The main objective of this course is to understand our planet and to explore how today's human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations. This course will introduce a variety of topics from different disciplines; examples are the roles of developing and developed nations in climate change, the roles of societal and cultural practices in modifying the environment, the impact of globalization in different cultures, and cultural sustainability. In addition, students will work in teams and investigate ways of achieving sustainability on local, regional and global scales. (Also listed as PHY 245.)