Transportation & Mobility

Transportation and mobility create an enormous amount of carbon dioxide, and together are the biggest single sector that contributes to climate change. In this section we will be looking at an overview of greenhouse gas distribution with a focus on the transportation sector. What are the wicked problems for us to solve and which are those within our grasp? We will also discuss personal choice and how mobility impacts our carbon footprint.

Consumerism

Consumerism in all its forms has led to a vast amount of damaging environmental effects. The extraction, production, consumption, and disposal of all consumer products has created an untenable situation for the planet. We as consumers can impact this vicious cycle through our lifestyle and daily choices. We will be discussing and investigating; what is consumerism? How has it developed over the past 100 years? What are the impacts of consumerism for our earth and our society? What countries have already taken actions to reduce and reuse plastics and other consumer products.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity describes the diversity of life present on our earth’s ecosystems. The strength and resilience of an ecosystem is often measured by its biodiversity. The interdependent web of relationship formed by its biodiversity creates balance and brings stability to the ecosystem. The entire biome of the planet is vulnerable to the climate crisis. The intricacy of its species we know only in part, and the way they work together to create a sustainable balance we have only recently begun to grasp. We are living in a time of mass extinctions where species die out because of toxins in the environment, heating of the planet, loss of habitat, non-native competition, and many other reasons. Through this topic we will investigate the role of biodiversity in sustaining the planet and promising projects supporting biodiversity.

Climate Justice

It an uncomfortable truth that those who are most responsible for the climate emergency are not those who are first and most vulnerable to it. Actions and decisions made by nations and individuals that led to our current lifestyles have created the conditions of this climate emergency. History demonstrates how colonialism and industrialism go hand in hand in planting the seeds of this crisis. The building of the colonial empire demanded the construction of race to rationalize human exploitation. This same principle is mirrored in our extractive economy, an economy in which growth is fundamental and is not bound by the needs of the ecosystem or its human cost. What is climate justice in our communities, in our nations, for the world? How can we create a more fair, just, equal, and sustainable world? What are some other economic models that can help us create such a world?

Implementing climate awareness and action into your curriculum

Now that we have gone through the earlier topics and ideas, we want to focus on implementation. We know many teachers want to bring more understanding around climate to their students, but feel unprepared to present these ideas. This course will support teachers not only in bringing the factual information but also how to get involved. We will share various projects that can be done by individual students, classes, or even the entire schools and how you can start with your students. Young climate activists will share their stories and the actions they have initiated. These three hours will be dedicated to answering any questions on how to best implement this important work into the classroom and beyond.

Initial questions on the purpose for this professional development course asked:
What can we do as individuals in our communities and collectively to address the four issues we have been studying? How can I implement climate awareness and action into my classroom? This last day we will spend answering those questions. We will hear about projects from young climate activists who will share their stories and the actions they have initiated. We will share various projects that can be done by individual students, classes, or even the entire school. There is hope – we just need to get started!