Exhortations:

SCIENCE, the GLORIOUS ENTERTAINMENT. Geography 3330 - Urban Environmental Geography ... it is an integrative science course that explores a few "great ideas" of physical and biological sciences. We take an Earth systems approach. More on that later.

GOOGLE EARTH as a tool. Examine diverse settings of cities. Google Earth is a tool to explore evidence.

THINK GLOBALLY, APPLY LOCALLY . Lectures (generally on Mondays introduce science concepts... energy, hear, mass, density, gravity). Then you apply global concepts to an urban setting of your choice. I'll role-model some of these connections... to three Utah communities Salt Lake, Park City, and Moab, UT. Conversely, think LOCALLY, because that's how global change happens.

EMPOWERMENT: Course goals are that you see the world differently AND That you will be empowered to make a difference

TODAY's CHALLENGES. are multi-disciplines, integrations, connections, interrelations, uncertainties, complex-thorny-issues, important issues, problem-solving approaches

When you develop knowledge, skills, and science-based analysis that empower you to make a difference. To paraphrase ancient Greek philosophers: the value of knowledge is that it leads to good works. Public policy is NOT the subject of this course; however, having knowledge of Earth systems is a basis for going from science to policy.

When will people be empowered... USGS approach to earthquake prepardness: Before people will take action, they must hear the message, understand the message, personalize the message... and then they'll act.

Why should you take this seriously? If humans push compents of Earth's subsystems too far out of balance, the system as a whole will change, its subsystems will compensate, and our anthrosphere must change. If we understand how systems work and some of important scientific underpinnings of Earth systems, we can adapt or respond proactively. The problems UofU students face differ from those faced by your grandparents; differ from those of your parents. The problems of the next 30 - 50 years differ in complexity, multidimensionality, magnitude, consequences... and therefore importance.

Good luck! Know your stuff! The stakes are high.