To the Editor:

MOOC (which stands for Massive Open Online Courses) gives anyone with internet access a chance to take college level courses for free. I just finished an eight week course, “Introduction to Sustainability,” offered by the University of Illinois by way of Coursera.com. It provided the text book, readings, lectures, TED talks, and other video presentations, weekly tests, and student forums, all on-line, and free.

Sustainability is one of those terms frequently used but rarely defined, probably because it is too complex for brevity. The outline of this course included: Population and carrying capacity; Ecosystems; Extinction and the Tragedy of the Commons; Climate Change; Energy, including peak oil and renewables; Agriculture and Water; Environmental Economics and Policy including cost/benefit analysis and externalities; and Measuring Sustainability, which brought in ethics and culture.

The material is challenging, but being able to work at your own pace and convenience is helpful. I kept thinking, ”What a great opportunity for the housebound, the elderly, and anyone with a tight budget and an eager mind.”

The course is being offered again in January, along with hundreds of other courses from colleges around the world. Check the Coursera.com website.

Pat Ramirez.

Maclean Street