In case you haven't picked up upon conference information yet... the theme of this years European Congress, InSEA 2010, is SUSTAINABILITY.
Besides learning a great deal about all kinds of theoretical and pedagogically inspiring information regarding the aspects, questions and practices regarding sustainability. We have also managed to enjoy the not-so-professional ideologies around the sustainability theme.
These themes include, but are not limited to:
1. Plusing and minusing (which has been previously mentioned in an older post).
2. The fact that every particle of left-over food at lunch is composted and then our non-disposable dishes were washed = less landfill waste.
3. The numerous conversations I have had over how to create sustainable art projects such as willow sculptures, recycling the entirety of a reindeer, carrying around congress bags made of recycled bed sheets/curtains.. and of course decorating them with more reindeer parts.
4. The lights in our hotel can only be turned on if you put your door key in a special little slot... thereby decreasing the amount of wasted electricity that occurs when you leave the room and forget to turn the lights off. This DOES NOT come in handy when you room key has become suddenly de-magnetized however.
5. Biking biking biking everywhere and by everyone. Everyone except us that is. If a bike rental shop opened up in Rovaniemi, I can guarantee you the owners could strike it rich.. but there isn't... so we walk. And walking is still sustainable.
Things that aren't sustainable...
1. The LONG days we have experienced thus far in the trip. Every day so far has been go go go... and it is easy to loose track of time and have difficulty sleeping when the sun never sets. Sustainable energy will not exist for me if I remain here much longer without a day off and a nap.
2. And although we are composting our food at lunch... I can't seem to find a recycle bin??? What that is all about, I cannot explain.
3. The number of times I have heard confusing, theoretical jargon such as the words: problematize/problematic.
And one last congress-related, sustainability themed, problematized question for you: while we talk about sustainability during the conference... as art educators seeking to teach in more economically, socially, culturally, and environmentally sustainable ways... (the majority of, at least) the speakers continue to lecture and read from papers, using powerpoint as the main tool for visual experience. It doesn't take long to figure out that sitting in this way for hours upon end is not a sustainable way to present information during a four day conference. This can be evidenced by my plan to go take a nap as soon as I finish this post.. instead of going to the last few lectures. But again, I'm just problematizing about sustainability people.
Signing off - R.Gray
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