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Education | Action | Outings |
Want to learn about environmental issues? Want to take local action to protect our environment? This is the program for you.
You will meet others who want to make a difference working for their environment--and we'll have a good time doing it!
In the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP), you will learn about critical environmental issues, find out what Sierra Club activist leaders are doing, learn how to be an advocate, and enjoy nature through group activities. These goals will be accomplished through presentations by Sierra Club leaders, award-winning films, selected speakers, and participation in on-going campaigns.
Participants in previous programs have included elected officials and have ranged in age from high school students to senior citizens. Many of them now play integral roles in environmental organizations (both grassroots and NGOs) and in government agencies, and they are continuing to work towards building a better world.
Comment from participant EW: I found out about the Environmental Stewardship Program just as I was looking for new ways to have a wider impact on reducing the effects of climate change than my personal ‘carbon footprint’. I thought I knew a lot about environmental issues already, but I learned so much in each session that I would not have come by easily on my own......
Comment from participant PF: ....I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to diversify their knowledge of local, state, national, and international environmental issues. The information, discussions, and insights I gained from this program have helped me get more involved in my community and see the benefits our action items have had throughout my county.
To reserve a seat, click Register below. The course fee of $150 covers the cost of 8 monthly sessions and includes dinners (there will always be a vegan option), films, and other materials. Space is limited, so register as soon as you can. Please note that we have some partial scholarships for students, seniors on fixed income, and other low or no income individuals. Contact us if you need a partial scholarship.
Each monthly session starts at 6:30 pm with an introduction, dinner, and social time to get to know each other, a film or presentation, followed by discussion and an advocacy action item. See below for dates.
Program Details
If you are drawn to watching thought-provoking films and presentations that address important issues--especially while dining, socializing, and sharing your thoughts -- you will find this coming year’s Environmental Stewardship Program an especially meaningful experience.
We will view films that are relatively recent--some are not available in the public domain. The films convey new information and thought-provoking content, and some are known for their stunning cinematography.
Questions?
For a list of questions and answers, click here. If you have other questions, fill out the form at the bottom of the page.
Contact the Environmental Stewardship Program
Sessions
Here's a list of the upcoming sessions. You must be registered for the ESP program to attend!
October 9, 2025
Food, Inc. 2 (Sequel to ‘Food Inc.’)
| This eye-opening, Oscar-nominated movie is a sequel to the 2008 film of the same name. It takes a new deep-dive into the American food industry, focusing on the work of innovative farmers and food producers as it shines a light on the giant, mostly unregulated corporations that are taking over at an enormous cost to farmers, animals, the workforce, the planet and our health. This new eco documentary focuses on ultra-processed food, tackling everything from mistreatment of migrant workers in the food industry to climate change and obesity. We learn about lab-grown meat, which is better for the environment in some ways, but might not be as healthy as we’d like to believe. And it introduces topics such as whether additives are rewiring consumers’ metabolisms. |
November 13, 2025
Wings Over Water: A spectacular feast for your eyes and emotions
| The rivers, lakes and wetlands of North America aren’t just majestic in their beauty, they’re also a vital lifeline for wildlife, from the herds of bison roaming the Great Plains to the bees that pollinate crops. Wings Over Water, which has won multiple awards, gives a bird’s eye view of the millions of magnificent birds that migrate along these “flyways”. It follows the epic journeys of three bird families in particular – the Sandhill Crane, the Yellow Warbler and the Mallard Duck. Narrated by actor Michael Keaton, who is an avid outdoorsman and passionate about wetlands conservation, and beautifully filmed in 3D high definition by Andrew Young, this is one of the most stunning eco documentaries you’re likely to see. But it also has a serious message, underlining the environmental dangers to the continued existence of the Prairie Pothole region that is so crucial to the future of migratory birds in North America. |
December 11, 2025
Plastic Earth
| Single-use plastic is a disaster for the environment on multiple levels. Plastic production from fossil-based sources contributes to climate change, pollution and, of course, threatens so many of the planet’s species (marine life alone are harmed through entanglement and injury to ingestion and toxic contamination). However, this 100-minute documentary doesn’t just shine a light on the plastic crisis that our precious world is facing. It’s an intelligent, thought-provoking insight into the solutions and technologies currently being developed to combat – and hopefully solve – the disaster. Through interviews with scientists, engineers, researchers and pioneers, we meet the heroes trying to solve the planet’s plastic problem and learn all about the measures being taken to get this gargantuan issue under control. |
January 8, 2026
Kiss the Ground
Ima 
| Through science, “Kiss the Ground” brings to light contrasting realities and proposes ways that we can still make a big, positive impact for the sake of our Earth. The documentary gathers scientists, researchers, and environmental activists to discuss politics, ecology, regenerative solutions, composting, diet, supporting sustainable farming systems, and coming together as one for the planet. It urges for a more regenerative approach in order to heal our soil and our climate. The film presents the action of people that are really engaged to work for the well-being of the planet and its living beings; farmers testimonies about developing economically viable and low-impact permaculture and agroforestry systems; NASA models now able to compare tilling periods and plant growth seasons influence on CO2 emissions. It gives the viewer a sense of hope, considering all the knowledge and technology that has developed. |
February 12, 2026
PUSH: Why Can't We Afford to Live in Our Cities?
| Landlords without faces, apartments without tenants, Push explores the new, un-livable city. Push follows Director Leilani Farha as she investigates why cities around the world are becoming so unaffordable. Housing should be a fundamental human right, a precondition to a safe and healthy life. But in cities all around the world, having a place to live is becoming more and more difficult. Who are the players and what are the factors that make housing one of today’s most pressing world issues? |
March 12, 2026
Conversations with Legislators
Speakers to be confirmed. Potential speakers are Anna Eschoo ( Past Congressional Representative), Ash Kalra (Current State Assembly member), and Debbie Ruddock (Mayor of Half Moon Bay, past State Coastal Conservancy). The ESP program's meetings with legislators offer valuable guidance to advocates on how to engage more effectively with policymakers. Legislators advise advocates on how to build long-term relationships with legislative staff, follow up consistently, and tailor their messages to the specific interests and priorities of each lawmaker. They also highlight the impact of personal stories and local data in illustrating the real-world effects of proposed policies. Meetings with decision makers show us how change happens and how to sustain the effort over time. |
April 9, 2026
RiverBlue: The Fashion Industry's Impact on Rivers
| Following international river conservationist, Mark Angelo, RiverBlue spans the globe to infiltrate one of the world’s most pollutive industries, the global fast fashion industry. Narrated by clean water supporter Jason Priestley, this groundbreaking documentary examines our most beautiful rivers to the destruction of our most polluted rivers, the effect on humanity, and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future. |
May 14, 2026
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
| This documentary serves as the “witness statement” of 94-year-old naturalist David Attenborough, who traces his career as a natural historian and outlines how the biodiversity of our planet has degenerated over his lifetime. The narrative starts in Pripyat, the ghost city home to the former Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, and traverses across various locations including the African Serengeti. He laments over a drastic decline in wildlife, caused by humans. Attenborough ultimately articulates . Looking at his career that spans five decades, this could easily go down as one of the best environmental films of all time. |
Webinar Recordings from 2023 and 2025
Here are links to recordings from earlier programs. Because of Covid, we temporarily offered a Zoom option. For the current option, NO Zoom option is available.
- To revisit the 2023 ESP webinars, click here.
- To revisit the January-June 2025 ESP webinars, click here.