Earth Day at 50 Teach-Out
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4 weeks
On April 22, 2020, our world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, an annual event meant to bring people together from across the world in protest, solidarity, and conversation about how we can collectively fight for a sustainable and just world. In this Teach-Out, you will explore the origins of Earth Day 1970 with student activists from Environmental Action for Survival (ENACT), an environmental student group from the University of Michigan, whose efforts led to a massive “Teach-In on the Environment” which drew tens of thousands of people. This was just one of many teach-in events that took place in 1970 and kicked-off Earth Day as we know it.
50 years later, you are invited to this “Teach-Out” to engage in an intergenerational and interdisciplinary conversion about what sustainability means across different sectors, disciplines, and lived experiences. You will explore themes including global sustainability efforts, climate change, environmental justice, and more, to inspire you to take action on Earth Day and beyond. Together, we will collectively develop visions for a sustainable, just, and peaceful world.
This Teach-Out will answer:
- What are the origins of Earth Day and how did the efforts of student activists from Environmental Action for Survival (ENACT) at the University of Michigan contribute to its inception in 1970?
- How has the concept of sustainability evolved across different sectors, disciplines, and lived experiences in the 50 years since the first Earth Day?
- What are the key themes in global sustainability efforts, climate change, and environmental justice that are critical for understanding and taking action in today's world?
- How can participants be inspired to take action on Earth Day and beyond to contribute to a sustainable, just, and peaceful world?
- What perspectives and insights will experts from various fields, including history, urban planning, civil and environmental engineering, and sustainability, bring to the discussion on sustainability and environmental action?