HONOR 2285 - Energy and Society

Energy moves through all Earth’s systems. Ancient solar energy is stored in geologic reserves. Plants convert sunlight to sugars, providing the basis for how energy moves through organisms as food. The human legacy on Earth is intertwined with both these energy sources, which we leverage to generate stunning technological advances while also creating some of the most pressing environmental and humanitarian issues ever faced. Through quantitative problem-solving, field trips, and examining diverse perspectives, this course promotes an understanding of where energy comes from, how it is used in human society, and the benefits and trade-offs to different types of energy production - cross-cutting concepts important to informed citizens in the 21st century.