The Climate on Tap series is a joint project of Local 20/20 Climate Outreach, Jefferson County Public Health, and Finnriver Farm and Cidery. It started in April 2019 and is ongoing.

Upcoming session – What Happened in Egypt? Summary of COP27 – news and reviews

From November 6-20, COP27 held high-level events, key negotiations, and press conferences, hosting more than 100 Heads of State and Governments, over 35,000 participants, and numerous pavilions showcasing climate action around the world. Was progress made? Hear the main take-aways and future commitments and plans. What can we do locally?

This Climate on Tap is held virtually while we find a permanent in-person venue. For further information including zoom link, email Laura Tucker or call 360-379-4491.

 

 The CPR Climate Emergency Tour – Wed June 22nd

Join the Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative Executive Director and General Counsel Dan Galpern for an exciting opportunity to make real change in our nationwide climate policy! Dan has worked with Dr. James Hansen, the climate change pioneer, for over 14 years! Dan and Dr. Hansen have created an initiative to urge President Biden and the EPA to phase out carbon emissions by imposing a revenue-neutral rising user fee on oil, gas, and coal. Dan is taking this initiative literally to the streets on a cross-country bicycle trip. His first stop is Jefferson County on his way to Maine. Learn how you can support this ground-breaking initiative with letters, petitions, and more.

Register here. The event is free but will hit facility capacity, so register early! Each Climate on Tap is co-sponsored by Local 20/20 Climate Action, Jefferson County Public Health, and FinnRiver Cidery. For further information email Laura Tucker or call 360-379-4491.

Time: 6 – 8 pm | Location: Finnriver Farm and Cidery

 

Note: Climate on Tap will be taking a summer break in July and August as we work on securing a consistent date. Check back here for updates.

Resources from previous sessions

April 2022 – What is the carbon footprint of recycling?

How green are we when we recycle? Why is Jefferson County different than most in Washington?

March 2022: “Ideas and solutions to lower our transportation footprint!”

Jefferson County’s largest carbon emissions come from transportation. How can we lower this? This session was hosted and led by Port Townsend High School’s Students for Sustainability. They and 5 fabulous guest speakers discussed transportation solutions in Jefferson County:

Dec 2021: “What Happened in Glasgow”

We had a delightful 3rd in-person session of Climate on Tap on December 1st with a focus on COP26 in Glasgow and presentations from local scientists, policy makers, and film makers who attended the conference. Over 50 people attended Climate on Tap and even though the weather wasn’t warm, the pavilion at FinnRiver was very comfortable. It has open air ventilation with heaters if needed. The tables seat 4 and are spread out so all can be safe. FinnRiver Cidery is open for Climate on Tap but not the general public. Vaccinations and ID are required. Food and beverages are available. The hot cider is fabulous!

Here is a pdf of the slides and talking points COP26 – what happened in Glasgow  and Rachel Cardone Presentation from our fabulous presenters:

Rachel Cardone – Deputy Director, Program on Water, Health and Development; Stanford University

Jessica Plumb – award winning filmmaker, director, writer, and producer; https://www.plumbproductions.com/; Jessica’s commentary on her beautiful slides will be sent once it’s published

Daphne Wysham – CEO of Methane Action

From Slide #9: the “special guest” at the conference can be seen at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DOcQRl9ASc’

We are hoping to have each of our presenters return to a future Climate on Tap to focus more deeply on their work and how that can be used to address climate change issues in our county.

November 2021: “Project Drawdown”

We had a delightful second in-person session of Climate on Tap on November 3rd focusing on Project Drawdown, 100 current solutions to solving the global climate crisis!  FinnRiver Cidery is open for us only. Vaccinations and ID are required.

Here is pdf of the slides Nov 2021 Project Drawdown session.

If you wanted to attend the “Project Drawdown” session but couldn’t, you can do an online version of a sorting activity we did as groups. One participant said “Lots of thinking with the prioritizing effort – really helps things settle in.”

 Here are links to the videos mentioned in the slide presentation:

– Paul Hawken’s keynote speech about Project Drawdown at the Reimagining Carbon conference

– “5 Reasons to be Optimistic About the State of the World” from the Pachamama Alliance

Oct 2021: IPCC Report #6

Here are the slides presented: Oct 2021 IPCC report 2021. Here is a link to the IPCC report if you’re up for ‘light reading’.

June 2021: Taming Bigfoot and Beyond!

