Handbook

The Earth’s Systems and Sustainability (GEOS2291) course provides students with core background knowledge on how the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere (Earth’s Systems) are interconnected. During this course, you will learn how to measure the chemistry of air and water and quantify how the chemistry of these fluids change as they flow through the landscape.  These skills are needed to improve our knowledge about the interconnections between Earth’s systems, and to quantify the impact of human developments. To support the energy, food and material needs of modern societies humans have had an impact on almost all ecosystems on Earth. We’ve altered the flow of rivers, cleared vast areas of land for agriculture, mined coal and extracted oil and gas. We’ve also mined many minerals to build our cities and support our lifestyles. Humans have extensively altered the chemistry of the atmosphere.  This course teaches you how to measure the impacts of current and proposed human activities and how to collect the data required to sustainably manage our Earth.