Tag: Global climate crisis

Global Climate Crisis to Local Action and How YOU Can Help Affect Change in Our City

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Gloucester's First Wind Turbine-Gloucester Harbor ©Kim Smith 2012Gloucester’s First Wind Turbine

Sunday night I was able to attend only very briefly the discussion that was held at Gloucester’s UU Church, about how our city can become fossil fuel-free, or carbon neutral, in ten years. An ambitious and daunting goal you might think. Yes it is, but other cities have accomplished this truly extraordinary feat. Over the next several months, the organizers will be seeking community-wide input. I sincerely hope that more of these these panel discussions will be held throughout our city to help inform fellow citizens about the possibilities that we can be achieved when we all work together. Global and national initiatives are slow to implement. By working together and by including all facets of our community it is possible to develop initiatives and provide solutions that can be accomplished much more in pace with our changing climate.

I am looking forward to learning more about the solutions that are available to us today. While briefly attending the discussion, I thought about another innovative project that I had been reading about, which is also taking place on the local level at many cities across the country, the Mayors Innovation Project, and specifically how we can learn from this successful program on how to obtain consensus to achieve solutions that will benefit every one of our citizens.

“The Mayors Innovation Project is a learning network among American mayors committed to “high road” policy and governance: shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government. Around the country, mayors are taking the lead on pressing social issues—climate change, infrastructure, economic revitalization, health care, prison reentry, and more. We support and encourage this innovation by providing cutting-edge thinking and concrete examples that your city can use right away. Building high road cities and metropolitan regions is both good for citizens and a key way to move the country to the high road nationally. Cities have enormous untapped assets and political strengths that can be organized better now. The Mayors Innovation Project exists to help its member participants lead by example, share their experiences with peers, and make this argument for cities nationally.”

Read more about the panel, the moderator, and the discussion here.

Climate crisis panel ©Kim Smith 2014

From Global Climate Crisis to Local Action: What Next?

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Waterfront Gloucester ©Kim Smith 2014Concerned about climate change? Be among the first to envision a solution!

The Green Committee of the Gloucester UU church, in cooperation with the Cape Ann Forum and Gloucester’s Clean Energy Commission, will present a panel discussion on the rise of carbon pollution causing climate change, and what we can do to stop or reverse the damages. Seven panelists from a broad range of organizations will discuss how to develop a plan for Gloucester to become fossil fuel-free or carbon neutral in a decade.

This event will be held Sunday evening beginning at 7pm at the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church and is free and open to the public. The panel discussion will be followed by a question and answer period, concluding at 8:45. All are invited to stay for a reception concluding at 9:45. This event is sponsored by the Superior Nut Company.

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