St. Olaf College | Black & Gold & Green

Highlights:

Places to Go:

American Studies 210

Campus Ecology

Jim Farrell and Elise Braaten

In this American Studies class, we'll discover America by looking at the way we live at St. Olaf College . We'll consider the nature of our lives-both the nature of Manitou Heights , with its Midwestern landscape, and the nature that comes to campus every day in trucks, pipes, and wires. We'll cultivate a sense of place, as we set our own campus ecology in conversation with the moral ecology of everyday life. And we'll consider what resources (both natural and cultural) we have for living the good life (and maybe even a better life) at this college.

Through reading, writing, research and conversation, we'll study what the college teaches us about the environment, in and out of the classroom. With the help of a wide range of faculty and staff on campus, we'll figure out how St. Olaf really works as an organic machine. We'll consider what campus ecology looks like through the eyes of other inhabitants of Manitou Heights -plants and animals, bugs and bacteria. We'll explore the invisible complexity of the college, looking for the sources of our food and water, our heat and electricity, our lawns and gardens and natural lands. We'll also consider the cultural resources we consume, from advertising and television to religion and politics. Together, we'll analyze the campus, preparing an environmental impact statement of the college (and ourselves).

In the process, we hope to discover what we value (personally and culturally) and why. We'll pay attention to the common things we ordinarily take for granted-showers and drinking fountains, sidewalks and parking lots, hamburgers and French fries, beer and booze, books and paper, computers and condoms, lawns and potted plants, prairies and wetlands. We'll consider the wildness of wild parties and the landscape of desire. We'll think twice about the American environmental values and practices implicit in our lives.

During Earth Week, we'll show St. Olaf what we've learned. We'll annotate the college, and create an environmental brochure. We'll offer ecological tours of campus. We'll present a poetry reading to express our worlds in words, and a photo exhibit showing the culture of nature in this place. We'll prepare two chapel talks to connect the campus to Creation, and we'll present a public lecture integrating all these things.

In this class on practical idealism, we'll also consider how to make history by making ourselves at home in this place. During the semester, we'll try to use our designing minds to make St. Olaf more sustainable. We'll also study new forms of ecological design for a sustainable planet, and we'll practice the rhetoric and the politics of environmental change. In short, we'll prepare to live lightly on the earth in the places we inhabit after graduation.

To do this we'll do a lot of reading and research. The books for this course include:

David Orr, Earth in Mind
John Ryan and Alan Durning, Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things
Paul Gruchow, Grass Roots
Juliet Schor and Betsy Taylor, ed., Sustainable Planet: Solutions for the 21 st Century
Gary Gardner, Invoking the Spirit: Religion and Spirituality in the Quest for a Sustainable World
Lisa Mastny, Purchasing Power: Harnessing Institutional Procurement for People and the Planet
Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope

February 9 Introductions: Wild and Precious Life: Reading : Mary Oliver, “The Summer Day”; *Begin Photo Projects; Assignment for Wednesday: Draw a map of the St. Olaf campus
February 11 This Place on Earth: Reading : Gruchow “Home is a Place in Time” and “Rosewood Township ”; Kathleen Norris, “Where I Am,” in Dakota: A Spiritual Geography; Aldo Leopold “The Land Ethic”; Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope, pp. 1-27; Journal: Where are your place(s) on Earth?

February 13 St Olaf and the Real World: Reading : David Orr, Earth in Mind, pp. 1-34; Jim Farrell “The `Real World' of Campus Ecology”; Bill McKibben, “Introduction,” to Sustainable Planet; Poetry: Laurence Overmire, “Real World”; Journal: Reflections on the ecological footprint quiz

February 16 Rethinking Education: Reading : David Orr, Earth in Mind , pp. 43-53, 60-69; St. Olaf 2000: Identity and Mission in the 21 st Century; Jim Farrell, “What Students Really Learn at College”; Journal: What are St. Olaf's goals for your ecological education?; What are your goals for your education? Is ecological literacy in your plan? Why or why not?

