I am an artist and documentarian working in pencil, pastel, and film to convey my love of people and the planet. Please subscribe to my irregular email.
CounterAct Climate Change program December 13: Environmental Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
Change is the Only Constant
Dear Reader,
In May 2020 we launched this CounterAct Climate Change Project to educate and collaborate with others to help solve the problems of climate change. What started with a little group of three dozen friends and family members has grown to more than 1,000 in that short time! We've produced over a dozen programs, eliciting meaty conversations and much sharing of "best practices." Alas, after our December program, we are concluding this series to put into practice --- through action and activism --- what we've learned over the last year and a half. We know you are too!
We hope you have found it as fun, fascinating, and stimulating as we have. We may do an occasional program here or there, online or in person, but we've mutually decided to pursue other goals and activities (art, music, travel, etc.!) Our webcast recordings will continue to live in the Internet world, via our Vimeo channel.
To all who joined us on this journey (from the beginning or recently), we thank you for your participation and support! We hope we meet you again in other spaces, on a path in the woods, or in another educational forum.
No Nukes, or Go Nukes?
If you missed our most recent program, "Energy Realities," here's the link to the recorded video! It was truly an eye-opening and thought-provoking presentation; if you think that nuclear energy is not a safe option, this program may change your mind. Many climate change activists endorse renewable energy sources (wind, solar, etc.) and energy conservation (reduction) as the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, a significant number of climate scientists, policy makers, legislators, and environmental advocates view modern nuclear energy technology as safe, sensible, and necessary to meet the world's growing energy needs. The timing of our program was interesting, because news outlets have just begun reporting on the current global energy crisis (e.g., read this CNN article.)
Our presenter, David Butz, put together a comprehensive list of references for further reading on this subject. David is very willing to present for other organizations; if you want to reach out to him to discuss a speaking engagement, his email address is debutz@verizon.net.
Our Final Program... Coming up in December!
What are the Environmental Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet?
Monday, December 13
Presented by Sara Sezun
7:30-8:30 pm
(Audience Q&A from 8:00-8:30)
Register here.
Obtaining protein from animals - whether as meat, dairy, eggs or fish - has serious environmental consequences. Besides contributing to greenhouse gases, meat production depletes natural resources, causes air and water pollution, and leads to habitat loss for native species. Sara Sezun of the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter's Plant-based Planet Team will describe how you can minimize your environmental footprint by eating a plant-based diet, or at least reducing your consumption of animal food.
Climate Talks Hosted by the Tower Hill Botanic Garden
The CounterAct Climate Change Project has sponsored a series of online “Climate Talks” with the Tower Hill Botanic Garden. These talks are appropriate for academics, laypersons, town planners, conservationists, professional horticulturists, and botanists.
New England Alpine Plants
(On-demand webinar)
Available until Wednesday, December 15
Register on the Tower Hill Botanic Garden site.
This climate talk explored the current global biodiversity crisis caused by environmental change. The effects of this change make it critical for our communities to determine what our conservation priorities will be, especially when we understand which plants are the most vulnerable to extinction. This talk discussed one study of alpine plants of the mountains of the Northeast (rare alpine rattlesnake-root plants -Nabalus spp., Syn: Prenanthes spp.-) to understand how they will respond to ongoing environmental change. Through this study we can develop and use a framework for understanding the climate change vulnerability of certain plant species and develop plans for managing those species during climate change.
Presented by Kristen Haynes, PHD an ecologist and plant biologist whose work focuses on climate change conservation. Kristen studied Natural Resources at Cornell University and then pursued a PhD at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Currently, as the Assistant Director of SUNY Oswego’s Rice Creek Field Station, Kristen is co-leading a project aiming to restore native tree species to New York State’s canal region for ecosystem, climate, and cultural benefits.
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Susan Adele Edwards
I am an artist and documentarian working in pencil, pastel, and film to convey my love of people and the planet. Please subscribe to my irregular email.
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