This week at the Institute, fourteen new students in our Spring 2008 Total Immersion Semester in Sustainable Design trekked into the back country of southern Arizona with guide Cody Lundin to experience first-hand the true meaning of sustainability. Equipped with only the bare essentials, the group learned to look to the desert for water, food, shelter and fire--and to each other--for support and guidance. They will weave these themes together in an art installation at the Ecosa Studio, to be presented to the public on the evening of Friday, February 8, 2008.

Above: Aboriginal living skills instructor Cody Lundin with saguaro and prickly pear cacti, students learning to make fire from desert materials, and saddling up to head into the mountains.

Below: Cody and students present precious cargo. Before hitting the trail, the students completed their first design assignment to package an egg well enough to survive the trip using one piece of paper and tape or glue. By incorporating mindfulness and simplicity into their designs, the majority of students returned successfully with their eggs intact.