Grace LaTourelle-
Part I: Education
The annual Climate Teach In, hosted by the Sustainability Interns and the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar class, occurred on Wednesday. This is the fourth year of the Climate Teach in, which began in 2022. As an educational event, it encompasses an intersectional approach reflective of the liberal arts education.
“The Climate Teach-In is both an educational event to learn about environmental issues as well as a celebration of the work being done on campus and in community advocacy groups,” Sustainability Intern and Senior Emma Forsyth said. “The teach-in does use an intersectional approach given that we have groups presenting on the science of climate, the social impact on the environment, and how different groups of people are impacted.”
Beyond the Environmental Studies and EGE majors, Gustavus has many classes across disciplines that study the environment, such as Environmental History, Environmental Literature, Environmental Philosophy, Zines for Sustainability, and Environmental Politics. As shown by the Teach in, there’s also several on campus organizations committed to sustainability. Even in the past year, more sustainable initiatives have popped up across campus, such as various recycling programs, green discounts for bringing your own mug, and the future solar panels constructed near the Arbor View apartments. Gustavus students are and can be involved in sustainability and environmental action issues in a plethora of ways.
“I think that a majority of students are conscious about their decisions in terms of the climate, but I think they’re understanding of how it affects things is shallow. So the consciousness may not be very meaningful,” Sustainability Intern and Sophomore Hope Lesher explained. “Events like the climate teach-in are vital for furthering societal understanding and knowledge of the environmental and sustainability world. It not only brings attention to this important aspect of the world, but provides everyone the resources to begin individual learning and spark interest in putting effort into learning more.”
Thus, the Climate Teach In aims at further education and a deeper understanding for students across any disciplines. Students were able to drop in anytime during the event and could complete “passports,” stopping at the different tables and getting their passport stamped. There were various tables from students, faculty, campus organizations, and community organizations, all committed to climate and sustainability.
“Now more than ever as information is…being scrubbed from government websites, it’s very important that we can take knowledge into our own hands and continue to share education because an informed public is a powerful public. An informed public is one that can act,” Co-President of Big Hill Farm and Junior Eleanor Habben said.
Part II: Community
One such table was from the Three Waters Pipeline Resistance Team. The organization’s main objective is to shut down the Enbridge Mainline system, which moves 3,035,000 barrels of oil every day and releases over 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. PRT also aims to prevent pipelines that further exacerbate climate change or violate Indigenous treaties from being built, through grassroots volunteer work.
“Our team approaches this work from the standpoint of climate justice and Indigenous rights. We seek to nurture mass movement organizing across a variety of tactics to achieve our goals. We believe in the power of building relationships and solidarity,” Tabling Coordinator for PRT Tommy Navarre said.
Navarre, who graduated from Macalester College in 2023, acknowledged that participation in climate activism and work can be difficult, especially for students.
“The Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2023 show that 64% of Minnesotans are worried about climate change. Few of these people, however, have been activated. Our focus is on activating these concerned Minnesotans into taking action,” Navarre said. “Students themselves can and have played a big role in the research necessary to show that our goals are not so lofty after all and shifting the overton window, so-to-speak. They’ve also been on the ground as resistance to the now-built Line 3 was growing, and will be on the ground as this fight continues.”
The Fly Fishing Club, a campus organization, was also at the Teach In, headed by Co-President and Junior Jade Roland. The Fly Fishing club meets twice a month in the 49’ers room.
“…any style of fishing is impacted by the state of the health of our aquatic ecosystems,” Roland asserted. “We hope to educate others on sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, fishing like many things, is about sustainability and climate issues, due to impacts individuals can have on shaping the ecosystems and the species within it. This has been seen through the history of fisheries overfishing, leading to a decline in populations and as well as the trend of declining fish size throughout time…”
Students who are interested in fishing are encouraged to email Roland to join the fly fishing email list. Roland suggested that students who are also interested in learning more and aiding in fisheries related climate issues, look into resources from the MN DNR.
“But one way most individuals help contribute to the conservation of fish and these ecosystems is actually by purchasing your fishing license and fishing stamps such as a trout stamp. Fundings from these licenses go back towards conservation efforts,” Roland said.
