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May 03, 2026
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Undergraduate Catalog 2026-2027
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GEO 106 Environmental Geology Credits: (3)
An introduction to the principles of applied geological science related to solving environmental problems. As such the course provides an introduction into scientific studies of human interaction with the geologic environment, including the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Topics of study will include human population dynamics, soil generation and erosion, energy and mineral resources and management, waste management and disposal, water resources and water rights, water and air pollution, climate change, and related geologic principles that interact with these environmental problems. This course, along with its optional laboratory course GEO 106L , satisfies the requirements of those curricula demanding a science or laboratory science course. Only GEO 106L may be used with this course to represent a single laboratory science course. GEO 106 consists of three one-hour lectures or equivalent.
SUNY Gen Ed Area(s): Natural Sciences
Designation(s): Liberal Arts
Learning Outcomes
- Utilize the vocabulary and basic models that describe Earth science phenomena.
- Identify basic Earth materials (rocks and minerals) and the processes that are instrumental in their formation, and understand their economic & societal importance.
- Demonstrate and understand the Earth’s internal structure and dynamics and relate these to other Earth systems (e.g. atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere) so that students can describe environmental unity and relate this to the concept of sustainability.
- Demonstrate and understand environmental change within the context of geologic time and human interaction.
- Demonstrate and understand how human population has changed over time, and be able to describe how these changes have modified the geologic environment and how these changes relate to the concepts of sustainability and carrying capacity.
- Describe the following human impacts and/or geologic processes and be able to relate human interactions to our understanding of sustainability; for
a. Soil generation and erosion
b. Water resources, their use and water rights
c. Energy sources, their generation and use
d. Mineral resources and development/exploitation
e. Waste generation and waste disposal
f. Pollution issues, for water and air.
- Relate course material to global climate change, and be able to describe the processes that control the Earth’s climate.
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