Posts tagged ‘twitter’
Connect! Reflections on the Role of Social in Sustainability Leadership
Contributed by Kryie Bock
The question for today’s blog post:
What did I take away from the recent Spheres of Influence Virtual Roundtable on “Why Social is Key for Women Leaders?” Connection. To gather and truly “fireside chat” about two topics we are most passionate about–Sustainability and Connecting– leads to connection!
“Connecting” in ways that are often seen as “disconnected” because they’re virtual was a challenge successfully overcome in this inspiring and engaging forum for conversation.
There were several great takeaways, but one stood out above all others. “Confidence is key. Having a voice is the start…” said Andrea Learned, social media strategist and author of Don’t Think Pink. And it turns out that social media can help people build not just relationships but confidence. For those of you who are just starting out, or who are introverts, this is for you, too. Social media participation can allow you to put your toe in the water, before going “all in.” You can start on which ever social media platform seems most accessible to you, whether it’s Twitter, or Google+ or LinkedIn, and expand from there as you get more comfortable. Or maybe you’ll just decide that one platform really works for you and stay there.
I posed this question to Andrea Learned: “As V.P. of Membership Engagement for the Net Impact Chicago Professional Chapter, with over 600+ members, with our members having various backgrounds from students, with professionals in business, CSR, Non-Profit, Engineering, Architecture, and Higher Education, tell me about appropriate strategies for an organization like ours.”
Andrea’s answer. “Focus on sharing what is exciting,” what are your members sharing with you, and use those themes to give back variety! And frequency, yes to that, too. In any new relationship when “connecting,” aren’t you always wanting more? Yes. Also, give the new and tenured members the connection they are looking for by providing quality information– serve as a resouce! Have the Board of Net Impact Chicago exercise its leadership by having its passion and voice heard through social media outlets. And, Andrea gave a great suggestion which is that chapter-based organizations can share each others’ successes via social media, creating a broader, national network that is supporting and learning from each other. And it can be fun!
The experience of participating in this conversation added value to me personally and professionally. And most all, this has certainly moved my needle so that I can add more value to colleagues, and I got some great news resources and channels for doing so!
Thank you to all and look forward to “chatting” with you on at the next Spheres of Influence roundtable on November 4th when we learn from Jill Dumain about her career path and leadership insights at the great sustainable business Patagonia!
Why “Women, Leadership & Sustainability” in the Fall 2013 series?
Posted by Dr. Sarah
An esteemed colleague– whom I know from Twitter!– suggested that I write a blog post about the context underlying our upcoming Fall 2013 Women Lead Sustain Virtual Fireside Chats.
Details & Registration here: https://fall2013wls.eventbrite.com. (Register for the first and save 30% on the other two!)
So here goes…
Here are the kinds of questions that drove me to launch of Women Lead Sustain series.
- What are women well positioned to offer to the field of socially and environmentally responsible business?
- How can women best navigate in areas of sustainability that draw on STEM– in more male dominated fields such as engineering?
When we had our first Women Lead Sustain Virtual Roundtable in June 2013–featuring two venerable women in sustainabillity: Ilsa Flanagan of University of Chicago and Susan McPherson of Fenton Communications– we had more participants than ever before. It was clear that there was interest in this topic! (Read and listen here: http://ourspheresofinfluence.com/2013/07/28/shining-a-light-on-women-in-sustainability/)
So I set about looking for women leaders to talk about leadership competencies and career paths for women who want to use their skills, passion and talents to make a difference– for women who want to expand their Spheres of Influence as women leaders.
Thus was born the Fall 2013 Women Lead Sustain series:
10/2/13 Why Social is Key for Women Leaders: Andrea Learned– whom I know from Twitter!– is a live wire and a social media strategy maven. She’s also deeply committed to promoting women’s leadership, and leadership in socially responsible business. She believes that social media plays to strengths that women often share. And it can promote the relationships we need to do this important work. Join us for the conversation at 2-3 ET!
Register here: https://fall2013wls.eventbrite.com
11/6 Career Paths & Leadership Competencies: Jill Dumain, Director of Environmental Strategy at the pioneering green business Patagonia. Jill will share what she has learned about sustainability leadership in the course of her long tenure at Patagonia. Join us at 2-3 ET!