Big Hill Farm, a low till, organic on-campus farm, was also at the Teach in. They had two tables demonstrating the current work they do on campus. One table featured their capillary mats which help to start and grow seeds, especially as the academic calendar changes impact the Farm’s growing schedule. The other table illustrated the differences between farm raised eggs and grocery store-bought eggs.
The Farm is committed to growing crops without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, as well as distributing locally.
“We’re not contributing to further pollution of the environment…and that goes into feeding our local community,” Habben explained.
Habben encourages students to get involved with the Farm, which meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the ES Projects room in Nobel.
“I think some big ways that we can help the climate and ourselves in this horrible…time is taking the means of production into our own hands,” Habben said.
While the looming threat of climate change and disasters associated with it can be overwhelming, students are reminded of the value of this type of education, commitment, and work.
“I personally find this fight so much more gratifying and sustainable by doing the work with others. We tend to lose a lot. And the climate movement as a movement has lost so much over the years. But I (and I think everyone on our team) believes that only by doing this work with other people: those who care about pipelines, indigenous rights, economic justice, standing up to those in power, can we beat the trillion dollar fossil fuel industry,” Navarre said. “College campuses are such important places for these ideas to develop and for students to connect with the work and each other.”
Part III: Our Future
The Climate Teach in is just one event in the school year that helps students get involved in environmental actions. Several of the campus organizations regularly put on events that deepen understanding of the environment. Earth Day in April will also have cross campus events.
“As for improvements that could be made, I think Gustavus should continue to have events that focus on environmental education and understanding, but I also think it really comes down to independently driven education and mindset changes. As individuals, more effort must be put into knowing the world around them, what’s going on in it, and how their actions affect it,” Lesher said.
The Climate Teach In provided insight for students to get involved in climate action and sustainability in a multitude of different ways.
“We want to prepare Gustavus students to be educated on the environment and climate change, allowing them to make more informed decisions after they graduate. Knowledge is power and we want to create a space to facilitate this education,” Forsyth explained.
Forsyth suggested that students focus on one area at a time, making sustainable switches to their diet, transportation, and consumption. Navarre similarly suggested ways for students to get involved beyond the PRT organization.
“One is familiarizing yourself with the state legislative process,” Navarre said. “While we are not under the impression that all solutions to climate change are to be found here, engaging in and knowing about state processes can feel much more productive in times like this where many of us find the federal government completely unresponsive. Even when the state government is not responsive to your demands, it helps to know the system that you’re fighting against.”
Of course, students are also encouraged to sign up for the email lists and join the organizations at the Climate Teach in.
“…the World is falling apart around us. One small thing that you can do is help put it back together by getting involved in local agriculture, through Farm,” Habben said.
Habben also is a big proponent of small sustainable actions that may seem ‘trivial.’ Habben noted that she regularly mends her clothing instead of contributing to more consumption and brings her coffee mug to the on campus coffee shops, even if the cups are compostable.
Part IV: Final Thoughts From the Author
As an Environmental Studies, Biology, and Religion major, I believe there is an importance to this intersectional approach of environmentalism. In our interview, Habben said that sometimes people get caught up in the idea that they’re not “sciency” enough to help or understand. But in reality, there is room for everyone at the table of climate justice. All gifts, talents, and skill sets are needed to enact change.
There tends to exist a dichotomy in the fight for climate justice, between understanding that large corporations are the major polluters and recognizing that individual action makes a difference. Both can be true. We can hold these companies accountable while implementing lifestyle changes.
A large argument is made that if we begin to regulate consumption, that we are limiting individual freedoms. However, if we do not regulate and continue to engage in unbridled consumption, we are limiting the freedoms of future generations.
Education is important. Action is even more important. Climate anxiety and despair is real but hope and joy in the face of it is radical. I challenge you to find one person in this world who does not benefit from, engage with, or love a single piece of the environment. The reality is, we are all of this Earth and we all need one another to heal and sustain it. Put yourself back within the cycles of the environment, understanding that you are nature.