I really enjoyed the course and I learnt a lot about sustainability and the different aspects of living a sustainable life. I also learnt about the many effects that climate change has on different eco systems. The course has inspired me to be more conscious of the impact I am having on the environment. The course material, videos and activities were very well planned and organised, it was very easy to understand.
The session was really insightful. I had a good conversation on the environment, sustainability and the way forward. It was a really good start to my journey towards sustainability.
I have to say, it is a very innovative approach to understanding the nuances of Sustainability and ESG practices around the world. A good go-to program for someone wanting to increase knowledge in this sector. Also, the simulation, where you take the roles of different stakeholders in making a circular economy- is quite enticing, as well.
As I was designing the game, I was focused on ensuring that more people were aware of the climate crisis by creating a simulation. Using many positive and negative reinforcement strategies, I tried to stimulate in people a sense of urgency so that they can apply the lessons learnt via the game in their daily life.
The email immediately made me interested and the course was even more fun. Unlike most courses this checked my understanding and the activities that it made me do just boosted my learning by a lot. Overall it was one of the most fun courses I had done in a while.
Lesson: Introducing the program.
Activity 1: To identify and enlist the signs of the climate change that they might have seen around them.
Lesson: Introducing Aranyaarth's work.
Activity 2: Visualising what would the world look like if Climate Change doesn’t stop and global warming continues.
Defining Climate Change, and understanding it's impact on our everyday life.
Understanding the causes of Climate Change.
Listening to the TED Talk by Dr. Johan Rockström, delivered in October 2020, where he describes the planet's response to global warming, and the steps we can take to stablize planet before it's too late.
2021-2030 is an extremely crucial decade of our time in planet Earth and will make a drastic transformation of humanity.
Learning about Planetary Boundaries.
A classroom game that helps students understand the concept of planetary boundaries.
Understanding Climate Change as a Planetary Boundary.
Understanding Biosphere Integrity as a Planetary Boundary.
Understanding Land and Water Systems as Planetary Boundaries.
Understanding Biolchemical Flows and Novel Entities as Planetary Boundaries.
Ocean Acidification, Ozone Depletion and Atmospheric Aerosol Loading as the Safe Planetary Boundaries.
Activity to comprehend the importance of planetary boundaries and discussing what needs to be done to protect each of the nine.
Learning the meaning and implications of 1.5 degree rise in global temperature.
Understanding what will happen in India if global temperature rose by 1.5 degrees celsius.
Listening to scientists discuss the Big picture on Hothouse Earth for The World Economic Forum.
Defining Sustainability and learning of about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Learning about Environmental, Social, Economic and Governance aspects of Sustainable Development.
Deep Dive into SDGs 7, 13, 14, 15, 3, 5, 6 and 10.
Deep dive into SDGs 8, 9, 11, 12, 1, 2, 4, 16, and 17.
A report by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs analyses the progress on all the SDGs so far (2023).
A glance at all the world agreements on Climate Change so far.
A closer look at the Paris Agreement - what is says and how it works.
Meaning of Net Zero.
A TED-Ed take on the feasibility of the various renewable energy options (2017).
What can we do to achieve Net Zero emissions?
Exploring our individual powers to influence our surroundings through this activity.
Learning why 2021-2030 is declared to be the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.
Understanding what makes an ecosystem
What makes one ecosystem strong and another weak in the face of change? Kim Preshoff details why the answer, to a large extent, is biodiversity for TED-Ed
Introduction to Ecosystems and their various types.
An activity to instigate curiosity about our immediate environment.
Learning what needs to be done to restore the health of our ecosystems.
Teachers guide students in highlighting the key learning outcomes from the following TED-talk.
A TED talk about why restoration is not the same as planting trees.
Learning what must be the objectives of any ecosystem restoration project.
Redesigning man-made ecosystems.
A TED talk about how Bhutan became a carbon-positive country.
How Climate Change affects our every day life, and our physical and mental health.
A class discussion and activity on how our environment and social life affects our emotions/mood through the day.
In this essential talk, she highlights the interdependence of environmental and human health and emphasizes the necessity of placing health at the heart of all climate solutions.
Teachers guide students in highlighting the key learning outcomes from the following TED-talk.