Register here: https://fall2013wls.eventbrite.com
12/4 Playing a Bigger Game: Susan Camberis, Director of HR at Baxter Healthcare and Melissa O’Mara of Schneider Electric (formerly of IBM) will share their wisdom about how women leaders can up their game and increase their leadership impact.
These are not webinars! So come prepared to be part of lively conversation!
If you are Net Impact member enter the code NetImpact in the link below the payment field and above the credit card icons.
Join us! Register here: https://fall2013wls.eventbrite.com
Men are welcome too! The challenges of sustainability and leadership are shared by men and women alike who want to expand their Spheres of Influence!
Unplugged, Part I: An Unlikely Environmentalist Subjects Her Family to a Vacation Without Electricity or Running Water
Contributed by Dr. Sarah Warren
Having just returned from our annual extended family vacation on an inland island in Maine, I want to share my thoughts–as a psychologist, a parent, and an “unlikely environmentalist”–about why it is so special for us as a family to maintain this 36 year tradition of heading to an island with no electricity, no land lines, no Internet, and no running water.
Let me start with a visual clue as to why we subject ourselves to the deprivations of this place.
First let me say that I call myself an “unlikely environmentalist.” I enjoy creature comforts– I love wearing cute high heels, playing with cosmetics, drinking espresso drinks. I do not enjoy camping… But on this tiny peaceful island, we get to have a bed under us and a roof over heads.
So here’s my perspective on why it’s so wonderful and valuable– aside from the incredible beauty.
Unplugging – Because there’s no electricity or Internet on the island, unplugging paves the way for all the experiences and opportunities that I describe below.
In the age of cell phones, we can use our phones (unlike in the past), but the ethos is that we don’t take our attention off the island– and each other– unless we have to.
My sister ribbed me about the irony of me tweeting from my iPhone while we were on vacation. One of Chicago’s top Twitterers has a little trouble leaving her social media life behind… Point taken.
Adding to the irony, I spent some time on vacation reading psychologist Sherry Turkle’s new and important book Alone Together on the psychological and social cost of our intense digital relationships.
But mostly, I was present for my family.
Quality Family Time – On the island we hang out with my sister and her husband and their two- and five- year olds who live 1000 miles from us. My kids and her kids are now at an age to really connect with each other– but they need time to develop those relationships. At the island, the kids eagerly follow each other around and play endlessly in the water. The HamSter, my 8 year-old son, loves to read to his young cousins. My boys created an economy based on pinecones. The HamSter wanted me to take him canoeing (in spite of the risks associated with my ignorance!), so then the DudeSter wanted a special canoe ride with mom. Sibling rivalry persists regardless of the setting!
Slowing Down – Sleeping when the sun is down, preparing meals in a leisurely manner, hanging out and catching up on “the afternoon dock.” We enjoy the tastiest of fresh (and healthy) food, like the local salmon I grilled and served with a wild rice cranberry citrus salad. And, of course, the lucious “Fwo’s Bwond Bwonies,” which have been pronounced that way since my sister and her cousin were younger than her kids and mine are now.
I sleep more and better on the island than anywhere, ever. Going to sleep when the sun goes down is a real treat. And from a psychological standpoint, I can attest that studies indicate that we would do much better mentally and physically if we slept on that kind of schedule– we are a sleep-deprived society and we pay for it!
Connecting with Nature – My kids and I live a pretty urban life in Chicagoland. We see squirrels and swallows and robins, and the occasional coyote! But we pretty much have to seek out opportunities to find wildlife, and really pause to appreciate them.
Nature abounds on the island, but it’s not just that. The fact that there is no Wii (which they have at their dad’s house), no VCR, no TV and no computer means that playing outside is just what the kids do. This year the HamSter protested a bit for the first time about not having all those tech trappings, but mostly I think (hope!) it was just posturing.
There’s an eagle that inhabits the next island over which is always of interest– including its absence this year. And this year, the HamSter kept on telling me about a little bird he’d never seen before that he wanted to point out to me. I never got to see it, alas– but he did.
