The One Book Program: Global Warming and how Students can get Involved

The One Book Program has a new book out for this Fall semester: The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here, by Hope Jahren. The book goes over the science and history of different inventions that are detrimental to the environment, in an attention-holding, interesting way. Many inventions gone over in the book are used daily by people, causing a large degree of damage to our environment. 

The One Book Program not only offers the book for free, but also presents various events through the semester that relate to the book. Professor of English Tamara Whyte and Director of Library Services Crystal Newell, both co-chairs of the program, shared some events that have been announced.

One major event to be posted on the PVCC website is “Our Changing Climate: A Visual Chronicle,” a photo contest related to climate change. Submissions for the photography contest are being accepted through Nov. 7.  PVCC students, staff, and faculty are welcome to participate. For those interested in participating, the goal of the contest is to “…use a single photo to tell the story of and bring awareness to our delicate human relationship to the environment,” according to the PVCC website. 

Opening night for the gallery of photos from the contest will be on Nov. 17 from 5-7 p.m. in the Dickinson Building Gallery. The photo exhibit will feature the work of both the participants and Michael O. Snyder. Snyder will be judging the photos, and he “…is a photographer and filmmaker who uses his combined knowledge of visual storytelling and conservation to create narratives that drive social impact,” according to the PVCC website. 

Snyder will also be discussing how he approaches telling stories through visual media on Oct. 17 in the Dickinson Building Blackbox Theater from 6-7:30 p.m. The presentation is free. 

Another event, “How to, (and Why) Advocate for Climate Change,” will take place on Oct. 3 from noon to 1 p.m. Speakers will discuss “how to advocate for legislation and policies in support of fighting against climate change,” according to Newell.

The One Book Program has been active for nine years. Newell, says that picking out the book for the fall semester is “a very lengthy process,” and that “the entire spring semester is devoted to choosing the One Book.” 

The committee and staff members in the program collect a list of suggested books. This collection of suggested books then gets whittled down to three choices after being checked for different criteria, and approved by the vice president of instruction and student services. Students and staff then get to vote on which of the three books should be chosen for the fall semester. 

The book is offered through PVCC in some students’ classes and in the library for free. Just ask at the desk if you would like a copy. The goal of the One Book Program this year is to not only bring awareness to climate change but to bring everyone at PVCC together because, as Whyte says, “My favorite part of the One Book Program is that it brings people together across the college.”