LifeLong Learning-San Marcos
A Proud Affiliate of the Aging Forward Alliance



Engaged Ecology Dialogues...Cultivating a Sustainable Future
Registration is required for room setup
Email lifelonglearningsm@gmail.com to register
When: Thursdays, Sept. 11, 25; Oct. 9, 23
Where: San Marcos Public Library
Time: 5:00-6:15pm
Fee: FREE… donations appreciated!
Description
Engaged Ecology isn’t about following a strict set of rules… it’s more like a thoughtful way of looking at the world. It invites us to ask deeper questions about how we live and how we relate to the natural world around us.
We will start these dialogues by looking at why we feel so out of balance, whether it’s in how we think, how we separate mind from body, or how we see ourselves as separate from nature. From there, we want to explore some big ideas: What does it mean to live ethically in an interconnected world? What role does consciousness play in our relationship with other living beings? How can we shift toward a more creative, cooperative way of being?
Bit by bit, Engaged Ecology will help us reimagine how we live—rooted in care, connection, and a deeper sense of purpose.
Sept. 25 -- The Great Unraveling: How Close Are We to Collapse?
An Engaged Ecology conversation about the crises shaking our world and what they mean for us now.
Through the lens of Engaged Ecology, we’ll explore how climate, social, and ecological crises are deeply interconnected and how interdependence, justice, and mutual care can help us reweave resilience and hope in a time of unraveling.
Dialogue Facilitators
Vince Lopes is a retired professor of Environmental Studies at Texas State University with a Ph.D. in watershed science and an M.S. in water resources engineering. A lifelong eco-centric theorist and environmental justice advocate, Vince’s interests focus on the interdependence of human and natural systems and are directed toward creating resilient communities capable of addressing today’s ecological challenges.
Ron Stockdreher is a Lecturer in the Dept. of Philosophy at Texas State with an M.A. in Applied Philosophy and Ethics. Ron teaches courses in ethics, applied philosophy, environmental ethics, and a developing field known as engaged ecology, focusing on insight to real-world challenges, with special attention to our ethical responsibilities to each other, to non-human life, and to the planet.