Source: TED.com
It is time we rethink how we measure and assess the development of our civilization - and it has to be through the metric of health and happiness rather than metric of wealth. Here we try to understand the biology of our mental well-being.
Assessing well-being beyond medical reports.
Society is a complex ecosystem. Let's explore it's evolution so far, and how is climate change affecting its manner and pace of development.
A group game where students imagine and discuss how different people in their lives—from parents to shopkeepers—perceive climate change and sustainability. It encourages creative thinking and understanding of diverse perspectives across social strata.
Exploring the unequal ways in which the effects of climate change are experienced across different populations, regions, or groups - climate change does not affect everyone equally, and there are significant variations in vulnerability, resilience, and resources to address its consequences.
The Story of Stuff (2008) is a short, animated documentary by Annie Leonard that explores the life cycle of consumer goods, revealing the environmental and social costs of production, consumption, and disposal. It highlights the unsustainable nature of our linear economic system and advocates for a shift toward a more equitable, circular model.
Although it's over 15 years old, its relevance still stands!
Acitivity to help students understand how their daily activities contribute to carbon emissions and encourage them to reflect on ways to reduce their footprint.
Closed loops in production and consumption help preserve ecosystems, combat pollution, and support a healthier planet. Let's explore why they are necessary.
In this collaborative activity, students work in groups to brainstorm and design creative, practical solutions for different types of pollution. By taking on specific roles, they combine scientific, community-based, and artistic ideas to tackle real-world environmental challenges.
Consumers have immense power in today’s economy, as their choices can reduce waste, promote resource reuse, and push industries toward adopting circular economy practices that minimize environmental impact and drive climate action.
Let's explore how.
Noting down ideas turns fleeting thoughts into lasting insights—and maybe even meaningful actions!
Climate change is a threat to our planet — and our species.
In this video, musician David Usher and Concordia professor Damon Matthews explain what global warming means in real terms using the climate clock.
A beautiful example of ecosystem restoration from Ecuador.
Agriculture can actually help in ecosystem restoration, agroforestry and permaculture are just a few of the many techniques that free our farms from chemicals, provide food security and ensure farm livelihoods. Here's an example of a beautiful food forest in Wayanad, Kerala.
Can we build houses without cement? YES! Let's look at this beautiful example of construction using local mud and other local material and traditional techniques to build, modern, safe and durable houses.
Almost all modern diseases are rooted in the stress caused by modern lifestyle. Forest therapy is one of the nature-based solutions for stress, which is becoming increasingly popular due to growing evidence that spending time in nature can free us from many of our unhealthy, modern-day afflictions.
There are many forest therapy retreats in India.
However, for the sake of brevity in this session, we are taking an example from New York.
This cosmetic brand from Chad is not only producing organic and healthy cosmetics, they are also carbon negative. Let's hear from the Founder Salwa Petersen herself!
This German company has patented the technology of producing food packaging material using waste from agriculture. Let's see what they are doing!
This fashion brand uses factory-discarded cloth to make unique and sustainable high-end fashion clothes.
Let's look at this beautiful ecovillage in the north of Scotland. Findhorn is an off the grid community. An off-the-grid community is one where they generate their own energy, build houses, produce much of the food, and process and dispose of their waste within the community, in a safe, healthy and sustainable way.
Imagine a self-sufficient lifestyle in harmony with nature, exploring energy, food, housing, water, and governance ideas. Add creative details to make your off-the-grid community unique and tailored to its environment!
"Sustainability has become more marketing than action," says environmental business journalist Esha Chhabra. Challenging conventional business models solely focused on profit, she shares how regenerative companies that embed purpose into every facet of their operations can drive real change — and make things better for people and the planet.
Explore how your unique talents and interests can creatively address real-world challenges by connecting your personal skills to global issues you care about. This activity encourages innovative thinking and problem-solving for meaningful impact.
Turning an idea into a project objective means figuring out the problem you want to solve, clearly stating your goal, and planning simple steps to make it happen. Let's explore this process of focusing your idea into something you can work on and achieve.
Understanding who you’re helping makes it easier to create solutions that truly work for them. Let’s identify who your project is helping, focus on their needs, and think about how you can make the most impact.
Map out the steps, assign roles, and organize resources to ensure each part of your project works together seamlessly.
