Category: Quarterly Newsletter
March 2024
What a terrific first quarter of our 10th anniversary year! Read about all our accomplishments.
December 2023
And what a decade it has been since the inception of C-Change Conversations in 2014.
March 2023
Our goal from our very first day in 2014 is to educate others on the risk of climate change …
July 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
We are so excited about new developments at C-Change that are enabling us to expand our reach and impact, such as…
April 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
Nearly 1,000 students, parents, and faculty â C-Changeâs largest audience ever â attended a Primer presentation in February.
January 2022 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
What a way to begin the year! With the surge in COVID-19 cases, it feels a bit like the movie “Groundhog Day,” where time keeps looping back over and over. Just when we were supposed to be ramping up and going “full throttle,” presenting on the road, we are returning to Zoom or rescheduling, hoping for a safer time to come together.
That said, C-Change Conversations finished last year “strong” with two events I’d like to tell you about. First: a presentation at a Minneapolis-area country club with a number of skeptics in the audience. It was a large crowd, and we held a lively Q&A and received very positive reviews.
At dinner I was seated next to an atmospheric scientist who thanked me for my presentation, saying that she worries about the world her small children will inherit because she is so cognizant of the immensity of the threat. She was impressed that we were able to get the skeptics there to take pause, listen, and try to understand; to actually look at the graphs and comprehend what the science means; and to ask questions about a subject whose gravity they may not have truly considered before that evening. She even said she had “tingles” during our presentation and was so thankful we exist and are doing what we do.
Needless to say, the C-Change team was both humbled and energized by her comments.
The second event was a Zoom presentation of our Primer to an innovative energy company, Ledger8760, an entrepreneurial start-up that helps companies lower their carbon footprint and save money. We were asked to remind their team “why they are fighting the fight” and of the enormity of what is at stake. Like the skeptics at the country clubs, the president of this young company full of climate change and energy experts said he was very impressed by our approach and learned a lot of new information from our presentation.
Two very different audiences, one very similar result.
So, despite feeling like we are in a “Groundhog Day” fog, these responses give us energy for the challenges ahead!
Here’s to forward momentum in the New Year!
Best,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder & President
Growing Number of Business Leaders Value the C-Change Primer
C-Change continues to expand its offerings to business audiences, building on successful presentations to real estate companies, Commonwealth Bank, and YPO Gold, which is part of a global network and leadership organization for chief executives and business owners.
As noted above, in December C-Change presented an adapted version of our Primer to 50 employees of Ledger8760, a company that provides companies, utilities, and other entities with a carbon tracking platform that measures energy, emissions, and utility information. The presentation covered the science and effects of warming temperatures using a risk assessment framework that is similar to how business people look at risk: how likely is the risk, how dire the consequences could be, and how difficult or costly it could be to avoid the risks associated with climate change.
Scott Mattei, a venture capitalist with United Capital Group, saw the Primer in August and recommended it to Adam Kramer, the CEO of Ledger8760. Scott says:
“The global warming presentation made by Kathleen Biggins with C-Change Conversations opened my eyes in so many ways. She recently presented to my YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) chapter and to say it was impressive is an understatement. I am not a climate change skeptic, but I did have some unanswered questions. By the end of her presentation, she had answered and/or disproved in a completely non-partisan way any preconceived ideas I had on the subject. I cannot wait to hear her present again and witness how many people’s eyes she can open to the reality of the situation!”
Our original, health, and business Primers are an education tool for employees, suppliers, board members, and other key constituencies who need to understand the basics of climate change to make informed decisions. We hope you will contact us to discuss how a presentation might be helpful to your organization.
C-Change Expands Reach to Influential Audiences
In 2021 we delivered 42 Primers to more than 2,000 audience members. Special kudos to Dallas Hetherington, who delivered 11 of them (9 by Zoom), and Catherine Sidamon-Eristoff, who recently presented in person at one of her alma maters, the Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City.
