Stuff! A Life Cycle

Alternate Thursdays • 10:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m. • Auditorium/Zoom/Stream

September 12, 26 • October 10, 24 • November 7, 21

Click here for the Live Stream link for this course.

Stuff. We have it, we love it, we hate it. So where does it come from?  How does it get to us? And where does it go when we send it “away”? We’ll examine the life cycle of “stuff”, as well as the cycle of our relationship with it, and see where it takes us … from memory lane to “everyday ecology” to a brush-up on sociology. Let's revisit our place in nature and how we are acting as a part of an ecosystem. We can be healthier, feel better, and save money.

Note: This classroom course is a companion piece to a series of special events outdoors with dates and times to be announced.

Trash Talk
September 12
Recycling is … bad?! Learn about decoding symbols on packaging and which bin is for what, follow landfill/compost/recycling streams and compare options for being environmentally-friendly in a consumer society—which may not be as simple as we are led to believe. 

When I Was Young
September 26
How did we wrap a sandwich without resealable plastic bags or transport water before plastic bottles? What size was a cup of coffee? Take a trip down memory lane regarding packaging, portions and consumerism. Roundtable discussion will prompt comparisons with current practices.

Plastic
October 10
We use it, we take it for granted, we have high expectations of it, and we eat it. What?! Really? Should we continue as we are, or make some changes in our relationship with synthetic polymers?

Death Cleaning 
October 24
What happens to one's belongings when one dies? Do we care? Should we? How can we help our loved ones and ourselves to enjoy our time and our stuff? 
 
Fun Flora/Fauna Facts
November 7
Need some encouragement amongst a bunch of heavy news? Learn about some of nature’s “stuff,” such as the difference between antlers and horns, how to tell predators from prey and why Arctic Girl Power is a thing.

Manufactured Landscapes
November 21
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this film speaks volumes. A visual representation of “stuff” in process will be followed by a discussion. Please note, due to time limitations the film may be shown in its majority but not its entirety.

Instructor/: Maureen B. Latour      Coordinator: Kent Morris    Tech Coordinator: TBD