PHL 311 Sustainable People, Sustainable Planet

3 Credit(s) PGR W-II

Sustainability recognizes that social equity, environmental integrity, and economic prosperity are all worthy goals, but these goals are in tension with one another; it is therefore difficult, if not impossible, to maximize all three of them concurrently. Some objectives of sustainability are often realized at the cost of other equally valid objectives. How do people collectively move towards an ideal balance between these different aspects of sustainability? This course approaches sustainability from multiple viewpoints and explores various models for understanding sustainability. Through a variety of experiences students will examine the conflicts and trade-offs that result from the effort to put sustainability into practice. Students will also consider different approaches to sustainable living in order to find out how to integrate the ideal of sustainability in their own lives. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: W-I.