Sustainability Studies Program faculty member co-edits and contributes to new book!

Congratulations to our very own Dr. David Taylor, who joined the Stony Brook University Sustainability Studies Program in fall 2014 as a visiting professor of sustainability. In addition to his role as a professor, Taylor is a writer, and his work encompasses many disciplines and genres, from poetry to creative non-fiction to scholarship and science/technical writing. Yet, at the center of all his writing is the concern for environmental sustainability and community.

61Mbu5wIteL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_This central idea common to all Taylor’s works can be found in a new book he worked on with his co-editor and co-contributor, Dr. Steve Wolverton, associate professor of environmental archaeology at the University of North Texas. The book, Sushi in Cortez: Interdisciplinary Essays on Mesa Verde, is published by the University of Utah Press. In the book, Taylor and Wolverton join an interdisciplinary group of academics, artists and cultural witnesses to explore the landscape and cultural history of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, a place distinguished by both its renowned archeological sites and well-preserved cliff dwellings.

The contributors’ highly personal works featured in Sushi in Cortez include poetry, film, environmental philosophy, nature photography, native Pueblo perspectives and archaeology, respond to questions common to humanity, including those about the value of work and life, and of visiting timeworn places like Mesa Verde.

Me on the ferry crossing Bahia de CienfuegosDavid J. Taylor, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Sustainability
Sustainability Studies Program

Sustainability Studies Program ’14 alum Jayme Liardi to publish his first book!

Congratulations to Sustainability Studies Program ’14 alum Jayme Liardi, who will be publishing his first book, Revelation: A Return to Virtue, this summer. Inspired by the way veganism, connecting to nature and simplicity changed his life, Jayme has developed his own health and lifestyle coaching philosophy to help others achieve success and happiness. His book, which details his transformation, will be available on his website in ebook, audiobook and paperback forms. Read the press release, below!

Revelation: A Return to Virtue

R E V O L T AGAINST THE MODERN WORLD
The Forgotten Voice of the Millennials

In a world of increasing decadence and disillusion, many of us simply abide by the conventions of this modern world without second thought simply because we believe it to be the apex of human ingenuity — that there is no alternative to the path of shallow materialism.

We Millennials are said to be the perpetuators and proprietors of said system. We buy into the Cult of Consumerism hook line and sinker; completely unaware of its malignant nature and become complicit in our own degradation from the inside out.

There is however the forgotten millennial who loathes the degenerate cultural conditions which dominate the modern world today — those who strive for something more…

Living in a comfortable trance of relative normalcy, we maintain a docile decorum. We allow ourselves to be sedated, placated by the latest gadgets, programmed by the decadent influences of Hollywood — distractions that keep us pacified, demoralized and reluctant to pursue a life of true nobility.

This book aims to strengthen the disenfranchised youth of today — to appeal to the virtuous spirit within that simply awaits awakening from its long slumber.

A w a k e n

This is my story
I left a world of comfortable complacency
Entered the realm of the living
On a quest
To analyze my beliefs
Discover my inner truth

They say we need a revolution
I say we need a R E V E L A T I O N

Question everything you understand to be true
Relentlessly examine established ideas
Meticulously challenge ingrained dogma
Test theories using praxis
Take back your power and awaken the warrior spirit

A r i s e

Perhaps you are ready to face the great delusion. Only by virtuous revolt will we stand a chance at combating this modern moral decay. The ideas, stories, and life experiments in this book are meant to enliven the warrior within—to awaken a dormant desire to live with greatness, dignity and honor. Perhaps my story, my struggles, can aid you in the battle for sovereignty.

RETURN YOUR REVOLT INTO V I R T U E

Jayme Louis Liardi is a Long Island native and a graduate of Stony Brook University with a degree in Environmental Humanities and Theatre Arts. While Revelation: A Return to Virtue is his first venture as an author, Jayme plans to further develop his vision and refine the ideas expressed in this book. You can reach him at: jayme.liardi@gmail.com

“Reading Revelation: A Return to Virtue, is an uplifting lesson on reflection and praxis shared through a personal journey. This book proclaims, challenges, motivates, and models. It is an important contribution to a swelling tide of independent thinking that just might lift humanity out of the muck and mire of a dispiriting age of delusional commerce.”
Marc Fasanella, PhD

Jayme Liardi
Sustainability Studies Program ’14
Environmental Humanities Major
Theater Arts Major

Star student Emily Nocito attends her first Bard C2C Fellows Network workshop

Emily Nocito (middle row, fourth from left) attended Bard’s recent C2C Fellows Network Spring Workshop in NYC.

 

Recently, we featured a story on Sustainability Studies Program student, Emily Nocito, on her acceptance into Bard’s prestigious C2C Fellows Network. Here, Emily gives us a peek into her experience as a C2C Fellow thus far:

Just a couple of weekends ago, I had the honor of attending Bard College’s C2C Fellows Network Spring Workshop, a 3-day conference in New York City organized by Bard’s Center for Environmental Policy (CEP). Going in, I knew I was going to be a bit out of my element–the focus of this workshop was sustainable business…

In my three years of attending Stony Brook University, I have yet to take a business class. Business, as a whole, scares me; as a person, I feel as if I am too disorganized to understand the inner workings of the subject. Dr. Eban Goodstein, the head of Bard’s CEP, ran this workshop. He immediately put me at ease; all my fears of being wholly underprepared went away. Program highlights included leadership skills, the role of business and sustainability, fundraising and more.

The best thing I got out of this C2C workshop was, by far, the amazing connections I made. The other fellows were a mix of undergraduates, graduates, and professionals. While sustainability was the overarching theme that brought us together, our passions were diverse. At the “Ideas Marketplace”–where you were given 60 seconds to pitch a sustainable idea–I heard pitches ranging from dealing with food waste to sustainable sanitation. I spent three days bouncing ideas, passions, hopes, and dreams with a like-minded community. I am sure that I met future environmental lawyers, policymakers, scientists, and activists…and feel more confident about my future in sustainable politics and…even business!

10911472_10153531166023916_321178869789920400_oBy Emily Nocito
Sustainability Studies Program ’16
Coastal Environmental Studies Major
Ecosystems and Human Impact Minor