Lacey Jo Braun

Redefining, Redesigning Fashion: Designs for Sustainability is the current exhibit on display in the Goldstein Museum of Design gallery in McNeal Hall of the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus. This exhibit features fashion designs from students and professionals that have a strong emphasis on sustainability.

Never before has fashion been so disposable. This places a heavy burden on the industry to quickly adapt and evolve with little thought to environmental consequences. Consumers want fast fashion and they want more next season.

The focus of the exhibit was to start a discussion about the clothing industry and its impact on our environment. How can design play a role in lessening the impact of this industry movement?

There were over 200 submissions for this exhibit from designers across the global. This many submissions equates to a carefully curated selection that exemplifies the cutting edge of sustainable fashion. The garments each tell an individual story, as well as the overarching collective narrative. The collection of garments include digitally printed fabrics, a wedding gown constructed from old table linens, a dress of wood chips, and re-purposed Goodwill finds.

Each piece fits in one or more of the five themes designated for this exhibit: Alternative Construction & Technique, Re-purposed Materials, Valuing Resources, Emotional Connections, and Versatility.

Whether you are an aspiring designer, fashion enthusiast, sustainability advocate, or just a curious observer you will enjoy this collection of one of a kind pieces.

View the entire collection online or stop by the gallery before May 26.

This post is the first in a series about sustainable fashion. Check back throughout the summer a continued exploration into the fashion industry, how to be a wise consumer, and conversations with leaders on the topic.

Lacey Jo Braun

It is that time of year when things start to wind down.  After the crescendo of final papers, projects, and tests it is nice to look back on the year and see how far you have come.

This was an exciting year of Sustainability Education. Sustainability Education hosted and participated in several events throughout the year. The highlights reel includes SELF Sustain, Food Day, a visit from Bill McKibben, our Commons gallery opening, the 2013 Sustainability Film Series, the 2013 Sustainability Symposium, and Jelly Before the Jam.

Sustainability Education and IonE sponsored a student organization called Students for Sustainability. If you are interested in joining the group see the Facebook group.

Another exciting project Sustainability Education worked on was an undergraduate course taught by the Institute on the Environment’s Director, Jon Foley.

Our team gained four new members:  Madeline Giefer, Sima Sajjadiani, Lacey Jo Braun, and Alireza Asary. We also will be saying good-bye to a two year veteran of the team, Kiley Bastain, who graduated this spring with a degree in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management.

Make sure to stay in the loop this summer by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and signing up for our newsletter.

For more information or to apply contact
Jim Topitzhofer, GreenStep Cities Coordinator, Recreation Services
Director & CSC Staff Liaison  612-861-9394
JTopitzhofer@cityofrichfield.org

The Twin Cities committee focuses on operational, teaching and research objectives and is a great place for students interested in operational programs and implementation. Meanwhile the Systemwide committee is a better fit for students interested in planning, governance, and policy. Members of the Systemwide committee find ways to make connections across all University of Minnesota campuses and consolidate annual campus reports into an annual sustainability report for the President and Regents.

The Twin Cities committee requires approximately two to three hours per month while the Systemwide Committee requires two to four hours each quarter. Becoming active on a task team will increase these expectations. Accepted students commit to one to two years of service.

To apply, email the following to Amy Short, Sustainability Director (short038@umn.edu) before Tuesday, May 28:

1. Your name, major, minor, focus and planned graduation date (You must be a U of M student.)
2. A brief paragraph describing your interests
3. Indicate which committee(s) you are interested in
4. Attach a resume if available (not required)

Minnesota GreenCorps is a division of Americorps run through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Members spend one year of service with local, county, and state governments working on a wide range of assingments from  quantitative monitoring of water quality to public education and outreach. Members can even gain valuable leadership experience by conducting their own community projects. GreenCorps also provides a great deal of training, making it a great transition between college and the workforce.

Visit the Minnesota GreenCorps website to read more about this opportunity or watch a short video.

Applications are due June 7.

Going home for the summer? This is your chance to share simple sustainable practices with family and friends. Here are some little changes anyone can make that will really add up.

Close your blinds when you’re not in the room. Letting the sun heat up an empty room while your air conditioner is running can be an enormous waste of electricity. So close the blinds when you leave– it’s even better than turning off the lights.

Wash your clothes in cold water. This can cut your washing machine’s energy consumption by 85 percent.

Use a drying rack or clothesline instead of a dryer. It will reduce your gas consumption and make your clothes last longer.

Use drought-tolerant plants in your garden. You’ll hardly need to water them at all.

Use a refillable water bottle. Whether you’re working out, gardening, or traveling, refillable water bottles save money, plastic, and energy.

Visit a farmers’ market. Get fresh produce at great prices while reducing your food miles and supporting local farmers.

For more easy ways to make your lifestyle more sustainable, visit the Worldwatch Institute. If you have your own ideas, share them on Facebook or Twitter!

