Talk of the Towns 4/13/22: Maine Climate Action Groups

Producer/Host: Ron Beard Local groups throughout Maine are bringing climate work from individual to local action. A Climate to Thrive, based on Mount Desert Island, Maine has recently convened community-based climate groups across the state to learn from one another, focusing on strategic planning and how to engage local citizens, young and old, and elected leaders. This program highlights the work of A Climate to Thrive, Green Ellsworth, Freeport Climate Action Now and Blue Hill Peninsula Tomorrow Climate Coalition. -Each guest highlights what they feel is one or two significant outcomes, so far, of their organization’s work -Each guest shares what their organization is working on currently -A Climate To Thrive’s statewide work to bring community groups together to focus on strategic planning at the local level -What is climate justice? What does climate justice “look” like on the ground? -What does it take to organize for climate action at the community level—what have you learned Johanna Blackman, Executive Director, A Climate to Thrive Mary Blackstone, Community Liaison, Green Ellsworth Kathleen Sullivan, Acting Lead, Freeport Climate Action Now Allen Kratz, Blue Hill Peninsula Tomorrow Climate Coalition About the host: Ron Beard is producer and host of Talk of the Towns, which first aired on WERU in 1993 as part of his community building work as an Extension professor with University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant. He took all the journalism courses he could fit in while an undergraduate student in wildlife management and served as an intern with Maine Public Television nightly newscast in the early 1970s. Ron is an adjunct faculty member at College of the Atlantic, teaching courses on community development. Ron served on the Bar Harbor Town Council for six years and is currently board chair for the Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor, where he has lived since 1975. Look for him on the Allagash River in June, and whenever he can get away, in the highlands of Scotland where he was fortunate to spend two sabbaticals.