The Three Most Important Things About Eco Practicum

1. Each week we bring you the most significant and controversial topics with speakers, educators, and partners that represent all sides of an issue. Our goal is to bring you into the debate, fully informed and ready to take effective steps forward. You will have candid conversations with specialists, organizers, lobbyists, politicians, farmers, and activists about their successes, their failures, and the challenges of making effective changes in the current system.
   
2. We care about what you bring to the table. We use a democratic learner-centered educational model that harnesses your interests and input to shape the conversations and content of the program. Eco Practicum participants come from a wide range of backgrounds and interests and each one is given a chance to run an activity or conversation around a topic of their choice during their stay.
   
3. You also get daily hands-on farming experience. We'll teach you basic urban gardening, permaculture, and organic farming techniques. At our beautiful facility in Liberty, New York, who wouldn't want to spend some time in the dirt?

Below, the topics of each week are described in greater detail. 
If you still have questions, contact us. We're always happy to answer any question you have.

Download the Full Eco Practicum Syllabus

Unit 1  The Role of Organic, Local Produce in the Global Food System  
May 27 - June 2  |  Details |  Apply Now
As of 2010, there were nearly 900 million people going hungry across the globe. In the United States, despite $60 billion spent yearly in government food nutrition programs, one in six children go hungry each month and 35 million people cannot ensure minimum daily caloric requirements, while about 1/3 of all adults are obese. Less than 1% of Americans farm for a living, and this number is decreasing. Unit 1 addresses... Read More

Unit 2  Pets, Pests, Livestock: The Value, Role & Treatment of Animals 
June 3 - 9  |  Details |  Apply Now
Livestock production accounts for 70% of all agricultural land and 30% of the land surface of the planet. The livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18% – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation. As the human population grows and the standard of living rises, so too does the demand for meat. Unit 2 considers... Read More

Unit 3  Digging and Drilling: Using Fossil Fuels & the Hope/Hype of Renewable Energy
June 10 - 16  |  Details |  Apply Now
We currently use 30 billion barrels of oil each year to fill the many needs that this finite natural resource fills. Oil consumption has nearly doubled since the 1970s, and is expected to increase by nearly 50% by 2030. This would lead to a rise of global energy-related CO2 emissions from nearly 30 to over to 40 billion tons in the next 20 years. As the future of oil... Read More

Unit 4  This Land is Your Land: Natural Resource Management In An Age of Over-Consumption 
June 17 - 23  |  Details |  Apply Now
In the United States, the average person uses 80 gallons of water per day and produces 5 pounds of trash in that same time. As the standard of living rises, so too does the demand for natural resources. Responsible regional land use and resource management is critical if we are to ensure our continued ability to meet our most basic needs. Resource management in the Catskill Region... Read More

The Eco Practicum Relies on its Partnerships with the Region's Most Effective Organizations. Find out More.