Hundred-year floods occurring every few years. Record-breaking heatwaves buckling roads and withering harvests. Prolonged drought causing frequent wildfires.

These days, it’s not hard to find dramatic examples of weather-driven disasters made worse by climate change. It’s also too easy to feel defeated by the magnitude of the problem.

The University of Maryland’s 2022-23 First Year Book, “All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis,” offers hope and a sense of urgency as the antidote. The collection of poetry, essays and art by women inspired last night’s College Park Scholars event, “All We Can Save—in Maryland,” bringing together a panel of city, Prince George’s County and state leaders to talk about how they’re taking action on climate change and how students can get involved.

“One of the things I really appreciate about the book is that it takes on one of these huge, seemingly impossible problems and offers an action-oriented, solution-oriented approach,” said Scholars Executive Director Marilee Lindemann. “My hope is that this conversation will spark other conversations about small things we can each do individually.”

Moderated by Tim Knight, director of Scholars’ Environment, Technology and Economy program, the panel offered concrete ideas for students who want to join the fight against climate change: