![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca\/sustainable-campuses\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/148\/bici7.jpeg\")
Uno de los proyectos es el de reutilizaci\u00f3n de llantas. Estudiantes de 5\u00ba semestre, por medio del curso de Investigaci\u00f3n Acci\u00f3n, pusieron en marcha este proyecto. Su inter\u00e9s por reutilizar las llantas fue parte de un proceso de concientizaci\u00f3n. Delia, es una de las integrantes del grupo y su esposo tiene un taller mec\u00e1nico y ah\u00ed pudo observar el gran n\u00famero de llantas que se desechan cada d\u00eda. Para su esposo esto significaba un gasto, pagar al municipio por llevarse las llantas, pero un poco de investigaci\u00f3n la llev\u00f3 a confirmar que se desechan en la comunidad cada d\u00eda unas 300 llantas y que terminan tiradas o quemadas en el vertedero municipal, contaminando as\u00ed el aire y el suelo y por consecuencia impactando la salud de los miembros de la comunidad. En algunos casos estas llantas son un ambiente propicio para la reproducci\u00f3n de las larvas del Aedes aegypti, dengue. Delia junto con su compa\u00f1era Shema utilizan las llantas para construir diferentes tipos de jardineras y sillones para el plantel. \u00c9stas est\u00e1n embelleciendo un \u00e1rea del plantel en el cual se contempla establecer un \u00e1rea para la convivencia y son un mensaje vivo que este plantel trabaja por la sustentabilidad. Por medio de este proyecto los estudiantes no solo han aportado a su plantel, tambi\u00e9n han sido parte de un proceso de concientizaci\u00f3n y transformaci\u00f3n. Identificaron un problema y buscaron formas de enfrentarlo incluso capacit\u00e1ndose con conocimientos t\u00e9cnicos que antes no ten\u00edan.<\/p>\n El plantel tiene una bici-licuadora y una bici-bomba. Estos proyectos comenzaron como componente de un curso y han sido un reto para sus creadoras: Gladis, Claudia y Ana Delia, tambi\u00e9n estudiantes de intervenci\u00f3n educativa. Con el objetivo de concientizar sobre la importancia del ahorro del uso de energ\u00edas no renovables se dieron a la tarea de aprender c\u00f3mo adaptar una bicicleta para que sirva como motor que haga funcionar aparatos como una licuadora y una bomba de agua. En estos casos no solo trabajaron en construir sus bici-m\u00e1quinas, tambi\u00e9n vieron la manera de hacerlo con materiales de re-uso, d\u00e1ndole as\u00ed nueva vida a una licuadora, una bomba de agua y bicicletas que ya no serv\u00edan. En todos los casos, el apoyo de sus padres fue fundamental para la adaptaci\u00f3n de las m\u00e1quinas.<\/p>\n Uno de los retos m\u00e1s importantes de la sustentabilidad es cambiar nuestro sistema de valores que es la causa principal de la actual crisis ambiental que vivimos. Estos proyectos han sido transformadores no solo para sus participantes, sino para la instituci\u00f3n en s\u00ed y toda la comunidad. Cada uno de ellos habla de ser hoy m\u00e1s consiente de la problem\u00e1tica ambiental y se perciben como agentes activos de cambio en su instituci\u00f3n y comunidad.<\/p>\n Su dedicaci\u00f3n y trabajo en el plantel est\u00e1 tambi\u00e9n cambiando c\u00f3mo la instituci\u00f3n se define. Por medio de estos cursos, dise\u00f1ados para fomentar el pensamiento cr\u00edtico, la colaboraci\u00f3n, creatividad e innovaci\u00f3n, la resoluci\u00f3n de problemas, se establece un nuevo paradigma impulsado por formas transformadoras de saber, pensar y aprender que conllevan a la acci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n Blog basado en entrevista con estudiantes y maestros (Gloria Rodr\u00edguez y Ruth Bustos) de la UPN Sede Galeana<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Translation by Abril Obregon<\/p>\n Taking on the challenge to transform our campus into a sustainable one is a first step that requires consciousness of the environmental problems, of the transcendent role we play as educational institutions and openness to find ways to achieve it. The UPN Galeana, has since the year 2012, taken on the challenge to become a sustainable campus and its experience shows us the importance of \u201cenvironmentalizing\u201d the curriculum so that it can serve as a link between awareness and environmental action both inside and outside of the institution.<\/p>\n A fundamental strategy that this campus has been using to progress on its challenge is incorporating, in the training of their students, courses such as Environmental Culture, Education for Sustainable Development and Action Research and using these as catalyzers for the training of active agents for change. Today, students, teachers and maintenance staff work on sustainability projects like the \u201cBike-pump\u201d, \u201cBike-blender\u201d and the tire reusing project (among others). These projects are not only helping to reduce the ecological footprint of the campus, they are also important tools for educational intervention students who seek to influence the wellbeing of their communities.<\/p>\n One of the projects is tire reusing. Students on their 5th<\/sup> semester, through the Action Research course, launched this project. Their interest of reusing tires was part of an awareness process. Delia, one of the members of the group and her husband own a mechanic workshop and there she noticed the large amount of tires that are disposed of every day. For her husband, this was an expense because he had to pay the municipality to take away the tires. \u00a0After some research she confirmed that 300 tires are being disposed by the community daily and that these end up thrown out or burnt in the municipal dump, contaminating the air and ground and by consequence impacting on the health of the members of the community. In some cases these tires are a breeding ground for the reproduction of \u00a0larvae of Aedes aegypti, dengue. Delia and her partner Sherma, used tires to build different types of flower and plant pots as well as couches for the campus. They are embellishing an area of the campus where they plan to build an area for conviviality and they are a living message that this campus is working for sustainability. \u00a0Through this project, the students are not only giving to the campus but have also been part of an awareness and transformation process. They identified a problem and looked for ways to face it and even gained technical knowledge that they did not have before.<\/p>\n The campus has a \u201cBike-blender\u201d and a \u201cBike-pump\u201d. These projects started as a component of a course and have been a challenge for their creators: Gladis, Claudia y Ana Delia, also students in educational intervention. With the objective of bringing awareness about the importance of lowering the use of non-renewable energy, they gave themselves the task to learn to adapt a bicycle so that it could be used as a motor that can make electronic devices ,such as a blender and a water pump, work. In these cases, they not only worked on building their \u201cBikes-machines\u201d but also found the way to make them with reused materials, giving a new life to the non-functional blender, water pump and bicycles. In all cases, the support of their parents was fundamental for the adaptation of the bikes.<\/p>\n One of the most important challenges of sustainability is to change our value system which is one of the main causes of the ongoing environmental crisis we are living. These projects have been transformative not only for their participants but also for the institution and the whole community. Each one of the participants talks about being more aware of environmental problema and see themselves as agents for change in their institution and community.<\/p>\n Their dedication and work in the campus is also changing how the institution defines itself. Through these courses, designed to encourage critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, innovation and problem solving, a new paradigm is established, driven by transformative ways of knowing, thinking and learning that lead to action.<\/p>\n Blog based on an interview with students and teachers \u00a0(Gloria\u00a0Rodr\u00edguez y Ruth Bustos) of the office of \u00a0UPN Galeana<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca\/sustainable-campuses\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/148\/bici3.jpeg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca\/sustainable-campuses\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/148\/bici5.jpeg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t“Environmentalizing” the curriculum and transforming the UPN Galeana<\/h3>\n
By Gisela Fr\u00edas (Dawson College)<\/h5>\n