Letter from students in Climate Action Unbound

To our Hampshire community,

When the Climate Action Unbound semester was first announced, each of us had our own personal reasons for being interested—but a major point was having the opportunity to take control of this semester and focus on the changes we want to see in the world. To quote one of our students, “This is what I thought all Hampshire classes would be like.” We all were excited to utilize Hampshire’s unique advantages to contribute to creating positive change in the world, starting with our own community. We sought to work collaboratively, bringing each of our unique strengths to the table and learning from each other in areas where we had less expertise. We wanted a class that would move beyond fulfilling arbitrary academic requirements, involve us in real-world work with a real-world impact, and engage with the climate crisis on the ground.

Addressing the climate crisis has become an inescapable pressure that the world has evaded for too long, and we have become accustomed to the ignorance and incompetence of those in positions of power. Each of us knows what it’s like to feel hopeless, alarmed, and powerless regarding the world’s current trajectory. No one individual is at fault for the situation we are in, but we each have the chance and the responsibility to do something. While it is impossible to solve these problems through isolated individual action, the system cannot change without leveraging the power that each of us holds. As an institution, Hampshire College has an obligation to use our influence and resources to act. Through this class and this Climate Action Plan, we are using our collective power to create a plan that guides the efforts of our institution to uphold and practice sustainability in the fight against climate change.

Throughout the process of engaging with members of the community, we were met with interest and enthusiasm. It was energizing and inspiring to receive support from students, staff, faculty, and others, including the Board of Trustees and the many guest speakers that took the time to visit our class. Their encouragement helped us keep moving forward even when the semester got tough.

The work doesn’t end with this document. We leave our community with this message: we must have hope. We must address the climate crisis by first sharing and processing our feelings of fear, sadness, and anger. But to hope is not enough. We must act. And in acting together, we cultivate the strength to keep working towards a sustainable future for all.

Sincerely,

Climate Action Unbound Class, Fall 2023