Are you ready to reduce your carbon footprint? Click here for information about the speaker series called "Skagit Living Green Lecture Series" JOIN CLIMATE STEWARDS TODAY It is time to come together to solve the problem of climate change. If you live in Island or Skagit Counties and are interested in learning more about climate change and doing something about it, then please become a Climate Steward. You can't apply now but you can get on a mailing list to be notified when we are ready to sign you up. WHAT DO THE CLIMATE STEWARD VOLUNTEERS DO? Climate Stewards receive 36 hours of FREE professional training:
In exchange, participants return at least 36 hours of volunteer service over the next eight months:
The next training will begin this fall : Thursdays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm starting October 15 and ending November 19 The training will be conducted at the Padilla Bay Reserve To get on the mailing list please contact:
Becoming a Climate Steward As a board member of the Padilla Bay Foundation for a number of years, I have observed many of the programs and classes offered at Padilla Bay. I've been especially impressed with the WSU Beach Watcher's Program. When the concept of the similar Climate Stewards came up three months ago, I saw an opportunity that I wanted to pursue. Climate Stewards educate their community about climate change and how we can make a difference individually and collectively in reducing our carbon footprint. Through this program, I learned that we can make a big difference by altering how we use (and conserve) energy at home. The training was a cooperative effort of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Padilla Bay Foundation, Northwest Clean Air Agency, and WSU Beach Watchers. State and local experts presented material about home energy use, sea level rise, weather patterns, and the effects and impacts on various environments in our region. We learned about specific greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, methane, halocarbons, and ozone. A very compelling case was presented about greenhouse gas origins and the chain of events that they cause. The objective of Climate Stewards was to provide us with both information about climate change, and the tools to reduce our own carbon footprint at home and work. Stewards also go out to their community to talk about climate change or to partner with other groups to educate the public. My wife, Carolyn, and I both completed Climate Stewards training and have already been busy with education and outreach projects in Skagit County. We would recommend this course to others who might be interested in attending the next session. With financial support from a grant to the Padilla Bay Foundation from the Northwest Clean Air Agency, the training will be offered again in October 2009. At this time of renewal and hope in our country and the challenge that the president has given us, we think about what we can do collectively to improve our local environment and communities. We need to change how we live by making daily decisions about what we do, how we live our lives, and how we can make a difference for the future. Ed and Carolyn Gastellum are enthusiastic community volunteers and Foundation members.
This page last modified 11/5/09 |