Unfortunately, we missed the moose (moose!) that visited the island the day after our wing of the family returned to Chicago. According to my step-mom, the moose ran the length of the island, looked in a cabin, then dove into the lake and swam away. When my dudes heard this they said, “Whoa. Just ‘Whoa.'”
Stay tuned for Part II in which I will detail what makes this vacation “green.” HINT: It’s not just the lack of electricity. Subscribe if you want to make sure you see the next installment!
How have you unplugged? How has your family benefited? Share your story! Post a comment!
A Squirmy Family Meditates Together– or Tries
Well, tonight the dudes were less squirmy as I read them Peaceful Piggy Meditation (2004) followed by five LONG minutes of meditation. Ok, sort-of-meditation.
This was my third night of attempting to help my two wound-up young rascals wind down at bedtime not just by reading Peaceful Piggy, which they’ve enjoyed for months, but by actually doing something that might approximate some hybrid Americanized version of meditation.
So why, you might ask, am I as an eco (and clinical!) psychologist and ambassador for green writing about family meditation of all things?
For more than one reason, actually. First, stress is something we all have to contend with. Because life is complicated. We have lots to juggle. We are so wired into technology. The pace of modern life can be relentless. And meditation is one of those tried and true techniques that helps. It just helps.
Meditation holds the potential for many rewards– decompressing, rejuvenating our bodies, and when done with others, connecting with each other.
Lately life has been reminding me of the need to take deliberate measures to take care of myself, which brings me to the second reason. I became an “unlikely environmentalist” while in the midst of a divorce with my two little guys in diapers. My wake up call as an environmentalist led me to write a book, to found Spheres of Influence, and reinvent myself. I’ve been burning the candle both ends, continuing my psychology practice while raising two stressed out boys and launching into a cause that has changed my life– and me. My body has been saying it’s time to slow down after five years of “push.” I need to take care of myself so that I can continue tending to my clients, and so that I can continue my work as an eco ambassador. And I’ve got a socially anxious 7 year-old and a sometimes aggressive-sometimes sweet 6 year-old who remind me that they need to slow down. And they need my help.
Divorce is not just an event. Divorce– and its aftermath– is a protracted, complex ongoing process of renegotiation of roles, identities, family dynamics, expectations, hopes and longings– for all involved. Even a good divorce is stressful.
The stress of divorce may or may not apply to you. But if you’re not dealing with the stress of family upheaval, I bet you’re contending with stress of some sort.
KerryMcLean wrote Peaceful Piggy after she and her family started to meditate together when they were facing a family medical crisis.
I have a client who is not going through a divorce but has a troubled young adult son living at home. My client is also in the financial industry, which is generally a pretty tough industry these days. He and his son meditate together every day for 15 minutes. I’ve not met his son, but I know it’s helping my client maintain perspective on the professional and familial challenges he’s facing.
I recently recommended Peaceful Piggy to a client who is going through a divorce with her two young kids. They all love it. I highly recommend the book– and family meditation.
Be patient with yourselves–because change is a process– but give it try!
If you want to learn more about my story of transformation as an unlikely environmentalist and a divorced mom, go to my Fierce Love book page https://ecoactionplan.wordpress.com/fierce-love-the-book/ where you can download the first two chapters. And I would really appreciate your posting a comment on the site which will help show publishers I have an engaged audience! And I love feedback! Thank you in advance…
And please follow me on Twitter @drsarahwarren where I tweet a lot about my two delightful dudes and our life as a family.
You Can Help Me Fulfill My Mission as an Ambassador for Green
When I realized that our addiction to oil posed a threat to my children’s health and well being, I knew that in order to make the greatest impact I needed to use my psychological expertise in addictions and behavior change to tackle what many consider the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. (Hubris, I know!)
My mission as an “unlikely environmentalist” is to spread the word about the scale and urgency of our severe addiction to oil, the consequences of that addiction– and importantly–what we can do to ensure our children a world in which they can thrive. Because that’s what we want, right?
So, I’ve written a book which I’m just about to pitch. The title? Fierce Love: How One Mother Reivented Herself by Saving the Planet… and you can too!
