The river rushed swiftly over the rocks in its usual fashion. The blue sky reflected off the surface of the water, while tree branches cast shadows along the river’s edges. The scene was picturesque – a perfect early fall day on the river. There was only one catch, no salmon. Every year, my students and […]
How will this cat be affected by climate change? Probably not much. She lives in a middle-class household, in one of the richest countries in the world. By grace of geography she will probably never have to deal with evacuation or privation brought about by flood, drought, wildfire, or severe storms. She is more secure […]
“…at least my students are optimistic.” That’s what I tell myself as I look at how far off their assumptions are about where our energy comes from. We have been learning about energy sources, and I asked them to guess the percentages of how much energy the United States gets from different energy sources. To […]
I teach about climate change because I’m worried that Arizona will not be a desirable place to live for the 7th generation of my family. My ancestors lived in the Tucson area when it became part of the United States through the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico in 1854. I’ve spent the majority of my life […]
For those of us Minnesotans that live here because of the snow—this has been a tough winter so far. The weathercasters keep blaming El Niño, but if asked, I’m sure most of us would have a hard time explaining exactly what that means. Do you know? If you’re a teacher, could you explain it to […]
On Saturday, as our Education Ambassadors and staff were flying back to the U.S., 196 countries finalized and signed the Paris Agreement – the first global climate accord that commits all signatories to climate action. As news of the agreement spread, first to the halls of the Blue Zone – where negotiators and observers clapped […]
Attending COP21 in Paris as an Education Ambassador was quite the opportunity to participate in a historic world event that will continue to be talked about for years to come. As with any big event, participants often return home full of energy and ready to ramp up their individual commitments to the cause. In this […]
There are moments you remember from your school years. Moments when your teacher brought some topic or issue to life so well, that it still sticks with you today. It is my hope that this past week will be one of those moments for many of the students we connected with through our Window into […]
In the final days of the COP21 climate negotiations, a High Ambition Coalition emerged. The European Union joined with 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to push for an “ambitious, durable and legally binding” deal with a strong review every five years. They were joined by the next day by the United […]
So, here I am, back in my cozy house in the Adirondack mountains. I look out my window and see bare slopes, devoid of snow, and listen to my kids complain about that fact. I wonder if i am experiencing a taste of the future; of what will come to be normal if we don’t […]