- The Road to Copenhagen: The Big Political Picture on Climate and Energy
- How to Make Your Campus A Climate Champion
- How to Ensure the Green Economy and the Green Future is Inclusive of all Communities
- Texas’ Energy Future: Clean Power and Green Jobs
- False Solutions: Coal
- Faith, Justice, Morality, and Climate Change
- Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism
- False Solutions: Nuclear
- The Role of Civil Disobedience in the Climate Movement
- Greening Your (K-12) School
- Global Impacts of Climate Change on the Environment and Communities
- Creating a Just and Sustainable Food System: The Real Food Challenge
- Non-Violent Communication: Cultivating Deep Listening, Compassionate Speech in Bringing about Personal and Planetary Transformation
- Taking Care of the Environment By Taking Care of the Environmentalist . . . with Mindfulness
The Road to Copenhagen: The Big Political Picture on Climate and Energy
Our generation is at a turning point – with a new administration rolling up their sleeves, the political will to take on global warming has emerged in the halls of Congress. This workshop will discuss where climate legislation stands in Congress, what the numerous policy options are as well as their feasibility, what the good news and bad news is, who and what to look out for, and how we as youth can help shape the best set of policies possible.
How to Make Your Campus A Climate Champion
Colleges and universities are like towns or small cities in their size, environmental impact and financial influence. They are well positioned to model the transition to a sustainable economy. This interactive workshop will look at strategies and resources for making your campus a clean energy and climate champion. Workshop will address business case for climate action and the basics of a greenhouse gas inventory and a climate action plan. It will also include best practices from campuses around the country that are leaders in climate solutions.
How to Ensure the Green Economy and the Green Future is Inclusive of all Communities
With great challenges come even greater opportunities. What if we could halt global warming and create homegrown, green collar jobs that lift US citizens out of poverty? Amazingly, a new, multi-billion dollar economic sector is emerging, bringing new opportunities in green construction, clean technology, urban agriculture, and energy to America. From Oakland, California to the floor of Congress, Green Jobs are becoming a reality and are bringing a better future to millions of Americans. This workshop will explore the opportunities for a constructive new job sector, and how to ensure our solutions and progress are inclusive and accessibly to all communities.
Texas’ Energy Future: Clean Power and Green Jobs
Texas has an abundance of wind and solar. This workshop will examine the potential for clean energy and green job creation in Texas as well challenges that lie ahead in meeting the potential.
False Solutions: Coal
Coal is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the US. This workshop will discuss the coal fight in America. There are still proposals to build over 100 coal plants in the US, despite Coal Block and other efforts knocking off more than 50 proposed plants since 2007. Proposed and permitted plants in Texas threaten all major metropolises in Texas with non-attainment under the Clean Air Act and coal is the number one threat to fighting climate change. Victories in the last year prove that this is a fight we can win, so come learn how you and your campus can contribute.
Faith, Justice, Morality, and Climate Change
How can we connect with our faith and the environment at the same time? This workshop will address the interplay between faith, social justice and climate change, as well as how people of faith are rallying behind a renewed approach to environmental stewardship and action on climate change, from places of worship, to larger communities and beyond. Come hear what faith-based communities across the nation and in Texas are doing to address climate change and how the larger environmental community as a whole can help get the ball rolling in communities of faith
Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism
What is Environmental Justice? What is Environmental Racism? This workshop will provide an overview of the history of environmental justice, as well as outline its principles for creating a just and sustainable world. Learn what environmental justice has to say about activism, society, and change, and how it has already affected the course of recent history through past and ongoing campaigns
False Solutions: Nuclear
America has begun to move forward on climate change solutions, and the nuclear power industry believes they see an opportunity to do something they haven’t in decades – build more nuclear power plants. Texas is seeing some of the worst of it with five plants proposed and two moving forward in Matagorda County, ahead of all others nationwide. These plants are environmentally hazardous, a major public health risk, and economically untenable. The key to stopping them lies in organizing against them and compelling your campus, your city, your county, and/or your co-op not to by nuclear energy.
The Role of Civil Disobedience in the Climate Movement
The workshop will provide a variety of perspectives on the importance of civil disobedience and non-violent direct action. If our federal government continues to stall on aggressively addressing climate change, what is the point at which we escalate our demands with direct action tactics? What does this escalation look like? This workshop will discuss the current laws and regulations surrounding non-violent direct actions, as well as the role NVDA has historically played in social movements. A special look will be taken at NVDA in communities previously exposed to violence.
Greening Your (K-12) School
Greening Texas’ schools presents a unique opportunity to significantly address a number of societal concerns, from climate to health and even test scores, all at once. Come learn targeted skills and strategies you can apply to green your high school, middle school or elementary school. This workshop will delve into various initiatives to reduce your school’s climate footprint as well as to green the curriculum and the learning experience.
Global Impacts of Climate Change on the Environment and Communities
Climate change is a truly global issue that requires a global response. This workshop will examine impacts of climate change on communities and the environment around the world. The workshop will look at international climate policy, what it means and why it is important, as well as the role of the U.S and other key players in moving forward. We’ll also look at the current state of post-Kyoto international work and what organizations and advocacy groups can do to influence these efforts.
Creating a Just and Sustainable Food System: The Real Food Challenge
Our food system is broken. From food riots abroad, to rising rates of diabetes and obesity at home; from the carbon emitted by agriculture to the human rights abuses in the fields; it’s clear our food system is in need of major change. The good news is that we can change this situation by starting with our campuses. Colleges and universities spend over $4 billion each year on food. By leveraging the purchasing power of our colleges we can catalyze the transformation of the larger food system. This workshop will address how you can join hundreds of students across the country that are working to create a just and sustainable food system. Learn about the various strategies you can use as well as the resources that the Real Food Challenge campaign and network offer to make connections, to learn from one another, and to grow the movement.
Non-violent Communication: Cultivating Deep Listening, Compassionate Speech in Bringing about Personal and Planetary Transformation
How we communicate with our family, friends, fellow organizers, our elected officials and others often determines the kind of progress we make on addressing issues facing us, our society and the planet. This workshop will explore the communication tools offered by a process called “Non-violent Communication” (NVC). NVC is a language that strengthens our ability to inspire compassion from others and respond compassionately to others and ourselves. NVC guides us to reframe how we express ourselves, how we hear others and resolve conflicts by focusing our attention on what we are observing, feeling, needing, and requesting. NV can help establish relationships based on honesty and empathy which will increase the chances of fulfilling everyone’s vital needs.
Taking Care of the Environment By Taking Care of the Environmentalist . . . with Mindfulness
By learning simple, powerful ways to de-stress, to get centered, and to find calm and clarity in the midst of everyday chaos, we can better sustain our activism and prevent early burnout. This workshop will explore how the practice of mindfulness can help us live active, creative and free lives while at the same time pursuing the issues we are passionate about. Come learn how to share our ideas and visions with peace, joy, wisdom and compassion.
