Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

PubH 3150 Spring, 2016

Sustainable Energy and Environmental Health,
3 credits
Tues, 12:45-3:15pm,
See Online Course Schedule For Location

Course Leads: Peter LaPuma, PhD, PE, CIH

Associate Professor, Dept of Environmental & Occupational Health
950 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Suite 400; Washington, DC 20051
202-994-5185
plapuma@gwu.edu
Office Hours: After class for brief issues OR by appointment
Instructional Assistant: Deise Galan
dgalan@gwu.edu
Course Description
This course will explore the popular theme of thinking sustainably from the global perspective of
environmental health and our energy-intensive lifestyle. Many emerging international issues surround how
we will continue to provide basic human needs such as water, food, energy and security while balancing
the realities of resource depletion, air and water contaminants and climate change. Technical, sociopolitical, and health implications of each renewable and non-renewable energy source will be discussed,
as will energy conservation and efficiency, in the context of broader issues such as population growth,
food and water resources, climate change and the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for
future generations. The course will involve several small exercises designed to reinforce concepts as
well as a tour of sustainable features on campus.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
Course Learning Objectives Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Explain the science and politics that govern energy production and consumption in the U.S.
Describe the practical contributions and limitations of alternative energy sources.
Explain the importance of using sustainable thinking to drive policy.
Explain how each potential energy source impacts public health through its life cycle.
Explain the causes and health ramifications of climate change.
Required Text
No book is required but readings are assigned below in the course schedule.
Methods of Instruction
Lectures
Case Studies
Required Readings/Textbook
Recommended/Supplemental Readings

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Class and Small Group Discussions

Student Presentations
Other [Specify]
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Methods of Evaluation
Percent of Grade

Midterm

33 %

Air Pollution Project

5%

Hydrofracking Letter

5%

Personal Energy Assessment

5%

Personal Food Assessment

5%

Group Presentations

10 %

Course Evaluations

2%

Final

35 %

Class Policy
You may discuss subject matter with other students, but the written assignments that you turn in for grade
must be your own work in your own words and cannot be shared with other students. If you copy another
students assignment or let someone else copies yours, you are both cheating. Exams are closed book
and must be done independently.
Participation
Attendance and thoughtful engagement are expected for all classes. Absence for a legitimate reason
(illness, death in family etc.) are allowable with advanced notice but students are responsible to makeup
work. Too many absences or unexcused absences will impact participation grade.
Grading Scale and Standards
Written assignments will be evaluated based on following the instructions for the paper. The content and
clarity of the writing quality should be appropriate for a graduate-level MPH student.
For each assignment and exam, the instructors will use their discretion to determine whether to apply a
curve to the distribution of scores. We do not offer extra credit or additional assignments to improve the
grade earned. At the completion of the semester, grades will be based on the following:
A
AB+
B

100 93.3 (exceptional performance)

