The aim of the Study Tour is to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences involving sustainable development. Stockholm was the European Green city in 2010 and Sweden is a world leader in sustainable urban planning.
We will take public transportation where possible (including a train to Stockholm) and stay in a hotel which has received an Eco Award for their use of carbon offsets and charitable contributions to the community. We will eat at sustainable restaurants, whether they serve organic or local food, or run on renewable energy. Specific visits have previously included national-level policy organizations, international NGOs, and examples of urban (re)development. A goal of the tour is to compare and contrast sustainability discourses and practices in Europe with those in the U.S. You are encouraged to examine the different approaches of mainstream and grassroots initiatives, as well as questions of scale in implementing sustainable practices, and gain specific awareness of these issues in a Swedish context.
Tour Objectives
- Gain a more nuanced understanding of how classroom theories apply to the real world environment
- Develop a deeper understanding of the Swedish approach to a sustainable economy, community initiatives, and responses to climate change in Stockholm Municipality
- Engage in your personal learning process outside the classroom by actively participating and challenging our current ideas and assumptions
Possible Activities
- Visit the Municipality of Stockholm (Ministry of Climate and Environment) to understand the background of Sweden's commitment to sustainable development
- Tour Hammarby and the Royal Seaport, highlighting urban (re)development
- Explore Rosendal Trädgård and Brunnsta farm for examples of sustainable food practices, and the Stockholm Resilience Centre for the most updated research with this field