When I first looked into Swarthmore, I was intrigued by the environmental studies program. Being someone who is very interested in nature and the environment, I was eager to take as many classes as I could in this department and potentially major in the subject (which I have now decided to do). But one question remained: “Wait, what’s the difference between environmental studies and environmental science?”
Enter Intro to Environmental Studies, or ENVS 001! This is a class that is required for environmental studies majors and minors, and it is a wonderful view into the broad and far-reaching world of environmental studies. The faculty who teach the class rotate by year, but every year it is taught by one natural sciences professor and one social sciences or humanities professor who work together to co-teach the course. When I took ENVS 001, it was taught by Professor Christopher Graves, a chemistry professor, and Professor Betsy Bolton, an English professor. In our class, we engaged with the environment in almost every possible way, and I gained an appreciation for just how much our world is interconnected with the environment.
First, we covered three domains of the environment in our world and some of the pressing issues facing our society regarding these domains. We examined energy, water, and food and how our use of these resources impacts the Earth, as well as how we can promote more equitable access to these resources without causing further damage to our planet. By looking at the science, the politics, and the logistics of these issues, we evaluated just how we could make changes on these issues and what work needs to be done.
We also went on self-directed field trips to events and activities relating to environmental issues. For my field trips, I went to a guest lecture, helped with a tree survey in the nearby town of Media, attended the launch of a book of eco-poetry, and went for a walk in the rain. These field trips were meant to give us a sense of how broad and interconnected environmental studies is, and to get us engaged with the environment locally. There were many other field trip opportunities besides just these that I did, such as participating in a rally for environmental justice in the nearby city of Chester, joining litter cleanups, attending film screenings, and many more.
ENVS 001 is also an “engaged scholarship” course, meaning there is also an element of civic engagement in the course. When I took the class, our civic engagement was writing letters to local or state legislators about an environmental issue and meeting with them to discuss actions. My group and I wrote to Senator John Fetterman and met with a member of his staff, and we ended up having a productive conversation and getting our issue brought up to Senator Fetterman.
Overall, I think environmental studies is, in a sense, the study of almost everything. I have learned that virtually every component of our society is affected by, and interacts with, the environment, so environmental studies is an incredibly broad and interdisciplinary field. Taking environmental studies courses like ENVS 001 allows you to appreciate the vastness of our interactions with the environment and appreciate just how much our society depends upon it. If you are someone who is interested in the environment in any capacity, there is sure to be an ENVS course that will pique your interest.
