climate change – Page 2 – Fairfax Master Naturalists

Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System

February 8, 2021/in Curated Resources, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

The National Academies of Science and Medicine just published their report, Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System, and have made available a public overview and interactive summaries to make the 200+ document easier to digest. See the links below.

Report Resources

Upcoming Events

Join the National Academy of Sciences study chair Stephen Pacala for a Climate Conversation at the National Academies on Feb 18, 2021 at 3pm ET. Learn more and register to attend at https://climate-convo-decarb.eventbrite.com

Here’s a clear, 101-level overview of what the social cost of carbon means, courtesy of Resources for the Future.

On February 23 and February 25, Fairfax County Wants to Hear from You on Energy and Transportation

February 2, 2021/2 Comments/in Events, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

Did you know, 68 percent of Fairfax County residents believe that individual citizens should do more to address climate change? Climate change is a global problem, but it also stands to impact us locally and we have a responsibility to address it head on. In response, Fairfax County has created a Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan, or CECAP.

The facts can be hard to swallow: climate change is expected to alter the geographic reach, seasonal distribution, and abundance of disease vectors, like mosquitoes and ticks. Infectious diseases that were once considered tropical or subtropical may become commonplace in our region. On top of that, the economic sector most at risk due to climate change is agriculture. For each degree Celsius our global thermostat increases, there will be a 5 to 15 percent decrease in overall crop production. As supply decreases, and demand remains the same or increases, the price of food could very well rise.

The good news is no action is too small to make a difference. From changing a light bulb, to choosing to drive an electric vehicle, to weatherizing a home or business, we can all participate in climate action in multiple ways according to our means and abilities. There is no guarantee that our individual actions will directly alter our experience of climate change here in Fairfax County in the short term, but inaction is not an option if we want to see positive change here and elsewhere in our region in the long term. The CECAP is our path forward – a roadmap for our community, showing us the many ways we can start to address climate change locally.

Please learn more about climate action in Fairfax County. Later this month, online surveys will be available, and the county will host two public meetings to gather community input on climate change mitigation strategies and actions.

February 23, 2021: Virtual public meeting on energy issues. Join via WebEx.

February 25, 2021: Virtual public meeting on transportation, development, and waste issues. Join via WebEx.

Engage with Fairfax County’s Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan

February 1, 2021/in Events, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

The Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination is currently working with county residents and stakeholders to develop the first-ever Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan, or CECAP. Here is some information about this initiative and why it matters.

It’s a fact: 97 percent of climate scientists agree that human-driven climate change is taking place now. Climate change occurs when greenhouse gases build up in our atmosphere and trap heat that might otherwise escape, causing shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns over time. In the United States, and in Fairfax County specifically, the two greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions are the burning of fossil fuels to provide electricity for buildings, and the burning of fossil fuels by vehicles on our roads.

Fairfax County is not immune to the effects of climate change, we already experience stronger storms related to climatic shifts. A single severe storm in 2019 cost Fairfax County taxpayers $14 million. That is money that could have been spent on other county services, programs, and projects. Extreme weather events pose a risk to life and property as well. Many residents stand to lose personal property and real estate as the result of flooding and other weather impacts.

While there are limits to what the Fairfax County government can do to address climate change locally, individual residents can make a major difference. More than 95 percent of local greenhouse gas emissions come from sources other than local government operations – like energy use at home, business operations, and cars and trucks on our roads. The CECAP will define actions we can each take to be a part of the solution.

You can learn more about climate action in Fairfax County. Later this month, online surveys will be available, and the county will host public meetings to gather community input on climate change mitigation strategies and actions. FMN will share more information about opportunities for you to participate in the coming weeks.

Attend CECAP Energy and Transportation Subgroup Meetings, Jan 27 and 28

January 25, 2021/in Events, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

CECAP Energy Subgroup – January 27, 2021

1/27/2021 6:00 pm – 1/27/2021 8:00 pm

The Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) Working Group subgroup on energy will meet on January 27, 2021 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM electronically via WebEx. At this meeting, the subgroup will continue the brainstorming discussion begun in early December regarding various emission reduction strategies.

Members of the public can access the WebEx meeting by clicking this link and entering meeting number 179 566 7793, and pass code 520676. Join by phone: 1-415-655-0001 and enter access code: 179 566 7793.

Please note, this meeting will be recorded pursuant to Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA) requirements. The recording of this meeting will be posted publicly on this website.

MEETING MATERIALS

Please click here to view the meeting agenda.

Please click here to view the strategy discussion starters. The purpose of this document is to provide background information and a starting list of sector-specific strategies to guide and inform sector-specific discussions.

CECAP Transportation and Development Subgroup – January 28, 2021

1/28/2021 6:00 pm – 1/28/2021 8:00 pm

The Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) Working Group subgroup on transportation, development, and waste will meet on January 28, 2021 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM electronically via WebEx. At this meeting, the subgroup will continue the brainstorming discussion begun in early December regarding various emission reduction strategies.

Members of the public can access the WebEx meeting by clicking this link and entering meeting number 179 820 1268, and pass code 976488. Join by phone: 1-415-655-0001 and enter access code: 179 820 1268.

