulnerable populations. Course is open to NDMU Honors students of all disciplines as it explores issues from many disciplines such as biology, psychology, medicine, engineering, history, sociology, and economics and aims to make all students informed citizens and enviornmental advocates. Prerequisite: Morrissy Scholar with the completion of Natural Science with Lab and a Social Science Gen Ed or Permission by the course instructor and the Morrissy Director. [ 3 credits ]