Environmental studies is the systematic study of human interaction with their environment. It is a broad field of study that includes the natural environment, built environments, social environments, organizational environments, and the sets of relationships between them. Current environmental problems have evolved into a complex set of interdisciplinary issues involving ecological, political, economic, social, as well as physical and biological considerations. Modern environmental studies must include the study of the urban environment as well as the natural environment. Human behavio(u)r is the collection of activities performed by human beings and influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, rapport, hypnosis, persuasion, and/or coercion. ... The Natural Environment comprises all living and non-living things that occur naturally on Earth. ... The phrase built environment refers to the manmade surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging from the large-scale civic surroundings to the personal places. ... The social environment or social context is a group of identical or similar social positions and social roles. ... Interdisciplinary work is that which integrates concepts across different disciplines. ... Ecology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. ... Politics is a process by which collective decisions are made within groups. ... Economics (from the Greek Î¿Î¯ÎºÎ¿Ï [oikos], family, household, estate, and Î½Î¿Î¼Î¿Ï [nomos], custom, law, hence household management and management of the state) is a social science that studies the production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services. ... ... Biology is the branch of science dealing with the study of life. ... Urban area is a term used to define an area where there is an increased density of man-made structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ...
Resources for learning and acting shall be available to the Bowdoin community, including recycling bins, awareness lectures, information centers, and opportunities to become directly involved in environmental protection, such as environmental action committees to advise and monitor activities of the College.
EnvironmentalStudies at Bowdoin reflects the college's recognition that humans must learn to live in harmony with nature and that human activities are dependent upon natural processes.
The EnvironmentalStudies Program offers a 10 week fellowship, the Psi Upsilon Environmental Fellowship, that provides students with the opportunity to gain experience in the environmental field while working for a Maine non-profit or governmental agency.
The program introduces students - those majoring in environmentalstudies and those wishing to add knowledge of the field to their general education - to a wide variety of perspectives that examine the many connections between humans and nature.
Environmentalstudies majors first develop a common core of knowledge through introductory environmentalstudies courses and basic departmental course work taken from biology, chemistry, economics, geology, physics, politics, and sociology.
Environmentalstudies are thus combined with environmental science and environmental management within a liberal arts program and philosophy.