Global warming and climate change present challenges that defy international boundaries. We were pleased to receive quality submissions to the Climate Matters video contest from outside the United States. Even though they were not eligible for prizes, we wanted to thank these entrants and share their perspectives:
Greetings to all. I am pleased to introduce myself as the newest member of the Brighter Planet team. A Colorado native and a Middlebury graduate, I am glad to return now to Vermont from California, in time to enjoy another increasingly precious winter.
My primary professional perspective on climate change has been through the lens of biology. Climate change has loomed in the background of every ecology study I have worked on, from my thesis research studying climatic pressures on alpine treelines in the Green Mountains, to my experience leading carnivore ecology research crews in Yellowstone, to my endangered species recovery work in California’s Channel Islands. It has been sobering and enlightening to build an understanding of the ways in which climate change threatens to undermine our efforts to mitigate the other main threats facing the natural world—those of exotic species invasions and the biodiversity crash.
But as essential as research ecology is to understanding and addressing climate change, solutions must ultimately come also from the social realm. I have come to believe that that the most innovative and promising organizations are those working at the intersections of disparate fields—and Brighter Planet epitomizes this idea. So it is with enthusiasm that I join this wonderful team in developing creative market-based approaches to mending the rift between economy and ecology.
Over the last three months, we’ve had the pleasure of running the Climate Matters video contest alongside our partners at 1Sky. Today, we’d like to announce our winners.
Drum roll please…
1st Place: Climate Matters, by Steven Dempsey
2nd Place: Ask the Children, by Barbara Lucas
3rd Place: Green To Blue, by Elizabeth Klein
3rd Place: This Lawn is Your Lawn, by Roger Doiron
These four videos, chosen by our distinguished panel of judges, represent the best of over 100 submissions from all around the country. What we at Brighter Planet found striking about the process has been the diversity of content and perspective. It has been made evermore apparent to us that to frame climate change as a youth issue, an energy issue, an environmental issue, etc. is fundamentally flawed. These videos creatively define climate change as an overarching issue. Some paint a daunting and often terrifying picture, while others seek to provide hope and inspiration. What they make clear is that the challenge of tackling climate change is also an opportunity. They urge our next president to act forcefully for the betterment of not only our planet, but its people.
So, thank you to all those who participated; thank you for your energy, emotion, for lending your voices, and faces to this issue. You help to humanize this global challenge, making it more accessible and approachable. Now the fun part; please help get the word out about these amazing videos. Check out our winners and other finalist and embed those you like on your blog, facebook or myspace page, and if you’re really feeling active, send it along to your congressional representative.
Carolyn Barnwell joined Brighter Planet as Communications and Outreach Coordinator in October.
Warm greetings to everyone. I am pleased to introduce myself as the latest addition to the Brighter Planet team. I grew up in New Hampshire, and joining Brighter Planet marks a safe and happy return to my native New England after traveling around the world alone.
I spent a year on a research fellowship exploring different perspectives of climate change impacts in remote coastal communities. (I’m proud to share that my large, travel-induced carbon footprint was entirely offset by NativeEnergy.) I have visited developing countries and stayed with local families since I was eleven years old, and this has influenced my belief that we should not separate social dimensions from environmental challenges. This idea is known as “environmental justice.” Moral dimensions come into play because the vulnerable people who are most affected by climate change are least responsible for contributing to the problem.
The good news is that the desire to address climate change through renewable energy alternatives can be found everywhere. In reality, there are fewer hurdles to overcome here in the U.S. than in developing countries to make the shift. I now have a renewed desire to contribute to climate change solutions in my home country, with our culture of innovation and effective technology. Brighter Planet’s model of harnessing consumer power to help shift our energy economy is a great example of how shifting consciousness and then taking responsible action leads to positive environmental results. I am thrilled to join this company of motivated, creative, good people.
Though I think nostalgically about warm, tropical sunshine as I unpack wool socks and hats, it is wonderful to be in a beautiful, familiar place. (Wow, the foliage is stunning this year!) I look forward to interacting with all of you in the wider Brighter Planet community throughout the fall, and into the new year.
We find farmers markets to be truly hopeful places for the climate movement. They reconnect community members with their surrounding farms, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by substantially minimizing food miles.
This past weekend, we painted a mural at our local farmers market here in Middlebury to celebrate this climate achievement. The mural is part of a traveling exhibit, started at Summit NJ’s Green Jobs Now day of action, and will be going around the country to environmental conferences and events throughout the Fall. Our mural is a carbon footprint leaved tree. Artists of all ages and ability took part by painting a footprint that highlighted a carbon reduction initiative they were planning on adopting. Thanks to all who participated, see some photos and video from the day below!
