Common Earth Insights

Developing a Systemic Understanding of Climate Change

 

Our Comprehensive Flagship Program

 

Improve your understanding of the diverse systems contributing to the climate crisis to effectively identify high-impact opportunities and optimize your efforts.

 

Through this course, you’ll develop an ability to zoom out, which helps to reveal the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated issues. You will develop insights in the domains of systems thinking, socioeconomics, philosophy, and psychology, all through a scientific lens, thus empowering you to confidently be part of the change! 
Common Earth Insights
  • Sessions per week: 2
  • Duration: 3 months
  • Session length: 2 hours
  • Format: Online – Live & Interactive sessions
  • Group size: 25 participants
  • Time Commitment: 7 hours per week (2 live sessions of 2 hours each plus 1.5 hours of prework per session.
  • Investment: This program is fully sponsored by Common Earth. 

Upcoming Sessions

Common Earth Insights will be offered three times in 2025. 

–  First Offer – January 13 – April 17 

–  Second Offer – April 28 – July 31

–  Third Offer – September 8 – December 11

Sessions are on Mondays and Thursdays.

–  Group 1: 8 am to 10 am Eastern Time 

–  Group 2: 12 pm to 2 pm Eastern Time 

–  Group 3: 6 pm to 8 pm Eastern Time 

Course Outcomes

Gain a fresh perspective on the complex and interconnected systems driving the climate crisis.
Empower yourself by gaining insight into the pivotal role of thought in shaping our experiences and discover how to channel this for enhanced creativity and resilience.
Cultivate empathy to better understand and navigate other people’s points of view.
Acquire valuable insights that enable you to strategically leverage your efforts.
Gain a fresh perspective on the complex and interconnected systems driving the climate crisis.
Empower yourself by gaining insight into the pivotal role of thought in shaping our experiences and discover how to channel this for enhanced creativity and resilience.
Cultivate empathy to better understand and navigate other people’s points of view.
Acquire valuable insights that enable you to strategically leverage your efforts.
TESTIMONIALS

Why Take a Common Earth Course

At the heart of our organization lies a commitment to providing meaningful educational journeys. There’s no better way to illustrate this than through the stories of those who have experienced this first hand. We hope their stories will inspire you.

