This week on 51%, women from around the globe are brainstorming climate change solutions, plus connecting kids in a landlocked state to the sea – and student debt problems aren't just about college.
Last month, women from more than 35 countries gathered in New York to begin work on a sweeping plan to address climate change. Their talks are expected to culminate in a Women's Climate Change Agenda, which will be presented to policymakers and stakeholders around the globe. Osprey Oriell Lake is co-organizer of the first annual International Women’s Earth and Climate Summit. And fortuitously, the summit came just a week before the release of the UN's global climate risk assessment compiled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Up next, getting students in a landlocked state connected to the ocean.
Mary Cook teaches seventh and eighth grade a long way from the sea. She says Arkansas has rice fields, duck hunting, and the international headquarters for Walmart. But she was looking for a way to help her students engage with the ocean. Ari Daniel Shapiro has more.
Student debt is a huge problem in this country. We know many families struggle to afford traditional colleges. But a lot of student debt comes from attending private, for-profit schools that focus on vocational training. These students default on their loans twice as often as students from public colleges. Kate Davidson has the story of one small school battling big defaults for the Changing Gears project.
That’s our show for this week. Thanks to Katie Britton for production assistance. Our theme music is by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock.