Newspaper headlines and political discourse habituate us to alarming news about the intensifying dangers of global warming, hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking,’ rising sea levels, and greenhouse gases. All too often, we become over-reliant on data-driven scientific approaches to the natural world at the expense of humanistic discourse. There has been a perceived schism between the humanities, seemingly on the sidelines or in an ivory tower, while the natural sciences frequently take the public spotlight and are thought to lead on environmental issues. We at Green Humanities believe in the power of the humanities–a book, a poem or a work of art for example—to influence public opinion and inspire engagement with ecological issues and causes. Green Humanities aims to place the humanities on the frontlines not only of cutting edge eco-criticism, but also of the environmental debates that will shape and determine our very world. We envision varied collaborations and juxtapositions of scholarship within the humanities as well as environmental sciences and related fields–all with the overarching goal of coaxing our global society toward a more sustainable future.