CLIMATE CHANGE & clean energy ~ montana events
UPCOMING climate change events -- MISSOULA
Rocky Mountain Power Shift, February 17-19, The University of Montana.
All the info is HERE.
Note: Montana Audubon will participate on a panel about wildlife and climate on Sunday at 9 am. Join us!
Across the nation youth are banding together to address their collective future. Presidents day weekend, February 17-19, hundreds of youth will converge at The University of Montana for Rocky Mountain Power Shift. It is the first Power Shift event in Montana, bringing together University and high school students from campuses in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Washington, and California.
The event is organized by students for students to inspire, educate, and mobilize young people to take positive action on climate change. Keynote speakers include Bill McKibben (Skyped in live), Alex Loorz, founder of Kids vs. Global Warming, and local activists including Josh Slotnick, Jeff Gailus and others focused on local foods and clean energy.
SCHEDULE: To see full schedule or to register visit our website: rockies.wearepowershift.org
Friday, February 17, 6:00-8:30 pm, University Center Ballroom
Keynote speakers include:
- Royce Engstrom and Waded Cruzado, UM and MSU Presidents working on climate action plans
- Zack Porter, energy and wilderness activist who has campaigned for both All Against the Haul and the Montana Wilderness Association
- Megan Schuknecht, Biomimicry Institute working on nature-inspired solutions to climate change
- Josh Slotnick, PEAS farm director and advocate for local, sustainable food systems
Saturday, February 18, 4:30-6:00 pm, University Center Theater
Keynote speakers include:
- John Engen, Missoula Mayor
- Jeff Gailus, Canadian author and activist working on the tar sands issue
- Bill McKibben, 350.org founder via video conference
- Alec Loorz, Kids vs. Global Warming founder and a dynamo young climate activist
The rest of Saturday and Sunday will consist of workshops and panels. Some highlights include: Victory Speakers for Climate Campaigning with Professor & Attorney Mary Wood (Skyped-in), and Think Globally, Communicate Locally with reporter and communications strategist Steve Woodruff .
Please join us at the Rocky Mountain Power Shift conference next week.
Past Global climate change events
Moving Planet Missoula and National Public Lands Day 
Moving Planet Day - a worldwide event (held on September 24) to encourage communities to move beyond fossil fuels - was a huge success. The organizers created an inspiring video clip of actions around the globe - watch Moving Together today.
On September 24 we put our demand for climate action into motion by promoting alternative transportation, restoring our public lands, and producing local food. We urge our political leaders to do the same, by supporting policies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels!
This is the signature fall event of 350.org, the folks that inspired 10.10.10 Global Work Day.
It was also National Public Lands Day, the largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands in the United States. Healthy, resilient public lands are critical in a changing climate. 
It's time to get moving! Service Projects around the Missoula Community:
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Free Cycles, Build bikes for near and far (from Missoula to Ghana).
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PEAS Farm, Maintain community gardens.
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Greenough Park, Plant trees and shrubs, pull weeds and restore riparian areas of this park.
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Tower St. Conservation Area, Trail reconstruction, weed pull, tree planting, trash clean-up.
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M Trail Stewardship (Mount Sentinel), trail rehab and prairie restoration.
Sponsors and Partners include: Sierra Club, Montana Audubon, Free Cycles, Garden City Harvest, Missoula Parks & Rec., REI, Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, UM-CAN, Five Valley’s Audubon, UM Society for Ecological Restoration/UM Natural Areas and committed individuals.
More information:contact Amy Cilimburg at 406-465-1141
Check out these other two great Moving Planet Montana events: Helena and Kalispell
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10.10.10 global work day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People all over the planet organized Global Work Parties. From 350.org: We took one day to show the world that we're ready for climate solutions - the biggest day of practical action to cut carbon the world has ever seen! One day of action won't solve the climate crisis, but on 10/10/10, we showed our leaders that the climate movement is alive and growing.
Read about the Missoula event in the Missoulian. Photos of the Missoula event are HERE
Please let Amy know if you have more photos or event reports!
