Defending the North American Environment

The dire warnings of climate change can leave a person feeling helpless and with little hope of affecting positive change for our own times and the future. What difference can a single individual make to assure the long-term stability of our natural environment? Although singular actions are important, history provides examples of successful collective action; of communities recognizing an environmental problem and taking action to address it. Canada and the United States share a terrestrial border that is more than 5,500 miles long. In between, lay common water bodies, rivers, mountains, forest, biota, and over 20,000 years of human habitation. That long history contains examples of Canadians and Americans working for a better local and global environment. In this seminar, we will explore such topics as: First Peoples’ protection of forests; the clean-up of Great Lakes communities; African-Americans’ struggle for better living conditions and healthier urban settings; activists’ use of the science of ecology to advocate against chemical dumping and nuclear power; and, contemporary examples of communal efforts to lessen our carbon footprint. Along with brief scholarly articles, students will access primary documents, art, films, and other media. This course counts as a 100-level Canadian Studies course, as a 100-level History course, and fulfills the FYS and HU general education requirements.