Most recent print edition: Jul 28

– Last updated: Today

• About Us
• |
• Contact Us
• |
• Advertising
• |
• Submissions

Environment

Students, faculty take part in provincewide teach-in

Melissa Rombough - Science/Enviro/Health Editor

TRU was among 15 campuses to take part in the first-ever provincewide environmental teach-in Oct.27 through 31.

The teach-in, which included a discussion and examination of the current climate change crisis in over 150 post-secondary classrooms across B.C., was a project of goBEYOND and sponsored by the Climate Action Secretariat.

At TRU, 95 professors from faculties ranging from economics to the trades took part in the teach-in.

Classes were given the opportunity to discuss climate change and “solutions that pertain to their profession,” said Sarah Sabatino, a member of TRU ECO.

Classes that participated in the teach-in were asked to dedicate a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes to discussing climate change in class at some point during the week. Many professors, however, opted to devote up to a whole class to discussing the issues.

While the teach-in was quite open and allowed different faculties to discuss climate change in different ways, goBEYOND provided materials to assist with the process. Each participating professor was given a short video to present, a tip sheet to facilitate discussion and a list of four questions that focused on connections between individual classes and climate change and the school’s role in reducing environmental impact.

One purpose of the teach-in was to stimulate “what [individuals] can do to solve the climate crisis,” said Ray Lam, communications co-ordinator for the B.C. Campus Climate Network.

TRU ECO began raising awareness for goBEYOND at the beginning of the semester by having individuals sign up for personal transportation, food and home challenges. About a month ago, organizing began for the teach-in.

Leading up to the teach-in, Lam described it as having “a snowball effect,” with an increased interest in the project from professors across the province. In a matter of three or four days the number of participating classrooms increased from 100 to 150.

Information stimulated from the teach-in, including the approach to climate change from different academic programs, will be collected and put on goBEYOND’s website (www.go-beyond.ca) as a form of online knowledge.

But in many ways, the teach- in served not only to collect information, but also to engage campuses.

“The goal is to try and spark dialogue across B.C. campuses,” Sabatino said. The teach- in is the first major event organized by goBEYOND, which is still in its first stage of development. Currently goBEYOND has campus co-ordinators at TRU, the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria. Eventually it would like to include all post-secondary institutions in B.C.