Education for Sustainable Living Program
CRAFT
(Creatively Rethinking & Foundational Tools-
CLEI 61)
Students taking ESLP for 2 credits attend our Monday night lecture series and participate in a CRAFT discussion section. These student-led discussions meet for up to 2 hours per week to discuss the lecture series and other topics related to sustainability.
Spring 2010 CRAFTs:
The Informed Consumer with Alyssa (Wed 12:30-2:15, Kresge 319): As eaters in 2010 we have the option to eat food from nearly anywhere, derived from almost anything, available at any time of the day or year. Every time we buy a food product, we are making a decision which affects the environment and also our own health. Certainly, there are some ways to eat which demonstrate a heightened consciousness of the impacts our appetites have on ourselves and the world around us, but sometimes it is difficult to find information to increase this awareness. This class attempts to examine different food choices we make and help inform the curious consumer of the healthy ways to sustain both our bodies and the environment.
email: abakerbl@gmail.com
Perceiving Nature, Through Writing and Experience with Heather (Wed 2-3:45, Porter 250): Gives students the opportunity to examine their personal relationship with the environment around them and develop a stronger sense through walking adventures and experimental writings. Students will be asked to write in an exploratory manner as we travel and explore various ecosystems in Santa Cruz. Through our explorations, we will work to develop a new sense of the natural world around us by examining their thoughts and processes in relating to the environment. As a result of this class, Heather is hoping to help cultivate stronger personal relationships with nature as well as a continuing pursuit of environmental sustainability.
email: hajue@ucsc.edu
Ink and Leaves (Creative Writing in and for Nature) with Gabe (Tues 12-1:45, Porter 250): This class is designed to provide a space for students to explore the relationship between creative expression through the written word and appreciation of/advocacy for the natural world. Writing creatively is not just an outlet to express or explain ourselves. It is a way to understand the world, ourselves and our place in it; a way to affect change and to bring focus and peace to our personal lives. Students will respond to the pertinent sustainability issues of our times through creative form, and hopefully begin to cultivate a desire to engage in this movement through a love and understanding of the natural world, including ourselves. We will read work by writers who have spent their lives writing creatively in, about and for nature but this class will primarily encourage students to find and feed their own creative voice.
email: jbopmagic@gmail.com
Building Earthen Communtiy with Meghan & Martha (Wed 5-6:45, Porter 250): Provides the space to build [what we call] earthen communtiy by learning how to live with the earth, making the distinction between living sustainably on the earth and living sustainably with the earth. We will be sharing and learning skills withing the realm of wilderness, gardening, and the art of repurposing, intent on exploring our place in Earth's communities, systems, and cycles and on cultivating ways of consuming resources consciously, creatively and unconventionally. Through a series of working, hands-on discussions we will be investigating known and new ways of living sustainably as a collective, from setting up home compost bins, to (re)constructing clothes, to foraging for edible and medicinal plants in the area. We will reconsider the DIY movement at do-it-together as opposed to do-it-yourself. Through sharing and experiencing skills, food, our environment and life together, we hope to build community amongst ourselves, while also empowering the human and natural communities we each individually and collectively influence.
email: meehudson@gmail.com, mahudson@ucsc.edu
Indigenous Herbology with Bryn & Lauren (Tues 2-3:45, Oakes 101): This course provides students with an introduction to indigenous herbology of California. Students will get a brief history of indigenous people of California, an introduction to native ethnobotany and plant identification. Students will also learn about edibles and medicinals and their uses. This course will integrate student presentations, readings, field trips and potlucks. We hope students will gain insight into indigenous cultures and the traditions of using edibles and medicinals.
