UC Irvine Extension Offers Climate Protection And Environmental Sustainability Course

IRVINE, Calif.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The University of California, Irvine Extension announced a new elective course in the Certificate Programs in Environment Management, and Sustainability Leadership. The course, "Climate Protection and Environmental Sustainability," will be held on Fridays and Saturdays, beginning Jan. 23 and running through Feb. 7, from 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at the UCI Learning Center in Orange, with no class meetings on January 30 and 31.

"Climate protection and environmental sustainability require a systems engineering approach to develop and implement a strategic plan for their respective practices," said course instructor Judy Yorke, B.S., PE, CPP. "In this course, students will explore the forces driving sustainability change, the application of sustainable practices and they will be guided through an analysis that will help them develop a vision and plan for implementation."

Students participating in the course will learn a systems approach to developing a sustainable business or community – whether to affect the bottom line for energy usage, develop new markets, or "go green."

Upon completion of the course, students will be better prepared to:

• Describe the forces driving change – California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and its implementation, the concept and impacts of "peak oil," the rise and demands of the global economy, "going green," and other forces driving change.
• Develop a Strategic Vision – Setting sustainability goals (social, economic, and environmental) and identifying metrics; calculating a greenhouse gas inventory – for AB 32, for the Climate Action Registry, for your community, or for your own "footprint," and understanding the emissions trading markets.
• Identify potential options and analyze sustainability solutions: from the practical short term to the far out long term.
• Develop and communicate a Sustainability, Climate Protection, or Impact Reduction Plan.

Course instructor Yorke is the founder and president of Yorke Engineering, LLC and has extensive air quality and environmental regulatory compliance experience with industry and government. Yorke is a recognized expert in federal, state and local air pollution control laws.

"Climate Protection and Environmental Sustainability" is an elective course in UC Irvine Extension's Certificate Programs in Environment Management, Facilities Management and Sustainability Leadership. For more information about the course or UC Irvine Extension's certificate programs, contact Judy Purewal at jpurewa@uci.edu or visit www.extension.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine Extension:
As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine:
The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

Copyright 2008 Business Wire All Rights Reserved.