Events were held in communities across Montana, the US and the world. We weeded our public lands, fixed gardens, built bikes, planted trees, weatherized homes and more!
On this day there were at least 7347 events in 188 countries and all 50 states.
Our message: We're working the ground to get seeds growing in our communities, at our State Capitol, in Washington D.C and around the World.
Montana photos:
Let Amy know if you have more information to share.
If you know of any clean energy or global warming events, let Amy know
Will Steger MOntana Tour -- February 2010:
The Will Steger Eyewitness to Climate Change Montana Tour was a fantastic success. All three evening presentations were packed and great fun. Billings (200 attendees), Bozeman (240), Missoula (350). Will also met with elected officials, University and High School students and Bozeman business students.
For a great synopsis of the Tour and links to the major media hits, head to the Will Steger Foundation. 
Major sponsors included Montana Audubon, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, RepowerAmerica, Montana Conservation Voters, The Wilderness Society, the Clark Fork Coalition, World Wildlife Fund, and the Will Steger Foundation.
Watch these great Steger videos on YouTube HERE and HERE >>
For more information Contact Amy Cilimburg amy@mtaudubon.org; 406-465-1141
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Helena - past event
Clean Energy and Climate Solutions: A panel discussion. Helena May 7
We held a roundtable discussion on how national climate and energy policy will help create clean energy jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil by moving to alternatives, and reduce carbon pollution. Gregg Small with Climate Solutions, Eric de Place of the Sightline Institute, and Gloria Flora with Sustainable Obtainable Solutions shared their expertise.
We received some FANTASTIC MEDIA ATTENTION around this event:The KFBB (ABC TV affiliate) produced a great segment. Watch it HERE >>
And Gregg of Climate Solutions provided a feature interview on MT Public Radio. Listen HERE >> (you can download the entire broadcast HERE >>).
Also, the event was covered in the Queen City News. Read Cathy Siegner's Helena Handbag HERE >>
Finally, the event was covered by Helena Civic TV, and we'll post this soon.
This event was sponsored by Montana Audubon, Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund, Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, NRDC, and Montanans for a Healthy Climate, along with the UM-Helena College of Technology.
View a nifty POSTER of the event HERE >>
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BOZEMAN - past event
Creating Jobs Around Montana’s Clean Energy Future
Join us for a town hall discussion about programs within the federal Recovery Act that focus on clean energy jobs. Discuss opportunities for the clean energy economy in Montana and the Nation.
Panelists from the US Senate Finance Committee and Sen. Max Baucus’ office will answer questions about available energy programs and funds, how the programs benefit Montana businesses, energy consumers, and communities, and where we may be headed. A Montana DEQ representative will also discuss Montana’s distribution of federal energy stimulus funds.
The panel includes:
- JJ Adams, Economic Development Advisor, Senate Finance Committee,
- Pat Bousliman, Energy Tax Policy Analyst, Senate Finance Committee, &
- Catharine Ransom, Senior Climate and Energy advisor for Senator Max Baucus
The event includes an opportunity for audience participation and question and answers.
Copies of Sen. Baucus’ Montana Resource Guide on the Recovery Act will be available at the event.
Snacks provided!
Date and time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Location: Weaver Room at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, 111 South Grand, Bozeman
Free and open to the public.
Co-hosted by Montana Renewable Energy Association, Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund, and Montana Audubon.
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To download information provided at these workshops, click HERE >>
- Global Warming Workshop Billings -- March 15, 2008.
- Global Warming Workshop Missoula -- Nov 3, 2007.
Over 50 people attended our first workshop and made it a huge success!
"I appreciated the opportunity to hear about how climate change may specifically affect my own environment and the places I care about the most. This workshop offered a great chance to converse with others who are concerned about global warming but unsure of what we can do about it. By its very nature, global warming appears an almost insurmountable problem to most citizens, but local discussion and efforts at finding solutions makes it less so. I was encouraged and inspired to do more. Thank you so much for offering it." - Elaine