The Center for Regenerative Studies (CRS) incorporates facilities from a broad range of practices and sustainable technologies dealing with energy, water, shelter, food production, waste disposal and other essential functions on a 16 acre (six hectares) site on the Cal Poly campus. Students work with regenerative technologies, incorporating these practices as part of their daily routines. The student’s daily lifestyle requires shifts in attitude and habits, sometimes even adaptive changes in social organization. For effective and benign application, the relationships between regenerative practices and human attitudes and behavior are as important as the functioning of the technologies. CRS was conceived as a live/study/work community of about 90 residents growing their own food, generating their own energy, regulating their own thermal environment, and recycling their own wastes. In the process, the students and faculty members learn about, demonstrate for others, and experiment with the practices and technologies involved. CRS received the 1994 Design for Excellence Award from Southern California Edison.
