Category Archives: Degrees & Programs

The Concrete Jungle: Study of Urban Landscapes as Environmental Science

The Concrete Jungle: Study of Urban Landscapes as Environmental Science
Urban environmental science examines cities as complete ecosystems, studying how buildings, infrastructure, people, wildlife, and natural processes interact in concentrated spaces. This interdisciplinary field combines urban planning, ecology, geography, and sociology to address challenges like air quality, sustainable development, and climate resilience. Career opportunities include urban planning, environmental consulting, GIS analysis, and conservation, with most…
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Air Quality & Environmental Health: Indoor and Outdoor Impacts

Air Quality & Environmental Health: Indoor and Outdoor Impacts
Air quality affects health both indoors and outdoors. Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where air quality is largely unregulated despite risks from mold, radon, asbestos, and other pollutants. Outdoor air is regulated through the Clean Air Act, which monitors six criteria pollutants affecting over 75 million Americans in nonattainment areas. Both indoor…
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How Birds Support Ecosystems: 4 Essential Services Explained

How Birds Support Ecosystems: 4 Essential Services Explained
Birds provide four essential ecosystem services that benefit humans and maintain environmental health: supporting services like nutrient cycling and soil formation, provisioning services including pest control and pollination support, regulating services such as waste decomposition and seed dispersal, and cultural services like ecotourism and spiritual enrichment. These contributions generate billions of dollars in economic value…
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Wind Power 101

Wind Power 101
Wind power harnesses kinetic energy from moving air using turbines with rotating blades to generate clean electricity. Modern wind farms can produce power at around 4 cents per kilowatt-hour, making wind one of the most cost-effective renewable energy sources available today, with over 1,100 GW of capacity installed globally as of 2024. Modern wind power…
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Natural Gas 101: Pros, Cons & Career Guide

Natural Gas 101: Pros, Cons & Career Guide
Natural gas is a fossil fuel primarily composed of methane, formed over millions of years from decayed organic matter. It supplies approximately 22% of global energy needs for heating, electricity generation, and industrial processes. While natural gas burns cleaner than coal or oil—producing 50% less carbon dioxide—its extraction and use raise environmental concerns including methane…
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What is NEPA? Introduction to U.S. Environmental Policy

What is NEPA? Introduction to U.S. Environmental Policy
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), signed into law on January 1, 1970, requires all federal agencies to assess environmental impacts before taking major actions. NEPA established three types of review documents (EIS, EA, and CE), created the Council on Environmental Quality, and gave citizens a voice in federal decision-making through required public participation. The…
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Hydraulic Fracturing: Health Risks, Regulations & Career Impact

Hydraulic Fracturing: Health Risks, Regulations & Career Impact
Hydraulic fracturing extracts natural gas and oil from deep shale rock by drilling vertically, then horizontally, and pumping high-pressure fluid to fracture the formations. Now producing 67–79% of US natural gas and 50% of crude oil, the technology has transformed American energy independence. However, peer-reviewed research increasingly links fracking operations to elevated childhood cancer rates,…
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Understanding Drought in the United States: Types, History, and Impact

Understanding Drought in the United States: Types, History, and Impact
Drought is a temporary period when water availability falls below normal levels for a region, affecting humans, agriculture, and ecosystems. The United States experiences four types of drought—meteorological, agricultural, hydrological, and socioeconomic—each triggered by different conditions and impacting different sectors. While cyclical in nature, droughts have grown more intense due to climate change and increasing…
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