We were especially delighted to extend our reach to the hallowed halls of Congress. The Conservative Climate Caucus educates Republican Members of Congress and staff on climate policies and legislation consistent with conservative values. It is led by Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), who feels strongly that Republicans need to be more aggressive in taking a leadership position on climate and helping shape legislation. We were delighted to learn about the Caucus when it launched last summer and excited to have the opportunity for Kathleen Biggins to present the Primer in October to the Deputy Executive Director of the Caucus and Rep. Curtis’s staff. Their response was very positive, and we continue to explore how we might work together to share useful, non-partisan information about climate change with more people.
Virtual Primer presentations to audiences across the country continue as well. In November, from her home in St. Louis, Nancy Ylvisaker presented to the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay in South Dartmouth, MA. Last week, Kathleen presented our Health Primer to a joint meeting of the Garden Club of Chevy Chase and the Perennial Garden Club â both in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. Late last year she presented the Primer to the Pasadena, Diggers, and Hancock Park garden clubs in the Los Angeles area.
Meet the Team
From Kathleen Biggins â
Sophie Glovier is one of those uber-competent people who seem to do everything well. She is a natural leader who gets so many things done â all with a warm smile and a gracious outlook.
We asked Sophie to join us early on to help us with our strategic planning, but she quickly exceeded that mandate, helping us write our bylaws, start our development efforts, deepen our relationship with the Garden Club of America on a national level, and secure highly respected experts for our speaker’s series. She also stepped forward to learn the Primer and became our second presenter â proving that our model of training others to deliver our non-partisan, scientifically-based messaging could work and thereby significantly extending our reach. Of course, presenting is one of those many things Sophie does extremely well!
Sophie has been a leader on environmental issues in the Princeton area for many years, and currently is the Assistant Policy Director at The Watershed Institute. Recently she and I delivered a well-received presentation at the Land Trust Alliance national conference on how climate change will impact our health and personal security. Sophie focused on the many benefits of green infrastructure and the power of local volunteerism and action, highlighting ways that all of us can act and make a difference. To top it all off, she has also written a book called “Walk the Trails In and Around Princeton.”
We are very appreciative to have Sophie’s talents and expertise on our team!
From Sophie Glovier –
Why I’m involved with C-Change: The women who founded C-Change Conversations are an inspiration to me. They had the courage to start talking about the topic of climate change to conservative audiences when that was a really difficult thing to do. And our approach is working. As one of the team members who has presented the Primer, I’ve seen what a powerful tool it is to make audiences aware â and care â about the threat that climate change poses to their health, safety, and the economy.
What have you learned about climate change that makes you hopeful?
I am hopeful because many of the steps that we need to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will have tremendous “co-benefits” that will make our lives better in a myriad of ways. Our air will become cleaner as fossil fuels are phased out. The use of green infrastructure, like rain gardens, in our cities will help to address the flooding that will be the result of climate change-related increases in precipitation and storm intensity. Urban green spaces have been shown to reduce crime, improve mental health, and provide urban habitat for birds and insects. I also am hopeful because I see more and more people becoming engaged in their local communities, working together to solve the challenges of addressing climate change.
New Jersey Climate Change Symposium Features C-Change Team Member
C-Change co-founder Pam Mount recently spoke at a climate change symposium sponsored by the City of Cape May, New Jersey and organized and moderated by Virginia Hesel, a Rutgers University Environmental Steward.
Dr. Ed Mahaney, a consultant on an array of development and sustainability measures and a former Cape May mayor, invited Pam to participate in the symposium titled, “A Scientific Approach to Global Warming and Climate Change.” In addition to co-founding C-Change, Pam is founder of Sustainable Jersey, owner of Terhune Orchards, and a well-known and respected leader in the sustainability, resilience, and climate adaptation movement.
At the symposium, held at the Cape May Convention Center in November, Pam joined a panel of environmental and health experts, including Dr. Thomas Herrington, associate director of the Urban Coast Institute at Monmouth University, and Dr. Rouzbah (Ross) Nazari, associate professor and co-director of Sustainable Smart Cities Research Center at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. While Drs. Herrington and Nazari focused on the science and impacts of climate change, especially to the New Jersey coastline, Pam spoke about how important it is for everyday folk to talk about climate change and what individuals and communities can do to curtail and alleviate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. Check out our list of possible actions.
