Environmental Education
A committee of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
What Is The Education Committee?
The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter's Education Committee aims to spread information and curiosity about climate change, environmental justice, and other pressing issues facing New York and its unique ecosystem.
This includes outreach, age-specific discussion groups, and general education.
The voices of young people are key to finding climate solutions. We want to hear YOUR voice!
The Student Environmental Action Society
We know that climate change can feel overwhelming. To make sense of our environmental and climate crises, we must come together, gather important insights, and ACT NOW to secure our future.
The Student Environmental Action Society (SEAS) program is a free, monthly, virtual and in-person club designed engage students aged 8-18 on environmental justice.
You will:
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Attend monthly group meetings over Zoom with facilitators* and other students from across New York State
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Read, watch, listen to monthly "book club" materials from a vetted* list
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Discuss content on key issues - tying to real events and news
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Help let out eco-anxiety and promote community
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Connect with opportunities for ACTION via Sierra Club programs and outings
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Financial support available for materials - indicate need at time of sign-up
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Join at any time and bring your friends!
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Scroll down to see partnership opportunities and perks
*Materials have been reviewed by committee members/facilitators, who have experience teaching/working with students to ensure content appropriateness
We Are Looking for
Junior-High and High School Students for Monthly Virtual Discussions with Others from Across NY State!
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We Are Also Looking for Educators and Community Groups to Lead In-Person, Place-Based Groups!
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ROLLING ADMISSION
JOIN TODAY!
https://forms.gle/wdMkNJ3MbkT34zet6
Getting on the Same Page
Change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental law, regulations, and policies
Who Is Organizing this Group?
SIERRA CLUB IN NEW YORK STATE
The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter is a collection of volunteers and staff in New York State, working to keep our local environments safe, clean, and fair.
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The Education Committee is a group of volunteers who are passionate about expanding student agency on climate change and environmental justice. We are former and current educators, advocates, policymakers, scientists, and fellow community members.
ABOUT THE SIERRA CLUB
The Sierra Club was founded in 1892 by people who supported wilderness outings in "the mountain regions of the Pacific Coast.” It was soon involved in political action to
further nature conservation. Among its first successes was the defeat of efforts to constrict the size of Yosemite National Park, which in 1905 was transferred from state to
federal control. Today it has active chapters in all US states and territories, with over a million members.
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At the end of the day, we:
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Work to find solutions to the climate crisis and to transform our energy system
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Work for clean air, safe water, land protection, and a vibrant natural world.
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Fight for environmental and social justice.
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Believe in getting people outside to enjoy the outdoors.
More Program Details
Partnerships and Organizations
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Girl Scouts: Earn your Eco Advocate or Eco Explorer badge
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More to come!
What we are reading/watching/listening to:
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March:
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Two essays from Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility by Rebecca Solnit:
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"Shared Solutions Are Our Greatest Hope"
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"An Indigenous Systems Approach to Climate Change."
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A radio podcast: Catherine Flowers and her fight for environmental justice in Alabama
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April:
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'Green jobs to fight climate change' video from New Yorkers for Clean Power and Sustainable Westchester. The first part is a talk, the second part of the video is a panel discussion with people who work in the clean power industry.
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Podcast episode of Why Is This Happening?: 'The Explosion in Green Tech.' Here is a link for the web version with transcript and here is a link for Spotify.
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May:
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​Challenge Everything: An Extinction Rebellion Youth Guide to Saving the Planet by Blue Sandford - skim the topics and dive into those you are most interested in​​
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"Are You Stealing Our Future" video of Greta Thunberg's speech at COP24
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June:
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Episode 58: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet, a podcast episode from the Citizens' Climate Lobby.
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Choose 1 (or both, if you have time):
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Skim Climate Change Anxiety and Mental Health: Environmental Activism as a Buffer, our first academic article. Academic papers can be dense, long, and challenging, so for this, try your best to skim the concepts and think about how researchers do science like this, including how they lay out their papers and work. It can be important to think of how science is presented, as well as how scientists conduct their work that leads us to having new facts and understanding. Focus on the Introductory sections and the Discussion (rather than Methods and Results, unless you really want to dig in).
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What to Do When the World Is Ending essay by Yotam Marom from Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility (edited by Rebecca Solnit & Thelma Young Lutunatabua)
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SEAS Program Flyer
