Climate Change Salon

At the close of Earth Ocean Month the salon’s topic will be how climate change is already being addressed on Whidbey Island and what more is planned or might be possible. We know our warming pollution blanket is getting thicker by the day. What opportunities to combine our efforts and amplify our success might we discover by learning what others are doing? What more do we hope to do in the coming year? How might we work together to amplify our progress? Individuals choosing to make a difference and members of environmental organizations and are especially welcome. We hope you will join the conversation and bring a friend.

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Report:

At the April 27th salon participants talked about what we are currently doing to address climate change, and what more we would like to do. We began with informal conversations about our current activities and then joined in one group to share more about who we are and our primary concerns. We then met in small groups with those who expressed similar interests or backgrounds to generate ideas of what more we would like to do.

 

In the small groups a Sound Water Stewards board member, the president of Whidbey Camano Land Trust and I talked about ways to coordinate our activities and volunteers. Three psychologists working on climate change met for the first time and shared their personal interests in climate change. Members of CCL and WCA brainstormed with a newly hired water resource manager.

 

Looking ahead the WCA and CCL group would like to increase awareness and support for declaration of an Island County climate emergency; recruit Oak Harbor and Camano teams to circulate the United Student Leader’s petition; talk more about air travel and reducing fossil fuel use; work on Island County Comprehensive Plan; see Ryan’s House recycle; and have sustainable funding for Whidbey Climate Fund with 5 years of successful projects. The psychologists are interested in psychological and ethical issues of climate change.

 

As a followup the names and contact information of the participants was sent out so they would be able to contact each other to continue their conversation.

 

I will be gone most of May. There will be no salon in June.