Sustainable Jersey’s programs are a critical piece of municipal leadership in addressing climate change, Pam acknowledged, but she emphasized that we can’t just rely on government programs to solve the issue. Individual choices matter â from how often we drive and what kind of car, to energy use at home, to the way we eat and what we do with food scraps after a meal, said Pam. “Itâs like voting,” she said. “If each of us does it, if we all do our part, we can change the trajectory of the most important issue of our time.”
Congratulations, Pam! Thanks for all you do for C-Change and the planet!
C-Change “Heads South” for Upcoming Primers
In person and virtually, we’re heading down the road, across the state lines, and on to the Deep South over the next few months. Upcoming Primer presentation locations include:
- The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey
- Huntingdon Valley Garden Club and Planters Garden Club in western Pennsylvania
- Athens, Georgia, where we’re excited to be delivering deliver three presentations over three days to: the Athens Area Community Foundation; the Junior Ladies Garden Club, Heritage Garden Club, and Athens Garden Club; and the Rotary Club of Athens
- Little Rock, Arkansas Garden Club (by Zoom)
- Lookout Mountain, Tennessee Presbyterian Church
Of note, next month Catherine Sidamon-Eristoff will present the Primer virtually to OLLI students at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) is a continuing education program within universities in 125 locations in every state and Washington, DC. C-Change also has presented to OLLI programs at the University of California San Bernardino/Palm Desert and University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Get Involved with C-Change!
We often hear, “How can I help?” Here are a few ideas for supporting our mission of educating more people about the changing climate and hopeful solutions.
- Promote our Primers. Do you know of a group or employer who would be interested in a Primer presentation? We offer a Primer on the health impacts of climate change, another for business audiences (see story above), and our original Primer, which provides a 360-degree view of the science and effects of climate change. Our turnkey process makes it easy to request and book an event. Learn more.
- Spread the word. Forward this newsletter and encourage friends to sign up to receive this and our other publications, like the monthly Curated Climate News, which highlights news of concern â and hope â and puts it all in context.
- Volunteer. C-Change is run entirely by volunteers! You donât have to live in Princeton to get involved in a range of activities that fit your schedule and skillset. Email Kathleen Biggins to learn more.
- Ask a question. There’s no climate question too simple or complex for
C-Change’s climate science advisors. We field questions from people around the world through “Ask a Scientist” and publish the answers on our website. You can ask a question anytime. - Donate. Your support helps us expand our reach, especially to people and places who aren’t exposed to the full picture on climate change. Every contribution counts! You can make a donation here.
October 2021 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Fall is always a transition time, sandwiched between the languid days of summer and the blurred race of the winter holidays. Our team at C-Change is already off to the races, and our days are blurring by. Weâre back on the road doing live presentations, creating videos, showcasing new products, accessing new audiences, and winning new awards.
Why do we do this hard work? Because we know collectively we are all in a race â to come together to slow and manage climate change before it overwhelms us. The race starts right here in our home communities and across our broad and diverse country. And it starts by engaging others who do not understand the risk and inviting them to be part of the solution. Without broad public understanding of the scope and severity of the risk, we cannot have the public will to support action, and we cannot win this race.
Getting back on the road has been exhausting, but so validating. We are reaching discerning and skeptical audiences with tremendous success, from western Pennsylvania to North Carolina to Missouri and Minnesota. The unique way we frame the issue, and our inclusive tone and manner, are opening hearts and minds.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Best,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder & President
C-Change Addresses Land Stewards for 2nd Consecutive Year
In early October, C-Change was honored to appear at Rally 2021, an annual land conservation conference hosted by the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). The organization is a national leader in policy, standards, education, and training for the land trust community.
