Taught By:
Sharon Klein
Associate Professor
School of Economics
University of Maine
Read profile here.
Course Description:
This course introduces students to why they should care about energy issues and what they can do about them. Students will get a broad overview of a variety of technical, economic, environmental, and social implications of energy production and use. The course will focus on current U.S. and global energy use and policies as well as alternative energy options. Students will learn how citizens can play a vital role in determining the direction that the future energy system and policies will take. In the course of our lifetime each of us will be asked to make individual energy decisions, including voting on energy-related issues. This course will give you a place to start in understanding the complex tradeoffs associated with sustainable energy decision-making. Students will be required to do readings and watch videos prior to class so they can spend most of the class time engaged in active learning (e.g., discussions, debates, problem-solving, games, presentations, etc).
