The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Earth Charter Community Summit kicks off Oct. 12 with a week of events focused on committing to sustainability and social justice.
The Earth Charter is an international declaration that provides shared values for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society. It is based in four guiding principles: respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and democracy, nonviolence and peace.
The week’s events are intended to teach, inspire and rally the campus community around issues surrounding the Earth and climate change.
Upcoming events
Wednesday, Oct. 12
- 10:20-11:20 a.m. The day will kick off with an interactive explanation of the Earth Charter and why we celebrate it led by Environmental Studies Director Jim Feldman and Sustainability Institute for Regional Transformations (SIRT) Director Stephanie Spehar. Attendance will be available in person (Sage 1214) or virtually.
- 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The student-focused Workshop Wednesday: Sustainability and Environmental Justice will encourage participants to engage in storytelling about sustainability and environmental justice. The workshop will be located in Reeve 212.
- 5:30-7:30 p.m. A screening and discussion of the film, Connected by Coffee, will take place in Sage 4232. It tells the story of Latin American coffee farmers and how our daily brew is deeply connected to a troubled past and hopeful future. Following a 1000-mile journey from Mexico to Nicaragua, the film will show how equitable trading relationships are empowering communities and bringing social justice. Discussion will follow the film.
Saturday, Oct. 15
- 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. This year’s Service Saturday involves a clean-up of the Community Gardens on the Oshkosh campus. Participants will be helping to prepare the gardens for winter and should be expected to perform light physical labor, such as weeding, moving vegetation, etc. Work gloves are required for this event.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
- 5-7 p.m. The day will be marked by a visit from UW-Madison geoscience professor Andrea Dutton, Earth Charter keynote speaker. Dutton will speak on climate change and sea-level rise with her presentation, “The View from Here: A Geologist’s Perspective on Living Through Climate Change.” Attendance will be available in person at the Culver Family Welcome Center or virtually.
Thursday, Oct. 20
- 5-7 p.m. The 2022 Earth Charter Community Summit will draw to a close with a screening and discussion of the film, Riverblue. The event will take place in Sage 1214 and will be led by chemistry professor Jennifer Mihalick. It focuses on one of the world’s most pollutive industries: fashion. The documentary brings awareness to the destruction of some of the world’s most vital rivers through the manufacture of clothing and also acts as a demand for significant change in the textile industry from the top fashion brands that can make a difference.
Learn more: