No Planet B: Introducing Astronomers for Planet Earth

Presentation theme: future sustainability and worldviews

Astronomers for Planet Earth (A4E) is an international grass-roots movement of astronomy students, educators, amateurs and scientists, working to address the Climate Crisis from an astronomical perspective. How can planetariums support this movement? Stretching the minds and imaginations of the public daily, we trigger awe while nurturing an astronomical perspective. We can turn this perspective inwards, back to Earth, bringing into the public’s focus the uniqueness, wonder, and fragility of our only home—and the critical need to protect it. In this workshop, we will introduce A4E and review its resources and global projects, then brainstorm ways in which planetarians can engage their audiences with environmental topics from our unique perspective. Participants will leave with ideas about how to engage audiences constructively on these critical topics—and with new connections to like-minded educators working to address humanity’s existential environmental crises.

Image © Arena Berlin