That's a wrap!
We concluded the class-based portion of our journey through Education for Sustainability. From our first trip together (canoeing & camping along the Fraser River) to tent/hammock camping on Tamara's beautiful Sunshine Coast property, we started well to end well. The various learning spaces of our lives informed how and what we learned; we learned from brownfield fences and wooden blocks, Main Street dumpsters, East Van murals, rainy tree canopies (and rainy tree roots), at the landfill, at the Sundance, and in CityStudio.
As to what we learned in these spaces? Well that's important too. We peeled back layers of Vancouver to reveal sustainability problems that are deeply rooted in our society. Problems that we often overlook. What vacant land is, problems with it, and innovative ways to activate unused terrain. We learned how much food is wasted from households and groceries, why it is wasted, and how we can strive for a zero waste lifestyle. That public art can have a huge positive impact for sustainability. We learned about native plant species, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity. About where our waste actually ends up. We witnessed other ways of being, and learned about what decolonization could look like. We transformed and expanded our frames of references. We explored the history of environmentalism, ideas of systems thinking, deep ecology, ecofeminism, and ethical community engagement. We demonstrated learning-in-action by engaging our stakeholders in a meaningful way. And we became comfortable with being uncomfortable by engaging in dialogue - not just a group discussion, but real dialogue.
But after some reflection, I would argue that the most valuable piece I will carry forward from this program is not what we learned - it is how we learned. When I walked in to CityStudio on our first day there, the chalk board had many, many things written on it. But the one that has stuck with me throughout my two years there was "trust the process". The outcomes are important, but the process in itself is also incredibly important. We learned through processes of self-inquiry, self-reflection, and self-discovery. For the majority of the program, we learned by doing rather than only by listening or reading. Ideas and facts were not just given to us through lectures and readings. Discussions were rich, sometimes difficult, and always allowed us to see our own worldviews and how they relate to our colleagues'. I feel like I questioned my own beliefs about sustainability a lot, and that was scary and wonderful. It has been a wonderful two years, and I am certain that I will carry all of these lessons forward through life.
