University of Michigan
Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action
University of Michigan

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action

Taught in English

Some content may not be translated

16,701 already enrolled

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

Michaela Zint

Instructor: Michaela Zint

4.8

(157 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
25 hours to complete
3 weeks at 8 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Identify individual, community, and political actions you can engage in to effectively address and respond to climate change.

  • Describe how insights from the social sciences can be employed to create change at the individual, community, and political levels.

  • Feel empowered to continue to influence how you, your community, and political leaders address and respond to climate change.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

22 quizzes

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Placeholder
Placeholder

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

Share it on social media and in your performance review

Placeholder

There are 7 modules in this course

As part of this introductory lesson, we will help you explore your motivations for taking this course, briefly introduce you to the current state of climate science and policy, and prepare you for taking actions on climate change throughout the course.

What's included

3 videos19 readings2 quizzes

Food is part of our everyday lives. From breakfast to dinner, we make choices that affect the planet. This week, you will hear from Chris about his journey toward vegetarianism, and you will learn from Dr. Sara Soderstrom about social movement theory and food businesses in Detroit, as well as actions that you can take to make food choices that can mitigate climate change.

What's included

2 videos18 readings4 quizzes

We use energy in almost everything we do, but there are also many ways we can reduce emissions from our energy consumption. This week, you will hear from Benjamin about saving energy in cold winters and from Dr. Kaitlin Raimi about the theory of environmental peer persuasion. You will also learn several actions you can take to reduce energy consumption in your home, on your campus, and in your community.

What's included

2 videos16 readings5 quizzes

Transportation is part of everyday life. This week, you will hear from Stephanie about the collective impact of personal transportation decisions and from Brandon Schoettle about how driving decisions impact greenhouse gas emissions. You will also examine popular ride-hailing services, as well as actions that you can take to make transportation choices that can mitigate climate change, and ultimately you will learn to support a more resilient transportation system.

What's included

2 videos17 readings4 quizzes

There is a complex relationship between our lives and the built infrastructure with which we interact on a daily basis. This week, you will learn about one theory of urban design - “New Urbanism” - and use it as a way to explore these relationships and how you can reimagine the built environment as a means to act on climate change. You will also learn about how one city used deliberative democracy to transform their built environment and move toward carbon neutrality. Together, the content will assist you in identifying how the built environment can be transformed to address the effects of climate change.

What's included

2 videos18 readings4 quizzes

This week, you will apply ideas you learned in this course, learn about another relevant social change theory, and develop your own Personal Climate Action Plan. As part of this plan you will identify individual and community-related actions that you can take to mitigate the impact of increased greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change after completing this course.

What's included

2 videos8 readings1 quiz1 peer review

You have now learned about a variety of theories of social change and tried a range of mitigation and adaptation actions. We hope that this will not be the end! During this concluding week, we will provide you with resources to continue to engage in climate actions, including: making new practices “stick,” how to work with your community, and why you might even consider making a bigger commitment, like running for political office.

What's included

5 videos12 readings2 quizzes

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.8 (36 ratings)
Michaela Zint
University of Michigan
2 Courses17,271 learners

Offered by

Recommended if you're interested in Environmental Science and Sustainability

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

Showing 3 of 157

4.8

157 reviews

  • 5 stars

    84.17%

  • 4 stars

    11.39%

  • 3 stars

    3.79%

  • 2 stars

    0%

  • 1 star

    0.63%

XM
5

Reviewed on Jul 8, 2020

JF
5

Reviewed on Nov 3, 2022

ZB
5

Reviewed on May 10, 2022

Placeholder

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Frequently asked questions