Course title
Amtrak Tourism: Trains, Cities and Sustainability
How did the concept for the course come about?
As geographerI desired to offer a summer study abroad program on sustainability. However, attributable to the excessive carbon footprint of airplanes, it will not make sense to design a sustainability program that included flights abroad. Alternatively, Amtrak's diesel-powered trains could Reducing carbon dioxide emissions per person by 40% in comparison with flying.
In addition to the environmental aspect, I also desired to teach students about sustainability from an economic and social perspective. During this system, students use only public transportation, stay in locally owned accommodations, and eat in restaurants that use local ingredients.
Combine my love of Amtrak with a desire to get students out of the classroom and also you'll end up traveling across the country to find out about sustainable tourism, landscapes, and concrete and regional planning.
What does the course examine?
Over the course of three weeks, students visit six locations, with overnight train journeys between each location lasting between 16 and 24 hours. Days are divided into lessons on landscape and land use remark, sustainable tourism and concrete deindustrialisation, with at the least one hour of teaching time on each train journey.
The destinations function living laboratories for our students. In some cities, akin to Galesburg, Illinois, or Sacramento, California, the courses focus more on exploring the cities’ industrial history, also often called industrial heritageIn cities like Portland, Oregon, or Glenwood Springs, Colorado, which see a big influx of holiday makers annually, we focus more on tourism and planning.
Why is that this course relevant now?
The federal government is investing billions of dollars within the creation of a “recent era of rail“ within the United States.
The course is aimed toward Millennial and Gen Z students who increasingly concerned concerning the climate crisis and ongoing carbon emissionsThrough this experience, students gain real-world examples of how they’ll make a difference, akin to connecting with public officials and changing small travel habits.
What is a very important lesson from the course?
Tourism won’t save a community.
While in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the scholars complete an task on the subject of “destination tourism” – when tourism becomes the foremost driver or economic base of a region. The students travel “up the valley” to Aspen on the country’s only rapid bus system. On the bus, they understand what they’re doing within the “The slums of Aspen,” a book about how the elite ski resort passed a resolution to drive out the immigrant employees who reside further “down the valley” attributable to gentrification but still work in Aspen.
When students arrive in Aspen — off-season, in May — they discover a manicured ghost town crammed with Prada, Dior and other luxury fashion stores and highly manicured city parks. Upon returning to Glenwood Springs, they reflect on the differences between the cities in housing costs, sustainability and tourism work. They also leave with a more critical eye on water access, labor seasonality, public transportation availability and indigenous rights in our college area — the Keweenaw Peninsula.
What materials does the course contain?
Students read journalist James McCommons “Waiting for the train: The controversial future of passenger rail transport”, which provides each historical and interesting context, organized by route and destination.
With about 100 hours on board Amtrak trains, I also give students podcasts like “99% invisible” And “History of the working class“I often see students on the train listening to podcasts with headphones and writing diary entries which are due every time we arrive at a brand new hotel.
What does the course prepare students for?
After completing this course, students – who’re predominantly from rural areas in Michigan – may have a greater understanding of how and why to make use of public transportation of their each day lives and when traveling. They will even have a greater understanding of the positive and negative impacts tourism has on a spot, especially in post-industrial communities, and the right way to be more conscious tourists themselves. Finally, they’ll find out how they’ll contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future as travelers and community members.
image credit : theconversation.com