Climate, Development, and Energy: Renewing Our Future
Name of facilitators: Timothy Den Herder-Thomas, Robert Hemphill, and Annie Pasbrig
Address: (Annie or Robert) 1600 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105
E-mail: timothydht@gmail.com, hemphill.robertm@gmail.com, apasbrig@gmail.com,
Course description: In the past few years, society has suddenly awakened to global warming, which presents a bold challenge to the way we develop our economies, organize our communities, and operate our daily lives. We now embark on an intense period of building solutions – a transition that will transform our energy systems, agriculture, urban structure, the global economy, and our everyday lives. Are we ready for this challenge? As scientists struggle with technology, leaders fight entrenched political and social assumptions, economists try to rethink global markets, and everyday people prepare to adapt, we will unravel the challenge of our century.
Is this about the environment? Development? Culture? Technology? Foreign policy? Social justice? Community empowerment? Your worldview? Global Citizenship? The answer is yes. With so many facets, we will encourage participants to work with us to develop a focus for their inquiry and identify outside readings, news sources, and initiatives for them to pursue – Macalester students can expand them into for-credit independent studies. During class time, we’ll use these focuses, guest speakers, and discussions of current events to investigate the problem as a whole. We’ll discuss the affects of global warming on our society, economy, and world, the global and local human response, the structure of a society up to the challenge, and how we can renew our future. Our intimate relationship through energy to our local communities, global economy, and biosphere will play a central role in our discussion. You will have some prior knowledge whether you’re an economics student, an environmental activist, or a local resident – no one is unqualified or unrelated. Prerequisites are a strong interest in looking at the world as a whole and investigating the future of our lives within a global community.
Class Time: 7-9 pm
Class Dates: Two independent sections; one on Tuesdays 9/9-12/2, and one on Wednesdays 9/10-12/3
Place: Macalester College, Olin-Rice 243
Class size: Minimum 12 Maximum 25
What experience do you bring to this class?
Timothy has been reading about/ following news regarding global warming and energy issues for the past eight years or so – quite intensively over the last three, and hasbecome intensively involved in working for solutions, motivating individuals, and educating others over the past 2 years. Annie and Robert have gotten involved over the past year, and have taken this same class in past semesters. We are connected with experts and leading advocates on the issue both in Minnesota and in broader networks across the Midwest and nationwide. Timothy has led several hands-on projects around renewable energy and efficiency, worked with local experts to build and push global warming policy, and organized coalitions with high school students, labor groups, faith groups, and more. We receive updates on a wide array of renewable energy, efficiency, global warming, and energy resource issues daily from a wide range of media sources – and know the background behind the key arguments or ideas they contain. Annie and Robert have both taken this class in previous semesters and have been involved in MacCares, the on-campus environmental organization.