Garth Nichols
Havergal College – Toronto, Canada
"Havergal has been working with Common Earth to support the programming for our "TC-9 Course". This course is a transdisciplinary course designed to put students in front of big challenges of our time using the framework of the UN SDGs. Com…
Philippa Prinsloo
London, United Kingdom
"Common Earth is a brilliantly designed course and expertly facilitated. Each week I felt like there was yet another “Aha” moment – I found the whole experience incredibly expansive. Built on the foundations of First Principles and Syst…
Kirt Charter
St. Michael's College School – Toronto, Canada
“As a co-moderator of the Common Earth Club at our school, I've been impressed by the profound growth and understanding our students have demonstrated in embracing the challenges of a “post-carbon caring society”. Through the teaching…
Samantha Cameron
Toronto, Canada
“I enjoyed the Common Earth program so much. Each of the topics, pre-work assignments and discussion questions were so well thought out. You can tell how much care and effort has gone into crafting the program. The pre-work was the right…
Stefano Tronci
Hong Kong
I joined Common Earth because I felt the need to acquire new knowledge and tools to apply to my work in sustainability. Through the course, I knew I would learn how to view Climate Change as a systemic issue and understand the economic, soc…
Ishu Subba 
ICA Nepal , Katmandu, Nepal
“For a person without knowledge of environmental science, the Common Earth Course deepened knowledge and understanding of the climate crisis. The course provided ample opportunities for dialogue across cultures, and geographies. It also i…
Bob Jeffery
Sudbury, ON – Canada
Common Earth took me on a journey of both familiar, vaguely familiar and new narratives. The readings, discussions and shared reflections really grounded the learning. The stories we shared were as valuable as the material that I read. The…
Irene Barr
West Vancouver, Canada
“I loved the Common Earth program.  The pace of the work and the variety of information was actually exciting to learn and the people that I met throughout the program allowed me to develop relationships that went beyond the program.  I…
Susie
New Jersey, United States
For a non-technical person, this has been a great experience for me to understand better what the scientific and mathematical issues are that are driving climate change.
Clara, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
The Common Earth Youth Program gave me insight into the climate crisis but also my peers and the way that they view the world around them. It gave me and many of my friends a safe space to reflect on ourselves and many other issues. I was s…
Swikriti Parajuli
Kathmandu, Nepal
My journey with the Common Earth Course has been profoundly transformative and enriching. The most valuable aspect was gaining a deeper understanding of Systems Thinking, which completely changed how I perceive interconnectedness and reshap…
Felipe
Amsterdam, Netherlands
I joined this program hoping to help make positive change in the world and it went way beyond that, starting with a deep personal change. This program is life-changing and a force for good! Every single human should go through this experien…
Ella, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
The program has completely changed the way I think and view every situation. I’m more attuned to different perspectives, especially nature’s. My view on the climate crisis has changed to positively hopeful, after witnessing incredible w…
Shubhani Budhathoki
Kathmandu, Nepal
This educational journey has been nothing short of enlightening, fostering a deep appreciation for the urgency and complexity of the climate crisis while equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a proactive agent of change…
Corina
Ottawa Valley, Canada
There were so many “This changes everything” moments during both modules. I have been able to move past much of my frustration and feeling overwhelmed with the global problems. I, now, feel like I have an entire community of people that…
Wesley, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
Common Earth was a program like none other I had ever heard of. Each meeting introduced new and more efficient ways of thinking that I could build off and use in other parts of my life. The people I met were such a big indicator of the type…
Garth Nichols
Havergal College – Toronto, Canada
"Havergal has been working with Common Earth to support the programming for our "TC-9 Course". This course is a transdisciplinary course designed to put students in front of big challenges of our time using the framework of the UN SDGs. Com…
Philippa Prinsloo
London, United Kingdom
"Common Earth is a brilliantly designed course and expertly facilitated. Each week I felt like there was yet another “Aha” moment – I found the whole experience incredibly expansive. Built on the foundations of First Principles and Syst…
Kirt Charter
St. Michael's College School – Toronto, Canada
“As a co-moderator of the Common Earth Club at our school, I've been impressed by the profound growth and understanding our students have demonstrated in embracing the challenges of a “post-carbon caring society”. Through the teaching…
Samantha Cameron
Toronto, Canada
“I enjoyed the Common Earth program so much. Each of the topics, pre-work assignments and discussion questions were so well thought out. You can tell how much care and effort has gone into crafting the program. The pre-work was the right…
Stefano Tronci
Hong Kong
I joined Common Earth because I felt the need to acquire new knowledge and tools to apply to my work in sustainability. Through the course, I knew I would learn how to view Climate Change as a systemic issue and understand the economic, soc…
Ishu Subba 
ICA Nepal , Katmandu, Nepal
“For a person without knowledge of environmental science, the Common Earth Course deepened knowledge and understanding of the climate crisis. The course provided ample opportunities for dialogue across cultures, and geographies. It also i…
Bob Jeffery
Sudbury, ON – Canada
Common Earth took me on a journey of both familiar, vaguely familiar and new narratives. The readings, discussions and shared reflections really grounded the learning. The stories we shared were as valuable as the material that I read. The…
Irene Barr
West Vancouver, Canada
“I loved the Common Earth program.  The pace of the work and the variety of information was actually exciting to learn and the people that I met throughout the program allowed me to develop relationships that went beyond the program.  I…
Susie
New Jersey, United States
For a non-technical person, this has been a great experience for me to understand better what the scientific and mathematical issues are that are driving climate change.
Clara, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
The Common Earth Youth Program gave me insight into the climate crisis but also my peers and the way that they view the world around them. It gave me and many of my friends a safe space to reflect on ourselves and many other issues. I was s…
Swikriti Parajuli
Kathmandu, Nepal
My journey with the Common Earth Course has been profoundly transformative and enriching. The most valuable aspect was gaining a deeper understanding of Systems Thinking, which completely changed how I perceive interconnectedness and reshap…
Felipe
Amsterdam, Netherlands
I joined this program hoping to help make positive change in the world and it went way beyond that, starting with a deep personal change. This program is life-changing and a force for good! Every single human should go through this experien…
Ella, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
The program has completely changed the way I think and view every situation. I’m more attuned to different perspectives, especially nature’s. My view on the climate crisis has changed to positively hopeful, after witnessing incredible w…
Shubhani Budhathoki
Kathmandu, Nepal
This educational journey has been nothing short of enlightening, fostering a deep appreciation for the urgency and complexity of the climate crisis while equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a proactive agent of change…
Corina
Ottawa Valley, Canada
There were so many “This changes everything” moments during both modules. I have been able to move past much of my frustration and feeling overwhelmed with the global problems. I, now, feel like I have an entire community of people that…
Wesley, Grade 12
Toronto, Canada
Common Earth was a program like none other I had ever heard of. Each meeting introduced new and more efficient ways of thinking that I could build off and use in other parts of my life. The people I met were such a big indicator of the type…

Course Content

We begin by zooming out to identify several universal principles that help participants make sense of the world around them. Then, we zoom in to explore some key systems contributing to the climate crisis, while also exploring ways that we can respond to help move us towards a more sustainable and caring society.

