Personal Sustainability Project

Practical Skills (with a Sustainable Practices Slant) Workshops

As a Graduate Assistant in Teter Quad, a Residence Hall housing 1200 students here at IU-Bloomington, I interact with students on a daily basis. I often wonder what their level of interest in sustainability is, how they develop that interest, and how it persists through barriers on a daily basis. Particularly at IU, I notice interest in the student population around sustainable practices but a lack of confidence in implementing behavioral change. My hunch is that the uncertainty around sustainable behavior change is rooted in a lack of foundational sustainability knowledge and an understanding of how small changes in their behavior can be implemented immediately.

In getting at the core of this issue, I propose to begin a series of workshops around teaching practical skills that are not learned in the classroom here at IU with a slant toward sustainable behavior. These would include workshops dedicated to bicycle repair, basic sewing skills, growing your own food, and simple technology or home repairs. In teaching these skills, I would like to discuss the implications involving consumption reduction, waste mitigation, and ecological footprint throughout the exercises.

In determining the impact of these workshops, I would like to determine which changes in behavior would decrease the overall carbon output of the students as well as the diversion of waste from landfills. I would also like to determine which behaviors are most likely to be adopted by students as well because of they are not willing to change the behavior, it does not matter what the overall impact would be.

To determine these impacts, I will conduct preliminary research into impact on carbon emissions and waste diversion riding a bicycle, mending clothes, growing your own food, and repairing your own technical devices have. Based on this preliminary data I will determine which of these behaviors can potentially have the greatest impact. Next, I will survey the students on my RA's floors to gauge interest in the workshop subjects and which of these they are most interested in learning more about and implementing in their lives. I will then collaborate with the RA's and other appropriate resources (local bicycle shops, Office of Sustainability, students with expertise in these areas) to host the workshops. Finally, I will conduct an outgoing survey of knowledge gained and likelihood of continuing these behaviors amongst students involved.

Personally, I believe small changes in behavior can spark radical change amongst large populations and the higher education institution is an ideal breeding ground for these evolutions in behavior. I hope to see positive impact occur and spark discussion about what else can be done here at IU to collectively decrease our environmental impact.