Wesleyan University
ER-T2-6: Sustainability Events

Each year, the College of the Environment hosts a number of symposia and annual events. These events are free and open to the public and bring together diverse audiences to learn about, debate, and discuss the most pressing environmental issues of our day.

Since 2004, the College of the Environment has hosted an annual "Where are We Going" symposium. The symposium occurs during the Saturday of Wesleyan's Homecoming and Family Weekend. Each year focuses upon a critical environmental topic and has brought to Wesleyan the people who are at the forefronts of these issues. Our speakers have featured such luminaries as: Bill Blakemore, Lester Brown, Majora Carter, Robert Corell, Judith Curry, Kris Ebi, Joseph Fargione, Suki Hoagland, James Hansen, John Holdren, Thomas Malone, Frank McCormick, Richard Morgenstern, Patrick Osborne, A. Townsend Peterson, Steven Rockefeller, Gus Speth, Maurice Strong, Alaka Wali, Diana Wall, and Timothy Weiskel.

Every fall since 2004, the campus has celebrated the harvest at Wesleyan's Long Lane Farm. Pumpkin Fest provides an opportunity for learning about local organic farming, the politics of food, and a chance just to enjoy an afternoon on the farm with a bake sale, organic produce, locally produced honey, face and pumpkin painting, and music by local bands. The Pumpkin Festival is preceded by a keynote address.

Since 2004, Wesleyan has celebrated Earth Day with a variety of events. In 2013, the Sustainability Office, College of the Environment, and Environmental Organizers Network worked with many local organizations and colleges to create a full month of events. Events included gardening with WILD Wes, a keynote address from Juliet Schor '75, dinner and conversation with musicians/environmental activists Seth and May, an Earth Day 5K, Music and fun at Earth Fest, a think tank on sustainable transportation, volunteering with the North End Action Team, and much more.

Each year, the Schumann Lecture Series brings to campus a number of outstanding experts to speak on a variety of contemporary environmental issues of great importance.

Feet to the Fire is a major undertaking on Wesleyan's campus to examine critical environmental issues through multiple lenses, from science to art. This program is dedicated to the proposition that a multidisciplinary examination that includes art will provide a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of these global issues. The Feet to the Fire Program includes lectures, performances, co-taught teaching modules and courses by the faculty, visiting artists and lecturers, student run fora, community eco-arts festivals, after-school programs for children, and the First Year Matters program (in alternating years). Feet to the Fire was originally launched in 2008 with a leadership grant from Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

College of the Environment Events: http://www.wesleyan.edu/coe/symposiaandevents/index.html
Earth Month 2013: http://www.wesleyan.edu/sustainability/earth-month-2013.html
Feet to the Fire: http://www.wesleyan.edu/creativecampus/crossingdisciplines/feettothefire/index.html"

Students from Climate Ambassadors are working with the Sustainability Office, College of the Environment, and Rockfall Foundation to plan an April 2014 Climate Justice Conference at Wesleyan.