Available for free to App State students, faculty and the public, the Office of Sustainability will host a climate and environmental justice film series this semester to foster community, despite a pandemic, and educate on environmental issues being faced in North Carolina and across the nation. 

Jennifer Maxwell, program manager for the Office of Sustainability, said the series’ purpose is to “engage the campus community” and educate people on the social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainability. 

“When all of these are considered and balanced, sustainability is more achievable,” Maxwell said.  “We try to get that broad perspective of how sustainability touches everyone and everything in some way or another.” 

The Office of Sustainability has organized a film series each academic year for 10 years. Originally only offered in the spring, a new series is now put on each semester and shows three to four films. One of the three films this semester, “Right to Harm,” was shown Sept. 15. 

The upcoming films the office will show are: 

• “Artifishal”
  • Oct. 20, 7-8:30 p.m. 
  • Patagonia documentary that shows how human activity has destroyed fish populations and their environments.
• Working Films – series of short features
  • Nov. 17, 7-8:30 p.m.
  • The Office of Sustainability partnered with Working Films out of Wilmington to screen a handful of social justice documentaries from North Carolina centered around environmental disaster relief. 

Leila Jackson, communication specialist, and Rebecca Walton, outreach coordinator, in the sustainability office, said they started with a list of over 30 films and felt these three touched best on climate issues and environmental justice.

The office adjusted its plans to provide the series in a completely virtual format due to COVID-19. Last year, 75 to 100 people attended each screening in I.G. Greer theatre. 

“We’re hoping we have a similar turnout virtually this semester,” Walton said. 

In the past, attendendees had the opportunity to participate in a discussion with a panel of students and experts on the topics covered after the screenings. This semester, a virtual panel will be held after the Nov. 17 film. 

Students and faculty can register through the Office of Sustainability’s Engage page. Those interested who don’t have an App State account can email sustainability@appstate.edu to receive a link to attend.