The Climate Crisis
Systems Thinking
The Nature of Human Experience
The Origin Story
The Economy
Heat and Energy
The Food System
Regenerative Agriculture
Biomimicry
Community

The Climate Crisis

We explore the growing anthropogenic causes and implications of our changing climate. 

 

We examine ways in which we can best respond to them. 

 

This element is present throughout the course and connects all other themes. 

The Climate Crisis

The Climate Crisis

We explore the growing anthropogenic causes and implications of our changing climate. 

 

We examine ways in which we can best respond to them. 

 

This element is present throughout the course and connects all other themes. 

Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking equips us with dynamics and principles that help us make sense of even the most complex system. 

 

Understanding the world this way provides transferrable skills allowing for a greater understanding of the dynamics of any situation. 

 

We learn to see the dynamics holding our current systems in place and where to intervene to create positive, lasting change. 

The Nature of Human Experience

The Nature of Human Experience

One of the foundational premises for Common Earth is the centrality of thought and our ability to influence how we experience the world around us. Once we understand that this is common to all human systems, it becomes that much easier to see how we can write a different story that better serves us and the planet.

The Origin Story

The Origin Story

Every civilization has an origin story. These stories bind a community together and give meaning to individual lives. While honouring the world’s cultural diversity, the world now needs a globally unifying story of how we came into being.  

 

We explore deep time and the history of the universe to give us a more expansive perspective on both present and future generations.  

 

Modern mathematical cosmology is the awe-inspiring story that unifies all beings on the planet and addresses the oneness of it all. 

The Economy

The Economy

With the support of new economic theories, we explore how our current economic systems are contributing to the climate crisis.  

 

From corporate monopolies to the role of growth, debt, and the concentration of wealth; we  explore how these aspects of our current economic and social systems accelerates the climate crisis.  

 

With this understanding, we explore more inclusive economic models that can move us towards a more just and sustainable world.

Heat and Energy

Heat and Energy

Through an exploration of fundamental physics principles of thermodynamics, we reach a richer understanding of how energy systems work and our dependency on them in our daily lives. This will empower us to understand the constraints we have to work with, and will inform us on how to move to a post-carbon caring society. 

The Food System

The Food System

An exploration that allows us to contrast the idealized image of food production with the reality of the industrial food system.  

 

This system is nested within other complex systems, including ecology, economics, and culture.  

 

To create a sustainable food system, we must address its complexity, reevaluate practices, and adopt a regenerative agriculture model that will allow us to nourish the planet and ourselves. 

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative agriculture approaches farming with a focus on growing healthy soil, plants, and ecosystems while putting carbon in its place.

Biomimicry

Biomimicry

The field of biomimicry looks at our most challenging issues and applies solutions inspired by nature. From aerodynamics to colour-changing properties, the natural world has elegant solutions to our sustainability problems if we only look to the wisdom of nature to guide us.

Community

Community

With a deeper understanding of how natural communities work through support and reciprocity, we become empowered to see the possibility in our own lives. This enables us to create stronger, more caring communities for ourselves and our planet. 

Course Requirements

  • The course is delivered in English and requires fluency for active participation.
  • Reliable and consistent internet access and energy supply to join interactive Zoom sessions, including the use of participant’s audio and video.
  • Commitment to attend sessions and complete prework, committing an average of 7 hours per week (4 hours of live sessions + 3 hours of prework)
  • The course is designed to be viewed on a computer. For the best experience, we highly recommend that participants access the course using a computer rather than a mobile device.

Once your spot has been confirmed, we ask that you honour the commitment to maximize both your own experience and that of the group. 

REGISTRATION

How to Register

Complete the registration form.
A team member will reach out to invite you to an orientation session.
Attend an orientation session to help decide if this is right for you.
Send us a short biography.
Your place is confirmed.

Program Information

Common Earth Insights will be offered three times in 2025. 

 

  • First Offer – January 13 – April 17 
  • Second Offer – April 28 – July 31
  • Third Offer – September 8 – December 11

 

Sessions are on Mondays and Thursdays.

 

Check group times in the table below to find the option most convenient for you.

All Times below are based on Eastern and Pacific Times. Click here to check your local time. 

Check Your Local Time

Time Zone
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Eastern Time
8 am
12 pm
6 pm
Pacific Time (PDT)
6 am
9 am
3 pm
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