Agroecology is a scientific discipline focused on understanding the structure and functions of agricultural systems and the interactions between the biophysical, sociocultural and technical components of those systems across a range of scales. Global demand for food is increasing and is expected to double by the year 2050, and this rise is greatest in developing parts of the world. Meeting the demand will require understanding the interdependence of food production practices, as well as the environment and social structures that rely on and shape agriculture. This course introduces students to agroecological approaches to studying and designing systems of food production.

The course will begin by introducing the conceptual basis of agroecosystems and considering different frameworks of inquiry. Students will become familiar with these frameworks as they continue to explore agroecosystems in Nepal, Morocco, and Costa Rica during the second portion of the course. During the final portion, students will use information gathered during these investigations to consider the impacts of global change factors on food production now and in the future, including climate change, water and energy availability, technology, population growth, and environmental degradation. Throughout this course, you will gain skills in accessing and using information on agroecosystems from a variety of sources including GIS maps, farmer and researcher interviews, and published literature. Fore more information on this course, visit the course site.

This course is taught by Dr. Paul Porter, coordinator for Agricultural Industries and Marketing undergraduate degrees. He has extensive experience in world agriculture, including a 12,000 km bike trip across ten African countries co-teaching courses in African farming. To learn more about Dr. Porter’s adventures, take a look at his blog.

Photo: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Reserve

University faculty have the ability to transform how students view sustainability, and can help connect students with opportunities to put it into action. In order to take advantage of this unique potential, the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment will host “Sustainability and Social Action,” a two-day workshop focused on how professors and instructional staff can incorporate the many facets of sustainability both in and out of the classroom to help students promote sustainability in their communities. This year’s workshop will take place on June 17 and 18.

Students can play a major role in the future of sustainability if they have the necessary cross-disciplinary and communication skills. They must understand balance among environmental, economic, and social needs, and be able to combine types of thought including scientific, creative, and systems-based thinking. Faculty can enhance these skills by moving beyond summarizing global challenges to helping students analyze and invent solutions. At this workshop you will explore networks of local experts and contributors to the sustainability movement to find your own way to promote sustainability among students.

The Sustainability and Social Action workshop welcomes faculty who want to integrate sustainability and justice into their curriculum, or create experiential opportunities for students to channel social concern into social action. This is also an opportunity for faculty teaching themes within sustainability, such as renewable energy or food systems, to learn about real-world applications for their subject matter. During the workshop participants will also have time to network and develop ideas for future cooperation.

The workshop will begin at the Gandhi Mahal Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. After a one-hour interactive session with Julia Nerbonne of the Higher Education Consortium of Urban Affairs (HECUA) and Kris Igo of the Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute, LaDonna Redmond will speak about her work establishing two organic markets and an urban farm staffed by inner-city youth on the South Side of Chicago. Her presentation will be followed by a tour of an urban farm in Minneapolis.

The rest of the workshop will take place at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. After some time to settle in and enjoy the outdoor scenery, everyone will gather for dinner and a bonfire to discuss the ideas presented at the workshop. The following morning will provide more opportunity for reflection with faculty and community partners, as well as presentations by some participants.

The workshop will provide a valuable opportunity for faculty to strengthen their own knowledge of sustainability in a way that helps them inspire students to take action. By learning to combine ways of thinking and hearing from people who have already put solutions into action, faculty can instill in their students a lifetime of commitment to sustainability.

For more information, visit the workshop page.

Written by Madeline Giefer

On April 13^th, students gathered for a day-long event focused on entrepreneurship and the environment. Guests participated in the Marshmallow Challenge (and did surprisingly well,) and performed design assessments and experiments. Then, participants broke up into teams and focused on the development of a particular idea they wanted to implement. The students came up with some really great solutions and had an awesome time generating ideas and working together.

On Monday, April 15^th, the groups got together again to present their plans in front of judges and visitors. The audience was eager to see what the students prepared, and the presenters were very excited to share their ideas. One presentation By Eric Sannerud and Alfonso Sintjago focused on a sustainable marketing opportunity for the University of Minnesota- the creation of a cider made from famous U of M apples. A contest could be developed every year to encourage participation among students and the university community to create the best-tasting cider. Profits could be devoted to sustainability and research at the U. This venture received a great response from the audience and the online community- the idea was retweeted by many sustainability followers. Keep your eyes open for Gopher Cider in the future, it may make an appearance at your next social gathering or on grocery store shelves.

Another venture, presented by Tatiana Hakanson, focused on strengthening relationships between youth and universities in the Twin Cities. Hakanson is trying to engage high schools in implementing sustainability programs and groups into their curriculum. She believes that learning about the environment and science early on helps to develop student involvement and sets them up for careers in the area. She wants to create a program where college students can connect with high school students on a regular basis and coach them into a future in sustainability.

The groups were awarded prize money to continue to develop their ventures. It was a really exciting experience for all involved, and the students were able to get valuable feedback on their presentations. The plans are already in the works for next year’s Hackathon, and IonE is hoping to grow the event and support more awesome ideas.

Written by Dominique Boczek