Eco-Culture
A Course in Sustainable Thinking
This 10-week program educates and empowers people who wish to learn what it means to be sustainable. Touching the very essence of why many of us feel overwhelmed by the task ahead, this course emphasises that to be sustainable we need to start with ourselves.
Human beings are not inherently flawed, yet our culture’s underlying beliefs in separation, scarcity and inevitability are deeply flawed. Each affects our actions in ways that undermine sustainability principles yet all three are endemic. They are the background ‘noise’ of society and the source of humanity’s problems. Even so, for the most part, we are utterly unaware that they exist. How can we not feel overwhelmed when our automatic reactions are not an authentic expression of who we say we want to be?
Recognising how they play out in your own life strengthens your ability to rise above them. In this way your ability to create sustainability for self, family and community is greatly enhanced, and is more likely to succeed.
The Eco-Culture course is based on three sustainability concepts. The following is a brief description including an outline of some of the topics covered:
Eco-Culture: Sustainable thinking begins with an enquiry into underlying beliefs. Beliefs determine behaviour. We cannot address unsustainable behaviour until we have addressed unsustainable beliefs.
• Sustainable Thinking
• Beliefs & Social Conditioning
• Emotional Indicators
• Aware & Empowered
• Observing Natural Phenomena
• Effective Communication & Leadership
Eco-Efficiency: redefines resource efficiency as nature’s and financial profit. Defined as financial profit alone, efficiency does not reduce consumption, it increases consumption.
• The Efficiency Paradox
• Consumption Myths
• Waste – A Human Invention
• The Human Footprint
• Peak Oil & The Carbon Habit
• Climate Change
Eco-Effectiveness: as nature is the only reliable blueprint for sustainability we have, learning to understand and emulate nature is the best chance we have of creating a sustainable world.
• Nature’s Design Principles
• Permaculture – More Than Gardening
• The Power of Community
• Globalisation & Relocalisation
• Regenerating the Landscape
• Living Intentionally
Program Details:
Commencement Date: 3rd Feb 2009
Total Hours: 30 (over 10 sessions)
Cost: $110
Contact: South Barwon Community Centre
5243 8388 - info@sbcc.org.au
Facilitators: Maria Straub and Helen Long
About the Facilitators:
Maria Straub is the founder and managing director of Green Purchasing, a consulting, project management and training company dedicated to getting environment into business. Developing many community education programs, both in Australia and overseas, Maria’s desire is to encourage people to seek larger answers to sustainability questions in ways to move them beyond their perceived limitations.
Helen Long is the facilitator and manager of Community Education. Helen has been involved in facilitating change in communities throughout Victoria for sixteen years. An educator and counsellor, Helen’s passion brings value and voice to people’s concerns, not only around family and community, but also to fulfil their innate desire to sustain the planet. Helen finds that by reflecting back their own inner wisdom, people feel inspired and empowered to reach for their dreams.
SBCC are offering a FREE taster evening for this highly valuable and informative course on Tuesday the 20th of January at 7pm at the Centre offices, 33 Mt Pleasant Rd Belmont. Please contact the centre on 5243 8388 or email info@sbcc.org.au to book your place. Spaces are limited, so please be quick.
