Past Events
Saturday, September 19, 2020: 3pm- 4:30pm
Climate Communications & Stories, presented by Hobie Stocking
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our first regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Saturday October 10, 2020 at 4pm until 4pm on Sunday, October 11
24 Hours of Reality
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Lee Frelich Presents: Climate Change and Forests
Wednesday, November 11, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured Speaker: Peter Berglund of CCL
Wednesday, December 9, 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
& Annual Chapter Election.
Featured speaker: Priscilla Trinh
Topic: Food Sovereignty and Climate: Planting the Seeds of Change
Plus a short talk by chapter member
Renee Obrecht-Como: Soil-to-soil Textiles and Regenerative Agriculture: Sequestering Carbon and Reducing Plastics Pollution.
(Plastics, which are a significant source of greenhouse gases and other pollutants that are harmful to humans and other living things, have become a major component of our clothes and household textiles. One alternative is regional textile economies that focus on natural fibers and dyes produced using regenerative systems.)
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 1:00pm CDT Webinar: Following the 2020 Election
A Virtual Town Hall with Former US President Al Gore and Climate Reality to Discuss what comes next.
Wednesday, January 13, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Rod Fisher presents: An introduction to En-ROADS
En-ROADS is a transparent, freely-available policy simulation model that gives everyone the chance to design their own scenarios to limit future global warming. You can try your own experiments and assumptions, and get immediate feedback on the likely impacts.
Plus short presentations by one or more chapter members, including:
Graham Stock: "Why the Solar and Wind Approach Alone will Fail Us“
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured Speaker: Member J. Drake Hamilton of Fresh Energy will discuss "Minnesota Climate Policy Acceleration" in 3 areas:
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100% Carbon-Free Electricity by 2040 for Minnesota
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The State-Level Climate Initiatives the Biden Administration needs to bring to the Paris Agreement
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The Big Climate Policy that Became Law Under then-President Trump (which immediately swells our Paris Agreement ambition)
Plus chapter member Richard Michel will give a short talk on the Minnesota Clean Cars Rule.
UPDATE: Click HERE to view a recording of this meeting!
Thursday, February 11 and February 18 at 6:00pm
Chapter Training Series: Federal Lobbying Workshop
Please join us for our next Chapter Training Series: Federal Lobbying Workshop. This will be a two-part series giving you insight into Climate Reality’s 2021 legislative priorities, quick tips and tricks on making an effective pitch to your member of Congress, and an opportunity to practice with fellow chapter members.
The two trainings will be held on February 11 and 18 at 6 PM CT, and will outline how you can take effective federal action within your chapter. We encourage you to register, even if you can’t make both sessions. Following the second training, Climate Reality will send out an exciting announcement regarding our 2021 plans for federal work, so be sure to join to get a sneak peek!
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured Speaker: Member Cheryl Olseth will discuss the Grasslands of the Northern Great Plains and their role in the Climate Crisis
Click HERE to view a recording of Cheryl's presentation.
Plus a short presentation by Eric Meyer: Two steps forward, one step back: How early nuclear plant closures are canceling climate progress and benefiting the fossil fuel industry.
Click HERE to view a recording of Eric's presentation.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Joe Meinholz
Topic: Hopeful resistance for a livable future: An update from the fight to Stop the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
Joe is the Outreach Coordinator at Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light. To learn more about Joe, visit: https://www.mnipl.org/who-we-are/our-staff/joe-meinholz/ .
Plus short a presentation by chapter member Graham Stock on the "Ethical Transportation of Oil and Gas"
Click HERE to view a recording of the presentation.
Thursday, April 15, 2021: 6:00pm CT
Chapter Training Series: Public Hearings & Testimony
Learn how to identify local, regional, state, and federal hearing opportunities, as well practice what you’ve learned through a few case studies.
Wednesday, April 22, 2021: - Sunday, May 2, 2021
Climate Reality Leadership Training with former Vice President Al Gore
Wednesday, May 5, 2021: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Chapter Leadership Meeting via Zoom
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Jothsna Harris
Topic: The Power of Climate Storytelling
All of us are eyewitnesses to climate change. Given the imprint of climate change all around us it has become increasingly clear that ... we all have a story to tell.
In this time of disinformation, the truth of our personal stories matter. Hear from Jothsna Harris, Director of Community Engagement at "Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy" regarding how our stories can serve as a powerful tool to communicate about the reality of climate change and inspire solutions.
Plus a short presentation by chapter member Hobie Stocking: "Birds, Turbs and Words" - a short story about wind turbines, birds and how language affects how we think.
Click HERE to view a recording of the presentations.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
New Members Gathering
If you recently completed Climate Reality Leadership training, recently joined our chapter, or are just interested in meeting other members, you are invited to our first "NEW MEMBERS" gathering.
We'll focus on what interests you, be it overviews of chapter initiatives, Acts of Leadership, covering events that happened before you joined the chapter, or sharing information / learning new things, et cetera. Note that the gatherings are open to ALL chapter members.
At this first meeting, the focus was on hearing from you as to what you would like the gatherings to cover. We then sent out a survey, to assess what to focus on at future gatherings.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Ellen Anderson
Ellen will discuss Minnesota's climate targets in different sectors of the economy, and what we can do about the failing grades.
Ellen Anderson currently serves as the Climate Program Director for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA). Prior to joining MCEA she has held a variety of positions. She served in the Minnesota State Senate for 18 years, clerked for the MN Court of Appeals, was a Hennepin County Public Defender, served as Chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Energy/Environmental Advisor to Governor Dayton, and led the Energy Transition Lab at the University of MN.
