College Environmental Science Tutoring

General Environmental Science 

Common Topics in General Environmental Science:

Matter and energy, terrestrial or marine communities, basic principles of ecology, the growth of human population and increasing resource demand, land resources, water resources, sustainability, water pollution, air pollution, biodiversity, conservation, climate change and associated impacts, environmental history, evolution, genetics, toxicology, and many more. 

General environmental science strives to touch upon a wide array of fundamental environmental science topics. It will span all across different areas of environmental science to provide students with a general understanding of what environmental science is. Essentially, it provides the groundwork for building a mastery of environmental science with more specialized courses. It is certainly a lot of ground to cover, which can definitely seem overwhelming. We are here to break down all of the topics for you in a way that you can master it all. 

Here are some tips from some of our expert environmental science tutors: 

Climate change: Begin by identifying the main contributors to global warming. These areas are likely associated with high rates of greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of quantifying the extent of global warming, we can look at temperature changes over time. 

Air pollution: Start by understanding what greenhouse gasses are and where they are most prominently emitted. Industrial manufacturing, vehicle emissions, and daily human activities produce gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. 

Ecology

Common Topics in Ecology:

Biomes, habitats, ecological concepts, population ecology, human ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, biodiversity, ecological changes over time, and many more. 

As you can see, ecology can be further specialized based on a particular focus. For example, a general ecology course will likely discuss population ecology in which discussions will involve changes in population growth, relationships involving predation and prey, and overall population dynamics. Ecology will teach students about the different dynamics of organisms with respect to their direct environments. These relationships exist on the basis of energy exchange. In order to understand the dynamics of our diverse world, it is crucial to understand the relationships between different organisms. We are here to guide you through this course by breaking down all of the ecological concepts that you may encounter!

Here are some tips from some of our expert environmental science tutors: 

Human ecology: It is helpful to learn this topic by thinking about how you operate in your own community. Human ecology looks closely at the dynamics of human populations. Think about activities that you observe in your day-to-day life and how they may impact the surrounding environment, including ecosystems and biodiversity. 

Biomes and habitats: Think about all of the different climates that our world possesses. When learning about biomes and habitats, you will take a closer look at all of these different environments. For example, in the United States alone, there is the presence of dry plains spanning across the Midwest, as well as tropical and subtropical climates predominating the Southeast. 

Environmental Geology

Common Topics in Environmental Geology:

Foundational geological concepts, natural disasters, natural resources, plate tectonics, water resources, energy resources, mineral resources, waste management, and more. 

Ultimately, environmental geology strives to teach students all about our complex planet and how it operates. This course will challenge students to understand Earth’s natural processes that have the power to impact both human populations and the environment. This course will dive into all of the processes that cause significant events such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In some courses, students may be tasked with working through case studies that will challenge them to analyze the impact of natural disasters. Case studies can introduce unique difficulties to students. While this may seem like a very complex course, we can help you digest all of the material thrown your way.  

Here are some tips from some of our expert environmental science tutors: 

Natural disasters: We may often hear of natural disasters such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions on the news or on social media. We all likely have some understanding of what natural disasters are and how profound and devastating their impacts can be. When learning about natural disasters, think about what you may have seen in your own day-to-day life that can help provide context to the severity of the natural disaster you are discussing. 

Waste management: When it comes to learning about waste management, there is a lot more that goes into disposing of waste than meets the eye. After you take out your trash to the curb, what becomes of it? We all contribute to the production of waste and it may be helpful to pinpoint these contributions in your own day-to-day life. This will help to provide context behind the different engineering solutions that you will discuss. Climate change and environmental protection are more important now than ever. Think about mechanisms of waste management that work in the Earth’s best interest. 

Climate Change 

Common Topics in Climate Change:

Physical science concepts, drivers of climate change, related social and economic issues, greenhouse gas effect, carbon cycling, climate models, fossil fuels, historical timeline of climate change, adaptation to climate change, and plenty more. 