We covered the results of the recent Taming Bigfoot carbon footprint challenge in Jefferson County, including the key takeaways. See the presentation: June 2021 Taming Bigfoot and Beyond

December 2020: Jefferson County’s Recent Greenhouse Gas Inventory

How are we doing on reducing our carbon footprint in Jefferson County? Our first assessment was in 2005 and initiated our City/County climate action plan to reduce our carbon footprint by 80% by 2050. The inventory was updated in 2019. What is our largest carbon emitter? Home heating? Personal transportation? Government operations? If you missed the session on Dec. 7th, see the presentation: How Green Are We_ GHG inventory 2018  Or find the inventory report here.

Nov 2020: Taming Bigfoot is Back

Sept 2020: En-Roads – an interactive climate policy simulation model!

See presentation here: EN-ROADS Slides Ted Freeman

June 2020: Green New Deal

See presentation here:June 2020 Green New Deal

• From Side #3: Animation of CO2 levels:

One version from 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UatUDnFmNTY

One version with carbon pump from 2019: https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/history.html

April 2020 – Project Drawdown

March 2020: Happy 50th Birthday, Earth Day

Presentation: March 2020 Earth Day 50th Anniversary

Feb 2020: What is Recyclable in Jefferson County?

Presentation: Feb 2020 What is recyclable in Jefferson County

• a link to what is recyclable in Jefferson County: https://solidwaste.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/2020-recycling-flyer-02-04.pdf

• check out two new videos to help us understand what is recyclable in Jefferson County: https://jeffersoncountysolidwaste.com/know-before-you-throw/

• “The 35 Easiest Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint”: https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/12/27/35-ways-reduce-carbon-footprint/

Jan 2020 Session 10: “New Year’s Resolutions – what you plan to do to reduce your carbon footprint in 2020”

  • In response to a participant question, I have had a tough time figuring out what each person is allowed each year in terms of CO2output, backed up with verifiable data. The students at Plant for the Planet have determined that each person is allowed 2 tons of CO2 each year to keep emissions below 2°C. The average European puts out 5-8 tons. The average African puts out .25 tons. The average American puts out 17 tons. Here is a comprehensive article on the collective amount of CO2 allowed to keep us under 2°C of warming: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/11/29/carbon/ (Washington Post)
  • Project Drawdown: a world-class research organization that reviews, analyses, and identifies the 100 most viable global climate solutions, and shares these findings with the world. https://www.drawdown.org

Session 9: “The Carbon Footprint of Food”

  • In response to a participant question, here is an excellent resource to calculate the carbon footprint of specific foods. It also gives you the equivalents in miles driven in a car, days of heating your house, and water used to produce the food. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714 (BBC)

Session 8: “How Do You Talk Respectfully With Others About Climate Change?”

Session 7: There is no Planet B – How do Millennials and GenZs Envision their Future?

The Port Townsend Students for Sustainability led this session. Here are the materials:

  1. Presentation: Climate on Tap There is No Planet B session
  2. The speech by Cameron Rowland that accompanied his part on Personal Transportation. It’s a great read! Cameron Rowland – Personal Transportation
  3. The 35 Easiest Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Session 6: Green Jobs

Presentation: Climate on Tap Green Jobs session

Summary of ideas from the September 2 Green Jobs session:

1)     Article from Michael Pilarsky on “Employment, Unemployment, and Misemployment in the United States – building a new economic system based on useful jobs”: https://friendsofthetrees.net/articles/employment-unemployment-and-misemployment-united-states-building-new-economic-system-based

Definition: Green jobs contribute to, preserve, or restore the environment, be they in traditional sectors such as manufacturing and construction, or in new, emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.

2)     Group list of local ‘green jobs’: (in no particular order; not an exhaustive list either)

– restoration (building refit, retrofit)         – sustainable green audits (advice on how to live a more ‘green’ lifestyle)

– elder care/ working with the disadvantaged (see video, “A Message From the Future”)

– sustainable livestock production           – growing and processing local food

– herbalists and green health coaches    – green foresters           – organic/sustainable farming

– sustainable and renewable energy use installers/producers: hot water rooftop systems / solar / small wind generators

– clothes repair              – public service jobs       – wild crafting                – green teachers/professors

– maintenance of sustainable infrastructure        – staffing/running environmental organizations

– tree planters               – park employees          – insulation manufacturer/installers

– recycling center staff   – energy conservation/efficiency employees        – environmental writers/poets/artists

 

Session 5: Project Drawdown

Presentation: Climate on Tap Project Drawdown session_08_19

If you wanted to attend the “Project Drawdown” session, you can do an online version of a sorting activity we did as groups. One participant said “Lots of thinking with the prioritizing effort – really helps things settle in.”