Please note, this meeting will be recorded pursuant to Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA) requirements. The recording of this meeting will be posted publicly on this website.

MEETING MATERIALS

Please click here to view the meeting agenda.

Please click here to view the strategy discussion starters. The purpose of this document is to provide background information and a starting list of sector-specific strategies to guide and inform sector-specific discussions.

Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets

January 18, 2021/in Learning Opportunities, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

Coursera offers this excellent 7-hour intro-level class from Johns Hopkins (no charge so long as you don’t need the certificate). In addition to the easy-to-follow lectures and short assessments, the class offers downloadable reports and other resources, and enables you to download the videos and slides as well.

Overview

What we eat and how we produce that food have significant effects on human health and the sustainability of our planet. But what is a ‘sustainable’ diet? A sustainable diet, as defined by the FAO, promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations. This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex relationship between diet and climate change. Learners explore current research on dietary shifts needed in high, middle, and low-income countries to achieve both sustainability and food security goals and discuss evidence-based strategies to promote sustainable diets. This course is offered by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and draws from the graduate-level food systems curriculum at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. You may also be interested in our eight-week flagship Coursera course, “An Introduction to the US Food System: Perspectives from Public Health”.

Introduction to Food Systems Sustainability and Public Health

Our food system is much more than a supply chain that brings food from the farm to your plate. What is a food system? How can thinking about food as a system help us understand and address the messy overlapping issues of diet, food production, planetary health and climate change? What does ‘sustainability’ mean, in the context of food systems, and is it the same as resilience? How has COVID-19 pandemic amplified the many challenges faced by vulnerable workers and consumers? Roni Neff addresses these questions – and many more – in this opening series of lectures.

Sustainable Diets and Climate Change

What defines a sustainable diet? Why do sustainable diets matter? And what might sustainable diets look like in the US and around the world? The answers may surprise you. In this engaging and thought-provoking set of lectures, Brent Kim will address these questions and explain recent research that compares the impact of different diets on greenhouse gas emissions and water use across 140 countries.

Strategies for Advancing Sustainable Diets

The final week explores sustainable diets through the lens of a public health practitioner and registered dietician. They apply the concept of a sustainable diet to different parts of the world, considering the nutritional needs of different populations and why it is difficult to define a ‘sustainable’ diet for everyone. They share evidence-based strategies for communicating about sustainable diets and how different sectors can play a role in advancing change.

For FMN members: The course has been submitted to the continuing education calendar for credit. check back for information on approval.

Taking Nature Black Conference, February 23rd- 27th

January 17, 2021/in Events, News and Updates/by Janet Quinn

Online Tuesday, February 23 – Saturday, February 27, 2021
Register here.

Taking Nature Black is an event, an opportunity, a time to pause for the cause. It’s a regional and national environmental lovefest. And it’s a Black healing, welcoming, organizing, celebrating, networking space. The theme is Call and Response: Elevating our Stories, Naturally! This year the stories are elevated chautauqua-style, so be on the lookout for speakers, creators, innovators, scientists, educators, musicians, artists, and entertainers telling their stories about everything from climate change to environmental justice and environmental joy in creative ways. Brought to you by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Full conference schedule here.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

January 12, 2021/in Curated Resources, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

Find the list, ways to engage, and lots of resources here.

The UN asked musician AY Young to be its only US ambassador on behalf of the 17 SDGs–because he powers all of his concerts with renewable energy.

Drawdown 101: An Introduction to the Science of Climate Change

January 5, 2021/in Curated Resources, Learning Opportunities, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

A well-reasoned, thoughtful conversation on climate, with data, stories, and counsel.

Dr. Jonathan Foley is the Executive Director of Project Drawdown and the California Academy of Sciences (which brings us iNaturalist).

Yup, the video is an hour, and absolutely worth the investment of time. Learn the science behind bending the curve, viable drawdown scenarios, environmental justice, potential technical interventions, and steps we ourselves can easily take.

Look here for curated Creative Commons classroom materials.

Your turn: Which videos and resources are your own go-to’s? Share them in Comments and we’ll add them here with pleasure and great interest.

National Council for Science & the Environment and Project Drawdown 2021 Virtual Conference, Jan 5-9

December 26, 2020/in Events, Learning Opportunities, News and Updates/by vmnfairfax

Science & Solutions for a Planet under Pressure

Co-hosted by the National Council for Science & the Environment (NCSE) and Project Drawdown

January 5-9, 2021

The NCSE Drawdown 2021 Conference is bringing together leaders, research partners, scientists, decision-makers and friends from across the globe to share their science and solutions to the world’s most pressing global challenges. This joint conference will:

focus on the physical and social realities of climate change and the way this impacts people, ecosystems, markets and the places people live; and
how implementing climate solutions produces positive co-benefits to society, the economy, and the planet.

Read more about the themes, schedule, and speakers, and register (the last two days are free!)

For Fairfax Master Naturalists: This opportunity is posted to the Continuing Education Calendar.