This Dundee Climate Week brings a range of sustainability-themed events for all Dundonians, including students, to enjoy! Here are some highlights.
Today, Tuesday evening, ScrapAntics will host a free screening of the Climate Emergency Briefing film at the Steps Theatre in the Central Library.
Moviegoers are invited to first gather at ScrapAntics’ Community Space at the Wellgate Centre at 5:30 pm for snacks. ScrapAntics is a community enterprise that runs Dundee’s only scrapstore, which is an absolute gem located near the University of Dundee, and regular creative workshops for people in the city.
On Wednesday morning, the Dundee Rep will host its monthly free Climate Café, starting from 10:30 am with an open discussion on the climate emergency. The Rep is just behind Bonar Hall and is a leading venue for Scotland’s theatre scene, though it will also host a talk about hyperscale AI data centres on Thursday.
On Wednesday evening, a ‘People Planet Pint’ pub quiz (free but ticketed!) will be held at The Bank Bar on Union Street from 6 pm, providing a chance for people who care about climate action to chat too. Drinking is only optional, and conversation is the highlight.
At the same time, The Wardrobe beside LIVEHOUSE Dundee will open for a special ‘Late Night Shopping’ with 50% off all clothes and accessories, free refreshments, and crafting in support of Transition Dundee, another Dundonian community enterprise that runs regular creative workshops and the West End Community Fridge on Perth Road below the Life Sciences buildings.
Abertay University and the University of Dundee are also hosting a People’s Emergency Briefing film screening and discussion panel on Thursday evening (free but ticketed!) from 6pm at Abertay. The panel members are UoD lecturer Dr Alexandra Morel, UoD graduate Nikita Mickevics, UoD Rector and Green MSP Maggie Chapman, and Abertay lecturer Dr Rebecca Wade.
As an ecosystem scientist based in Dundee, Dr Morel said that local infrastructure has been ill-equipped for this summer’s heatwaves, and she pointed out that Dundee’s aging sewage system is often flooded by sudden downpours.
Ahead of this week, Dr Morel said:
“What has been really worrying for climate scientists is that climate change seems to be accelerating and impacts are arriving sooner than predicted. The importance of this, and what it means for people, cannot be underestimated. That is why events like Scottish Climate Week are so important in highlighting this message.”
Finally, on Friday evening, DUSA’s Liar space will host the Wild Western Society’s ‘Sip & Swap,’ which will include a raffle on top of a clothes swap.
Dundee Climate Week is coordinated by the city’s civil society via the Sustainable Dundee network, whose programme is available online. This week’s events are just a taster of community-led sustainability projects in Dundee, as ScrapAntics, the Dundee Rep Climate Café, People Planet Pint, Transition Dundee, and DUSA organise these events year-round.
I must add that DUSA Volunteers—Dundee students—run the weekly FoodStop on Tuesdays 2-4 pm, which redistributed 5.2 tonnes of surplus food that would have otherwise been binned over the past year. Our growing volunteer community are looking to expand with new Community Cleanup, Community Gardening, and Campus FreeShop projects—depending on volunteer recruitment!