People, Plants and Pollution: Introduction to Urban Environments

Cities turn natural lands into impervious surfaces, like roofs and parking lots, while trees, forests, and grass decrease. Course covers urban environmental issues, including energy and carbon, air, heat, and water pollution, the health and welfare of people, and changes in other species and regional/global climatic patterns. Examines costs/benefits of urban nature on solving urban environmental problems, including enhancing the social welfare of people's lives.