Building an Ethical Compass: Reflections on ENV 290 at UC Davis

During Winter Quarter, a group of current Environmental Policy & Management students and alumni had the opportunity to teach ENV 290: Environmental Ethics & Action at UC Davis. Designed as a seminar-style course, ENV 290 created space for students to slow down and engage deeply with complex environmental questions, while thinking critically about the values that shape their work.

The course met weekly, with each session centered on a different topic, ranging from international environmental justice to ecofeminism and systems change. Students completed readings and videos outside of class, and then came together to discuss, challenge, and unpack these ideas.

Rather than focusing only on technical skills or policy frameworks, the seminar asked a different set of questions. The group focused on which values guide us, how we can navigate ethical dilemmas, and what it means to create meaningful change in unjust systems.

Throughout the course, we built our environmental/ethics “compass.” Ethical issues are extremely complex and nuanced, so we built a simple tool to help give ourselves direction. The compass was meant to help students identify the principles and values that can guide them when they encounter difficult decisions in their careers and lives.

Throughout the quarter, students wrestled with the tension between individual responsibility and systems change. We often discussed the need to transform institutions and address structural harms, but ENV 290 also emphasized the importance of examining our own beliefs, motivations, and ways of knowing.

As Dewansh Matharoo reflected, “We often talk about the need for systems change, and not merely remedying the harms born out of those systems. That said, we don’t often talk about where the individual and their ethical compass is in the process of systems change. Individual (and shared community) beliefs, knowledge systems, and motivations are important in critical environmental work, and this class was a way to bring that to the fore. I really like that we pushed each other to think about the knowledge and tools we need for sustained systems-thinking in our work, and the values and principles that could help us get there.”

For many students, the seminar provided an opportunity to connect the material to their own research and professional goals.

Paul Ronevich shared, “I appreciate the time we had to wrestle with the concepts and ethical concerns we will address as environmental professionals. This really extended the learning I received in EPM and helped me figure out how to tailor the content to my research.”

Ioana Seritan described the value of having a dedicated space for these conversations as she noted, “This seminar provided a much-needed space to discuss important topics from international environmental justice to ecofeminism with a supportive group of peers. These are topics I often ponder - especially how to uplift them in my work - but don’t always get to talk about with other people. I appreciated the intellectual challenge, the social space, and the opportunity to think really strategically about my work during and post-EPM.”

The class also fostered a sense of community and collaborative learning. Students not only brought their own experiences and perspectives into the room, but also challenged one another to think differently and more expansively.

Vanessa Olvera Buenrostro shared, “It was an honor being in this space to speak on topics that are often overlooked in our fields and to share the knowledge with my colleagues and friends. I am grateful to be able to uplift others and even challenge my own thinking. I hope this helps establish another step forward to how academia can better navigate our future leaders!”

At a time when environmental challenges can feel overwhelming, ENV 290 reminded us that ethics matters. The work of creating a more just and sustainable world is not only about technical expertise or policy interventions. It is also about building a personal toolkit to help us navigate difficult situations and move in the right direction.

We are grateful to everyone who participated in ENV 290 this winter. The conversations, questions, and reflections from this course will continue to shape how we think about environmental action and what it means to lead with intention.