Program description

In the fall, we will address the fundamental question: "What is trash?" Given that "trash" is relative, the definition is open for debate. At its most basic level, trash is worthless or discarded material. Yet "one person's trash is another one's gold" and what we choose to keep is as important to who we are as what we discard. We prize that ratty t-shirt we've had for years and give away the brand new one. Our beat up junker is someone else's dream car. On a deeper level, trash is more than material objects. The word permeates many levels of our existence, including literary and artistic material as well as people and cultures who are regarded as ignorant or contemptible.

Much of the fall will revolve around a research project where you will explore your relationship to trash. How much trash do you produce? What does your trash tell you about your life? What does it tell you about your values? Would you want to change anything about your trashing behavior?

Winter quarter we will turn our attention to the question "What do we do with our waste?" We will look at the infrastructure of trash-where is it produced and where does it go? How have people adapted their behaviors to changes in waste management such as the introduction of recycling programs? What is the impact of a flushing toilet and garbage pick-up on our relationship to and behaviors around waste? What are the environmental impacts of our society's waste? Do we act as responsible inhabitants or temporary residents in the places we live? We will explore these questions both as a large class and in smaller groups where students will investigate the waste produced by a business or institution of interest to them.

Finally, in the spring we will debate "What should we do with our garbage?" synthesizing and applying issues we have investigated throughout the year. What sort of individual or societal changes, if any, do we propose? What are the mechanisms through which these changes could happen? A significant portion of the work in the spring will be focused on projects students choose according to their own interests.

Real-life case studies will provide a context for exploring the year's questions. Highlights of the program include guest speakers, retreats, field trips and community service projects. Throughout the year we will develop a set of skills, including library research, information technology, quantitative reasoning, oral and written communication, leadership and group dynamics. A significant portion of the program will be spent working collaboratively.

Credit will be awarded in areas such as: economics, environmental science, ethics, psychology, information technology, statistics, leadership and group dynamics, and writing. Total of 16 credits each quarter.

 

 

Learning Goals

We have articulated several learning goals for the year in the Trash program. In steps throughout the year, we will provide you with the opportunities to learn these skills. We also plan to work closely with you to help you articulate and work towards your personal learning goals.

By the end of the year, we expect that you will have begun to develop skills for...

  • working collaboratively.
  • communicating clearly through writing and speaking.
  • critical and integrative thinking as demonstrated through written work and discussions.
  • utilizing quantitative techniques including graphing, unit conversions, and introductory statistics.

...as well as a good fundamental understanding of:

  • the environmental implications of waste disposal.
  • how capitalism and economic structures influence how we choose, use and discard both products and people.
  • the complex psychological that influence our behavior around trash.

 

 

Fall Seminar Books

** John Ryan and Alan Durning (1997), Stuff

William Rathje and Culleen Murphy (1992), Rubbish

Susan Strasser (1999), Waste and Want

Mitchell Duneir (1999), Sidewalk

Other readings to be determined

 

** Stuff is the first reading for the quarter. See "summer letter" for details on how to obtain a copy so that you can read it before you arrive in September.

 

 

Weekly Schedule

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Morning
workshop 10am-12pm
varied activities including field trips, lectures, lab, and group dynamics activities

9am to 1pm

**occassionally when on field trips we will be back later in the afternoon -- we will give you plenty of warning **

workshop 10am-12pm
writing workshop 9-11am
Afternoon
   
seminar preparation
11am -1pm

workshop 1:30 to 3:30pm

seminar
2:30 -4:30pm