93.2 90.0
89.9 86.7
86.6 83.4

BC+
C
CF

83.3 80.0
79.9 76.7
76.6 73.4
73.3 70.0
< 70.0

Class Policy: Late Work and Exam Dates

In order to pass this course, you must turn in the written assignment and exams on the due date.
Unexcused late assignments will be deducted 5 percent for each day beyond the due date. If there are
extenuating circumstances and a student needs an extension, a written request in advance of the due
date is required along with written permission for an alternative due date. Legitimate excuses include
severe illness, death in the family, etc. Students are expected to take the exams on the assigned dates.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for posting course files and assignments and for communicating with the class.
You are already enrolled for this course on Blackboard if you have completed registration for the course. It
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is your responsibility to periodically check the course site (log in at http://blackboard.gwu.edu/ Using your
gwu.edu address) for updates to the syllabus/readings.
Academic Integrity
All Milken Institute School of Public Health Students are required to complete two (separate) online
activities regarding academic integrity -- the GW Academic Integrity Activity and the Identifying and
Avoiding Plagiarism Activity. Both activities must be completed within 2 weeks of starting your
coursework at Milken Institute School of Public Health. - See more at:
https://publichealth.gwu.edu/integrity#sthash.FlIRdO5H.dpuf
Please review the Universitys policy on academic integrity, located at www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html
and complete the online training for all GWSPH students; All graded work must be completed in
accordance with the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity.
Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking
credit for the work of others without crediting them and without appropriate authorization, and the
fabrication of information. Common examples of academically dishonest behavior include, but are not
limited to, the following: cheating; fabrication; plagiarism; falsification and forgery of University academic
documents; facilitating academic dishonesty.
Students with Disabilities
If you feel you may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please contact your
instructor privately to discuss specific needs. Please contact the Disability Support Services Office at
202.994.8250, http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss , to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable
accommodations.
Adverse Weather/Class Cancellation
In the advent of inclement weather or any other emergency, the Milken Institute School of Public Health
will follow the decision of the University. Call the University hotline at 202.994.5050 or check the Human
Resources status button at http://hr.gwu.edu/adverse-weather-conditions-and-emergency-situations. In
the event of class cancellation, we will email you about rescheduling, assignments due, etc.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Procedures
The University has asked all faculty to inform students of these procedures, prepared by the GW Office of
Public Safety and Emergency Management in collaboration with the Office of the Executive Vice
President for Academic Affairs.
To Report an Emergency or Suspicious Activity
Call the University Police Department at 202-994-6111 (Foggy Bottom) or 202-242-6111 (Mount Vernon).
Shelter in Place General Guidance
Although it is unlikely that we will ever need to shelter in place, it is helpful to know what to do just in case.
No matter where you are, the basic steps of shelter in place will generally remain the same.
If you are inside, stay where you are unless the building you are in is affected. If it is affected, you
should evacuate. If you are outdoors, proceed into the closest building or follow instructions from
emergency personnel on the scene.
Locate an interior room to shelter inside. If possible, it should be above ground level and have the
fewest number of windows. If sheltering in a room with windows, move away from the windows. If
there is a large group of people inside a particular building, several rooms maybe necessary.
Shut and lock all windows (for a tighter seal) and close exterior doors.
Turn off air conditioners, heaters, and fans. Close vents to ventilation systems as you are able.
(University staff will turn off ventilation systems as quickly as possible).
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Make a list of the people with you and ask someone to call the list in to UPD so they know where
you are sheltering and who is with you. If only students are present, one of the students should
call in the list.
Await further instructions. If possible, visit GW Campus Advisories for incident updates
(http://CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu) or call the GW Information Line 202-994-5050.
Make yourself comfortable and look after one other. You will get word as soon as it is safe to
come out.

Evacuation
An evacuation will be considered if the building we are in is affected or we must move to a location of
greater safety. We will always evacuate if the fire alarm sounds. In the event of an evacuation, please
gather your personal belongings quickly (purse, keys, GWorld card, etc.) and proceed to the nearest exit.
Every classroom has a map at the door designating both the shortest egress and an alternate egress.
Anyone who is physically unable to walk down the stairs should wait in the stairwell, behind the closed
doors. Firemen will check the stairwells upon entering the building.

Once you have evacuated the building, proceed to our primary rendezvous location: the court
yard area between the GW Hospital and Ross Hall. In the event that this location is unavailable,
we will meet on the ground level of the Visitors Parking Garage (I Street entrance, at 22 nd Street).
From our rendezvous location, we will await instructions to re-enter the School.

Alert DC
Alert DC provides free notification by e-mail or text message during an emergency. Visit GW Campus
Advisories for a link and instructions on how to sign up for alerts pertaining to GW. If you receive an Alert
DC notification during class, you are encouraged to share the information immediately.
GW Alert
GW Alert provides popup notification to desktop and laptop computers during an emergency. In the event
that we receive an alert to the computer in our classroom, we will follow the instructions given. You are
also encouraged to download this application to your personal computer. Visit GW Campus Advisories to
learn how.
Additional Information
Additional information about emergency preparedness and response at GW or the Universitys operating
status can be found on GW Campus Advisories (http://CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu) or by calling the GW
Information Line at 202-994-5050.
Personal Support
Counseling Center: The GW University Counseling Center offers a wide variety of counseling services to
students including individual counseling, group counseling, academic support, career counseling, referral
information, and alcohol/drug services. The Counseling Center is available to both undergraduate and
graduate students. For more information: 2033 K Street, NW, #330, 202-994-5330,
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/. Information on other available resources is available on the GW website
and in the SPH Student Handbook http://publichealth.gwu.edu/services/students.

Session Outline: The required readings listed for each session should be completed before the
beginning of each class session.

