This quarter, the Department of Geography introduced a new class focusing on plastic usage and the various environmental concerns surrounding the issue.

The new project-based class — titled Evaluating the Plastic Waste Stream: A Case Study of UC Santa Barbara — takes a look at the flow of used plastic products at UCSB, following the items from their initial sale to their final disposal. Geog 195DR aims to provide students with a better understanding of recycling and disposal processes by identifying their common problems and subsequent solutions.

According to a press release, the class will focus on developing research skills and communication practices related to the issue while emphasizing the social, ecological and fiscal impacts of on-campus plastic pollution. Students will write research papers, watch guest lecturers and attend field trips to develop research findings that will be compared with results from similar projects at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. These findings will also be shared with UCSB Administrative personnel.

Geog 195DR is offered as a four-unit pass/no pass class and meets Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. It is currently available on GOLD to juniors and seniors while freshmen and sophomores must request add codes to register.