Environmental Problem Solving in an Age of Climate Change: Volume One: Basic Tools and Techniques

This textbook offers undergraduate students studying the environment a chance to work on real-world environmental problems and develop the disciplinary and professional skills needed to address complex issues. It uses a problem-based approach, focusing on climate change as a common lens to examine various environmental challenges. The book includes activities that guide students through discovery, analysis, and solutions, helping them build their knowledge and skills in problem-solving, decision-making, and environmental communication. It emphasizes the pervasive nature of climate change in all environmental issues and the need for collaborative efforts to find sustainable solutions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 14 February 2024
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive textbook offers undergraduate students studying the environment a unique opportunity to engage in real-world problem-solving and develop the essential disciplinary and professional skills required to address complex environmental issues. Comprising 12 units, this workbook-style text focuses on a diverse range of environmental challenges, both directly and indirectly linked to climate change. Through engaging activities, students are guided to review relevant environmental content knowledge, practice a variety of learning outcome-based skills, evaluate potential solutions, and advocate for action.

One of the book's key strengths is its problem-based approach, which uses climate change as a common lens to examine a wide array of current environmental challenges. By demonstrating how students can apply their core knowledge and disciplinary skills to identify potential solutions, the book showcases the importance of science in informing decision-making and enhancing students' competency in learning outcomes common across environmental academic programs.

Designed to cater to student interests, the textbook offers a range of problem-area options, ranging from sea turtle conservation to climate migrants to urban heat islands. Instructors can choose units that align best with their student's interests, or work through them sequentially to scaffold instruction and build student capacity.

Each unit in the textbook is structured to facilitate learning through discovery, analysis, and solutions. In the discovery phase, students are guided through exploration to build their knowledge of the issue and prepare a formal problem statement. In the analysis phase, students delve into relevant data and begin to evaluate potential solutions. Finally, in the solutions phase, students practice their problem-solving, decision-making, and environmental communication skills.

By incorporating hands-on activities, case studies, and real-world examples, this textbook provides students with a practical and applied understanding of environmental issues. It equips them with the tools they need to become effective advocates for change and contribute to the betterment of the environment. Whether students are aspiring environmental professionals, activists, or simply interested in understanding the complexities of our planet, this textbook is an invaluable resource for their academic journey.

Weight: 730g
Dimension: 279 x 210 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031487613
Edition number: 1st ed. 2024