Soils and Environmental Quality was my favorite class in the fall of 2019 because it exposed the intersection of science, engineering, and humanities. The importance of preserving our natural environment is more crucial now than ever. The human population is growing exponentially, which means we consume exponentially more food and water. Engineers will be the ones to find solutions to the issues in agriculture and water resources, and Soils and Environmental Quality brought this reality to life.
Learning to read scientific journal articles and comparing to current environmental event articles were emphasized exercises in this course. These resources and newly-formed skills allowed me to connect the dots between the scientific community and the media. Some of the most intriguing events occuring right now in regards to environmental quality are the "water wars" in the American Southeast and in Northern Africa. People are struggling to find enough water for growing cities, such as Atlanta, and for growing enough food in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. These circumstances include more than just environmental scientists; they involve politicians, engineers, farmers, and civilians. The importance of access to usable water cannot be downplayed.
Climate change was the other topic of this course that brought a lot of light to the necessity of talented engineers in the present and near future. Alternate energy sources are a fantastic way to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The burning of fossil fuels is the single largest producer of Carbon into the atmosphere, and Carbon is the greenhouse gas most produced by humans. If the exponentially growing population can adapt quickly to new, energy-efficient technologies, we could reverse many of the adverse effects of the temperature rise that results from the increased greenhouse gases. We have approximately twelve years to reverse these effects, according to experts. Once again, a collaboration amongst industries is required to make this decrease in Carbon-release feasible.
Soils and Environmental Quality brought scientific reasoning and models to real-world, everyday problems. If each student were required to take this course as an exposure to ways in which basic sustainable practices can be incorporated into life, we could truly make an impact. This course reinforced the severity of environmental problems in the world, but it also gave me hope for finding sustainable solutions.
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