The Emory University campus walking tour: awakening a sense of place

The paper describes Emory University’s campus self‐guided walking tour, a pleasant activity that heightens environmental awareness and builds a stronger connection to place. Brochures present ten sites and facts about forests and water (including damage from storm surges, erosion, and invasive species), the built environment (including new “green” building efforts), and campus history (including architectural strategies, past faculty activism, and commitments by campus administrators). The tour highlights trade‐offs and tensions among issues and teaches by raising questions. Issues of health, natural beauty, campus growth, and quality of life are also presented. Guided introductions to the tour seem to be most effective, though the brochure is also powerful used alone. A fun activity for a group, the walking tour builds community and awakens interest among those not otherwise engaged in environmental activities.