Student Research and Projects

This seminar takes at its starting point ‘stuff’ (the things we buy).  In 2023 I visited the “Repair Revolution” exhibit at the Museum of Design in Zurich, Switzerland.  The exhibit pamphlet noted: “Whether it is a T-shirt, a toaster, or a tablet, many everyday objects are trashed after a very short period of use. Instead of repairing them, we often just buy a replacement. The direct consequences of our overconsumption are visible the world over: growing mountains of waste, rising CO2 emissions, and the exploitation of both people and natural resources.”   Taking this exhibit as a starting point, we will collectively construct an overview of how consumption contributes to environmental degradation and inequality, we will then explore how people and communities are pushing back against consumerism (i.e., the Voluntary Simplicity and Repair Café movements).  We will read and discuss relevant theoretical work, and investigate real-world examples of efforts to cultivate ‘the good life’ (happiness, well-being, community, identity, belonging) which are not predicated on buying lots of s**t.  While this course is ostensibly about how we can live lightly on the earth, it is ultimately an opportunity to build community with your peers in the Environmental Studies program and to find hope during a very challenging time.

Check out these student projects from the Fall 2023 Public Engagement for Nature Conservation class!