email: bkkirk@ucsc.edu, lfieberg@ucsc.edu
Intercultural Sustainability: Responsibility and Stewardship in the Asian American Community with Derek (Mon 5-6:45, Porter 250): Environmentalism is often associated as a middle-class white movement, so that ethnic communities are left behind both in environmental education and understanding. However, many cultures often contain reverence for the natural world and a concept of environmental balance. We will focus on examples of traditional folk cultures of Asia and their ties to the environment as well as the relationship between the pan-Asian American community with the sustainability movement. Students of all backgrounds are encouraged as we will discuss personal cultural connections with the environment through food traditions, agriculture, and art. The ultimate goal of the CRAFT is to achieve a sense of leadership and activism within our own communities and to understand that sustainability is pertinent to all people.
email: demmons@ucsc.edu
Religion and Ecology with Lizzy (Thurs 2-3:45, Porter 250): Examines how different religions teach environmental protection, and how they suggest people interact with their environment. Religions examined will include Hinduism, Judaism, tribal religions, etc. We will read stories and textual excerpts, as well as lots of discussion. Finally, we will discuss how modern environmental movements can be their own religion. Students of all backgrounds are welcome, as long as everyone enters with tolerance and respect.
email: ecantor@ucsc.edu
Increasing Environmental Awareness and Incorporating Sustainability into Daily Life with Tallula (Tues 2-3:45, Porter I Lounge): This discussion is about making the sustainable shift... Students will learn fun and easy ways to be more sustainable in daily life and examine the powerful facts that can be used to educate other people in ways that will make them stop and think. Tallula hopes to educate a group of young people on ways that they can live more sustainable lifestyles, feel good about the decisions they make and pass on their knowledge to those around them.
email: tpreston@ucsc.edu
Organizing Solution Using Critical Pedagogy: Community Building Through Dialogue and Humility with Moises (Thurs 12-1:45, Porter 250): This class will use methods of Critical Pedagogy to analyze individual social positions in relations to others in different circumstances. Using methods of reflexive analysis and community building activities this course intends to help develop guiding principles in organizing and activism. This course should challenge the student’s views on the educational system and society at large. This should result in an effective praxis which is dynamic and versatile.
email: mmplasce@ucsc.edu
If you'd like a general idea of how this class works, check out the Spring 2009 CRAFT syllabus below. Note: the syllabus is open to change with every coming spring quarter.
Spring 2010 CRAFTs:
The Informed Consumer with Alyssa (Wed 12:30-2:15, Kresge 319): As eaters in 2010 we have the option to eat food from nearly anywhere, derived from almost anything, available at any time of the day or year. Every time we buy a food product, we are making a decision which affects the environment and also our own health. Certainly, there are some ways to eat which demonstrate a heightened consciousness of the impacts our appetites have on ourselves and the world around us, but sometimes it is difficult to find information to increase this awareness. This class attempts to examine different food choices we make and help inform the curious consumer of the healthy ways to sustain both our bodies and the environment.
email: abakerbl@gmail.com
Perceiving Nature, Through Writing and Experience with Heather (Wed 2-3:45, Porter 250): Gives students the opportunity to examine their personal relationship with the environment around them and develop a stronger sense through walking adventures and experimental writings. Students will be asked to write in an exploratory manner as we travel and explore various ecosystems in Santa Cruz. Through our explorations, we will work to develop a new sense of the natural world around us by examining their thoughts and processes in relating to the environment. As a result of this class, Heather is hoping to help cultivate stronger personal relationships with nature as well as a continuing pursuit of environmental sustainability.
email: hajue@ucsc.edu
Ink and Leaves (Creative Writing in and for Nature) with Gabe (Tues 12-1:45, Porter 250): This class is designed to provide a space for students to explore the relationship between creative expression through the written word and appreciation of/advocacy for the natural world. Writing creatively is not just an outlet to express or explain ourselves. It is a way to understand the world, ourselves and our place in it; a way to affect change and to bring focus and peace to our personal lives. Students will respond to the pertinent sustainability issues of our times through creative form, and hopefully begin to cultivate a desire to engage in this movement through a love and understanding of the natural world, including ourselves. We will read work by writers who have spent their lives writing creatively in, about and for nature but this class will primarily encourage students to find and feed their own creative voice.
