Speakers

350.org was founded in 2008 by a group of university friends in the United States along with author Bill McKibben, who wrote one of the first books on global warming for the general public. The goal was to build a global climate movement. 350 was named after 350 parts per million — the safe concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Our first actions were global days of action that linked activists and organizations around the world, including the International Day of Climate Action in 2009, the Global Work Party in 2010, Moving Planet in 2011. 350 quickly became a planet-wide collaboration of organizers, community groups and regular people fighting for a fossil free future.

Note from Natalee: 

Even a casual glance at recent news could convince the reader that extreme weather is occurring around the world more frequently in the form of floods, droughts, heat waves and wildfires. Increasingly, scientists are coming forward to link these catastrophic events to climate change and urging rapid action to address the accelerating rate of these changes. Along with many other organizations addressing this issue, 350.org is an international movement working to build a world of community-led renewable energy for all. As one of the state affiliates, 350VT's mission is to organize, educate, and support people in Vermont to work together for climate justice. 

There are currently two multi-faceted campaigns underway with 350VT. Our ReWild Vermont initiative hopes to build on the connections between food justice, climate action and ecological restoration to meet the goal of planting one hundred thousand trees across the state by the end of 2022. The role of trees in sequestering carbon is a key aspect of this campaign, as drawing CO2 down from the atmosphere is critical to mitigating climate change. 350VT is also providing strong backing for a Just Transition. 

I've come to climate justice activism as a result of a lifetime of finding great joy in nature and of being deeply concerned about the catastrophic impact of the current climate change trajectory. As a psychologist in the Burlington School District I am deeply committed to improving the lives of my students. Helping insure a livable earth and a sustainable future is at the heart of both my volunteer and professional commitments which also include membership on the Essex Energy committee, mentoring through Mercy Connections and  volunteering at the Peace and Justice Center.  

Iris Hsiang, an Essex High School Student and member of the EWSD Board, has been appointed as a voting member of the Vermont Climate Council (VCC).  Her appointment was from the Vermont Senate and her role is to represent "Vermont Youth".  She is serving on the Agriculture & Ecosystems Subcommittee. 

Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act, passed in September, 2020, effectively requires that Vermont hit its climate pollution reduction targets. To do so, it established the Vermont Climate Council, which will work to create comprehensive and equitable solutions to both reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our communities are prepared for existing and potential consequences of climate change.

The Climate Council consists of 23 members representing a diverse array of backgrounds, from low income and climate advocates to a dairy farmer and a utilities representative. 

Bio for Iris Hsiang – Representing Vermont Youth:  Iris Hsiang is a student at Essex High School and an outspoken activist. Iris was born on a teaching farm in Plymouth Vermont and moved with her family to Essex, where she lives and goes to school today. She is a member on the EWSD school board, a Youth Lobby Facilitator, the legislative lead for the Students Demand Action Vermont Field Office, the community service committee head for EHS student gov, a student leader for the EHS Red Cross club, a and a co-lead for the EHS Social Justice Union. She will graduate from EHS in 2022 with honors, GLP, STEM academy, and Spanish Honor Society endorsements. She is the Junior Organizer for VPIRG and was previously the Junior Youth and Democracy Organizer for VPIREF. Iris was a Vermont Legislative Page, interned with representative Marybeth Redmond, and Senator (now Senate Pro Term) Becca Balint, and has been pushing legislators to make change in the statehouse ever since. Iris was a part of organizing the Youth Climate congress, and several Marches for the climate, she helped push for the global warming solutions act and is excited to help enact it. Iris works hard for the things she cares about and knows that the climate crisis is the biggest threat to her generation and is disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.

In Vermont and across the United States, the need for blood is high.  Members may have heard the advertisements emploring people to give blood to meet the need of our medical institutions.  As an Account Representative / Donor Recruitment for the American Red Cross of Northern New England, Bradley Howort will help Essex Rotary understand the nature of the crisis and how local groups can help by becoming blood drive sponsors.  

Essex Rotary has several special connections to the American Red Cross and to blood donations.  Current President Max Levy has been a Red Cross volunteer at many disasters, helping coordinate the delivery of meals to people dealing with floods, hurricanes and other disasters.  On the blood donation front, Jim Bessette has donated over 120 gallons - yes, that's gallons - during a lifetime of giving. 

Chase Harr is attempting to climb 67 peaks in New England that are over 4,000 ft above sea level.  The effort is called Second Summits Project: Climbing with a Cause.  Any funds dedicated to the project will go to ShelterBox, a project Essex Rotary has supported for several years.  For each $1,000 contributed, ShelterBox can provide a kit to people living through a disaster - with materials to help folks with shelter and capacity to cook.  

Chase will talk with us from somewhere on the trail - perhaps on the top of a mountain.  Likely in New Hampshire.  During week 5 of his climbing oddessy, he will summit Camels Hump and Mount Mansfield.  

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Essex Rotary members will be running and playing in the Clubs annual golf tournament.

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The Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) at UVM helps Vermont consumers resolve disputes with businesses, protect themselves from fraud and access available services. The Consumer Assistance Program: 

• Runs a consumer hotline for information and assistance
• Provides a letter mediation service for consumers and businesses
• Tracks scam trends and provides educational resources
• Finds answers from Vermont State government and connects you with other resources

In this presentation Lisa Jensen, Assistant Director of the CAP will talk about scams on the rise and how the SLOW method can prevent a loss of money and/or personal information.  Scammers use every tool available to steal money and information from consumers. Vermonters filed 5,021 scam reports with the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) in 2020. Unfortunately, many scam encounters result in monetary loss in Vermont. In 2020, 249 Vermonters lost approximately $1.5 million, in total, to scammers. The most common scams associated with monetary loss were imposter scams (scammers posing as friends, family members, or romantic interests) and online classified listing scams (scams perpetrated on sites such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace). Scammers ask their victims to send money using a variety of methods, including gift card transactions, peer-to-peer payments apps like Venmo or CashApp, wire transfers, and cash or checks in the mail.  During the presentation, we will share prevention tips and invite you to become a CAP Ally to help protect your family, friends and neighbors. 

Dave Johnson has arranged a third reprise of Mike McGovern's visit of 2019 and 2020.  Essex Rotary is very lucky to have Mike McGovern from Cape Elizabeth, ME and the Chair of the PolioPlus International Committee, join us once again.  He was a Trustee of the RI Foundation from 2012 to 2016 and has been involved with the PolioPlus committee from 2014 to today. 

His work on the PolioPlus Committee is described here.   Volunteer chair of Rotary International PolioPlus Committee providing strategic direction to Rotary's polio eradication program. Represent Rotary on the Polio Strategy Committee of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Responsible for working with Rotary leaders around the world and Rotary staff in raising over $100 million each year and in advocating to governments and others to contribute additional sufficient funds to end polio.

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