Disclaimer: I took this course over a five week period in Barcelona, so I am destined to be biased toward the content.
People and the Environment focused on individual social sciences' perspectives on ecological issues. We looked at the consequences of practices such as water conservation and bike share programs from economical, psychological, moral, anthropological, archeological, and sociological standpoints.
The epitome of this course was the excursion we took to La Fàbrica del Sol, when we saw many answers to environmental concerns in practice. This old building had been renovated on the inside incorporating eco-friendly materials and a geothermal cooling system. The very purpose of this building is to educate civilians on the importance of sustainability in the home and to illustrate how minor additions can make a big difference.
For example, La Fàbrica del Sol has a sunroom in which the walls are vertical gardens. This creates a naturally cooler space, where employees can sit and research or the public can come and relax. The above picture is my personal favorite! With a large roof, architects decided to create a cistern to provide extra insulation with the rainwater caught. This also provides irrigation to the gardens spanning the width of the roof. The most exciting touch is the solar panels, which have been utilized not only for their energy-providing ability, but also for shade as glorified umbrellas.
Although this specific building intrigued me most, People and the Environment greatly expanded my knowledge of environmental problems and how they are handled on a household, municipal, national, and worldly level in many other ways. Throughout these five weeks, we looked at current ecological events in Barcelona, Spain, and around the world from many angles and were encouraged to formulate our own responses. I have certainly been affirmed in my choice of major because of this class, and I hope to use my engineering knowledge to continue to create a greener planet in the future!
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