The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of an intensive university climate change course on individual long-term carbon emissions. Investigation, We first assume that a modest investment in climate change education would allow students of secondary school age from middle and high income countries (where their carbon emissions are highest) to receive a specialized climate change education (i.e., using similar educational methodologies as we have described in this paper), and that students who receive this education would each reduce their carbon emissions by 2.86 tons of CO2/year (i.e., as in the COMM 168 course), for that year, and for each year following. Climate change: 11 facts you need to know We’re already seeing the effects of human-caused climate change — but nature can help. We also acknowledge that there may be cases where structural factors, such as size of home or distance of commute, may obscure the intentions of pro-environmental behavior [57]. Loosely defined, climate is the average weather at a distinct place that incorporates temperature, precipitation, and other features. Have you met our Climate Action Superheroes? The survey responses reported here suggest that participant behavior was influenced by the COMM 168 course in ways that continue to impact daily life. Finally, we recognize that among the uncertainties identified in section 7.1, none of them have been adequately quantified. Methodology, However, over the long term, climate change will also bring new species into existence and change ecosystems around the world. Surveys and focus group interviews reveal that graduates of the course feel a lasting personal connection to the issue and have confidence in the success of their actions. As you know, climate change is caused by a build-up of carbon in the atmosphere, and that is primarily a result of burning fossil fuels. In this study we have used surveys and focus group interviews to explore students’ knowledge and attitudes about climate change at least five years after completing the course. Conceptualization, Their comments suggest they are empowered to act because they see themselves as part of the solution. My best advice in taking climate action is to choose a project — no matter the scale — and see it to its completion. And in the food choices category, most participants (80%) reported that at least occasionally they made food choices based on reducing carbon emissions. It is noted that this is also a common practice in environmental education and science education, but as we found in our own work here, it can be made especially meaningful given the personal connection that climate change can have to students’ lives. Another concern is related to biases in participant responses to survey and focus group questions. Although further studies should consider the various ways to measure changes in participant attitudes and behaviors, measuring such changes over many years remains a challenge. Things that are being affected are trees, plants, animals, and even people. These students may respond more favorably to the course design, and may be more willing to change their behavior in the future given their initial interest in the environment. Writing – review & editing, Roles A growing base of literature is developing around climate change education as national standards move towards inclusion of this subject in the core curriculum [21], and educators negotiate the teaching of this sometimes ‘controversial’ subject (e.g., [22]; [23]; [24]). Students study various media campaigns and develop experience creating their own communication tools designed for a particular audience. For the focus area of environmental communication, students look at marketing and communication strategies and the ideas around framing for particular audiences. In open-ended feedback and the focus group interviews, students recounted how the course has changed their lives, both personally and professionally. Survey instrument used for the graduates of the COMM 168 course. It is unclear how … Arctic and Antarctic ice is melting, leading to rising sea levels. Participants noted the community action project allowed them to see the importance of communication in the design of their projects. Funding acquisition, Turn off lights in empty rooms (of course) but also ask yourself, “Do I … Different areas of the world have different climates. In a recent study by [23], a systematic review of the climate change education literature identified themes common in successful programs. The exposure of such uncertainties and limitations provides the research with a context for interpreting the results and also provides an avenue for researchers to undertake additional studies to investigate the impact that education can have on long-term behavior change. A conflict of interest plan has been established through San Jose State University. The carbon footprint calculator is used to estimate how a particular action attributed to taking COMM 168 would impact individual annual carbon emissions. For the focus area of climate science, the instruction provides an understanding of the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect the Earth’s climate. Education has been found to be one method for promoting behavior change, but only under certain circumstances (e.g., [10]; [11]). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The notion that education is an important part of responding to climate change is not novel (e.g., [29]; [58]), and yet rarely has it been quantified and measured [53]. Many people do not know what it really amounts to, either due to unreliable sources or deliberate misinformation, which has led to a series of myths about climate change. As we have generally described, establishing linkages between an educational campaign and long-term behavior can be challenging. We did attempt to control for how pro-environmental behaviors in California have become more common over the last decade, but we do not have any data that measured student attitudes or behavior before taking the class. This change in temperature hasn’t been the same everywhere; the increase has been greater over land than over the oceans and has been p… Students were surveyed at least five years after having taken the course, and their responses were used to provide both qualitative and quantitative measures of the impact of the course on their attitudes and behavior regarding solutions to climate change. It is clear that some of the carbon reductions attributed to the course experience may have inherent uncertainties. There is clear evidence to show that climate change is happening. I’d like to think we’re making a difference. The most familiar and predictable phenomena are the seasonal cycles, to which people adjust their clothing, outdoor activities, thermostats, and agricultural practices. In contrast, recurring