Real World Sustainability

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to apply systems thinking to designing and building school community partnerships. We will explore integrated systems within schools and organizations which enable them to serve community, and we will consider the larger municipal, national, and global systems in which they are embedded, including ecological, economic, and social systems. Children’s participation will be at the heart of the course as we investigate the implications of systems thinking and partnership for sustainability, climate change, and place-based education. Further attention will be given to structures ranging from those designed to manage interrelated institutional systems (heating/cooling, food services, water, and electrical) to broader green building, community development, and climate change initiatives. Applying what they learn to their own school or organization, students will formulate recommendations to improve systems, build community, and increase youth participation to promote sustainability and address climate change