Kathleen Biggins and Sophie Glovier presented “Storms and Floods: Talking to Conservatives about Water and Climate” to about 130 members of this influential audience. Land trustees are especially concerned about the byproducts of climate change such as flooding and subsequent polluted run-off and are uniquely positioned to initiate and sustain conversations about their concerns with members of their community.
The presentation focused on the health risks of climate change â especially our access to clean water â and how proven remediation efforts are making a difference. Jim Waltman, executive director of The Watershed Institute, a New Jersey organization of advocates, scientists, and educators helping keep water clean, safe, and healthy, introduced Kathleen and Sophie in the recorded presentation. Kathleen, the founder and president of C-Change, and Sophie, the Watershedâs assistant director of policy and a C-Change team member, answered questions from a live audience following the presentation. This was the second consecutive year C-Change has been invited to present at the LTA conference.
Biggins Delivers Primer to CEOs at 7-State Business Leadership Conference
Also in early October, Kathleen Biggins joined other distinguished speakers and attendees from seven southeastern states at the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) Southern 7 Gold Chapter Conference in Linville, NC. YPO is a global network and leadership organization for young chief executives and business owners. Kathleen, founder and president of C-Change Conversations, delivered the Primer in person to about 100 YPO members. With at least several climate skeptics in the audience, it was gratifying that many people approached her after the presentation to say they understood the issue better and wanted to learn more.
Award-Winning Website Has Our Name on It!
The C-Change Conversations website, designed by Howard Design Group, was honored with a Silver award in this year’s w3 Awards, winning for “Best Visual Appeal” and “Best Experience.” Congratulations to Jo Singer and the talented team at Howard, and C-Change team members Pam Parsons and Carrie Dyckman, who led the project for us. And thank you!
To Your Health? New Presentation is Sobering but Hopeful
The Health Primer is a new extension of our mission to deliver science-based, non-partisan climate change education. It focuses on how climate change will impact our ability to stay healthy and safe and what we can do about it. Covering the dire health effects of higher temperatures â including threats to our personal safety, food security, ability to manage diseases, air quality, and access to clean water â the Health Primer also explores how to innovate, mitigate, and adapt to a changing climate.
Like the original Primer, it is non-partisan, has powerful visuals, and is based on science from trusted sources. The Health Primer was well-received during several August and September presentations. Please contact Kathy Herring if you would like to learn more and explore booking the Health Primer for your group.
Oncologists Sound the Alarm on Climate Change and Air Pollution
Did you know that air pollution is the second leading cause of lung cancers worldwide? And that air pollution and climate change are closely related? Turns out that not enough health care providers know this either. That’s why Drs. Christine Berg and Joan Schiller â both ardent supporters of the C-Change mission and contributors to our Health Primer â are reaching out to their peers in the medical community and others about how climate change and air pollution impact our health.
On September 7th, C-Change published Joan’s blog, “Two Sides of the Same Coin: Air Pollution and Climate Change.“ Joan also is a trained presenter of the C-Change Primer.
The same week, Christine virtually presented their joint air pollution/lung cancer research at the most well-attended session of the 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer. The two oncologists found that five European countries â Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, and Poland â had the highest number of lung cancers due to air pollution among those aged 50 to 69. The correlation between burning coal and lung cancer in these countries is clear: Serbia derives 70% of its energy production from coal and Poland, 64%.
Thank you, Christine and Joan, for all you are doing to educate audiences about health risks tied to greenhouse gas emissions and a warming climate.
In-Person Primers Are Back!
Throughout the summer and fall, our team is continuing to deliver the Primer primarily to conservative and moderate audiences, and, gratefully, in person. For example, Nancy Ylvisaker presented the Primer in St. Louis to nearly 80 engineers through the American Public Works Association. Right before Labor Day, Kathleen Biggins delivered the Primer to three audiences (Linville Book Club, Blowing Rock Country Club, and The Grandfather Mountain Club) in the North Carolina mountains. Response was so positive she received invitations from audience members to present in their home cities of Durham, Charlotte, Birmingham, AL, and Vero Beach, FL. Last week, she flew to Minnesota to present to about 90 guests of the Woodhill Country Club on Wednesday and delivered the Primer presentation again the next day to the Minnetonka Garden Club.
