Climate Change Workshop Oct. 15 in Berea

LWV unites groups pursuing energy efficiency in Berea community

Despite growing concerns about climate change and global warming, every one of the speakers at the LWV's forum Oct. 15 in Berea found reasons to be optimistic about the future, assuming communities and individuals change their ways.

The program began with a list of several different groups and individuals working together in Berea to become more energy efficient and sustainable.

Megan Naseman, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer working with Energy and Empowerment at Berea College, described work in Madison County on energy issues that engages a wide variety of citizen and governmental endeavors. They ranged from groups working on the accessibility of locally grown food to the poor to Transition Town Berea, a project of the Interdisciplianary programs Collaboration at Berea College and Sustainable Berea.

Energy and Empowerment Grants are funded by a Learn and Serve America Community-Based Research Innovation Grant. Projects funded by the CBR Energy and Empowerment Grants will be part of a larger three-year CBR project, focusing on energy and empowerment issues in Madison County.

Participants can connect with other community-based research teams through the Energy and Empowerment listserv and through community gatherings and resource sharing. 

The workshop was anchored by a presentation by Amy Malick, Midwest Regional director of an organization whose acronym ICLEI stands for the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability is a membership association of local governments committed to advancing climate protection and sustainable development. ICLEI includes nearly 1,000 cities in the world. Malick presented a PowerPoint presentation which described the phases by whcih a local government might change its energy use. The presentation can be viewed in PDF format.
 
ICLEI’s mission is to build, serve, and drive a movement of local governments to advance deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and achieve tangible improvements in local sustainability.