Start Spring with Worldwide Climate and Justice Education

Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week, scheduled for April 1–8, has inspired faculty, staff and the Kalamazoo College Climate Action Plan Committee to conduct a series of campus events that will target environmental awareness as students return for spring term.

Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week is a global initiative sparking real dialogue on climate and justice on campuses and in communities around the world. Here’s what the campus community can do to participate.

  • All day Monday, April 1, is Meatless Monday at Welles Dining Center. Plant-based proteins are a promising alternative to traditional meat products because they impact the environment about 50% less than real meat. Explore a variety of proteins that you can integrate into your diet to determine what might work for you.
  • Fight climate anxiety from 5–6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at Bissell Theater by becoming an agent of progress against climate change. Participants will talk about the overwhelming feelings some have over environmental concerns. Discover how to channel anxiety into positive action and contribute to a more sustainable future.
  • Journey through K’s green spaces with a scavenger hunt from 11–11:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 3. Explore locations such as the Hoop House, Jolly Garden and the Grove. Gather stamps at every stop to track your path before heading to the Environmental Stewardship Center to redeem a reward. Prizes are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Also Wednesday, from 4:15–6 p.m., follow trails and get a guided tour of K’s Lillian Anderson Arboretum. Meet at Red Square for transportation to the arboretum.
  • At 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Dewing Hall Commons, discover K’s array of student organizations dedicated to environmental sustainability in Klimate Fest. Connect with like-minded individuals seeking a sustainable future and learn about their initiatives aimed at fostering a greener campus and community. Afterward, stay for popcorn and a film screening of Inhabitants: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring our World beginning at 6:30 p.m.
  • Conclude the week with a climate conversation in Friday’s community reflection from 11 a.m.–11:45 a.m. at Stetson Chapel. K students, faculty and staff will share experiences and discuss climate solutions in a collaborative gathering to foster understanding and dialogue while reflecting on everyone’s role in a sustainable future.
Hoop House for Climate and Justice Education Week
Kalamazoo College’s Hoop House will be one of three sites on campus utilized in a scavenger hunt from 11–11:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, during Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week.
Three women set up electric fencing for grazing sheep
K’s Lillian Anderson Arboretum has recreational trails and is a great place for students to perform environmental research. Learn more about the arboretum in a tour from 4:15–6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. Meet at Red Square for transportation.

For more information on these events, email the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center at EnvironmentalStewardship@kzoo.edu.