Environmental Politics and Law
John Wargo teaches this Yale College course on how environmental law works in practice, using case histories rather than abstract theory. Topics include pesticides, air pollution, consumer products and plastics, drinking water standards, food safety, hazardous site restoration, parks and protected area management, land use, urban sprawl, and public and private transit. Each case examines how a specific law is structured, then weighs its actual strengths and weaknesses at changing behavior. The course was recorded on Yale's campus in Spring 2010 for Open Yale Courses, with lectures delivered twice weekly. Materials include full video of the class sessions. It suits anyone wanting a grounded look at where environmental policy succeeds or fails on the ground, rather than a survey of environmental ethics or advocacy.