Justice, Power, and Activism: What the Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Teach Us About Resilience and Democracy
Jason Lambacher, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
This activity is a set of student-centered exercises that enable students to learn about the individual stories of Goldman environmental prize winners, the activism and organizing that grounds their work, and the underlying political and social contexts from which their struggles emerge. The lesson inspires critical reflection about justice, power, and democracy in green politics, and encourages ways to make personal connections to activism and environmental work.

Afghan Poppies, Climate Change and War: Thinking Systemically About Us and Them
Karen Litfin, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
This contemplative practice inquires into the complex web of interdependencies linking global climate change, the War on Terror, Afghan poppy production, opiate addiction, and food security through the lens of systems theory. The exercise challenges students to consider these linkages not only conceptually but also somatically and emotionally.

Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving Project for the Science Classroom
Liliana Caughman
Students are assigned unique roles and work independently to solve a complex problem from the perspective of their role (i.e. sociologist, educator, historian, etc.) Students then work collaboratively to present their findings and action plan to the "tribal council".

The Benefit of Acknowledging and Addressing Students' Uncomfortable Emotions when Learning about Environmental Issues: Fostering Growth and Change in Action-Oriented Exercises
Ellen Moore
Research reveals that if students are presented with negative information about environmental issues and they are not also provided with a plan for action, they often manifest denial on many levels. This exercise is designed to get students to directly address the emotions they face when learning about environmental issues and to make an action plan to address them in their individual lives.

Environmental Justice in Tacoma: A Non-Majors Qualitative Assessment of Pollution and Public Policy in the Local Community
Jim Gawel, University of Washington- Tacoma
This activity is designed to get non-environmental majors to qualitatively examine their own community for evidence of environmental injustice. Using a mix of evidence from online sources (U.S. Census, EnviroMapper, Toxic Release Inventory, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, etc.) and field observations, student groups describe the population and pollution sources found within an assigned elementary school district in Tacoma.

Problem-Solving: Where to Put the Poop
Barry Maxwell, Whatcom Community College

Mapping Stormwater Runoff Infrastructure for the City of Bothell
Robert Turner, University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Term-long course activity for student groups to map the flow of stormwater runoff on newly developed or altered properties in and for the City of Bothell.

Is The Water Safe for Aquatic Life?
Sue Habeck, Tacoma Community College
In this field activity students ponder sustainability issues such as point and non-point sources of pollution (including personal contributions), impacts of pollution, and potential mitigations.

Meditation and Collection: "Garbage Reduction"
Gary L. Chamberlain, Seattle University
The course examines a number of unsustainable practices, the "worldview" or framework which emerged from the confluence of Christianity, the Renaissance and rise of modern science, and industrialization. We then examine new forms of Christian theological reflection leading to the construction of a framework reinforcing practices of sustainability and environmental justice.

Visualizing Social Justice in South Seattle: Data Analysis, Race, and The Duwamish River Basin
Eunice Blavascunas, University of Washington
We examine the factors of race and environmental contamination, starting from the premise (and data proving) that race is not a biological, scientifically valid category, but a social, historical construction with real world consequences for equal access to health, resources, and power.