Climate Week returns to campus

Climate Week kicked off on campus this Monday for its seventh consecutive semester. Hosted by the Campus Climate Coalition (CCC), the week features various events dedicated to climate awareness including an Earth Day concert, an electric vehicle showcase and an environmental film screening.

Gracie Caldwell, an environmental sciences major and president of the CCC, said the series of events aims to make climate action accessible.

“College students are tired. They don't usually have a bunch of money to go spending around — so all of our events are free and open to the public,” she said.

Although the week is full of different events, Caldwell said she was particularly excited for the kickoff, a panel titled “Her Climate, Our Future,” which took place Monday in Romney.

“It's about female leadership and climate,” Caldwell said. “We've got a lot of really great panelists, including Anne Ready, who is the founder of Gallatin [Valley] Earth Day, and Karin Kirk, who is a very famous scientist, among other well-known panelists.”

This is Caldwell’s fifth time helping plan Climate Week. She said that these events are important to her and hopes others can be inspired by them, too.

“As someone who has been leading in climate action and sustainability and social justice initiatives for the last three years, I'm hoping that some of the people who inspired me can inspire others as well,” she said.

One key event of Climate Week was Green Drinks — a happy hour get-together for those interested in sustainability — held on April 22, Earth Day.

Caldwell, who gave a speech at the Green Drinks event, said she was excited to talk to students and community members about climate change action.

“I've got a lot of people coming to support me, both from the community side and from the students' side,” she said.

According to Caldwell, the group had more time to organize this spring’s events compared to last semester's. 

“This Climate Week, we've had far more time to pull together really deliberate events that we think are going to interest the MSU public, and we are very prepared for these events to be held to a grander scale, to a more important scale,” she said.

Caldwell said attending and organizing Climate Week events has been life-changing and given her opportunities she never expected, including the chance to visit Shanghai Disney through connections she made.

“I worked on the environmental affairs team [at Shanghai Disney], and I paid nothing, not for the flights, hotel, food, stipend, visa — nothing. They took care of all of it because I had that experience. And I'm now working through Climate Week to try to give this to other people,” she said.

Caldwell explained how getting involved in Climate Week can connect students with others who are passionate about climate change.

“You get to connect to people who have a lot of experience and have been where you've been, and can help you expedite your journey into a professional or volunteering career,” she said.

Caldwell said she believes that as climate change becomes more prominent in our lives, it's important to attend Climate Week not only to learn more, but also to take advantage of the opportunities each event brings.

“Climate change is important, but now more than ever,” she said. “Going to one or two events puts you in contact with ideas and people and organizations who can meet you at your level, and where you can make a positive impact or be the change you want to see in the world.”

For more information on the CCC, visit its Instagram @campusclimatecoalitionmsu.