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Donella Meadows, co-author of "Limits to Growth", once said, "There is nothing so powerful as an exponential whose time has come." Whether we are talking about world population, greenhouse emissions, biodiversity or social inequities, it is clear that we are living in an incredibly unique time in human history - in planetary history. No prior generation has faced a greater crisis - or a greater opportunity.
Our present university system, with some notable exceptions, is simply not up to the task of training leaders capable of addressing these global issues. As Oberlin professor David Orr noted, "the skills, aptitudes, and attitudes necessary to industrialize the Earth are not necessarily the same as those that will be needed to heal the Earth or to build durable economies and good communities."
We need to develop new models of education that support the development of whole persons with the understanding, skills, and commitment to help build sustainable, caring communities that enhance their local ecosystems.
Living Routes offers one such model by developing accredited, college-level programs based in "ecovillages" around the world. Ecovillages are innovative communities that are striving to model sustainable development - ecologically, socially, culturally, and spiritually. These communities provide ideal "campuses" for college students to immerse themselves in both academic and experiential learning about sustainability.
This workshop session will provide an introduction to the growing ecovillage movement worldwide and explore the possibilities and challenges of using these communities as sites for education and social change.
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Sustainable
Resources 2004 > Talks
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