Dallas Hetherington presented to members of the Four Seasons 55+ community in Warren, NJ and to about 70 people at the Rolling Rock Club, near Pittsburgh, PA. Dallas shared some of the feedback he received after the latter presentation from Simin Yazdgerdi Curtis, president & CEO of Pittsburgh’s American Middle East Institute. Simin said, “I have never heard (nor seen) such a comprehensive, visually powerful talk about Climate Change as I witnessed from you last night. The extent of the warming of our planet â with such shocking animated graphics â could not have been better conveyed than by your calm, articulate, ‘just the facts, ma’am’ delivery. In short, you are a great communicator and are engaged in an important mission.”
This receptivity mirrors our experience before COVID shut down in-person presentations, and it is reaffirming to see that our audiences value our content and approach.
Sold Out Benefit Supports the C-Change Mission
Our first large benefit, “Wine in the Time of Climate Change,” was a wonderful success. Sipping wine on a beautiful September evening, about 70 new and long-time friends and supporters enjoyed wine and spirits entrepreneur Mark Censits’ informative presentation about how winemakers are adapting to a changing climate and where we can find good wines in the future.
We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors â CoolVines, Otherwise Engaged Events, Skurnik Wines and Spirits, Terhune Orchards, and The Watershed Institute; our partner, Almora Advisors; and the amazing, hard-working C-Change volunteers.
Speaking of which, C-Change Conversations is a non-profit organization, run entirely by volunteers. We hope you will consider supporting us, especially on Giving Tuesday (November 30th) and through our year-end appeal. Please watch your email for these special opportunities to help us reach more people with non-partisan, science-based facts and a hopeful message about climate change.
Meet the Team
Sometimes you meet someone who is so interesting and articulate that time accelerates when you are with them. You look up and hours have passed when it felt like only minutes. Margaret Koval is one of those people. An Emmy-winning journalist with a broad range of interests and knowledge, and an accomplished artist who has lived abroad and travels widely, she always brings a fresh and insightful perspective.
We met when Margaret interviewed me for the “She Roars” podcast at Princeton University in which she showcased the school’s female graduates and professors who are making a difference in the world. We have several team members who are Princeton alumnae, and we were honored to have our C-Change story be included. When we decided to create a monthly newsletter curating climate news for our C-Change family, I immediately asked Margaret to come on board to help us write it, and to our collective delight, she agreed. Every month we wrestle with selecting news of hope and news of concern, including insightful quotes and engaging videos, and then Margaret adds her magic and weaves the story together. Take a look.
Why I’m involved with C-Change: I joined C-Change because it fills an incredibly important gap in the firehose of communications around the issue of climate change. It focuses on people who are unsure what stance to take and recognizes that most are busy, skeptical thinkers who welcome non-partisan information that is digestible without a PhD in atmospheric science. C-Change also appreciates the importance of economics, business, and jobs â not as part of the problem but as central to any real solution to global warming.
What have you learned about climate change that makes you hopeful? In the last few years, I’ve been deeply encouraged to meet many of the researchers and businesspeople working furiously on the issue of climate change. The biggest blast of hope for me came from a Princeton University study that mapped out five different ‘pathways’ to transform the U.S. energy sector â any one of them could achieve net zero greenhouse gases and go a long way to stop global warming. All of them would result in MORE jobs, more economic opportunity, and better human health compared to doing nothing.
C-Change in the News
TapintoPrinceton, an online community news source, provided wonderful exposure for C-Change in “If you think the weather’s wacky, a neighbor can probably explain.” We are so grateful to Richard Rein and Princeton, NJ-area journalists for sharing our story and encouraging more people to support our mission.
Do you know of other news outlets that would be interested in our story of a band of volunteers who offer non-partisan climate education and are opening minds and building consensus about climate change â one individual, one community, one conversation at a time? If so, please contact Kathleen Biggins with ideas for reaching more people with our message through print, broadcast, and online news sources. Thank you!
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