The 2026 Sustainability Film Series kicked off last Thursday with the film “Jane.” Now in its 16th year, the series features five films shown monthly throughout the winter. It consistently draws strong attendance from both the broader community and Michigan Tech students, staff, and faculty. The films are selected by a committee of representatives from sponsoring organizations and explore topics such as renewable energy, clean air and water, food access, recycling, Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, sustainable living, habitat preservation, and more. The locations highlighted range from a global scale to the Great Lakes. Most selections are documentaries, each with a distinctly human story.
Attendees are welcomed with refreshments, and each screening is followed by a facilitated discussion. This month, a delightful collection of homemade cookies, granola, and savory mixes was provided by the Keweenaw Trail Seekers. 77 people filled Fisher Hall 138, greeting friends across the room before the film began. Alan Turnquist, Director of Sustainability and Resilience and current organizer of the series, said, “Folks gather to be more informed and to have a shared experience.”
This month’s post-film discussion was facilitated by four members of the Michigan Tech club, Women in Natural Resources (WINR). The insightful conversation centered on the importance of how we do our work. They explored the values Jane Goodall embodied such as kindness in all circumstances, and her fearlessness, the combination of which enabled her to contribute uniquely to scientific knowledge. “I think scientists have to unlearn lots before they can learn things,” shared Anne Matusiak, MTU student and WINR member.
When asked what keeps people returning year after year, Joan Schumaker-Chadde, organizer of the Sustainability Film Series for its first 12 years, responded, “We’re not coming in with an agenda, we’re bringing [the films] as a point of discussion. We want a variety of people; different ages, different experiences, from campus and from the community, to be able to share ideas. That is our goal and idea of building community.”
The annual tradition of informative films and collective conversations holds personal meaning for some attendees. Hannah Rundeman Lowney and Bryan Lowney met at the January film in 2016. A decade later, the couple marked nine years of marriage by attending the January 2026 film together.
Films are shown on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in Fisher Hall Room 138, from January through May. The films are free to attend, though $5 donations are appreciated to help continue the series. The Sustainability Film Series is sponsored by the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Keweenaw Land Trust, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK), and is coordinated by the Michigan Tech Office of Sustainability and Resilience.
The Keweenaw Trail Seekers is a group of women who gather on Wednesday mornings to enjoy the outdoors together. To learn more, email Joan Schumaker-Chadde at jchadde@mtu.edu. To join the Sustainability Film Series email list, email Lauren Furey at lafurey@mtu.edu. For more information on this years’ upcoming films, visit Sustainability Film Series Launches 2026 Lineup.
