Dr. Skye Niles (Interdisciplinary programs and Environmental Science and Policy). Photo by Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism major).

The edition of From Our Eyes features Faith Chang (’29 Psychology and Political Science Double Major), who recently attended a movie screening of This Changes Everything, a documentary inspired by author Naomi Klein’s international bestseller of the same title. The screening, followed by a discussion with Chapman scholars, was part of Wilkinson College’s 2025 Engaging the World Series – The Environment and Building Resilient Futures.

As a first-year student at Chapman University, I chose to participate in an FFC that would help me deepen my passion for environmental issues and global concerns. Dr. Skye Niles’ (Interdisciplinary Programs and Environmental Science and Policy) class, “Environment, Society, and Change,” introduced me to an in-depth understanding of how climate change affects various types of communities and how we, as a society, have arrived at our current state.

The class gave me a sense of hope that I can do something to help the state of our climate, and ultimately, the one home we have. For the class, I had to read Naomi Klein’s book, This Changes Everything. I learned about a variety of topics, ranging from technological solutions to climate change (such as geoengineering) to more social concerns, including the idea that capitalism may be the root cause of rising temperatures. I never would have thought I could be so completely captivated by such topics and urged to do more.

As a requirement for my FFC, I attended a film viewing that brought Klein’s book to life as a visual story. The film encapsulated the intensity of climate change and the root issue of our humanity. It emphasized the idea that, as a society, we must change our economic and political systems and move away from capitalism. We need a more sustainable approach to every aspect of our lives if we want to maintain the one true home we have. This Changes Everything is a unique film, unlike others covering climate change, because it focuses on possibilities – it creates hope for future generations, showing that there truly are opportunities to reshape society and do better if we really want to.

Greed, specifically constant growth and consumption, takes over our communities and leaves marginalized ones to suffer the greatest effects. The film made everything feel personal to the viewers by sharing real stories that happened to real people. For instance, there was a focus on a story in Montana, where indigenous communities faced threatening concerns of a coal mining project on their land. Profit has always been prioritized in this capitalist society; therefore, communities like the Northern Cheyenne Nation fought to protect the survival of the land. The resources they depend on, ones belonging to the land, are constantly being destroyed and sold for economic gain. Another example was rapid industrialization in China. A child interviewed in the documentary claimed she had never seen a star in the sky due to the intense air pollution that results from factories and heavy carbon emissions. The issue of climate change affects not only the United States but the world as a whole. People from all around the world suffer from health concerns, economic disparities, racial inequalities, and more because of climate change.

What I learned from watching this film is that we all need to change. Klein’s story showcases powerful stories to show that there are real people dealing with the negative consequences of actions that weren’t theirs. These are people who are forced to suffer because of the elites; they suffer because of industries refusing to adjust. Thus, climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a moral one as well. By transforming our capitalist system into one that’s more sustainable, we can save future generations and smaller communities from suffering from the consequences of our actions.

(Pictured in header: A screenshot image of the documentary This Changes Everything (2015).