ENVSCI 214GL: Ecological Economics

This course is an introduction to the field of ecological economics, which examines how the natural environment and human-made economy interact to provide the foundation for human society. This mostly non-mathematical course highlights the differences between mainstream economics and ecological economics, encouraging students to think critically about the assumptions used by each school of thought and the different implications for policy and human wellbeing. Topics include the environmental basis of the economy; the optimal size of the economy and prospects for a non-growing or steady-state economy; personal consumption issues and drivers; social welfare and how this can be measured; and the fair distribution of world resources.