Reducing the Impact of Climate Change: How do you make a difference?

The environmental subcommittee of Chagat (the Community Service arm of Temple Beth Sholom) is hosting a panel discussion which provides information to those in our congregation and in the broader Salem community who are interested in mitigating the effects of climate change and understanding how exactly they can do so through:

• Participation in the Public Policy Debate
• Direct Action through volunteer events made available through:
  • Temple Beth Sholom
  • The City of Salem
  • Other Organizations in Salem
  • The State of Oregon

Panel Discussion and Q&A facilitated by Rabbi Elisha Herb. Panel Members include:

• Lesley Jantarasami, Senior Climate Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy. Ms. Jantarasami leads the department’s climate change work, partnering with other state agencies to track and project trends in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and analyze climate mitigation strategies in the context of Oregon’s climate and energy goals.
• Norman Wright, Community Development Director, City of Salem, Oversees the greenhouse gas inventory for the City of Salem within the broader effort of creating a vision for growth and development incorporating a triple bottom line perspective.
• Tom Andersen, Salem City Councilor. Councilor Anderson made the original motion to include the Climate Action Plan as part of strategic plan.
• Linda Wallmark, Co-coordinator of the Salem Chapter of org a global grassroots climate movement. Ms. Wallmarkis also the representative of 350.org on the City’s Environmental Action Plan Working Group.

Following the panel discussion, there will be a light dinner while we meet in small groups to discuss what actions we can take directly to address climate change. Each small group will be charged with identifying two promising avenues to pursue. Temple Beth Sholom will provide a dairy main course. Those wishing to contribute are urged to bring a dairy or vegetarian side dish or dessert.

Following dinner discussions, we will come back together as a group to consider the alternatives which surfaced and focus on how we can move forward in implementing specific actions.