On Wednesday, March 20th at 7pm (EDT), Penn State Sustainability will host a conversation as part of its ongoing Intersections Film Series program. This upcoming showing, from the From Anxiety to Action series, focuses on the issue of how we cultivate constructive, rather than destructive, actions to address climate change that bring communities together rather than threatening to split them apart. The event will lead off with a panel discussion from various experts focused on the politics and psychology of climate change, along with people exploring how to create alternative, non-apocalyptic narratives for the future. Expected panelists include:

• Shannon Cruz, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences
• Mark Ortiz, Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow and creator of Penn State’s Global Youth Storytelling and Research Lab
• Heather Swan, author of Where the Grass Still Sings, focused on people trying to reverse extinction narratives of insect populations

Following this conversation, we will screen How To Blow Up a Pipeline, the award-winning film based on the book of the same name, that examines the push by some radical climate activists to engage in acts of eco-terrorism in response to their climate anxiety and frustration with the slow pace of society’s response to climate change. The evening’s conversation will focus on how to avoid eco-terrorism and destructive actions and how to find more constructive responses to climate anxiety, without denying the validity of people’s fears.  The free event will take place over Zoom. To register, please go to the Intersections website at intersections.psu.edu/pipeline. Free and open to all!