The Fort Lewis College Environmental Center hosted a climate change forum with time for questions afterward, Tuesday, Oct. 30, for members of the community to learn about the science of climate change and to learn about solutions to fix it.

The event featured speakers who work in the field of climate change including Karin Kirk, Katharine Heyhoe, Julie Levy Duvall and Dr. Travis Rieder.

The event acts as a catalyst to bring people to action, Rachel Landis, director of the Good Food Collective, said in her opening remarks to the audience.

People in the Durango area are sensitive to climate and the issues it faces; because Durango is a rural community that relies on outdoor recreation and agriculture, Marty Pool, the Environmental Center coordinator said.  

The La Plata Electric Association brought 300 local high school students to attend the morning session of the event.

Environmental education gives people tools, including concrete facts and language to discuss those facts with others, Sadie Magnifico, the Environmental Center assistant coordinator, said.

Society relies on natural systems for things such as having enough clean water and having pollinators such as bees for agriculture, Pool said.

Students can become more involved with environmental education by enrolling in classes that have an environmental or sustainability component, or by stopping by the EC, he said.

The EC exists to let students know what opportunities there are and connect them with local organizations working on the issues they are are interested in, Pool said.

The EC tries to put on one large event a year as a whole organization, but the different student- led teams put on smaller events and workshops throughout the year, he said.

Pool hopes that people understand climate change cannot be stopped with individual changes alone, but that people have to start joining groups working to make change, he said.