February 18 Educating for a Sustainable Future: Reading : David Orr, Earth in Mind , pp. 75-116; Poetry: William Stafford, “Allegiances”

February 20 Campus Ecology, Cafeteria Style: Reading : David Orr, Earth in Mind, pp. 117-121, 172-184; Paul Gruchow, “The Transfiguration of Bread”; Ryan and Durning, “Prologue,” “Coffee,” “Hamburger,” “French Fries,” “Cola”; Poetry: Howard Nemerov, “Grace Be Said at the Supermarket”
February 23 Eating as an Agricultural Act: Reading : Barbara Kingsolver “Lily's Chickens”; Wendell Berry, “The Pleasures of Eating”; Jim Farrell, “Grace”; Poetry: Mary Oliver, “Rice” and “ Oranges ”; Journal: Reflect on readings and eating; Due this week: first set of journals.

February 25 Eating the World: The Complexities of Consumption: Guest: Hays Atkins. Meet at 10:30 outside the Cage for backstage cafeteria tour.; Reading : Mark Ritchie, “Be a Local Hero” in Sustainable Planet; Paul Gruchow, “Guerrilla Warfare to Revive the Countryside”; Renewing the Countryside; Recommended: Julia Alvarez, A Cafecito Story; Poetry: Pablo Neruda, “United Fruit Company”
February 25 David Orr Visit: 3:30 Informal conversation with David Orr, Library 525; 7:00 Lecture, “Filling the Vacuum: Academic Leadership in an Age of Terror”; Holland 501
February 27 Building the World: Architecture as Pedagogy: Reading : David Orr, “Architecture as Pedagogy”; The Adam Joseph Lewis Center at Oberlin; “A New Science Center for St. Olaf College” , “A Green Science Center”
March 1 Building Our Worlds: Environmental Impacts of Our Rooms: Reading: annotations of our dorm rooms; Scott Russell Sanders, “Simplicity” in Hunting for Hope; Poetry: William Stafford, “You, Reading This, Be Ready”; DUE: Annotations
March 2 Political Party Caucuses
March 3 We come from St. Olaf/ We wear J Crew sweaters: Reading: J. Crew catalogues [Click on “J. Crew” under “Apparel and Accessories”]; Ryan and Durning, “T-shirt,” “Shoes“; Journal: Reactions to J Crew analysis
March 5 The Environmentalist's New Clothes: Reading: Juliet Schor, “Cleaning the Closet,” in Sustainable Planet; Evy McDonald, “Spending Money as if Life Really Mattered” in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life; Anderson and Cavanagh, “Another World Is Possible,” in Sustainable Planet; Sweatgear catalogue (including letter from the CEO and the Empowerment line); Recommended: Liza Featherstone, Students against Sweatshops

March 8 Garbage In, Garbage Out: Reading : Michael Brower, “Media Makes the Message - Garbage as a Case Study” in; The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices; William McDonough, “A Boat for Thoreau”; Paul Gruchow, “Remember the Flowers”; Due: “Other Eyes Assignment”
March 10 The Power of St. Olaf: Guests: Pete Sandberg and Nan Jencks-Jay . Meet in the lower level of the Crossroads by the revolving doors.; Reading: TBA; Calculate your carbon consumption and read about Green Tags; Union of Concerned Scientists, “Global Warming in Minnesota”
March 10 Nan Jencks-Jay visit: 3:30 Informal conversation, Room TBA; 7:00 Lecture: “Creating the 22 nd Century Campus”
March 12 A Sustainable Future of Power: Reading : Janet Sawin, “Charting a New Energy Future” in State of the World 2003; Guy Dauncey, “The Dawning of the Solar Age”; Journal: Imagine a future.

