42 Environmental Studies

Also see Environmental Studies OER in development and Sask Polytechnic research guide for Environmental Engineering Technology.
Environmental Science with Lab: This document maps OER (curated by librarians and vetted for content and alignment by subject matter experts) to specific outcomes/competencies or items for this course (ENV 101, Colorado).
Last update: Feb 16/24

Courses

Environmental Technology  by Carnegie Mellon University (CC BY-NC-SA)

Learn about environmental technology in the contexts of HazMat, Safety, and Water Quality. Environmental students have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized federal certificates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and are prepared for positions focusing on environmental issues, laboratory and field tests, and workplace safety.

To Bee or not to Bee by Richard Woeber (CC BY)

A series of workshops that aims to express the importance of bees to our planet by teaching about pollination, bee diversity, and the adaptions that honey bees have made in their hives to allow them to be efficient in their jobs. There are three detailed lesson plans based on the following topics: pollination, bee diversity, and hexagons in the beehive.

Monographs

Quantitative Ecology  by Lehman, Clarence,  Loberg, Shelby,  Clark, Adam  (CC BY-NC)

Textbooks

American Environmental History by Dan Allosso (CC BY-NC-SA)

This text surveys findings of the new field of Environmental History about how the environment of the Americas influenced the actions of people here and how people affected their environments, from prehistory to the present.

This is a Canadian created resourceChemistry and the Environment: A Chemistry Perspective for discussion of Environmental Issues  by Latimer, Devin R. (CC BY)

This textbook designed to accompany a one-semester course in chemistry-based discussions of important environmental issues such as air pollution, the ozone layer, climate change and water quality. Chemical principles are introduced, followed by environmental ‘focus’ sections to base discussions on the scientific principles and societal intricacies of the individual topics. The book also includes the following ancillary resources:

Digging into Canadian Soils  by Canadian Society of Soil Science (CC-BY-NC)

This textbook provides an introduction to the core disciplines of soil science (pedology, soil biology and microbiology, physics, chemistry, fertility and nutrient cycling, and management), and introduces the concepts and vocabulary needed by students just beginning their soil science journey. The textbook is appropriate for use in a number of disciplines, including environmental and agricultural sciences, as well as related geology, geography and natural resources engineering  disciplines.

The Environment in the Age of the Internet  by Heike Graf (editor)  (CC BY)

How do we talk about the environment? Does this communication reveal and construct meaning? Is the environment expressed and foregrounded in the new landscape of digital media? An interdisciplinary collection that draws together research and answers from media and communication studies, social sciences, modern history, and folklore studies.

Environmental ScienceBites  Edited by Kylienne A. Clark, Travis R. Shaul, and Brian H. Lower and Edited by Kylienne A. Clark, Travis R. Shaul, and Brian H. Lower (CC BY-NC)

This book was written by undergraduate students at The Ohio State University (OSU) who were enrolled in the class Introduction to Environmental Science. The chapters describe some of Earth’s major environmental challenges and discuss ways that humans are using cutting-edge science and engineering to provide sustainable solutions to these problems.

Environmental ScienceBites: Volume 2   Edited by Brian H. Lower, Travis R. Shaul, Kylienne A. Shaul, and Ella M. Weaver (CC BY-NC)

The second volume of the Environmental ScienceBites book was authored by 30 unique undergraduate students enrolled in the course Introduction to Environmental Science at OSU. The book highlights both articles and posters describing critical environmental issues important to the first-time authors.

Forests and Food: Addressing Hunger and Nutrition Across Sustainable Landscapes by Bhaskar Vira (editor),  Christoph Wildburger (editor) and Stephanie Mansourian (editor) (CC BY)

This volume provides evidence and insights about the potential of forests to reducing global hunger and malnutrition, exploring the different roles of landscapes, and the governance approaches that are required for the equitable delivery of these benefits.

Future Energy: Opportunities & Challenges  by Thomas W. Kerlin, (CC BY)

How can we produce enough sustainable energy while avoiding unacceptable environmental consequences? To evaluate the various energy options, we must understand the science of each potential energy source and energy use technology. This book presents the science in an easy-to-understand way to enable readers to make informed decisions about what is possible and practical, and to choose lifestyle options to implement in their personal lives.

Geosciences LibreTexts Library  by various(CC BY-NC-SA)

A collection of open textbooks, assignments, and other educational resources on the subject of geosciences.

Introductory Bacteriology Lab Manual by Amy Turnbull ( CC BY-NC-SA)

This is an introductory bacteriology lab manual used in the Chemical Laboratory Technology and Environmental Technology advanced diploma programs at Fanshawe College. These labs provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate lab skills. Students will isolate an organism from the environment, then, using controlled experiments, determine the identity of the organism using morphology, physiology and molecular methods.

Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability by Emily P. Harris (CC BY)

This textbook is a college-level Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on the most relevant environmental science issues and addresses ways to incorporate sustainable practices. This resource is targeted at environmental science students.

Microbial Ecology  was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Boundless. (CC BY-SA)

This textbook was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. The LibreTexts approach is highly collaborative where an Open Access textbook environment is under constant revision by students, faculty, and outside experts to supplant conventional paper-based books.

Monitoring Animal Populations and Their Habitats: A Practitioner’s Guide by Brenda McComb, Benjamin Zuckerberg, David Vesely, Christopher Jordan (CC BY-NC-SA)

Although there are books that deal with sampling design and the quantitative analysis of population data, there are few that provide practical advice covering the entire evolution of a monitoring plan from incorporating stakeholder input to data collection to data management and analysis to reporting. This book strives to present an overview of this process.

This is a Canadian created resourceRegulations and the Environment: The Canadian Environment (CC-BY-NC) by Tim Taylor

Environmental scientists need to know their regulations. This book examines the Canadian context regarding environmental regulation. Canada is heavily influenced by the United States of America (US) and by the United Kingdom (UK). We have inherited a system that is based heavily on the UK experience, so the occasional UK reference is interesting. Hopefully this book provides a roadmap to understanding some of the basics of Canadian environmental regulations.

What Works in Conservation 2018  by William J. Sutherland (editor), Lynn V. Dicks (editor), Nancy Ockendon (editor),  Silviu O. Petrovan (editor),  Rebecca K. Smith (editor). (CC BY)

This book provides an assessment of the effectiveness of 1277 conservation interventions based on summarized scientific evidence.

Media Attributions

This chapter is adapted from Environmental Studies in OER by Discipline Directory by Edited by Lauri M. Aesoph and Josie Gray.

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

OER by Subject Directory Copyright © 2022 by Saskatchewan Polytechnic is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book