Introduction to Environmental Earth Sciences @ UNI - Dr. Heinzel
Syllabus Spring 26
Week 1 - Environmental Science and Sustainability: Science to Economics Slides: Introduction, What is sustainability, environmental science to Economics , Links to learn by... Understanding Science via U.C. Berkeley Pages for HW 1: One, Two A, Two B. Activities - PreQuiz and Fred
Week 2 - Matter, energy, time and environmental change Handout = Energy and the hydro cycle Short quiz (approx. 15 points) Friday over week one material. Handouts Hadley Cell , Jared Diamond Summary
Week 3 - Systems, Human population and ecologic biodiversity, Reading A. Text supplement p18-25 , B. Wolves and Elk in Yellowstone, Friday quiz and discussion prep , The video below is a generalization of trophic levels in Yellowstone, Can you find the video's errors?
Week 4 - Conservation, Video for Friday, Importance of biodiversity and conservation Suzanne Simard. Quiz prep Week 4
Week 5 - Lithosphere: Minerals, Rocks and Mining, Rock cycle video, Rock cycle Handout , Readings Minnesota and Pacific Ocean - Big Ideas in the syllabus
Week 6 - Dynamic Landscapes - Benefits to Hazards of Rivers, Hillslopes...
Week 7 - Landscapes, soils and agriculture - New York Times article "How America Got Hooked on Ultraprocessed Foods" - Oct. 2025 will need to make sure you are log into your UNI MyUNIverse account to access.
Week 8 - Open
Week 9 - Spring Break
Week 10 - Environmental Health, Law and Politics - Introduce Radon and Lifestyle Projects
Week 11 - Hydrosphere System - Watersheds to Groundwater
Week 12 - Non-renewable to Renewable energy - Coal, oil and gas Homework handouts, Number 1 , Number 2, ignore the March date listed in document 1. Listen to this, NY Times Daily Podcast, in order to listen for free you need to log into the site with your UNI account How do the following concepts from class: Demand/supply, Markets, Ethics, Externalities, True Cost Accounting and Tragedy of the Commons apply to the content of this podcast, no more than one page.
Week 13 - Atmosphere - Air quality, wildfires and heatwaves - No home work, all in class activities.
Week 14 -Waste generation and disposal - Consumption vs. Conservation vs. Recycling
Week 15 - Decision making, Sustainable economics, policies, and regulations - Podcasts NPR Marketplace 1- How to avoid a Climate Disaster via Bill Gates THEN (2021), Bill Gates now NY Times article 2025 - (source of NY times article Gates Notes - encouraged, but not requried), NPR Marketplace 2 - Black Rock via Larry Fink
Week 16 - Climate change, Slides, Podcasts: NY Times Daily 1.Science Friday: What happens if Atlantic Ocean Currents Cease to Churn?, 2. How Climate Migration will Reshape America , ProPublica New Climate Maps Website , Podcast for Friday - Katharine Hayhoe , NY Times article, Nov. 14, 2025 - Will likely need to be logged in to your MyUNIverse account to view.
More information NOAA Climatology, NOAA Sea-level Rise Simulation 3. Extra Reading
Resources
SustainableUNI, Sustainability in Higher Education
United States Geological Survey
The Scientific Method , even better try this or this Hypotheses Versus Theories
Relevant Podcasts
Environmental education Talk of Iowa
Climate Change and our National Parks
Changing Climate Means Changing Oceans
Past videos