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Course Outline
1

Date
Topics
Jan 12 Human Population and Petroleum

Jan 19 Coal and Natural Gas

Jan 26 Nuclear and Electricity Generation

Exercise: Townhall Meeting
Feb 2
Air Pollution

4
5

Feb 9 Renewable Energy Solar

Feb 16

7
8
9

10
11
12
13
14
15

Assignments (Full citations are listed below)

1. EIA, Coal and the Environment
2. Palmer, Mountaintop Mining Consequences
Due: Hydrofracking Paper Due
3. EPA, Six Criteria Air Pollutants
4. Rosling, Hans (9 min clip) Magic Washing Machine
Due: Hometown Air Pollution Due
5. Biello, Green Energys Big Challenge
6. Ralph Braccio Interview http://youtu.be/EYiIKYGcEVE

Renewable Energy Wind, Wood,

Geothermal, Hydroelectric
Midterm Exam (First 1.5 hrs)
Feb 23
Personal Energy Use (Second 1 hr)
Mar 1 Sustainable Buildings and Communities 7. NBC Special Our Year of Extremes
Due: Personal Energy Assessment
Mar 8
Global Climate Change Impacts
8. National Climate Assess - Health (Chapter 9)
9. Hansen, Climate Change Urgency (19 min clip)
Mar 15
Spring Break
Climate Change 1 hr
10. PBS Clip, Why Some Dont Believe (7 min clip)
Mar 22
Tour: LEED Buildings 1.5 hrs
Mar 29 Climate Change Policy
11. Arroyo, Climate Solutions (10 min clip)
12. Gilmer, Nevadas Water Fight
Apr 5 Climate Impacts to Water and Food
Due: Personal Food Assessment Project
13. Lance Price Ted Talk http://youtu.be/ZwHapgrF99A
Apr 12 Transportation
Apr 19 Group Presentations
Group Presentations Due
May 3
Final Exam - TBD

About the Assignments

Hydrofracking Paper Students will prepare a letter to the New York Governor on
whether to allow natural gas hydrofracking in New York. The first paragraph introduces
you and your position, the next 3-4 paragraph makes a point that backs up your position.
The last paragraph is your recommendation to the Governor. The student will not be
penalized for any position taken. The quality and clarity of the talking points along with
proper grammar and spelling will be assessed for grading purposes. The paper requires
at least 3 reputable references (citations will not be counted in your page count.

Air Pollution Project Students will use website tools to assess ground level ozone
trends in their home town. The student will identify if their area is in attainment with EPA
ozone standards and identify the major emission sources that contribute to ozone.

Personal Energy Assessment Students will track their use of energy for 2 days to
include all electrical devices, room lighting, heat, transportation etc. that they consumed.
Students will measure the kilowatt-hour consumption of select appliances using a power
meter. Students will calculate their carbon emissions using an online calculator
(http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/).

Personal Food Journal Students will inventory their food and beverage consumption
for 3 days along with manufacturer, type of food packaging and wastes etc. The student

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will select one food item to research and research the origin of the food, where the food
was prepared and packaged. Also the student will identify how it was stored
(refrigeration, freezer, etc) for how long and how you personally prepared it (stove,
microwave etc). The student will make note of the energy consumption through the
process.

Group Presentation Students will be assigned to groups of 3-5 students and each
group will provide a 10-15 min presentation to the class on a pre-approved sustainable
energy presentation. A grade will be assigned to the entire group for the quality of the
presentation but 10% of the group presentation grade will depend on confidential scores
provided by the other members of your group.

Reading List

1.

U.S. Energy Information Administration (U.S. Department of Energy), Coal Explained: Coal and the Environment.
Last Reviewed: October 20, 2011. (Available at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/print.cfm?
page=coal_environment)

2.

Palmer, M.A. et al., Mountaintop Mining Consequences, Science, Vol. 327, pp. 148-149, Jan 2010.
http://www.filonverde.org/images/Mountaintop_Mining_Consequences_Science1[1].pdf

3.

4.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR). What Are the Six Common Air
Pollutants? (Basic Information and Health for Each Pollutant). Last Revised on July 1, 2010. (Available at:
http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/urbanair/)
Rosling, Hans, TED Talks, 9 min Video Clip, The Magic Washing Machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=BZoKfap4g4w

Biello, D. Green Energys Big Challenge: The Daunting Task of Scaling Up, Yale Environment 360, Oct 2011.
5.

(Available at http://e360.yale.edu/content/print.msp?id=2362)

6.

Interview with Ralph Braccio, Hawaiis Work Towards Energy Self Sufficiency, (Available at:
http://youtu.be/EYiIKYGcEVE)

8.

Movie NBC Special Our Year of Extremes (6 Parts) (Available at: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/video/ouryear-extremes-did-climate-change-just-hit-home-part-n73936 )
National Climate Assessment 2014 Chapter 9 Human Health
http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/human-health

9.

Hansen, Climate Change Urgency, 19 min:

http://www.ted.com/talks/james_hansen_why_i_must_speak_out_about_climate_change?language=en

7.

Why Some People Don't Believe In Climate Science, 7 min (Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch/?
10. v=y2euBvdP28c)
11.

