The Sustainability Studies theme presents “Climate Reality: A Conversation About Climate Change” on Feb. 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Alden Library 319 Friends of the Library Room.
The series of Community Conversations is open to Ohio University students, faculty and staff, and Athens community members.
The Feb. 15 event will be facilitated by Dr. Wenda Sheard, a trained Climate Reality Leadership Corps volunteer through the Climate Reality Project. The project was founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore in 2006 after the release of his film An Inconvenient Truth. Sheard completed her training this past fall with the Climate Reality Project and will be presenting a multimedia presentation about the latest statistics and news about our Earth’s climate. Sheard also plans to emphasize the impact that the food that people eat has on the well being of the environment.
Sheard says she hopes to educate people about climate science as well as give them the steps needed to become more sustainable in their own lives.
“It’s in my heart to be a teacher and spread accurate information,” Sheard said, “and I want to be able to answer questions about real important issues that affect all of us.”
Out of all the problems society faces, Sheard said there is no bigger problem than the current state of our environment.
“I don’t want you to have nightmares,” Sheard laughed nervously, “but this [climate change] is the biggest threat to humanity.”
Sheard says she hopes people will leave the event knowing the consensus that human caused climate change is true and has never been higher, and that everyone can take action to better mitigate the effects of climate change.
About the Sustainability Studies Theme
Sustainability Studies integrates knowledge from many diverse disciplines to explore the complexity of global sustainability issues. Sustainability Studies asks students to think critically about the economic, social, political, cultural and scientific assumptions about humans’ relationships to the environment. Sustainability Studies invites critical exploration of a multitude of complex issues from the local to the global levels by engaging students in visionary conversation and collaborative, real-world problem solving. Sustainability Studies also invites students to explore their own personal values, and envision a meaningful, sustainable future. Sustainability Studies is a strong complement to a wide variety of majors, minors and certificates in Arts & Sciences as well as across Ohio University.
Climate Scientist Michael Mann Comes to Ohio University March 28
Dr. Michael E. Mann is a Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State University and the director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center. Among his many honors, in June 2017, he received the seventh annual Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communications from Climate One at the Commonwealth Club. Mann was one of the authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Mann will be giving a public lecture on March 28, in the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
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