CLASSES TAKE TIME OUT FOR TEACH-IN ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Starting next week, more than 100 faculty and their classes in 13 post-secondary institutions will take part in goBEYOND’s Teach-In to help examine the climate crisis and find solutions on how students and schools can take action to fight climate change, announced Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Minister Murray Coell. “This Teach-In supports the work the Province is doing through initiatives such as the $94.5-million Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions to encourage students, schools, people and businesses around B.C. to look at ways they can make climate-smart choices,” said Coell. “By encouraging the young people in our province to consider ways to reduce their carbon footprint, we can set them on a path to a greener future in their schools and in their everyday lives.” A first of its kind in B.C., the goal of the Teach-In is to focus the resources at post-secondary institutions to tackle climate change issues. Participating faculty members will set aside 15-20 minutes of class time next week to talk about climate change. goBEYOND has provided a short video to open the discussion as well as information on steps students can take to become climate-neutral. “Imagine the synergy generated when a few people come together to discuss ways to take action on climate change,” said Maggie Baynham, goBEYOND project manager. “Now imagine hundreds of lecture halls throughout the province discussing the climate crisis. That is powerful change that will help our students and schools find ways to reduce their carbon footprint.” Instructors are encouraged to engage their students in covering a short series of questions pertinent to their discipline. Faculty members have been supplied with a list of suggested questions in advance and encouraged to distribute to their students in preparation for the discussion. “By participating in this Teach-In, we can open the lines of discussion and get students thinking about individual and community solutions to fight climate change,” said Lee Emery, chemistry instructor Thompson Rivers University (TRU). “As sustainability is one of TRU’s seven strategic goals, I hope the Teach-In inspires faculty, staff and students to become aware of this global crisis and seek ways to change the behaviours that contribute to climate change.” Last month, the B.C. Campus Climate Network launched goBEYOND to educate, inspire, engage and support both students and their schools take action to go beyond climate-neutral. The Teach-In is based on the program’s education pillar, designed to connect students and faculty to learn about climate change issues by developing inter disciplinary solutions for themselves and their communities. goBEYOND is funded by the Province and BC Hydro. For more information on goBEYOND and the Teach-In, visit www.go-beyond.ca. To learn more ways to make carbon-smart lifestyle choices and save money, visit www.livesmartbc.ca. -30- Contact: David Haslam Communications Manager Climate Action Secretariat 250 387-5550 Ray Lam Communications Coordinator B.C. Campus Climate Network 778 885-9094 Linda O’Connor Communications Manager Ministry of Advanced Education 250 952-6400