Environmental Studies Beyond The Science

Studying the environment these days doesn't just mean delving into the science behind the changes in our surroundings. There are environmental courses to be found on a wide range of topics, from film studies to public policy.

So it was that this past year Princeton University's Princeton Environmental Institute, Carl Fields Center and its Center for African American Studies joined forces to look at the emerging issue of environmental justice. The central idea in this field is that environmental problems like air and water pollution weigh more heavily on poor communities than rich ones. This past Friday, the Princeton centers held a free screening of the first two parts of Spike Lee's film about the impact of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, When The Levees Broke; they will screen parts three and four this Friday. On Tuesday, they will host a talk by Majora Carter, the founder of Sustainable South Bronx.

The Princeton Environmental Institute is an interdisciplinary center that coordinates environmental education, research and community outreach by departments in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. It offers an undergraduate certificate in environmental studies as well as graduate and postdoctoral training.