March 15 American Values: Guest: Campus Pastor Bruce Benson; Reading : Michael Schut, “The Good Life and the Abundant Life” in; Simpler Living, Compassionate Life; “Yearning for Balance: Views on Consumption, Materialism and the Environment”; Bill McKibben, “Creation Unplugged”; Poetry: e.e. cummings, “i thank you God for most this amazing day”; Recommended: John Cobb, “Christian Faith and the Degradation of Creation” in; Simpler Living, Compassionate Life; Journal: How do we overcome this “broken connection” between our values and actions?; Due this week: journals

March 17 American Environmental Values: Reading : Larry Rasmussen, “The Everlasting Covenant”; Willett Kempton et. al., “Environmental Values” in Environmental Values in American Culture; Robert Paehlke, “Environmentalism as a System of Values” in Environmentalism and the Future of American Politics; Duane Elgin , “Traditional Western View of Reality” in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life; Recommended: Larry Rasmussen, Earth Community, Earth Ethics
March 17: Greening St. Olaf College: A St. Patrick's Day Panel: Participants: Larry Rasmussen, Tom Boldt, Pete Sandberg; 7:30 p.m. , Holland Hall 501

March 19 The Spirit of Campus Ecology: Reading : Gary Gardner, Invoking the Spirit; Scott Russell Sanders, “The Way of Things” in Hunting for Hope; Jim Farrell, “Religion as a Natural Resource for Environmentalism”; Wendell Berry, “Word and Flesh,” in What Are People For?

March 29 Cars, Colleges and Contentment: The Moral Ecology of Cars: Reading : Alan Thein Durning, The Car and the City; Hank Dittmar, “Sprawl,” in Sustainable Planet; Poetry: Stephen Dunn, “The Sacred” http://www.northwestwatch.org/publications/carcitydownload.asp

March 31 New Car Policies: Reading : (x) Mark Roseland, “Transportation Planning and Traffic Management” in Toward Sustainable Communities; Ryan and Durning “Biking vs. Driving”; National Wildife Federation, Campus Transportation Projects; John Ryan “The Bicycle,” in Seven Wonders of the World; Guy Dauncey “A Bike! A Bike!” in Earthfuture; Journal: reflect on biking vs. driving experience; describe St. Olaf 2025
April 2 Water World: Reading : David Orr, “Reflections on Water and Oil”; Kirsten Crase and Katie Durham, “The Story of Water at St. Olaf and Beyond”; National Wildlife Federation, Campus Water Projects; Journal: Reflections on water in our daily lives
April 5 St. Olaf (Natural) Lands: Reading : Introduction to Prairie Restoration; Paul Gruchow, “What the Prairie Teaches Us” “Discovering One's Own Place ”; Scott Russell Sanders, “Wildness” in Hunting for Hope; National Wildlife Federation, Campus Landscaping and Restoration Projects; Poetry: Mary Oliver, “The Wild Geese”; Journal: Visit the natural lands at night/early morning - identify local species of plants; Due this week: third set of journals.
April 7 St. Olaf (Natural) Lands: Tour the Natural Lands with Gene Bakko or Ryan Ludlow; Reading : Annie Dillard, “Seeing,” in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek; Paul Gruchow, “Naming What We Love” and “Snails Have Faces”; David James Duncan, “Wonder”; Poetry: Denise Levertov, “Looking, Walking, Being”

April 9-12 Easter Break: “Practice Resurrection”: Reading : Wendell Berry, “The Mad Farmer Manifesto”; Paul Gruchow, “Corn is Not Eternal”

April 14 The Moral Ecology of Everyday Life: Work and Play in College: Reading : Scott Russell Sanders, “Faith and Work” in Writing from the Center; Scott Russell Sanders, “Skill” in Hunting for Hope; Paul Gruchow, “Putting Tomatoes By”; Jim Farrell, “Wild on Campus”
April 16 The Moral Ecology of Everyday Life: Love and Sex on Campus: Reading : Hazel Henderson, “The Ecology of Love”; Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope, pp. 42-95; Wendell Berry, “The Body and the Earth” in The Unsettling of America; John Ryan “The Condom,” in Seven Wonders of the World
April 19 MAASA: No class: get ready for Earth Week
April 20 Campus Ecology class in Chapel

