Neighborhood families are invited to participate in the garden as well, and everyone in the neighborhood is welcome to partake of the fruits and vegetables grown there. Eco-Urban students are required to contribute 30 hours of community service each semester. Their service includes time devoted to the garden, and the creation and management of a recycling program at the Inn. Each week during the major academic terms, the community class begins with a vegetarian meal planned and prepared by the students who rotate responsibility for this task. Students are encouraged to cook their community meals with produce from the community garden whenever possible.
Field trips take place on a regular basis.
Such trips have included an tour of the Everglades, an astronomy lesson at Pigeon Key, a weekend studying the ecology of the Florida Keys, a walking historical tour of East Little Havana, a boat tour of the Miami River, and a moonlight sail on Biscayne Bay with the national board members of the Environmental Ethics Institute. Guest speakers are also invited to participate in the community classes. Prior speakers have presented topics ranging from macrobiotics and alternatives to traditional medicine, to the status of various local environmental action movements. Students are encouraged to enroll in Honors courses taught by Earth Literate faculty. A Workbook to Begin a Journey .