Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshop

Last week I attended "Sustainability Across the Curriculum for Campus Leaders" workshop offered by AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education). There were 35 of us including attendees from Iceland, Tasmania, and United Arab Emirates. Led by Geoff Chase and Peggy Barlett, (editors of Sustainability on Campus), the stories from this gathering gave a great insider's view of the challenges and opportunities of incorporating sustainability education in college and university courses.

From the two days we spent at San Diego State University, I take away the importance of giving the "stakeholders" (i.e., professors, staff, and students) the tools for developing their own materials, rather than feeling compelled to provide content expertise. Many of the exercises we did both individually and as a group delved into gaining new perspectives on sustainability topics and the importance of place as a way to provide context for sustainability topics. Another key aspect is the importance of reflection-- to have the time to digest new information and to "incubate" ideas for later implementation. In working with colleges and universities to develop sustainability plans, timing and pacing are essential in order for initiatives to be received and eventually implemented.

This is a great workshop for those interested in exploring ways of incorporating sustainability education into courses and to explore ways of establishing alliances both on campus and with external organizations.