Ever wanted to learn more about rivers? What about energy production and use? Do you want to explore sustainability at local organizations? Are you ready for a Sustainability Challenge? If so, check out one of the 1 credit hour seminars offered through Greenhouse during the spring (2015) semester. Expect lots of hands-on experience AND FUN!

 

 

Rivers make up only a tiny fraction of all the water on Earth, yet they are profoundly important. They sculpt the landscape and provide critical habitats. River valleys were the “cradle of civilization” in Africa and Asia, and rivers remain essential for water supply, transport, and other human uses. Using Ellen Wohl’s book “A World of Rivers” as a foundation, we will explore the multiple roles of rivers and how humans interact with them. Activities will include readings, movie viewings, a canoe trip on the Kentucky River, reflective writing, and group discussions.

 

 

 

In this course we will examine energy production through a social science lens. Topics covered include climate change; the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas); nuclear energy; renewable energy sources (wind, solar, hydroelectricity, biomass, geothermal); challenges to transportation sustainability; and the politics and power dynamics limiting social change around energy production and use. Significant attention will be given to the solutions social scientists propose for addressing the climate crisis we currently face.

 

 

 

Achieving environmental sustainability will require our creativity and active involvement, not just our understanding.   This one-credit course will provide you with the opportunity to learn how others have developed new ideas in the service of sustainability, and how they are implementing those ideas through the development of various types of organizations. The focus of this course will be learning about specific organizations, on campus and in Lexington, that in some way address a goal pertaining to environmental sustainability.  We will learn more about the individual organizations, but also about how such organizations are formed, where the kernel of the idea comes from, how they are sustained financially and through volunteers, and how they define and measure their own success in accomplishing their objectives. During the middle 8 weeks of the semester (February 9-April 10), each student will conduct a brief mini-internship with one organization, spending an average of 3 hours per week; other than weekly written reflections, there will not be any other homework required for this course. We will structure the course in such a way to support and enhance the students’ understanding of how organizations function in achieving their objectives.

 

 

This course examines the challenges and benefits associated with living a more sustainable lifestyle. Students gain first-hand knowledge by making a personal change in their lives and developing a plan of action to positively influence others. Typical course activities include blogging, guest speakers, and field trips.