Some comments from participants at the Project Drawdown session on August 5:

 – “This is a vast topic and it is encouraging that things can be done.”

– “It was a nice overview of all of the prospective ideas there are out there? I do think it could be a subject revisited maybe in 6-8 months, maybe coupled with a project like Taming Bigfoot, etc.”

Resources from the Project Drawdown session on August 5:

– link to Project Drawdown

– Paul Hawken’s keynote speech about Project Drawdown at the Reimagining Carbon conference

– “5 Reasons to be Optimistic About the State of the World” from the Pachamama Alliance

 

Session 4: Shopping for Change

Presentation: Climate on Tap Shopping for Change session_07_19

Some comments from participants at the Shopping for Change session on July 1:

• Check out the TED podcasts on the climate crisis:

https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/725511914/climate-crisis

• Where does health care fit into shopping for change?

• Quote from Arundhati Roy:
“The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling – their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability.

Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them.

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

Top suggestions for upcoming sessions:

1) How to talk to others – wanting a way of facilitating positive conversations; not ‘teach the dumb’ out of naysayers

2) How to identify and influence policy makers (we are trying to get Derek Kilmer to attend that session)

3) The carbon footprint of food and food choices

4) Energy Use

5) Recycling; what is recyclable and where does it go?

6) Divestment

7) Regenerative farming/biochar/soil sequestration of carbon

 

Session 3: Carbon Offsets

Climate on Tap Carbon Offset session

Handout #3.2 International CO2 Levels in 2015

Some solutions from the Carbon Offset session on June 5:

Personal actions:

1) calculate your carbon footprint: https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculators/household/ui.php

 This link is used as it contains opportunities and calculations for offsets

2) decide what your limit is for your personal carbon footprint per year (USA average is 16.1 tons; Europe is 5.9) ; offset the rest?; see attached graphic for international CO2 levels

3) use your dollars to offset carbon:

– purchase a heat pump for your home

– buy an electric car

– put solar collectors on your house or join a community solar project

– find carbon offset groups that meet your needs

               • Port Townsend Friends (Quakers) Carbon Tithing Program; supports local projects

               • Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty (COtAP); international group that supports third world citizens in poverty

               • Evergreen Carbon; supports international projects

• Cool Effect: another international organization identified after the session

For more information on how to find carbon offset organizations and what they do:

David Suzuki Foundation

The Climate Trust forest carbon offset information

4) use your time to volunteer with local organizations:

– Jefferson Land Trust / North Olympic Salmon Coalition

– Food Bank garden at the Quimper Grange; other Community Gardens

– Local farms

– help with the Northwest Watershed Institute’s annual plant-a-thon (they plant 2,000-3,000 trees each year!)

5) other ideas:

– make a checklist of actions to reduce your carbon footprint on your refrigerator (ideas from the footprint calculator in #1)

– create a newcomer packet with a list of where to go to find heat pumps, EVs, other resources; for the Visitor’s Center? Chamber of Commerce? Real estate agents? Certainly Local 20/20 could post this

Handouts:  Handout #3.2 International CO2 Levels in 2015

Session 2: Transportation

Climate on Tap Transportation session

Some solutions from the Transportation session on May 6:

Personal actions:

– don’t let your car idle; 10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than restarting;

– join a carpool; here is a link to an area rideshare web page to find or offer a ride

– walk, bike, or ride transit whenever possible

– join the Local 20/20 Transportation Lab action group

– take fewer plane trips; offset those you have to take (and come to the June 3rd session to learn more!)

– know the carbon footprint of transportation options. Here is a link to a great graphic. Quick statistic: charging your electric car on PSE or other coal-heavy energy programs makes your car ‘dirtier’ than a mid-sized gas powered car that gets 25 mpg.

 

Session 1: Kickoff

Climate on Tap Kick-off session

This first session was designed to give some common information as we move forward to different topics and plans of action. The format for succeeding sessions with be to present a little information on the topic to get the conversations going. Groups will share their thoughts, ideas and additional information. The presenter will add a bit more information to take the discussion up a notch. Groups will then come up with action ideas and plans from individual to group to large scale efforts. It’s all up to the people who attend each session. We will attempt to be as flexible as possible to meet the needs of each group at each session.

Last updated:Tuesday, December 20, 2022