The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

The culmination of the Environmental Studies major. Students, while working with an advisor in their concentration, conduct research and write a thesis.

In 2007, Penn became one of the first universities in the country to commit to creating a more sustainable campus. President Amy Gutmann's press release on February 7, 2005 announced that Penn would develop a comprehensive sustainability plan by 2009. In President Gutmann's speech, she stated that Penn's sustainability plan would, "Include completing a comprehensive inventory of all its greenhouse gas emissions; purchasing at least 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources; adopting an energy efficient appliance purchasing program; committing to a policy that new construction be built to the US Green Building Council LEED Silver standards, or equivalent; and providing access to public transit for faculty, students, and staff."


How has Penn's "environmental footprint" changed? The students will build on the work of others, document existing efforts at Penn, and benchmark against other universities. The course will explore the issues mentioned above and and will also address issues such as storm-water management, the greening of campus, and leadership in the nearby community. The students will establish baseline data and measurement strategies so that success can be measured, and then will develop strategies to collect and analyze additional data. Included in the course will be the concepts of environmental management systems, secondary impacts (e.g., commuting habits of Penn employees), pollution prevention, and life-cycle analysis. Each student or group of students, will select an area of focus for their research exercise (e.g., energy, recycling, green buildings) and develop a report that can be used by the Penn administration to advance Penn's efforts toward sustainability. The students a cumulative class report summarizing their ideas for improvement. This report will be delivered the President's Office.

Survey of the physical, chemical and biological properties of freshwater ecosystems, both riverine and lentic, natural and polluted.

Cigarette smoking is a major public health problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Control reports that more than 80% of current adult tobacco users started smoking before age 18. The National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that 12.8% of middle school students and 34.8% of high school students in their study used some form of tobacco products.


In ENVS 407, Penn undergraduates learn about the short and long term physiological consequences of smoking, social influences and peer norms regarding tobacco use, the effectiveness of cessation programs, tobacco advocacy and the impact of the tobacco settlement. Penn students will collaborate with teachers in West Philadelphia to prepare and deliver lessons to middle school students. The undergraduates will survey and evaluate middle school and Penn student smoking. One of the course goals is to raise awareness of the middle school children to prevent addiction to tobacco smoke during adolescence. Collaboration with the middle schools gives Penn students the opportunity to apply their study of the prevention of tobacco smoking to real world situations.