Bregenz Austria Program
The Center for Environmental Education in partnership with the Kentucky Institute for International Studies have been offering a program on sustainability in the countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland for 6 years.
In that period of time there have been more than 125 teachers, instructional leaders, environmental education center directors, and other decision makers who have had the opportunity to experience “sustainability” in three countries. The outcome of their participation has been instructional and procedural change in classrooms throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For example schools have begun recycling programs, cross-disciplinary units of study have been created and implemented, water sampling and monitoring are occurring.
The Bregenz Environmental Program is one that provides numerous opportunities to visit important natural, cultural, and historical sites in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. These excursions provide participants with active, hands-on experiences to assist in assessment and comparisons of environmental education and the associated values, ethics, and responsible human actions that are a part of these cultures.
The program focuses on four pillars of sustainability that are specific to those created and adopted by the State of Vorarlberg in Austria. Economics, the environment, social, and global responsibility these four pillars that are interconnected. They are used as a means for communities, government, business, and education to problem solve and make decisions about projects and programs. In this way stakeholders who represent various constituents and portions of the sustainability model are present to come to a consensus on various projects that arise in communities. The idea is to have a interplay between citizens that results in a balance that reflects a stable grounding in economics, the environment, the social, and global responsibility. 
Participants in the Bregenz Environmental Program see organizations such as Haüsle that is a joint government, private business that deals with solid waste in the region. This site has a landfill and equipment and programs to recycle and reuse most of the trash that comes to the site. For instance ninety-two percent of all trash and garbage is recycled and reused by Haüsle. The eight percent differential between what is recycled and what remains is incinerated. The heat created by the incineration is used for heating buildings and generating electricity.
Other excursions have included: The Mader EcoSchool , the Vorarlberg Electricworks, St. Arbogast.
Persons that have experienced “sustainability” in Bregenz and therefore understand the definition:
“The ability to provide for the needs of the world's current population without damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects or impossibly high costs to anyone involved.” www.sustainabletable.org/intro/dictionary/
Outcomes of the Program:
Teachers have:
- applied environmental education and sustainability concepts and approaches in their classrooms;
- made presentations to the KY Association for Environmental Education Conference in Prestonsburg and the North American Association for Environmental Education Conference in Albuquerque, NM;
- made presentations at the Kentucky Science Teachers Association Conference and made contacts with KDE persons such as Sean Elkins, Curriculum Specialist at KDE;
- made presentations to School Board throughout West Kentucky;
- made news reports through radio stations and newspapers;
- made presentations at local clubs such as Rotary;
- implemented recycling with their classes;
- created environmental studies courses for students;
- interacted with legislators, city and county officials.
For more information about the Bregenz Environmental Program please contact:
Bregenz Environment Program
Center for Environmental Education
3201 Alexander Hall
Murray State University
Murray, KY 42071
270-809-2595
OR
The Kentucky Institute for International Studies
Murray State University
312 Faculty Hall
Murray, KY 42071-3341
270-809-3091