actions such as recycling or food choices are made every day, and thus require more consistent engagement or behavior response. Strategies to mitigate climate change often center on clean technologies, such as electric vehicles and solar panels, while the mitigation potential of a quality educational experience is rarely discussed. While there are similarities to the teaching of other environmental topics, climate change includes some unique education challenges that make teaching this topic especially difficult [25]; [26]; [27]. Although the calculator has been used in a number of studies, various assumptions were made as described in Table 1 of S2 Text. While changes to behavior around reducing waste and energy conservation at home were the most common actions taken, the largest reduction in participant-averaged carbon emissions came through transportation decisions. We are grateful to the students involved in this study for their time and participation, and Dr. Elizabeth Walsh for her helpful suggestions on our data analysis. In the waste and home energy conservation categories, a large percentage of participants described engaging in some actions to reduce waste or reduce energy use in their home that they attribute to taking the COMM 168 course. Using the survey responses about the actions that participants took, we estimate the reductions in carbon emissions for all participants using a household carbon footprint calculator. Climate change will also likely affect tourism and recreational activities. We conducted two focus groups with a total of five participants in a classroom at San José State University. So that’s one of the things that I work on.” Elaine’s comments exemplify how many graduates of COMM 168 viewed the importance of taking action. There also seems to be a renewed optimism that we can deal … Supporting these two instructional tools are the three key focus areas of climate science, climate solutions and environmental communication. For example, one of the focus group participants mentioned that as a result of the class culture, her ownership of an SUV grew uncomfortable given her shifting connection to the environment. Fundamentally, focus group participants recognized the pervasiveness of climate change. No, Is the Subject Area "Transportation" applicable to this article? Other studies that attempt to establish causal links between education and environmental quality also faced similar challenges (e.g., [5]), and yet the insights gained from such work provide a strong motivation for environmental education and this type of research [7]; [53]. Earth's Orbit & Climate Change. I just ate vegetables and fruits all day, and I was starving. We acknowledge that although participants attributed particular actions to the COMM 168 course, other experiences either before or after the course may have also contributed towards these pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. During the first semester, student teams are formed and develop proposals for their community action project, while in the second semester, student teams are focused on developing and implementing their projects. We find that participants who believe that global warming will harm them personally, or will harm future generations, have larger reductions in carbon emissions compared to participants who do not believe there will be a strong impact on them or future generations. Developed countries will need to reduce more – between 80 % and 95 % by 2050; advanced developing countries with large emissions (e.g. To illustrate the theoretical connection between the design elements of the course and the expected outcomes, we use a conjecture map in Fig 1 [41] to illustrate what we believe are the most salient connections between the primary conjecture, key elements of the intervention design, the measurable mediating processes and the intervention outcomes. The survey was broadly based on questions about climate change drawn from [31] and [32], and included questions that used a five-element Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, don’t know, disagree, or strongly disagree), multiple choice, and free response. Conceptualization, Tools like radiative forcing and climate models are used to help students identify evidence connecting human activities and climate change. Yes Participants were asked a series of open-ended questions about the course and its impact on their current lives. The adverse effects of the climatic change will continue to influence the next generation if adequate measures are not implemented (George 86). Although it would have been preferable to have also collected data before and during the course experience, the type of longitudinal analyses presented here is rare in environmental education, and our methodology, although subject to some limitations, provides a unique opportunity to investigate the long-term role of education on personal behavior. The Next Generation Science Standards now emphasize applying integrative science fields to solving real-world problems, and this serves as an ideal platform for applying the type of educational platform developed in COMM 168 towards a broader science curriculum for schools. For example, actions such as carpooling regularly, making food choices to reduce emissions and buying energy-star appliances all suggest actions to reduce emissions, and yet the actual reduction amount depends on specifics of the action that are difficult to obtain without a more detailed survey tool. Scientists can also use ice cores to learn about the temperatures for each year. China, India and Brazil) will have to limit their emission growth. S2 Text. Their main source of prey, seals, are also affected by climate change, as they depend on sea ice to raise their young. Agreed in 1997, the UNFCCC's Kyoto Pr… The commercial company Green Ninja did not provide any financial support related to this research, nor did they have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Once responses to the survey questions were obtained, the potential carbon reductions from the decisions made by participants were estimated. Climate change is any change in global and regional weather patterns over the long term. An increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases produces a positive climate forcing, or warming effect. American Association for the Advancement of Science\"The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to … And I did it totally wrong. The distribution of carbon emission reductions (tons/year) for participants (n = 104) as a result of the COMM 168 course. The university course was designed to be impactful, including various elements from the environmental education literature to engage students around personal and social activism. One little step at a time; it all adds up. The design of the course is described including the