It's A Small World After All

At work today in my San Francisco office, I was lucky enough to be told by a colleague about a conference at UC Berkeley tonight, featuring Professor John Harte from the Energy Resources Group, and Jamie Henn from 350.org. I went, and as I was sitting there watching Jamie's presentation, BAM!, my own face showed up on the screen! It was a picture from the Times Square rally on October 24th's International Day of Climate Action. I'm front and center with my mom. Seeing the 350.org pictures from all over the world, and then seeing my own face, made the world seem both big and small at the same time. Seeing the pictures again after six months also gave me renewed hope that people can be energized to take action, and that we can make a difference!

Next up: 10/10/10!

http://www.350.org/

Finally... A Carbon Footprint Calculator I Can Trust!

The past two days have been great, as I returned with fellow IATE alum, Joe Spedding, to speak at Marin Catholic and San Domenico in my hometown of San Anselmo, California. Today San Domenico hosted "Green Scene" in celebration of Earth Day, and I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the amazing efforts the school has made to be sustainable! Solar panels provide 83% of the schools electricity, they compost in the cafeteria, and grow their own vegetables. Truly an example for all other schools and organizations to follow...WELL DONE!

I attended a workshop on carbon footprints led by a researcher from the University of Berkeley, Chris Jones, and am now happy to say that I can recommend a carbon calculator for everyone in the US. It's great because it is detailed and uses benchmarks to show how your footprint compares to others with similar circumstances to yours. Then it helps to create an action plan to reduce your footprint even more! BRILLIANT! I'll work on getting the widget for this blog, but in the mean time...

Calculate your carbon footprint here!

Inspired By Antarctica...ON TOUR!

To all in the SF Bay Area...

I'll be in Marin County next week to speak about my journeys to Antarctica at two Earth Day events. Joining me will be fellow Antarctic expeditioner, Joe Spedding, who is visiting from the UK. If you are nearby with an hour to spare, please come by! Details follow...please let me know if you plan to come to either so I can keep an eye out for you and say hello!

Thursday, April 22nd (40th Anniversary of Earth Day)
Marin Catholic High School - 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Kentfield
Performing Arts Center
12:00pm: Gather at the fountain in front of the center
12:15pm - 12:50pm: "Inspired By Antrarctica" (open to students, alumni, general public)
12:50pm - 1:30pm: Q&A & Reception

Friday, April 23rd (6th Annual "Green Your School" Conference)
San Domenico School - 1500 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo
Hall of the Arts
8:15am - Keynote speakers for Opening Ceremony
http://www.sandomenico.org/page.cfm?p=1591

Antarctica helping Haiti

Last night I was thrilled to be able to use my Antarctic experience to earn $4000 for earthquake relief in Haiti. At my company's annual charity auction, the CEO and CFO went into a bidding war for my item, and ultimately I agreed to do two presentations for $2000 each! I'll be speaking to their kids' schools about my journeys to Antarctica, and what I've learned about environmental sustainability.

Local Action, Global Change

Legislative change, especially at the Federal level in the U.S., takes a long time. The people who are upset about the passing of health care reform will undoubtedly try to make a point to slow down Obama's next objective, the climate bill. Personally, I am disgusted at the amount of political bickering and associated violence attached to the health care bill, and saddened that a likely victim is the climate bill. We don't have time to waste.

I was, however, encouraged by some student action I read about in the Terre Haute, Indiana Tribune-Star. The article and people involved are right on the money about how we can't wait around for federal action. We must start locally, and at a state level. Indiana certainly isn't the only state where local action is brewing, and that's great news! Keep it up, people!

Students rally for green laws