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In the 20th century, human population grew from 1.6 billion in 1900 to over 6 billion in 2000. With population, the world GDP and world energy use both grew 15x their 1900 levels. These changes are greater than the total increase in population, economic output and energy use that had occurred in the 10,000 years leading up to 1900! So it is not surprising that the 20th century saw some of the greatest human impacts on our natural environment in all of human history.

Understanding the history of environmental change is a key step in understanding the current status of our natural environmental and the policies we choose to manage it. Join us this Fall Quarter to discuss how human's interactions with the natural world have developed over the last 100 years, and how we can use this understanding to better meet the needs of the future.

The goal of this quarterly “brown bag” seminar is to discuss some of the environmental issues facing the northwest and the world today, through an analysis of the book Something New Under the Sun by J.R. McNeill. The seminar may include volunteer work, a field trip, and/or guest lectures.

To receive 1 credit for attending this seminar, sign up for Envsc 281 - Item #3478 in the BCC course catalog.

Instructors: Rob Viens (Environmental Science/Geology),
Kent Short (Oceanography/Meteorology)

(For information about this seminar, web page, or the environmental science department at BCC contact Rob Viens at rviens@bcc.ctc.edu.)

Previous Seminars

Autumn Quarter
Winter Quarter
Spring Quarter
2005-6
Environmental History of the 20th Century (Current)
   
2004-5

The Impact of Consumption

2003-4
2002-3
2001-2
Agriculture
2000-1
Water

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Last Updated Saturday, April 22, 2006