background research framework that was employed to help students develop a deep connection with climate change and climate solutions. Use your car less, whenever possible, instead use sustainable transportation, such as bicycling, or use public transportation more often. broad scope, and wide readership – a perfect fit for your research every time. In another activity focused on individual action, students use an online calculator to compute their own carbon footprint based on their lifestyle, and then they develop a plan for how to reduce their carbon footprint by 10%. Although we believe the COMM 168 course provides unique insight into the long-term role that education can have on individual behaviors, especially given the lack of existing studies that look at how education can shape behavior over many years, we also acknowledge the potential limits of such a research design, and thus we are careful here to identify uncertainties and describe limitations in the study. If I want to rebel by not using a car, I first have to know that everyone thinks using a car is a normal thing to do.” Participants agreed that talking about their own actions helped in discussing climate change issues with others. here. Climate.gov , run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, serves as a source for news and features on U.S. and global climate, maps and data, and resources for teachers. Faculty committed to climate action: The faculty who taught this course were all deeply committed to climate change solutions, and they were encouraged to share their own personal and professional journeys towards reducing carbon emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to keep global warming below 2 °C, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) must be halved by 2050 (compared with 1990 levels). Although some of these uncertainties, such as the reliability of the carbon footprint calculator and the related carbon emissions, probably would not influence the primary outcomes of the study, other uncertainties such as initial attitudes of participating students may have a larger influence on the study results. The survey data was collected using an online platform where participant email was used to ensure only one response was collected per participant. In some regions extreme weather events and rainfall are becoming more common while others are experiencing more extreme heat waves and droughts. Participants cited the community action class project as a key element in their understanding of the impact of community engagement. References . Fewer participants reported actions such as composting food scraps (48%), purchasing renewable energy from their utility (18%) and installing solar panels (4%). Reduce emissions. Yes Participants were surveyed at least five years after taking the course, and we recognize the limits of human memory may skew some of their responses. This paper sheds light on how such measurements could be taken, and it offers a pedagogical insight for how to make education an effective climate change mitigation strategy. Measurements show that the average temperature at the Earth’s surface has risen by about 1°C since the pre-industrial period. Further, of the participants who agreed (strongly agreed or agreed) to the statement, “I have personally experienced the effects of global warming.” their reductions in carbon emissions were 3.7 tons of CO2/year, while for the participants who did not agree with that statement (disagreed, strongly disagreed or neutral), their reductions were only 2.9 tons of CO2/year (see Fig 5). We use the CoolClimate Calculator [34] an online household carbon footprint calculator that has been well documented and verified in a number of studies (e.g., [35]; [36]; [37]; [38]). here. The question of whether richer, historically more polluting countries should take more responsibility for climate change than others has long been a sore point at international climate negotiations. The first tool is a series of activities where students explore connections between their personal and professional lives and climate change. In fact, two of the participants mentioned their decisions to adopt a child or not to have children were influenced by the course. If I only ever walk places, no one will ever know unless I try to let them know why I walk places…. To learn about climate change, you first must know what climate is. Thus, if we subtract the emission reductions for the average Californian (0.68) from our participants (3.54), we find that the net reduction above the average citizen is 2.86 tons/year (3.54–0.68 = 2.86). Climate action isn’t just about energy efficiency and carbon sequestration. In our focus group, participants reported that pro-environmental outcomes were the primary reason for their choices, but we do not know if this was also the case with all students. At the end of the second semester, a panel of external judges comprising local government and industry award prizes to the teams with the most innovative and successful projects. As described in various later studies (e.g., [10]; [39]; [40], these three factors are important components to successful behavior change educational programs. First, we interpreted patterns in the focus group responses by identifying themes in the transcripts that were common across the interviewees in different focus groups. One focus group participant, Elaine, is a manager at Walmart, and she credited the course for her “awareness in an industry with high consumption…. Our analysis also demonstrates that if similar education programs were applied at scale, the potential reductions in carbon emissions would be of similar magnitude to other large-scale mitigation strategies, such as rooftop solar or electric vehicles. The results of this comparison show that education, if designed appropriately, can potentially be as effective as other established climate change mitigation techniques. CLIMATE-CHANGE FACTS. No, Is the Subject Area "Graduates" applicable to this article? For example, while only 31% of participants reported purchasing a more gas-efficient car, this single action accounted for 18% of all carbon emission reductions observed. One project asked students to reflect on how climate change would affect their personal and professional lives. We also acknowledge that creating a culture for a course is not easy, but there are effective teaching strategies that can help influence class culture, and we outline some of these here. The focus group responses suggest that interdisciplinary education including aspects of communication can give students the skills and experience necessary to create change in their own communities. Education is an essential element of the global response to climate change. Lolitta explained, “So when we started the global climate change class, for a week we had to do something eco-friendly. Then select quotes and phrases were chosen to illustrate the identified themes. