Parents for Climate Protection and Congregation Beth Elohim will be presenting their 2nd annual Annual Climate Awareness Day on January 23, 2011. There will be many interesting activities for both grown-ups and children:
For parents, Liz Butler is one of the keynote speakers. She is the campaign director at 1Sky, the nation’s largest collaborative climate campaign. Free childcare for children is available and and plenty of eco-activities for kids will make it possible for parents to focus on the program. However, you must reserve a space by January 17 for kids’ or teens’ activities: parentsforclimateprotection@gmail.com. This event is open to all and free.
About Ms. Butler: she has more than 17 years of experience organizing and campaigning on environmental issues, with a focus on both market and legislative campaigns. Prior to joining the 1Sky team, Butler was a co-founder of ForestEthics, where she spent 10 years as the Organizing Director. During that time, ForestEthics’ work resulted in the protection of over 50 million acres of forests in the U.S., Canada, and Chile. Butler also served as the National Organizing Director for American Lands Alliance, the Director of Missouri Public Interest Research Group, and graduated from Green Corps’ Environmental Leadership Training Program, where she received the third Alumni Achievement Award ever given by Green Corps. Liz is a recent recipient of the New Leaders Council “40 Under 40” Award in recognition of her advocacy work.
Donna Goodman, executive director of the EarthChild Institute, will also be on the roster, Ms. Goodman has researched the impacts of climate change on child health and nutrition in the developing world as well as within the context of disaster risk reduction and promotion of the capacities of children to bring about meaningful change. In regard to international negotiations, EarthChild Institute is a civil society observer to the UNFCCC and hosted a side event in Cancun focusing on Article 6 of the Climate Change Convention with several partners, as well as advocating for the rights, needs and capacities of children during the Conference of the Parties in Cancun.
The plenary is followed by four break-out sessions dealing with local climate and transportation issues, including:
1) State and City Climate Policy presented by Lauren Schuster, Esq., NYPIRG
2) The Impact of Climate Change on Global Food Production presented by the Brooklyn Food Coalition
3) Transportation Alternatives and Climate Change presented by Transportation Alternatives
4) Green Values and Ethics from a Jewish Perspective presented by Rabbi Dan Bronstein
For kids:
We offer fun, engaging and educational age-specific eco activities for kids delivered by science teachers. These activities take place while the parents attend the keynote presentation. Reserve your space now by e-mailing parentsforclimateprotection@gmail.com.
At all of our events, we offer the opportunity for parents and children to work together to influence the political process on climate legislation. Parents for Climate Protection provides letter-writing materials, including nature cut outs, paper, glue and scissors for kids to make beautiful collages to which parents add a message to their legislature about the urgent need for climate action.
Date: Sunday, January 23, 2 p.m.
Location: Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
Children’s activities: Please make reservations for childcare by e-mailing parentsforclimateprotection@gmail.com and or call 347.585.1443.
For more information, please visit us on the web at www.climateactivism.org, contact us at parentsforclimateprotection@gmail.com.
Co-sponsors: NYPIRG/1Sky, Brooklyn Food Coalition, Park Slope Parents, New York League of Conservation Voters, The Green Team at P.S. 154.
Parents for Climate Protection is fiscally sponsored by the Open Space Institute, Inc. (www.osiny.org)as part of its Citizen Action Program (http://www.osiny.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Issues_citizenaction_II) (www.osiny.org). All contributions to us are tax deductible.