April 21 Jim in Chapel

April 21 Earth Days at St. Olaf: Reading : None: meet to plan Earth Day stuff; Final preparations for Earth Day; Due: Campus annotations, pages for campus brochure
*April 22 EARTH DAY*
Campus Annotations: All day
The Nature of St. Olaf: Community Time, Viking Theater
The State of Campus Ecology: 3:30 in Viking Theater
Earth Day Bluegrass Concert: 8:00 in the Pause
April 23 Reflections on Earth Week: Reading : Stephan Rechtschaffen, “Timeshifting,” in Sustainable Planet

April 26 Sourcing and Re-sourcing: Reading: Lisa Mastny, Purchasing Power: Harnessing Institutional Procurement for People and the Planet; Ryan and Durning, “Newspaper” “This Book,” in Stuff; David Orr, “Forests and Trees,” in Earth in Mind; National Wildlife Federation, Campus Purchasing Projects; Journal: Track your paper usage over the course of 2-3 days; Due: Proposal to the St. Olaf Sustainability Task Force
April 28 Ecological Design: Reading : McDonough and Braungart, “The Extravagant Gesture” in Sustainable Planet; David Orr, “Human Ecology as a Problem of Ecological Design” in The Nature of Design; Guy Dauncey, “The Natural Step” in Earthfuture; Scott Russell Sanders, “Beauty” in Hunting for Hope

April 30 Building Sustainable Community: Reading : Bill McKibben, “ Curitiba ,” in Hope, Human and Wild; Poetry: Adrienne Rich, “Natural Resources”

May 3 Campus Politics: Reading : “A History of St. Olaf Environmental Activism”; Mary Pipher, “In Praise of Hometowns” in Sustainable Planet; A few readings on student activism and projects on other campuses?; Due this week: fourth set of journals
May 5 The Politics of Campus Ecology: Reading : David Orr, Earth in Mind , pp. 70-73, 122-127; Robert Paehlke, “Environmentalism and the Restoration of Progressive Politics”; Michael Brower, “What You Can Ask Government to Do” in Consumer's Guide; Herman Daly, “Five Policy Recommendations for a Sustainable Economy,” in Sustainable Planet; Paul Gruchow, “Steady Growth”

May 7 Getting Political: Getting Justice: Reading : Letters to legislators; David Orr, “Loving Children: The Political Economy of Design, ” in The Nature of Design; Paul Loeb “Against Apathy: Role Models for Engagement”; Nydia Velasquez, “In Search of Justice,” in Sustainable Planet; Poetry: Gary Snyder, “For the Children”; Due in advance of class: letters to legislators
May 10 St. Olaf and the New World: Reading : David Orr, “Refugees and Homecomers” in Earth in Mind; Cecile Andrews, “Structural Changes” in The Circle of Simplicity; Betsy Taylor, “How Do We Get from Here to There?” in Sustainable Planet; Recommended: Guy Dauncey, Earthfuture

May 12 St. Olaf and the New World: Reading : (x) Chris Bright, “A History of Our Future” in State of the World 2003; Lester Brown “Earth Day 2030” or A Day in the Life of the Cleveland EcoVillage 2010; David Orr, “A World That Takes Its Environment Seriously”; Prasannan Parthasarathi, “Property as Share,” in Sustainable Planet; Poetry: Denise Levertov, “Beginners”

May 14 Campus Ecology: Grounds for Hope: Reading : Scott Russell Sanders, Hunting for Hope, pp. 170-91; Ryan and Durning, “Conclusion: Watch Your Wake”; Terry Tempest Williams, “Winter Solstice at the Moab Slough ”; Mary Oliver, “Going to Walden”; Due: Final journals

May 17 Evaluations: Reading : “The Graduation Pledge”; Poetry: Peter Maurin, “College Graduated”; Recommended: Brower and Leon, The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices; Due: Final projects, if possible

May 20 Final Projects Due, 9:00-11:00

Campus Ecology:

Evaluations