email: jbopmagic@gmail.com
Building Earthen Communtiy with Meghan & Martha (Wed 5-6:45, Porter 250): Provides the space to build [what we call] earthen communtiy by learning how to live with the earth, making the distinction between living sustainably on the earth and living sustainably with the earth. We will be sharing and learning skills withing the realm of wilderness, gardening, and the art of repurposing, intent on exploring our place in Earth's communities, systems, and cycles and on cultivating ways of consuming resources consciously, creatively and unconventionally. Through a series of working, hands-on discussions we will be investigating known and new ways of living sustainably as a collective, from setting up home compost bins, to (re)constructing clothes, to foraging for edible and medicinal plants in the area. We will reconsider the DIY movement at do-it-together as opposed to do-it-yourself. Through sharing and experiencing skills, food, our environment and life together, we hope to build community amongst ourselves, while also empowering the human and natural communities we each individually and collectively influence.
email: meehudson@gmail.com, mahudson@ucsc.edu
Indigenous Herbology with Bryn & Lauren (Tues 2-3:45, Oakes 101): This course provides students with an introduction to indigenous herbology of California. Students will get a brief history of indigenous people of California, an introduction to native ethnobotany and plant identification. Students will also learn about edibles and medicinals and their uses. This course will integrate student presentations, readings, field trips and potlucks. We hope students will gain insight into indigenous cultures and the traditions of using edibles and medicinals.
email: bkkirk@ucsc.edu, lfieberg@ucsc.edu
Intercultural Sustainability: Responsibility and Stewardship in the Asian American Community with Derek (Mon 5-6:45, Porter 250): Environmentalism is often associated as a middle-class white movement, so that ethnic communities are left behind both in environmental education and understanding. However, many cultures often contain reverence for the natural world and a concept of environmental balance. We will focus on examples of traditional folk cultures of Asia and their ties to the environment as well as the relationship between the pan-Asian American community with the sustainability movement. Students of all backgrounds are encouraged as we will discuss personal cultural connections with the environment through food traditions, agriculture, and art. The ultimate goal of the CRAFT is to achieve a sense of leadership and activism within our own communities and to understand that sustainability is pertinent to all people.
email: demmons@ucsc.edu
Religion and Ecology with Lizzy (Thurs 2-3:45, Porter 250): Examines how different religions teach environmental protection, and how they suggest people interact with their environment. Religions examined will include Hinduism, Judaism, tribal religions, etc. We will read stories and textual excerpts, as well as lots of discussion. Finally, we will discuss how modern environmental movements can be their own religion. Students of all backgrounds are welcome, as long as everyone enters with tolerance and respect.
email: ecantor@ucsc.edu
Increasing Environmental Awareness and Incorporating Sustainability into Daily Life with Tallula (Tues 2-3:45, Porter I Lounge): This discussion is about making the sustainable shift... Students will learn fun and easy ways to be more sustainable in daily life and examine the powerful facts that can be used to educate other people in ways that will make them stop and think. Tallula hopes to educate a group of young people on ways that they can live more sustainable lifestyles, feel good about the decisions they make and pass on their knowledge to those around them.
email: tpreston@ucsc.edu
Organizing Solution Using Critical Pedagogy: Community Building Through Dialogue and Humility with Moises (Thurs 12-1:45, Porter 250): This class will use methods of Critical Pedagogy to analyze individual social positions in relations to others in different circumstances. Using methods of reflexive analysis and community building activities this course intends to help develop guiding principles in organizing and activism. This course should challenge the student’s views on the educational system and society at large. This should result in an effective praxis which is dynamic and versatile.
email: mmplasce@ucsc.edu
If you'd like a general idea of how this class works, check out the Spring 2009 CRAFT syllabus below. Note: the syllabus is open to change with every coming spring quarter.
| clei_2_unit_syllabus_09-1.doc |
Spring 2009 CRAFTs
Check out the Spring 2009 CRAFTs! Click Here!