Arroyo, Climate Solutions, http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2012G/None/VickiArroyo_2012G.mp4

12. Gilmer. E, CITIES: Nev.'s water fight -- slow-motion war over a thirsty future, ClimateWire, Jan 11, 2012.

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(Available at: http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2012/01/11/1)

13.

Lance Price Ted Talk on Antibiotic Resistant Diseases from Industrial Meat Production (Available at:
http://youtu.be/ZwHapgrF99A

Learning Objectives (First Half)

Petroleum
1. Explain how each major energy source is used and their relative contribution in the US energy mix.
2. Explain the definition of sustainable development according to the Brundtland Commission
3. Identify when global oil discoveries peaked.
4. Identify how much oil the US consumes in a day (in mbo)
5. Discuss what is meant by peak oil as explained in class
6. Explain the many ways petroleum is used in your everyday lives.
Coal and Natural Gas
1. Explain mountain top coal removal and valley fill and its environmental hazards.
2. Identify the air pollutants of highest concern regarding coal plants (Hg, SOx, NOx, CO2)
3. Explain the shale gas hydrofracking process and the potential environmental issues.
4. List the types of air pollutants associated with natural gas and coal.
5. Explain the relative influence of methane and CO2 on warming.
6. Explain the pros and cons of nuclear power and the three ways water is used in a traditional nuclear
plant
Electricity and Transmission
1. Know how many kWh a typical house uses per month
2. Convert between watts, volts and amps without a formula
3. Explain how to read the circuits in your house electrical box
4. Explain the difference between gross energy and useful (net) energy
5. Explain the difference between peak and base power and the preferred sources for each
6. Explain the impact of renewable energy on spinning reserves
7. Explain the role of Renewable Energy Credits in inspiring low carbon electricity
8. Explain the transmission and distribution structure and their environmental health impacts
Air Pollution
1. Describe each of the six (6) criteria air pollutants to include how they are emitted, their human health
effects and general corrective actions taken to mitigate the hazard
2. Explain how air dispersion complicates air pollution monitoring
Renewable Energy
1. Explain the concept of a renewable portfolio standard
2. Calculate power production from the capacity factor for any generation source
3. Distinguish the pros and cons of the two different types of solar power
4. Explain the pros and cons of the space based solar concept
5. Explain the challenges of wind power on a large scale
6. Explain the two different types of geothermal energy
7. Explain the role of hydroelectric power and the environmental effects of large dams
There will be exam questions on the assigned articles that may not be covered in class so be sure
to keep up on the readings.
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Learning Objectives (Second Half)

Personal Energy Use
1. List the (3) three largest energy consumers in residential and commercial buildings.
2. List the order of the LEED colors (not the point structure)
3. Explain the concept of a passive solar home design
Built Environment
1. Match a process description to one of the five phases of the life cycle assessment framework
2. Explain the importance of life cycle assessment (LCA) in alternative energy decision making
3. Discuss the links between building efficiency and environmental/human health
4. Explain ways that the built environment impacts health and fitness
Climate Change
1. Explain the greenhouse effect and the influence of short-wave and long-wave radiation
2. Characterize the major greenhouse gases and their relative influence on climate
3. Identify the current CO2 concentration and the pre-industrial CO2 concentration
4. Identify the temperature and CO2 concentration cap agreed to in Copenhagen 2010 by the US and
the European Union
5. Know the general environmental and health implications of climate change
6. Distinguish between mitigation and adaptation efforts
7. Discuss take-back effects and the importance of health in making sustainable choices
8. Explain carbon capture and sequestration
9. Know what Scope 1, 2 and 3 means in GHG emissions for federal organizations
10. Explain strategies in how public health professionals can play a major role in shifting behavior to
abate climate change, reduce energy /water consumption and live a healthier lifestyle
Water and Food
1. Explain the two primary ways water is used in a thermal power generation plant
2. Explain the environmental implications of cooling tower water discharges
3. Know that once through cooling, hydropower and energy crops are the highest water consumers in
making electricity
4. Explain the link between the Ogallala Aquifer and sustainable food production
5. Explain the environmental health issues with industrial farming and dependency with fossil energy
Transportation
1. Explain the difference between hybrids, PHEV and BEV
2. Know the various charging station levels and how they will be used
3. Compare the average US household electricity use with charging an EV.
4. Explain how energy density impacts vehicle range
5. Describe the relative mix of vehicle types in the US (cars, trucks, motorcycles) and the average age
of a car in the US
6. Explain how the economy has affected driving miles and car sales in the US and BRIC countries.
7. Explain the challenges in biofuels and implications of annual versus perennial agriculture
Group Presentations
Each group will provide two (2) testable learning objectives for the class
There will be exam questions on the assigned articles that may not be covered in class so be sure
to keep up on the readings.

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