College of the Redwoods, Hoopa: Sustainable Design Kick-Off

Directors: College of the Redwoods, Sustainable Nations Instructors: Tressie Word, Joy Keller Weidman Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Sustainable Design Kick-Off Course Approach

The goal of this Sustainable Design kick-off course was to use open space technology, a highly interactive and sustainable workshop form, to engender the following outcomes:

• Introduce and define Sustainable Design
• Identify approaches to Sustainable Design in the past, present and future
• Recommend Sustainable Design curriculum content and format

These outcomes are depicted in the Course Outcomes section.

Participant Introduction

The College of the Redwoods, Hoopa Sustainable Design course student body is incredibly diverse in goals, background, and ethnicity.

Student Goals

Student goals for this class center on gaining applied skills to design projects for either their personal or work lives. Specific interests are depicted in the Course Outcomes section. In addition, some students decided to complete this three month intensive course to obtain Certifications that will foster future employment opportunities.

Background

The backgrounds and interests of Sustainable Design course students are broad ranging. Their backgrounds and interests include, but are by no means limited to: anthropology, construction, art therapy, music, photography, and motion pictures.

Ethnicity

These students are from California, New York, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Texas, Mexico, Ireland and the Philippines. Many participants represent tribes from across the United States, including: Yurok, Hopi, Hoopa, Karuk, Pauite, Tule River, Yokut, Havasu Lake, Chemehuevi, and Pueblo/Navajo.

Course Outcomes

Define Sustainable Design:

A holistic process to plan specific projects, considering short and long term implications, that promotes health for all involved in the system, such as: individuals, cultures, ecosystems, governments, and economies.

Sustainable Design Program Curriculum Recommendations:

• Content:
  • Indigenous cultures as a model (respect/balance)
  • Home construction
    • General design considerations
    • Straw bale
    • Log houses
  • Hydro-electric and solar power
  • Black and grey water treatment systems
  • Laws and regulations on course topic areas, and approach to pursuing exceptions
• Format:
  • Address course topics in-depth first (academic presentation of core concepts), then become directly engaged afterward (site visits, hand-on projects, etc)
  • Invite more expert guest speakers

Applications of Sustainable Design in the Past, Present and Future:

• Indigenous Cultures and Ways of Life (Group: A1)
  • Use the philosophies of indigenous peoples, their connections, and respect to their environments as a model
• Alternative energy (Group: B1)
  • Integrate, harness and combine resource
  • Look to everyday activities
• Sustainable design in architecture (Group: C1)
  • Build with nature
  • Employ efficient energy
  • Use local, natural resources
• Toxins in the environment (Group: D1)
  • Transportation, health, hygiene, construction
• Natural building (Group: A2)
  • Straw bale
• Water (Group: B2)
  • Treatment
  • Conservation
  • Restoration of natural resources
• State programs (Group: C2)
  • Sustainable foster care
    • Refinement of accountability, oversight, supervision, networking, child rights and voice, mentorship, communication, screening, interventions, funding, expectations, and guidelines
• Salvation logging (Group: D2)
  • Contaminant reduction
  • Efficient use of lumber
  • Implementation of alternative energy in mill equipment