WSU Hosts Worldwide Climate Justice Teach-In
OGDEN, Utah – While there is no shortage of other headlines, the challenges presented by our warming world and consequent climate change remain at the forefront for many at Weber State University and around the world.
Weber State is participating in the “Worldwide Climate/Justice Teach-In,” a Solve Climate by 2030 Initiative. It is a project of the Graduate Programs in Sustainability at Bard College in New York in conjunction with partners worldwide and the Open Society University Network. The goal is to engage 1,000 communities, including universities, colleges and K-12 schools. WSU’s Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC), along with the campus Environmental Initiatives Committee and the Department of Geography, Environment & Sustainability, will host the climate/justice teach-in with both campus and community components on March 30, 2022.
This is the third year Weber State will host an event in conjunction with the larger Solve Climate initiative. Due to its leadership and involvement in sustainability, WSU hosted the Utah Solve Climate webinar events in 2020 and 2021. This year, the University of Utah and Westminster College will also take part. Other events are being hosted in most states in the U.S. and over 50 other countries.
The WSU teach-in will highlight climate change and how the challenges it presents affect everyone–but not everyone equally. “It also aims to communicate that, importantly, we also have the ability to contribute toward solutions,” said Alice Mulder, SPARC director. “We must address the causes and challenges presented by global warming and climate change from all academic disciplines and all sectors of society. Each of our perspectives, tools and approaches are important and can make contributions toward solutions, mitigation and adaptation.”
COVID-19 has shown how fragile our health and economic systems are in the face of extreme events and how vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted by them. Mulder said it is important to remember that the best climate scientists have told us clearly that, unchecked, climate change will turn our lives into a series of extreme events around the world. There is still time to reshape that future.
Eban Goodstein, economist and director of the Solve Climate project at Bard College, urges climate-concerned teachers at all levels to kick off Earth Month by getting engaged with the teach-in initiative.
“You don’t have to be an expert on climate to talk with your students,” Goodstein said. “Every subject contributes to understanding climate solutions. Whether teachers are teaching art, literature, business, philosophy or any other discipline, they can access easy-to-use guides to incorporate climate change.” Information is available through the social media hashtag #MakeClimateaClass.
Weber State’s Teach-In events will begin with a short presentation from Bard College followed by brief presentations by WSU faculty from a range of disciplines and an interactive question and answer discussion.
March 30, 2022
Teach-In schedule and Zoom links can be found at this link.
For more information, contact amulder@weber.edu
You can learn more about Weber State sustainability work at this link.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Allison Barlow Hess, Public Relations director
801-626-7948 • ahess@weber.edu- Contact:
Alice Mulder, SPARC director
801-626-6198 • amulder@weber.edu