HHS 301: Seeds, Weeds, & Earthly Needs: Collectively Surviving the Climate Crisis

Course Description

This course delves into the interplay of climate change, food sovereignty, and community resilience within the realm of health and human services. Students explore the ramifications of environmental shifts on food security, cultural practices, and health disparities, with a keen eye on furthering social justice. Topics include cultural knowledge transmission, sustainable practices, and nurturing hope within communities. Key components: understanding the impact of climate change on food systems and cultural heritage; exploring the role of food sovereignty in promoting health and well-being; analyzing intergenerational connections and community resilience in the face of environmental challenges; developing practical skills in reducing waste, growing food, and other sustainable practices; engaging in field trips to local gardens and nature preserves and participating in service learning at on-campus sites to promote sustainability and community engagement. For the final project, students will conduct an oral history interview with an elder from their own family or community. The focus will be on how sustainable cultural traditions, particularly related to food, have evolved over the elder's lifetime and what wisdom they have for the student in navigating an uncertain future amidst climate change. Through this, and other, explorations, students will reflect on family legacies, community resilience, and strategies for collective survival in the face of environmental challenges. (F, W, S).