INFUSING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY INTO ENGINEERING PROGRAMMES

Abstract

Many engineering graduates entering industryin the real world are faced with problems regardingenvironmental literacy. These problems are worse indeveloping countries such as South Africa. The aim of theauthors is to promote the empowerment of students withsome basic Environmental Engineering skills. The proposedRenewable Energy course at the Electrical EngineeringDepartment and the aim and outline of the EnvironmentalEngineering course of the Department of MechanicalEngineering of the Cape Peninsula University of Technologyare discussed. In summary, Environmental education andtraining are deemed to be justified to increase the sensitivity,understanding and use of sustainability principles bypracticing engineers in particular, and enhance publicawareness in general.

Index Terms - Environmental Engineering, renewableenergy, Environmental education and training.