ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES COURSES

Here are 5 of the core courses required for Christie's individualized major:

• Environmental Studies 101: Culture of Nature: This course looks at the role that nature plays within the American culture, asking questions like: “What constitutes nature,” and “Can nature be found, say, inside a mall?”.
• Introduction to Environmental Studies 137: This course made me aware of how indifference and exploitation contribute to our world’s deteriorating ecosystems. The course texts offered ways to counteract these phenomena, as well as addressed the issue of human dominion over nature, with questions such as: Does God-given dominion justify exploitation of nature? Should humans coexist with nature and be good stewards of the earth? Or should it be a combination of both?
• Integrative Studies 210: Life: Meaning and Mystery in Biology & Theology: This course uses scientific inquiry as a way of understanding the natural world. It explores the meanings behind and the mysteriousness of life from an ecological and a theological point of view. The course explores relations between God, humans, and nature. Each student choses a place to observe weekly on the natural lands of St. Olaf campus. I have chosen to visit Heath Creek each week. (Read Christie's Heath Creek Nature Logs.)
• Campus Ecology 210: In this course, we studied all aspects of St. Olaf’s campus. We spent a considerable amount of time discussing benefits of nature and spirituality, as well as how the two are connected. Classes were often held outside, as it was offered in the spring.
• Saving Wild Places 259: This course explored current and historical environmental issues. It offered positive approaches to working towards bettering the environment. It elicited questions about why we should spend time saving wild places; merely for aesthetic reasons, or for deeper, more spiritual reasons.

This photo was taken on St. Olaf Avenue in the Fall of 2003. (Just look at those brilliant colors!)

Read about Christie's upcoming Creation Care Internship.

Click here to become more aware of the TRUTH about the current state of the natural environment.