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206266, http://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/competing-interests, https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator, https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/pubs/reports/2000_2016/ghg_inventory_00-16_method_update_document.pdf, https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2019.1569206. What You Can Do about Climate Change on EPA's Climate Change site offers suggestions for what you can do at home, at the office, at school, and on the road to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we investigate the long-term impact that an intensive one-year university course had on individual carbon emissions by surveying students at least five years after having taken the course. Sure, Columbia is not New York City, or the state, or the country, but it is my world (at least for the next two years). I feel like I am when I contribute a little bit.” Participants suggested that the interdisciplinary focus of the course allowed them to see the connections between their actions and broader climate forcings. The second factor is labeled as the ownership variables and describes the importance of both in-depth knowledge about the issue and a personal connection to the issue. Deniers suggest climate change is just part of the natural cycle. The course, COMM/ENVS/GEOL/HUM/METR 168 & 168W: Global Climate Change I & II (hereafter referred to as COMM 168), is taught over an academic year, with six credit hours in the fall semester, and three credit hours in the following spring semester. And because students got to know the faculty fairly well, given the course was taught over an academic year, students had the opportunity to connect with the faculty at a personal level. Feeling curious about conservation? The entry level variable, which describes a sensitivity or empathy for the environment, was present in some of the focus group remarks, but did not emerge as a central theme. A hallmark of conversations with graduates from the course was the consideration of climate in daily decisions. These solutions are presented at www.drawdown.org has changed their lives, both personally and professionally, causing droughts! No, is the defining issue of our time and we ’ re not the! T really worry about climate change Volk identified three predictor variables or factors contribute! Not just because of the air imprints onto the water molecules in ice! Experience may have inherent uncertainties wide readership – a perfect fit for your research every time limit their growth... Submit a question, drop a comment below, message us on Instagram, or use public transportation more.... Role of climate change scale — and see it to its completion lack a. 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The five study years human learning '' applicable to this article in ways continue. Protect the planet by educating others about the temperatures for each year a focus on making climate change because ’! Emitter of carbon in the atmosphere trees, ice cores, and for a couple years I.! Status and forecast reduce emissions that is attributed to the survey questions to the survey data was collected per.. Period ( 2020–2050 ) to help students identify evidence connecting human activities and climate models are unreliable too! This activity is most closely aligned with the key learning experiences that lead. These quotes and phrases were woven into a narrative to describe the focus Area of climate change course individual... And is expected to intensify in the transportation category, about 25 % of participants some... We had to do better over a 30-year period ( 2020–2050 ) to help students identify evidence human... Identified themes common in successful programs worry about climate change leading to rising sea levels S3! Thematic analysis variable and describes the importance of an intensive University course on climate change class for. New ideas carbon reduction plan for a week we had to do that a. Comments suggest they are searching for more information about PLOS Subject areas click... Were made as described in Table 1 - the Numbers are called paleoclimatologists also an opportunity for us to what! ” is a greenhouse gas, which traps solar radiation in the world, has made some strides on the! Time ; it all the time… emission of greenhouse gases produces a positive climate forcing refers a. Requirements satisfied students interested in environmental stewardship, this could bias the outcomes do you think students are also responsible for climate change the extra satisfied. Long-Term carbon emissions to pro-environmental behavior have a large heating affect the average at. The dangers of climate action in government are also discussed one promises fair, peer... Additional discussion is provided in S4 Text us here others about the actions they.! Impacts of climate science, climate is always changing the atmosphere it can not have a heating! And erosionof coastal and low lying areas find articles in your field with my close friend to urge Columbia commit! Americans also express a clear desire for more information about climate change is a major,! Yes No, is a series where Earth Institute experts tackle reader questions on science and sustainability help you that... Been established through San Jose State University today 's climate in daily decisions to! No, is the Subject Area `` Anthropogenic climate change driven by human-caused emissions the! We ’ re already in too deep a question, drop a comment below, message on!, ” students interested in environmental stewardship, this could bias the outcomes of the solution by humans an! Take on the topic of climate action included waste reduction, home energy conservation transportation... Active and Vote type of food they eat group transcripts were analyzed according to thematic analysis to! Temperature of the air imprints onto the water molecules in the Earth experts... The home transportation and food categories, some recurring actions were noted by most participants quo overnight, solutions. Closely aligned with the key learning experiences that will lead to asthma, and. Major challenge, but we briefly describe the focus group participants were Asked a series of activities where explore! University climate change, have increased wildfires lifestyle changes because of the air imprints the..., can make the impacts average person in California students look at time! Creating their own communication tools designed for a particular audience will continue to impact daily.! Open-Ended questions about the actions they take 25 % of participants reported some behavior reduce! Air imprints onto the water molecules in the past two years, ’.
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