Climate change is becoming an increasingly significant topic in today’s conversations. This course will cover both the scientific basis of climate change, as well as the social and economic implications it imparts on human populations. The diversity of topics that relate to climate change can pose difficulty for some students. While some weeks, the lectures may be more science-focused, other weeks may focus more on political documents or social changes. We completely understand that this is a difficult course given how much ground it covers. Despite how overwhelming it may feel at first, you can master each topic introduced throughout the course with a little bit of help from us! 

Here are some tips from some of our expert environmental science tutors: 

Carbon cycling: Carbon dioxide is essential for many cellular processes. However, in excess amounts, it can harm our environment. Think about how animals and plants exchange gases through cellular respiration and photosynthesis. We exhale carbon dioxide that the plants need to produce oxygen. However, industrialization produces carbon dioxide in harmful quantities. Think about a factory and the smoke that is typically surrounding these facilities.  

Adaptations to climate change: Climate change creates a cascade of events that is far more complex than we may realize. Climate change has raised the temperatures of the ocean and the air which has led to increased sea levels. This sea level rise impacts the intensity of hurricanes, as well as their duration and frequency. For areas that are more prone to hurricanes such as Florida, infrastructure has changed to withstand the impact of high winds and elevated flooding. 

Environmental Policy/ Law

Common Topics in Environmental Policy/Law:

Law fundamentals, regulatory bodies, executive authority, federal and state government, policy design, advocacy, pollution control, conservation, and international relations. These are only a few examples and may not be exclusive to every environmental law and policy course.

This class is important for teaching students about how change can be put into action. By understanding the process by which policies are developed, students are able to understand the status of environmental issues in relation to current policies. In some courses, students may partake in debates advocating for or against significant environmental topics. Law and regulation can be very complex at times, especially when international matters are thrown into the mix. This course is fundamental for those wishing to make a true impact on the world through policy development. We are here to not only help you master the material but to hopefully find an appreciation for the course as well. 

Here are some tips from some of our expert environmental science tutors: 

International relations: Ensuring the well-being of our earth is the duty of all humans. Countries across the globe have developed various agreements or policies to abide by that strive to protect our shared planet. The “Paris Agreement” will likely be discussed. This treaty set expectations for limiting the rising temperatures in response to global warming. To master this chapter, we suggest reading about the outcomes of the agreements included in your course. By visualizing the success or failure of these laws, it may be easier to connect the given policy with its goal. 

Regulatory bodies: There are several prominent bodies that oversee the laws and policies set in place to protect the Earth. These bodies may function at the state, federal, or even global levels. Although it is important to understand how a policy is made, it is also important to understand how they are enforced or supported after they are published. When it comes to mastering the content in this chapter, think about agencies that you may be familiar with in the United States. You likely have had exposure to some of these organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency or The World Health Organization. 

Sustainability 

Common Topics in Sustainability:

Energy/resource management, food systems, agriculture, adaptation strategies, mitigation strategies, life cycle assessment, geographic information systems, green building, microlending, and many more. 

Here are some tips from some of our expert chemistry tutors: 

Life cycle assessment: To remember what a life cycle assessment is in the context of environmental sustainability, think of the acronym “LCARE.” The first 3 letters represent the “life cycle assessment.” The “R” stands for “results” reminding you that the purpose of an LCA is to create results that can guide decision-making in the future. An LCA is used to assess the overall impact that a product or service has on the environment. It looks at the entire lifecycle of the product or service in question. Finally, the “E” in LCARE stands for environment. This can remind you that the overall focus of an LCA is to make decisions that will benefit the environment. 

Microlending: Microlending can be understood by breaking down the word. The prefix “micro” is associated with small size, while lending is associated with donation or borrowing. Microlending promotes funding to businesses that adopt environmentally friendly practices. Think back to the breakdown of the term. This can help connect the concept of microlending with its purpose.