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Earth Day Teach-In

April 21 & 22, 2020

EDUCATING OURSELVES AND MOBILIZING FOR ACTION

On April 21 & 22, 2020 Dickinson hosted an Earth Day Teach-In. Students, faculty and Carlisle community members were celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and Dickinson reaching carbon neutrality by leading teach-in sessions to raise understanding and promote action for social justice, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability. The sessions explored challenges and opportunities for progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, as well as tangible actions we can all take to make the needed transformations. 

Each session was offered via Zoom. Each session was recorded and you can watch the full recording of the session at the link provided.

TEACH-IN SCHEDULE

Tuesday, April 21 
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm 

Global Pandemic: What it Reveals About Prospects for a Sustainable World
Professor Heather Bedi, Professor Michael Beevers, and CSE Director Neil Leary
Co-sponsored with the Clarke Forum on Contemporary Issues 
WATCH VIDEO
EVENT DESCRIPTION

Wednesday, April 22
9:30 am – 10:10 am 

Global Warming Impacts on the Arctic and Arctic Peoples
Professor Ben Edwards
WATCH VIDEO


Wednesday, April 22
10:30 am – 11:10 am 
 

Mobility! A Catalyst for Social and Environmental Justice
Cailey Cummins ‘20, Espoir DelMain ‘21, Anna Zaremba ‘20 and
Angelica Mishra, Center for Civic Learning and Action
WATCH VIDEO
VIEW POWERPOINT

Wednesday, April 22
11:30 am – 12:10 pm 

Climate Refugees and Migrants: Implications from Climate Change
Maddie Littlepage ‘21 and Becca Kearns ‘21 
WATCH VIDEO


Wednesday, April 22
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm  

Creating Sustainable Communities Through Farming
Paige Baisley ‘20 and Stephanie Levin ‘22 
WATCH VIDEO
Wednesday, April 22
1:30 pm – 2:10 pm 

Sharing in the 21st Century – Building Community through Shared Tools
Jeff Adams, Carlisle Tool Library co-founder
RECORDING WAS STARTED AFTER THE PRESENTATION; ONLY CAPTURED THE Q&A
WATCH VIDEO

Wednesday, April 22
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Sharing Our Stories: A Celebration of Earth Day and Carbon Neutrality
Members of the Dickinson Community
WATCH VIDEO

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Global Pandemic: What it Reveals About Prospects for a Sustainable World
The effects and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are making visible stark differences in who and what are vulnerable and resilient to its widespread disruptions and dislocations. In this panel discussion, we will explore what the pandemic is revealing about existing inequities and vulnerabilities and implications for pursuing sustainable development goals. 

Global Warming Impacts on the Arctic and Arctic Peoples
Sea ice is a critical part of the Arctic impacted by climate change. The Arctic ecosystem depends on sea ice, from polar bears to marine micro-organisms to the Inuit. We will discuss sea ice changes documented in the new National Geographic film Into the Dark, directed by Dickinson College alumnus Mike Snyder ’03 through exploration of 2020 sea ice maps and through learning the Egg Code, which is the code used to describe sea ice across the Arctic. 

Mobility! A Catalyst for Social and Environmental Justice
Biking, equity, and access seeks to educate participants about bimodal transportation in Carlisle and how policymakers should increase access to equitable forms of transportation other than motor vehicles. You will learn about bike safety measures and current ways that policies shape Carlisle’s atmosphere of bimodal transportation. Through fun, interactive, and meaningful activities, we will destigmatize biking and promote pathways to just and equitable spaces for many forms of transportation. 

Climate Refugees and Migrants: Implications from Climate Change
Participants will discuss the causes of climate refugees and compare climate refugees with other types of refugees, in addition to examining the UN definition of refugees and discussing whether it should be expanded. We will also examine the reception and political implications of climate refugees across the globe by using Germany as a case study. 

Creating Sustainable Communities Through Farming
We will explore the impact of climate change on farmers, highlight climate mitigation strategies employed by farmers in our community to improve their farms’ resiliency, and examine how local farms are crucial to creating self-sustaining communities that can withstand the social and economic disruptions of climate change. We will also discuss all of us can personally support community sustainability through agriculture and involvement in local politics. 

Sharing in the 21st Century – Building Community through Shared Tools
Sharing is often overlooked as a social currency. Whether you’re using your neighbor’s ladder or just borrowing a pen, sharing is nothing new to society. But what do we do when capitalism and advertising relentlessly pressure us to buy more than we need? American culture too often glorifies the materialistic wealth of the individual over social bonds and interactions. This session will explore forms of existing sharing economies, how they are evolving, and the benefits that resource and skills sharing can generate for a community. 

Sharing Our Stories: A Celebration of Earth Day and Carbon Neutrality
Share your story, inspire others, and listen to what matters most to members of the Dickinson community in our culminating celebration of Earth Day and achieving carbon neutrality at Dickinson College. What does Earth Day mean to you? What did you do for Earth Day this year, or for the first Earth Day you remember? What does carbon neutrality mean to you? How, when and why did you first become motivated to take action on climate change? Did you participate in the 2020 Campus EcoChallenge? What did you learn about yourself? What new behaviors will you try to continue? What are you inspired to do next? No fixed program. No canned talks. Just heartfelt stories from you and fellow Dickinsonians.


GOING VIRTUAL

This Earth Day we are proud to bring the Dickinson community together to promote action and engagement, though we are spatially distant. The pandemic is bringing into focus why it is critically important for us to take action to create a sustainable, resilient, and low carbon world.  Check here for the latest information on our plan, platform and process.

As sessions will be taking place over zoom, we ask that you observe some virtual conference etiquette:

  • Engage with the speaker when you are prompted to, make sure to introduce yourself before you speak!
  • Pay attention to the speaker(s) during the teach-in.  Refrain from working on other tasks or checking your phone.
  • Allow others to finish speaking before you contribute.  Talking over others can be confusing over zoom.
  • Test all technology before attending a session.  Check out the Zoom FAQ to troubleshoot.

 

WHAT ARE THE U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS?

The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals encompass aspirations such as ending poverty and hunger, promoting health and wellbeing, reducing inequality, achieving gender equality, taking action on climate change, ensuring access to clean water, conserving and sustainably managing environmental resources, and promoting sustainable economic growth and decent work for all.

Learn more about the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals