The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries are delighted to participate in CU Boulder Where You Are: An Online Series Highlighting Teaching, Research and Innovation, a summer outreach series led virtually by Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. Each week, viewers hear and participate in engaging discussions with campus faculty covering an array of academic disciplines.
Following these discussions, CU Boulder library subject specialists share additional titles of multimedia works to support our community in our educational journey.
On Stand Up for Climate Change: Using the Power of Humor to Start the Conversation, Max Boycoff, director of the Environmental Studies program and Beth Osnes, professor of theatre, dance and the environment have teamed up to discuss humor as a means of creative climate communication.
To supplement this week's episode, Romance Languages Librarian Kathia Ibacache and Earth Sciences & Environment Librarian Phil White have curated a laugh-out-loud series of books and videos that pair scientific facts with forms of creative expression for viewers to keep the conversation going.
“These recommendations are solid starting points for folks interested in both learning more about the problems and solutions of climate change, as well as how to effectively communicate with others about the issue,” said White.
First, Ibacache suggests watching a segment of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” in which Noah interviews climate change activist Greta Thunberg and “10,000 Dance for the Climate,” a video directed by Nic Balthazar for Greenpeace International.
“Humor and creative performances can help us establish common ground when starting to engage in difficult conversations around climate change and the health of our planet,” Ibacache said.
Ibacache also recommends reading the science fiction short story collection, Dancing in Dreamtime by Scott Sanders. The author and conservationist’s collection contemplates the consequences of inaction in protecting our planet.
For those wanting to learn more about human activity’s impact on the environment, White suggests picking up a copy of What We Know About Climate Change, a resource from MIT atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel on the foundational science behind the climate change.
White also recommends the graphic novel Climate Changed: A Personal Journey Through the Science by writer and illustrator Philippe Squarzoni. This work follows Squarzoni’s understanding of global warming, offering written and visual explanations of the science along the way.
In Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim’s recent Ted Talk “Indigenous Knowledge Meets Science to Solve Climate Change,” the geographer advocates for combining scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems to build resilient communities in support of our planet’s well-being.
Be sure to register for next week’s CU Boulder Where You Are event and return to colorado.edu/libraries for more media recommendations from library subject specialists!