Sustainability Seminars Question Relationships with Nature
Seminars in the Sustainability Learning Community (LC) will examine the importance of place, the human role in the environment, and actions that foster sustainability. Questions we will ask include: What is the relationship of people to the environment? How do our attitudes towards nature change over time? And how is Austin making efforts to become more sustainable?
Signature Events
CapMetro Transit Adventure – We get to know some of Austin's popular sites like SoCo, Zilker Park, and downtown, by using the city's mass transit system. Once you know how to catch the bus, you'll be able to explore the whole city.
Where's My Food From? – Compare food sold at grocery stores and farmers' markets. Learn how global our corporate food distribution system is, and how local farmers have created a healthier and more sustainable alternative.
Hike, Bike, and Paddle – Barton Springs, Lady Bird Lake, Zilker Park, Wild Basin, Blunn Creek - Austin is full of great outdoor spaces. You'll have the chance to get to see how the city preserves and uses its natural beauty.
Fall 2022 classes
Below is a list of classes available for the fall 2022 semester.
Food Systems
Food Systems
Faculty member teaching this course: Amy Concilio
Ever wonder who grew that banana on your breakfast plate and how far it traveled to get to you? In this class, we will follow that banana from farm to plate, along the way examining the impacts of our industrialized food system, exploring what it means for a food system to be “sustainable”, and investigating what it will take to feed the world’s population with equitable, environmentally-sound practices. Lastly, we will explore topics like food justice, local food, and fair trade through guest lectures and hands-on field trips here in Austin, TX.
Sustainable Austin: Exploring Sustainability on Campus & in the Austin Community
Sustainable Austin: Exploring Sustainability on Campus & in the Austin Community
Faculty member teaching this course: Peter Beck
Over the past two decades, Austin has become a living laboratory for sustainable development as it has grown significantly while attempting innovative programs to reduce its environmental impact. In this course, we will incorporate local excursions, guest speakers and class activities to examine these different sustainability initiatives and explore how they are attempting to meet environmental, economic and social objectives.
Eco-Art & Action
Eco-Art & Action
Faculty member teaching this course: Hollis Hammonds
From plant sculptures, to forest themed installations, to community projects at landfills, artists have been addressing environmental issues in creative ways for decades. Looking at the innovative approaches artists employ to bring attention to the fragility of our ecosystem as well as organize communities and individuals to make change will be an important aspect of our study. We will not only explore the history and relevance of environmental art, but also engage in creative projects of our own on and off campus.
Sustainability in the Built Environment
Sustainability in the Built Environment
Faculty member teaching this course: Steven Fletcher
The built environment plays an integral role in meeting society’s most basic needs of shelter, security, mobility, community, and water and waste treatment, but it also contributes significantly to the sustainability challenges of climate change, pollution, resource consumption and land use. This course explores how the built environment fits into the complex environmental and human systems in which we live. Students will use design thinking and practical experience to explore better ways for humans to interact with our environment.