Year in Review, Winter: First Climate Action Day Hosted

This winter term Exeter held Climate Action Day for the first time, where the regular class schedules were replaced by workshops and seminars centered around sustainability and the environment. Climate Action Day was planned in order to bring light to climate change, an issue that has become increasingly evident and undeniably significant. The Climate Action Day Committee hoped to educate students and faculty on the climate change movement, while inspiring the community to take action. The day began with a required keynote address from Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org. In a motivational speech that received a standing ovation, McKibben stressed the importance of political and social change tied with morality, while educating the community about his campaign and the impact that young students can have. After McKibben’s speech, students moved to two self-selected workshops. The wide range of 20 possible workshops provided for more intimate conversations in smaller groups. Speakers came from all over the country to discuss various specific issues involving climate change. The most popular seminar was led by MIT Professor Donald Sadoway (pictured below), who spoke to the audience about his revolutionary energy-efficient battery. Because the day was the first of its kind, the day will not necessarily be repeated in future years. In order to continue the conversation and feed off of Climate Action Day’s provided momentum, environmental clubs planned future events. Following Climate Action Day, Exeter won the Reduction Rivalry, a competition against other schools to reduce the energy usage of the school. With the installation of the Zero Waste Initiative, Exeter has pledged to cut down on the waste in dining halls. In the wake of Climate Action Day, it is hoped that Exonians will continue to keep the planet in mind and join the global fight against climate change.