Green Gown Awards 2015 – Learning and Skills - University of Wales, Trinity Saint David - Finalist

Advocacy in the Anthropocene

In line with EfSD goals, the newly developed course Interactions with the Environment encouraged students to advocate for the world in light of the Anthropocene.

This was achieved using a New Materialisms perspective that dethrones the human to encourage the world to ‘have a voice’. Part of the course provoked students to reconsider, and take ownership of, their waste by creating an in-class ‘landfill’ site alongside anthropological discussion and workshops that explored cultural and historical variations concerning the notion of waste – including: middens, hoarding and recycling.

The rubbish, generated through student consumption, amassed as students dumped their waste throughout the term into the pile. Being in close proximity obliged students to recognise the part they play in creating waste. Culpability of waste production was supported by this experiential learning, which created a successful student action towards campus catering outlets to supply reusable containers.

Top 3 learnings

1 Trust the students to lead their learning – amazing things happen!

2 Experience allows embodied learning – weave it into your lessons.

3 Get out of the lecture theatres – let the thinking lead to ‘doing’.

Videos

• Advocacy in the Anthropocene (click to hide)