Act Locally: Sustainable Design and You

Catalog description

In this interdisciplinary, project-based course, students will explore the many dimensions of waste in contemporary society—including food waste and composting, recycling systems, greenhouse gas emissions, textile and electronic waste, and chemical pollutants. We will investigate how social, economic, and environmental systems shape human relationships with waste and the natural world. Using a design thinking framework, students will work in teams to develop innovative, practical solutions to waste-related challenges on campus. Emphasis will be placed on prototyping, testing, and iterating project ideas through a collaborative and creative process. Projects will be developed in close coordination with key sustainability staff at the university and will contribute to ongoing efforts to reduce waste and educate the Pace community. Students will gain hands-on experience in systems thinking, user-centered design, and community engagement, with final deliverables presented as part of a public showcase or campus initiative.