Ellen grew up in New Jersey, came to MN for college and never left. Graduated from Carleton College, and UMN Law School cum laude.
To view a recording of this presentation, click HERE.
Wednesday, June 23, 2021: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
New Members Gathering
If you recently completed Climate Reality Leadership training, recently joined our chapter, or are just interested in meeting other members, you are invited to our second "NEW MEMBERS" gathering.
We'll focus on what interests you, be it overviews of chapter initiatives, Acts of Leadership, covering events that happened before you joined the chapter, or sharing information / learning new things, et cetera. Note that the gatherings are open to ALL chapter members.
The agenda for June 23 included:
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The results of our new member survey
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A brief introduction to En-ROADS, an incredible web based climate model that helps us grasp the implications of climate change and how to address it.
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A discussion of “The World’s Littlest Book on Climate” (To obtain a copy, see https://tenintenco2.com/ )
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Choosing our first group project, and more.
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Brad Schallert
Topic: Aviation, Travel and Climate
“As the Covid-19 pandemic spread in March 2020, the airline sector saw their most precipitous and significant activity drop in history. While this was good short-term for climate emissions, it didn’t mean that the challenge to transform the hardest to decarbonize sector got any easier. Against the backdrop of airplanes returning to the skies in ever greater numbers as we come out of the pandemic, we’ll look at ways to reduce your individual aviation climate footprint, projected emissions trends for the sector, and potential aviation climate policies on the horizon to ensure the airline sector does its part towards achieving a safe climate future.”
Click HERE to view a recording of the presentation.
Wednesday, July 28, 2021: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
New Members Gathering
If you recently completed Climate Reality Leadership training, recently joined our chapter, or are just interested in meeting other members, you are invited to our third "NEW MEMBERS" gathering.
We'll focus on what interests you, be it overviews of chapter initiatives, Acts of Leadership, covering events that happened before you joined the chapter, or sharing information / learning new things, et cetera. Note that the gatherings are open to ALL chapter members.
The agenda for July 28 included:
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A Truth in Ten presentation by one of our members
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Mary Britton introduced us to the incredible Neighborhood Climate Action Plan that her team has implemented in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis.
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Open Discussion
Wednesday, August 11, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Eric Ingersoll
Topic: Decarbonizing Flight
(and the rest of transportation).
Click HERE to view a recording of the presentation.
Wednesday, August 25, 2021: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
New Members Gathering
If you recently completed Climate Reality Leadership training, recently joined our chapter, or are just interested in meeting other members, you are invited to our fourth "NEW MEMBERS" gathering.
We'll focus on what interests you, be it overviews of chapter initiatives, Acts of Leadership, covering events that happened before you joined the chapter, or sharing information / learning new things, et cetera. Note that the gatherings are open to ALL chapter members.
The agenda for August 25 included:
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A discussion of David C. Korten's book "Change the Story, Change the Future"
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Open Discussion
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Meredith Angwin
Topic: The Fragility of the Grid
As a working chemist, Meredith Angwin headed projects that lowered pollution and increased reliability on the electric grid. Her work included pollution control for nitrogen oxides in gas-fired combustion turbines, and corrosion control in geothermal and nuclear systems.
She was one of the first women to be a project manager at the Electric Power Research Institute. She led projects in renewable and nuclear energy.
In the past ten years, she began to study and take part in grid oversight and governance. For four years, she served on the Coordinating Committee for the Consumer Liaison Group associated with ISO-NE, her local grid operator. She teaches courses and presents workshops on the electric grid.
Meredith's newest book - Shorting the Grid, The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid is an exposé of the insider-ruled practices of the “deregulated” areas of the United States electric grid. Shorting the Grid shows the hidden problems caused by lack of accountability on the grid.
Americans need to pay attention to how the grid is managed. Hopeful speeches will not keep the lights on. If you assume that the lights will go on when you flip a switch, you need to read this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Shorting-Grid-Hidden-Fragility-Electric-ebook/dp/B08KZ51SDP
Meredith has been keynote or featured speaker at several nuclear events, including keynote at the worldwide Nuclear Science Week in 2018.
She and her husband George live in Vermont. They have two children and four grandchildren who live in the New York City area.
Click HERE to view a recording of the event.
Wednesday, October 13, 2021 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Our regular CHAPTER Zoom meeting
Featured speaker: Emma Redfoot
Topic: Microreactors (Decentralized Nuclear)
“Emma Redfoot is a reactor engineer for Oklo, a startup focused on designing and building fission reactors to empower people while mitigating climate change. Emma has a BA in environmental studies from Lewis and Clark College and an MS in nuclear engineering from the University of Idaho. Growing up in Montana, the beautiful setting inspired Emma’s passion for spending time in nature and sparked her concern for the environment.
While working towards her environmental studies degree, Emma lived in Ecuador for 6 months and in Peru for 6 months. During that time, Emma observed how the local people were seeking opportunities for themselves and their families. This often meant moving to cities to find better jobs. This experience helped Emma to understand the interrelationship between energy and poverty. Energy provides a means for communities to empower themselves. After researching different energy sources, Emma concluded that nuclear needs to be a part of the clean energy mix.”
--From: https://nric.inl.gov/what-inspires-us-interactive-nuclear-narratives/
Click HERE to view a recording of Emma's talk.
Monday, November 8, 2021 7pm - 8:30pm CST
In lieu of a November chapter meeting, we co-hosted a special event focused on Climate Solutions.
Featured speaker: Dr. Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown
Topic: Achieving Drawdown – A Hopeful, Science-Based Approach to "Stop" Climate Change.
Click HERE to view further details, including a video recording of the event!
