April 2021 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Happy Spring! Just like the daffodils and tulips that are popping up here in Princeton, there’s lots of new activity among our growing team of volunteers. From presenting the Primer to our first international business audience, to our new website, to a great event with one of our climate science advisors, our momentum is on the upswing.

There is still great concern as the science becomes clearer and because so many people are underestimating the risk of climate change and clinging to the status quo. But there are more reasons for hope than in a long time, as new technologies offer answers.

We are hopeful and energized by positive news and developments in addressing the climate crisis. We hope you are too! Staying informed and engaged is an important way to be part of the solution.

Warmly,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder & President

Primer Presentation Highlights

In 2021, our growing team of trained presenters has already delivered our Primer presentation (via Zoom) 18 times to nearly 1,000 people. Here we spotlight two of this year’s Primer events.

C-Change has gone global! In early March we presented our “Climate Change Primer for Business” to our first international audience. Employees of Commonwealth Bank of Australia tuned in from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Amsterdam, and New York. Here’s what Bill Woodley, the bank’s head of U.S., U.K., and Europe, had to say about the event:

“Kathleen Biggins presented the C-Change Conversations Primer to great acclaim to about 200 bankers and business people located across the globe. The Primer is logically prepared and delivered, giving the audience both the foundational science behind climate change and relating it to issues that matter to everyone. Throughout the presentation, Kathleen weaves in themes such as Jobs and Economy, Health and Personal Security, and Geopolitical Stability, demonstrating how climate change impacts them all. The Primer is pitched as a ‘non-partisan conversation’ on the topic of climate change – designed to push past political preconceptions and attitudes – and it delivers on this promise most effectively. Kathleen’s style is passionate, not preachy, and leads the audience to the conclusion that action is imperative and overdue. Some of the examples of technology-led initiatives are fascinating and show how sustainable business can have positive impacts on our local economies and communities. I would recommend the C-Change Primer as a great investment of time for people of all backgrounds and experience, but particularly to companies that want to ensure their employees understand and can speak comfortably about climate change.”

Sustainable New Jersey’s Climate Summit

Our home state of New Jersey is instituting climate change education for grades K-12 and across disciplines, not just in the area of science. In February, C-Change was pleased to be a featured presenter for Sustainable Jersey’s Climate Summit, where students and teachers participated in virtual sessions to learn about actionable ways to address the climate crisis. Our “Climate Science Primer for Educators” helped the audience of teachers feel more comfortable and confident in their ability to bring high quality and accurate climate change information to their students. Since the Summit, C-Change has met with school leaders and administrators to discuss ways C-Change could support the state’s climate change education initiative and has been invited to present the Primer at another teachers conference in May.

Meet the Team

From Kathleen Biggins –

“I’m on it.” Those are the most frequent words I hear from Catherine Sidamon-Eristoff, our Treasurer, overseer of Development, and Primer presenter. Her “can do” attitude and impressive skill sets – she’s a talented writer and presenter and is world-class in pulling people together and forging connections – make Catherine a critically important and respected member of our team.

Catherine is on our Executive Committee and helps to drive strategy and develop policy. She is also willing to “roll up her sleeves” and get a tedious, brain-numbing job like overseeing charitable registrations in 50 states not only done, but done well. She exudes competence and professionalism, is unflappable (despite being tested on multiple occasions), and is truly artful in her ability to run meetings. In short, she is one of those people who has and gives it all – a leader and a team player with both great heart and intellect.

We are so grateful for her many contributions. Learn more about Catherine below.

From Catherine Sidamon-Eristoff –

Why I’m involved with C-Change: I joined C-Change because I believe that climate change is the overriding issue of our time, and we need to heighten awareness of the scientific facts and implications for ourselves, our global economy, and our planet. While I have been involved in environmental education my entire adult life, the C-Change Primer and our other education programs provide exactly the kind of information more people need so they can better understand the challenges and opportunities ahead.

What have you learned about climate change that makes you hopeful? I am hopeful because the dialogue around the issues has shifted from “Is it real?” to “What are we doing about it?” More and more, businesses, governments, and citizens are acknowledging the risks of climate change and how it affects them. There are myriad creative ways to address these risks, with as many coming from nature and individual action as from technological advances. I am also hopeful because I have seen firsthand that once people understand the science, they are willing to act to affect sustainable change.

Save the Date for “Sips and Stems”

Wednesday, May 19th, from 4:00 – 5:30pm

Please join us for flower arranging and conversation (under a tent) to benefit C-Change Conversations.

Stay tuned for more in-person and virtual events!
Let us know if you’d like an invitation.

Conversation with Bernadette Woods Placky

According to many climate scientists, the biggest impediment to preventing further climate change is the lack of public will to address it. Hope is crucial for inspiring action and is central to our approach to building consensus around addressing climate change.

And so, in early February we were excited to host “Reasons for Hope,” a conversation with one of C-Change Conversations’ climate advisors, Bernadette Woods Placky. Bernadette is an Emmy Award winning meteorologist and director of Climate Central’s Climate Matters program. She has attended international conferences on climate change and is often featured on national and local broadcasts explaining how climate change is exacerbating many extreme weather events.

Thank you Garden Club of America!

C-Change Conversations was deeply grateful to receive a generous donation along with heartfelt thanks from the Garden Club of America (GCA) for our leadership in climate change education, especially during its 2021 National Affairs and Legislation Conference (NAL) and for the past five years. As noted in our January newsletter, C-Change team members Kathleen Biggins helped to kick off the 2021 conference by moderating a panel of the keynote speakers; Sophie Glovier led a session on how individuals can help their community take action; and Katy Kinsolving educated audience members about the nexus of agriculture and climate change and making wise food choices to protect our planet.

C-Change has presented our Climate Change Primer to 14,000 people in 31 states and overseas, thanks in large part to the support of GCA and its members. About half of GCA’s 200 member garden clubs have hosted Primer presentations in their communities or via Zoom, with new invitations arriving each week. While our organization has grown from four GCA club members to 30 volunteers across the country, and we now present to a wide range of audiences, we will never forget that our work was inspired by an NAL presentation and that garden clubs took a chance on hosting our Primer presentation when we were just starting out. We are so thankful for GCA’s continuing support.

C-Change Launches a New Website!

This month C-Change launched a beautiful new website that reflects our vision, mission, and the scope of our work to improve understanding about the science and effects of climate change and facilitate ongoing discussion and engagement on the issue.

Many thanks to Jo Singer and her team at Howard Design Group and to C-Change team members Pam Parsons and Carrie Dyckman for their patience, creativity, and phenomenal effort behind this important tool for introducing C-Change Conversations to the world. We hope you will check out the new website and visit it often for new resources that will help you learn more and feel comfortable talking about climate change.

ICYMI

Our recent Ask a Scientist newsletter includes questions from people like you and answers from our climate science advisors.
Check out the latest issue of Curated Climate News, C-Change’s monthly review of both hopeful and concerning news reports on climate change.
C-Change co-founder Carrie Dyckman is brimming with optimism about progress on climate change and urges us all to take personal action. Read her blog: Time to Sweat the Small Stuff.
Wondering how our food choices impact the planet? Check out this video by Katy Kinsolving, also a C-Change co-founder. She created it for the Garden Club of America’s 2021 National Affairs and Legislation conference.