Course calendar
Please note that this calendar is designed to be flexible: we may make changes
along the way, depending on your interests and the needs of the class.
Should you miss a class, you are responsible for knowing about—and
adjusting for—any changes. Professional protocols and collegiality call
for you to alert us if you’ll be missing on a day when we’re having a
workshop or when you are scheduled to present materials.
Week One
Monday 6/30
Introductions and key terms; course objectives
Tuesday 7/1
Discussion:
Casselman, “Special Report: Inspired by Ancient Amazonians, a Plan
to Convert Trash into Environmental Treasure.” Scientific American. May 15 2007.
Wednesday 7/2
Mary Oliver: What Do We Know: Poems and Prose Poems
Thursday 7/3
Oliver, continued and individual assignments: materials, processes, site, safety issues, and documentation protocols
Week Two
Monday 7/7
Discussion:
Lehmann, Johannes. “A Handful of Carbon.” Nature. May 2007 (handout) and “Birth of a New Wedge” truthout.org: Thursday 03 May 2007.
Tuesday 7/8
Defining terms: sustainability; scientific communication; pyrolisis; biochar
Wednesday 7/9
Researching and communicating scientific information for multiple audiences: gardeners, farmers, scientists
Thursday 7/10
Individual assignments: materials, processes, site, safety issues, and documentation
Week Three
Monday 7/14
Discussion:
“Contested Visions of Sustainability.” Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America.
Tuesday 7/15
Office: process & update transportation
Wednesday 7/16
Project communication for multiple audiences; led by M. Lutze
Thursday /17
Individual project assignment day
Week Four
Monday 7/21
Discussion:
“The World of Nature According to the Protestant Tradition.” The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology. (Dane) “Poverty and Forests: Development and (Dis)Empowerment in Central America” and “All The Land Belongs to the Foreigners: Ecotourism and Sustainability.” Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America. Rescheduled for next week: Monday 7/28
Due: Documentation updates.
Tuesday 7/22: On site 9-11 a.m.
Wednesday 7/23: On site 9-11 a.m.
Thursday 7/24: Individual assignment day
Week Five
Monday 7/28
Discussion: “The World of Nature According to the Protestant Tradition.” The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology. (Dane) “Poverty and Forests: Development and (Dis)Empowerment in Central America” and “All The Land Belongs to the Foreigners: Ecotourism and Sustainability.” Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America.
Due: Individual documentation memos:
- Greg: safety issues when planning a biochar project — assume a general public / community audience
- Dane: materials and process document — same audience
- Matt: Project Management blog post
- Michelle: challenges in researching and documenting a community biochar project
Tuesday 7/29: On site 9-11 a.m.
Wednesday 7/30: On site 9-11 a.m.
Thursday 7/31: Individual assignment day
Week Six
Monday 8/4
Discussion: “Indigenous Soil Management and the Creation of Amazonian Dark Earths: Implications of Kayapó Practice.” Amazonian Dark Earths Origin Properties Management (Matt) and Foltz on “Islam and Ecology,” Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology. (Michelle)
Tuesday 8/5 On site 9-11 a.m.
Wednesday 8/6 On site 9-11 a.m.
Thursday 8/7 Presentation preparation
Week Seven
Monday 8/11
Discussion: “Catholicism and Ecology,” Oxford Handbook. (Gregory); Background via PDF: “Historical and Socio-cultural Origins of Amazonian Dark Earths.”
Tuesday 8/12
On site 9-11 a.m.
Wednesday 8/13
Project Presentation: 8-10 a.m., KRC Conference Room
Thursday 8/14
Presentation debriefing; course evaluations
Due: feasibility reports; revised documentation; reading journals