Bioneers: Education for Action

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Education for Action working group at the Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California. The objective of this group of about 40 is to find ways of leveraging sustainability education on a national scale. Quite an ambitious goal, yet as we broke it down into smaller chunks, we discovered that there were some aspects that were very doable!

It was intriguing that this group of leaders from the education, marketing, media, business and government sectors, among others, had deep experience and ideas on how best to engage a broad spectrum of people in sustainability education. The process our group underwent included working in smaller groups of about 7 people to drill down on a specific area which was then blended into the outcomes from the other groups. This is a long-term objective in which we focused on achievable goals. I'm excited to see what unfolds.

On a broader perspective, I'm thrilled to see how Bioneers is expanding its programs into: Dreaming New Mexico (a template for implementing regional sustainable practices); Food & Farming, Indigeneity, Women's Leadership and Education. One of the strongest aspects of The Bioneers is its network of people and organizations working of all aspects of sustainable practices. Leveraging this network into more specific programs is a wonderful way to turn the network into meaningful action.

Last year, I remember being pleasantly surprised to see TED talks on an airline flight. I look forward to seeing Bioneers talks in future flights, websites, television, radio and many other outlets. This is already underway as the 'Beyond Bioneers' phase of these ideas are mainstreamed.

Prescott College: Sustainability Education Symposium

I recently returned from Prescott College's Second Annual Sustainability Education Symposium in Prescott, Arizona (May 19-21, 2010). I had an opportunity to present to the Prescott community including Ph.D. candidates, faculty, and members of the public (Prescott was the first college in the nation to offer a Ph.D. in Sustainability). Among the keynotes included Dr. Gibran Rivera who discussed the impact of social change and Dr. Devon Peña who talked about the environmental justice movement with enlightening examples from his experiences with South Central farmers in Los Angeles and the acequia communities of the Rio Arriba, Upper Rio Grande. The Ph.D. candidates also had an opportunity to present their dissertations.

I was inspired by the commitment and research on sustainability topics that were shared. Presenters also showed the value of connecting their educational theories with on-the-ground practical applications. The Prescott College educational model--- a cohort approach in which students who live throughout the US come together for colloquia during their semesters of study--- attracts self-directed students and a great mix of perspectives. The Ph.D. students also helped to launch the online Journal of Sustainability Education which is a welcome addition to the on-going sustainability education literature.