Consumer to Custodian: Perspectives on Progress and Sustainability
Faculty member teaching this course: Philippe Seminet

This course will begin with a consideration of the notions of progress and sustainability and how they have shaped our understanding of ourselves and our role and responsibility in the world. Looking at examples in and beyond Austin, we will examine the benefits of both growth and conservation, and how sustainable development presents a compromise between anthropocentric and ecocentric views. We will also chart the rise of the environmental movement in the wake of the impact of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb, from which we will read excerpts. Students will have the opportunity to hear local advocates for sustainability and will get to explore a topic of their choice for a final paper and presentation.

Rhetoric and Sustainability 
Faculty member teaching this course: Mary Rist

This course examines the ways in which Americans in general and Austinites in particular talk about, think about, and debate about issues of sustainability.  How do we understand the term “sustainable” and how is it used to promote certain kinds of food, housing, transportation, land use, and water use?  Which values (and whose values) are promoted by promotional campaigns for sustainable agriculture, green building, and organic produce?  What is being left out of the conversation?  Students will learn to do careful rhetorical analysis of media reports, advertising, and PR documents that define and promote sustainable living in Austin.  Students will explore how Austin and national organizations advocate for sustainable causes.  They will design their own promotional campaign for a sustainable cause.   

Sustainable Austin: Exploring Sustainability on Campus and in the Austin Community
Faculty member teaching this course: Peter Beck

Over the past decade, the city of Austin has become a living laboratory for sustainable development as it has grown significantly while attempting innovative programs to become more sustainable.  In this course, we will examine these different sustainability initiatives and explore how they are attempting to meet their environmental, economic and social objectives.   Selected topics will include examining the City of Austin's initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases and achieve zero waste, environmental justice issues arising from East Austin's transformation and St. Edward's initiatives to reduce resource use on campus.  The course will incorporate guest speakers from Austin environmental leaders, field trips and campus projects such as working in the campus garden and measuring student composting and recycling behaviors.  

Sustainable Food Systems
Faculty member teaching this course: Amy Concilio

Industrialized systems of agriculture cause environmental pollution and social justice issues, such as soil degradation, air pollution and human health impacts which are disproportionately experienced by low-income and minority communities. In response, the sustainable agriculture movement has led to the development and spread of new methods of food production and distribution that are healthier for the land and society. This course will provide an overview of the science and policy issues surrounding agriculture & food systems in the US, discussion of the opportunities and challenges with the expansion of sustainable agriculture practices, and hands-on experience contributing to some exciting sustainable food system projects around Austin. Some specific topics that we will explore include sustainable crop & livestock production systems, eco-labeling and other incentive programs that affect agricultural production and distribution practices, food justice issues, local food movements, environmental impacts of diet choice, and food waste issues.