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Welcome speech from the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations to kick off the event. We'll cover the agenda and make sure attendees are prepared to learn and engage at the teach-in. 

Panel given by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. The state of Michigan has been a leader in clean energy initiatives towards reducing energy costs and reliability in its electric grid. From the federal to the local level, Michiganders have shown their commitment to directly addressing the climate crisis by expanding access to energy efficiency programs, along with plans for increasing the usage of renewable energy sources. While Ann Arbor has a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, the State requires 50% of Michigan’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2030 and 60% by 2035. Connor Dailey from the City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations will join to discuss the City’s holistic way of looking at clean energy solutions and community conversations, particularly in the Colonial Square Cooperative neighborhood. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Chief Climate Officer, Alessandra Carreon, will discuss the Clean Energy & Jobs Act and the MI Healthy Climate Plan. Dionna Brown, the Federal Government Affairs Coordinator from Michigan League of Conservation Voters will discuss the federal landscape of clean energy initiatives and what this looks like for Michigan’s clean energy targets.

After a ten minute break, attendees will get to choose from one of the following sessions:

Freeman Youth Council, Solutions, Part 1: After sharing some background information about the Freeman Environmental Youth Council and the rationale behind the "Solutions" climate change game, student presenters will guide workshop participants through the objectives and game play.  The goal of the game is to work collaboratively to assess the potential impact of real-world climate action strategies (based on Project Drawdown rankings). By correctly ranking climate solutions, players can keep average global temperature rise from rising above 1.5 degrees celsius. Workshop participants will be broken up into teams to play the game, with at least one Youth Council member playing in each small group. The workshop will culminate with a reflective discussion about learning from the game and implications for our own lives.

Corrigan Moving Systems, The Sustainable Downsizing Toolkit: Reducing Waste During Life’s Big Transitions: Downsizing, relocating, or helping loved ones transition to a new home often creates significant
waste and stress. This interactive session introduces practical tools and strategies for decluttering,
donating, and redistributing household goods in ways that reduce landfill impact while supporting local reuse networks. Participants will also learn how emerging innovations, such as electric-powered local moving services, can further reduce the environmental impact of moving.

Washtenaw 2030 District, Jump Starting or Accelerating Decarbonization of your Facilities: Session participants will actively engage with Washtenaw 2030 District members who are well along their facility decarbonization journey.  Technologies, costs, efficiency improvements, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction data will be shared through case study models. Resource representatives will present an overview of their available programs.  Participants will complete a structured goal setting and action plan worksheet. Those interested in tracking their energy and water use should bring a laptop. Each participant will leave with goals and a concrete action plan with implementation resources. 

Climate Interactive, En-ROADS: A community scenario-building experience that utilizes En-ROADS, a climate solutions simulator co-developed by a nonprofit Climate Interactive and MIT Sloan. In this 60-min interactive workshop, we will explore climate solutions in real time, through the lens of Ann Arbor's Carbon Neutrality 2030 Plan. Together, we dive into the impact of various climate strategies - from renewable energy, transport electrification, nature-based solutions and innovations like technological carbon removal - and learn how these solutions can reduce health, nature and financial impacts impacts of climate change. Prepare to roll up your sleeves and work together to envision a better future!

After a fifteen minute break, attendees will join the second breakout session of their choice. 

Freeman Environmental Youth Council, Solutions, Part Two: Continued from the first session, student presenters will guide workshop participants through the objectives and game play.  The goal of the game is to work collaboratively to assess the potential impact of real-world climate action strategies (based on Project Drawdown rankings). By correctly ranking climate solutions, players can keep average global temperature rise from rising above 1.5 degrees celsius.  Workshop participants will be broken up into teams to play the game, with at least one Youth Council member playing in each small group. The workshop will culminate with a reflective discussion about learning from the game and implications for our own lives.

BYOC, Buy Nothing New for (the) Good: Attendees begin with a 10-minute guided personal waste audit, identifying their top waste-generating moments across Kitchen, Bathroom, Shopping, and On-the-Go categories. Jessica, Owner of BYOC, will then offer practical guidance and local resources on using up, repurposing, donating, or responsibly disposing of products being replaced. But individual action is only part of the picture. Participants will also learn how to seed informal swap networks in their own neighborhoods, turning personal transitions into collective ones. Attendees leave with a personalized action plan, practical transition tips, and a concrete framework for starting or joining a community swap in their own neighborhood.

Panel: Everybody Eats – Food Choices for a Climate-Resilient Ann Arbor: Hear from Ryan Poe, Polyculture Farmer and Founder of the Hungry Locavore, Kim Korona, Program Manager of VegMichigan, and Lydia McMullen-Laird, Deputy Director of ZeroWaste.org. Everybody eats—so let’s explore our food system together. This panel invites the Ann Arbor community to consider how they can support the City of Ann Arbor’s A2ZERO plan for a just transition to carbon neutrality through our food choices and practices. Together, we’ll examine the lifecycle of our food—from where it is grown to the choices we make and how we reduce waste.
Panelists will highlight the value of supporting regional farmers; strengthening the local economy; reducing food miles; making climate-friendly, plant-based food choices; and taking actions to divert food from landfills. Participants will leave with practical strategies to mitigate climate change and build a more resilient and equitable community through our food system. Attendees will be invited to commit to one climate-friendly food action based on what they learn.

Mindful City Ann Arbor, From Stressed to Calm: How to Grow Resilience: Through this interactive, hands on, experiential session participants will be provided with a series of guided meditations designed to offer community members a skill, a practice, and an experience of feeling greater inner calm-no matter what challenges we face in our individual and/or collective lives. This series of five, 5-minute guided meditations, will each be followed by a 5-minute group discussion. 

Attendees will be invited to gather to enjoy food, build community with other attendees, and engage with tabling organizations.

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