Creating Your Vision

What is your vision for the campus and/or community?

Here in Central Pennsylvania, we have many different kinds of people interested in doing something about climate change. First, our university is one of the leading research institutions investigating and projecting climate change and offering blueprints for how to deal with it. In addition, recently an organization of religious groups working with their communities to change their energy consumption habits has emerged, looking for ways to alter their lifestyles and deal with some of the ethical issues that arise with climate change.
I would like to see these two communities exchange ideas, events, and talking points. Academics exist in a world that is often incompatible with people outside their disciple. This would be a way to access people though institutions they already belong to, institutions that are often associated with the right. By showing people how their belief systems insist that attention be given to Climate Change, I think it will be possible to change their daily lifestyles and practices.

Assessing Your Campus and Community

What campus/community problem does your blueprint address? What structures, practices and policies institutionalize the problem?

My blueprint addresses the lack of communication between groups interested in climate change. There is a disconnect between the religious community and academic community, despite many people being apart of both communities. There are certain discursive structures surrounding religious organizations and the university that make them unlikely partners.
Until recently, the projects of each group was unknown to the other. For example, the religious community was planning a conference on the religious ethics of climate change while the academic community was planning to make a film, but neither group was aware of the other. While they have connected, their memberships are so large that regular, constructive meetings, are difficult if not impossible. I would like to facilitate their exchange of ideas and highlight the work that they are doing.

What communities will you work with?

• Campus community
• Local community

Setting Goals and Deliverables

• Goal 1: Increase communication between the academic and religious communities in Central Pennsylvania interested in Climate Change
• Many people from many backgrounds, either religious or academic, participate in discussion boards
• Joint meetings and events are held. Conferences, seminars, panels, etc.
• Information is shared by both groups. Religious groups incorporate new academic ideas and academics try to present their research in ways that are accessible to the greater community.
• People make real lifestyle changes.
• Goal 2: Highlight groups who are already making an effort.
• People take advantage of space provided for up loading personal stories, powerpoints, and/or pictures (if the legal issues with this could be resolved)
• I compile a portfolio of podcasts of people talking about what their groups have done and are planning to do. Like "storyboards" on NPR
• People take pride in what they have done, and continue with more projects
• Goal 3: Serve a resource for a larger audience for community organizing on this issue: the state, the country, the world
• If everything above happens because this is online, it can show how two groups often thought to be at odds can come together and use the networking tool of a religious institution to institute change
• Other communities try to use their religious organizations to access their populations and encourage change

What is your primary approach? Idea Creation

Why did you choose this approach?

I have seen the difficulty in trying to build bridges between the right and the left. I see this as an avenue for what is often considered a "lefty" position to connect with the "right" and show how through religious reasoning, it is imperative we do something about climate change.

Did you have secondary approaches? What are they?

organizing. I would like to organize the different actions being undertaken by these groups : film, lecture series, convention, and small scale actions (solar panels, green building, new light bulbs, etc.) so that groups are aware of what other people are doing and can support them and offer advice.

What will your tactics and activities be?

I would like to create a website that has specific features that enable communication, allow people to present their ideas and accomplishments, allow me to keep a calendar of each groups activities and their progress/successes, and give me a forum to upload either film or audio of interviews of those involved in these actions.

Connecting Back to Vision

How does your strategy contribute to your vision for your campus and/or your community?

My strategy enables my vision to happen. I want academics and religious groups to talk with one another- share ideas, research, roadblocks, and questions. Because the numbers of people involved in both the academic and religious branches are so great, meetings cannot occur with regularity. They cannot connect with one another frequently enough to make a difference. However, with a successful website, the kind of connections they need will be possible.

Resources and skills you will need

What skills do you need for this approach?

I have a lot of technical experience with film making, but have less experience with website upkeep and creation. I hope to develop and hone those technological skills. I also hope to work on networking in new ways. I am very familiar with listservs and blogs, but have not worked extensively in discussion forums.