The intended core audience? People who watch The View and Oprah, people who read Self magazine and shop at Target. People who LOVE their Starbucks. Maybe they shop at Whole Foods sometimes, maybe not. (That might not be you.)
My message is one of empowerment and personal transformation. The book is part memoir, part coaching book in the personal growth genre.
The single most important factor that publishers are looking for is a large and engaged audience. That’s you!
Getting a good book contract will help me expand my spheres of influence so that I can catalyze others to use their spheres of influence to protect the planet for our kids. I’m asking you to jump through several virtual hoops– this is not about me, it’s about our precious natural world.
So here’s how you can help me fulfill my mission of protecting the planet for our children by enlisting the unenlisted: (Do this by September 1st and you’ll get a FREE copy of my reflections on Soul Survival!)
1. Subscribe to (and comment on!) my blog. Comment on this post even! (I blog about being a divorced mom, about raising kids who love and respect the natural world, about how we can use our spheres of influence to protect the planet, about the personal rewards of going green.) (Sometimes the links don’t work in WordPress: www.ourspheresofinfluence.com)
2. Sign up for my mailing list to receive information about opportunities to make a difference to protect the planet–and what I call “Things I love.” (If the link doesn’t work it’s here http://www.ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/webform.html)
3. Become a fan of my FaceBook Page! Or– if you like it, “Like it! Then please recommend it! http://ow.ly/2qYNw
4. Follow on me on Twitter where I tweet about all kinds of cool green stuff– food, kids, cocktails, cool stuff, enoughness, using our voices. http://twitter.com/drsarahwarren
5. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel where you’ll find videos of fun Spheres of Influence eco events as well as short clips on how you can use your Spheres of Influence, and how to Go Green and Get Happy. http://www.youtube.com/user/drsarahwarren
6. Download chapters of my book and post a comment on my Fierce Love page (complete with video!): https://ecoactionplan.wordpress.com/fierce-love-the-book/
7. If you support my mission, please spread the word and invite friends and family to do sign up as well! Tweet, email, Facebook message– whatever means you use to spread the word! Your children will thank you!
I’ve just asked you to take a lot of steps, I know. They all count– just like all us changing our lightbulbs counts!
Thank you for your time, your support, your interest and all that you’re doing to use your spheres of influence to protect the planet!
Remember if you act by September 1st, you’ll be rewarded with a free copy of my reflections on Soul Survival!
Because we have exactly enough time, starting now!
Afterthoughts on my eco mom blog post about my Toyota
Well, I stuck my toe in the waters of product blogging, as a Twittermom, with some trepidation.
As part of the Toyota Twittermom campaign, I committed to posting a blog about why I love my Toyota, and the posting a follow-up blog about the experience.
So here goes.
I had been a bit concerned about push back about blogging about a product, especially since I’m in the “green” space and my car is not a traditionally eco-friendly car. (Not traditionally eco, but as I noted in my previous blog post, the fact that Toyotas last a long time makes them more sustainable than cars that fall apart after a couple of years– as did my old Saturn.) No push back. I did get people viewing the post on my site, according to the blog stats, but no comments. Tough to get comments, isn’t it?
What I enjoyed about the process was that, for one– a bit to my surprise– I did feel a part of a campaign, even if it was a virtual campaign. And it made me feel more a part of Twittermoms which I’ve been technically a member of for some months without being very active.
I also enjoyed going to the Toyota Facebook page and seeing other people’s stories about their cars.
Being somewhat technologically disabled (slow perhaps?) and pressed for time as I usually am, I was unable to figure out how to go back into the area on Toyota’s Facebook page where my story was posted, and see if anyone had commented there. That’s sort of par for the course for me when it comes to tech– I don’t waste a lot of time trying to figure stuff out unless it really matters to me. I did, for instance, spend three days, on and off, attempting to post a photo to my new Twitter account for my psychology and coaching practice (@SarahBWarrenPhD). We choose our battles, right?
So, having returned from my first foray into the universe of blogging about products, I’m guessing I will blog about products again at some point when the occasion arises.
Should I?
It’s HOT: Is Hydration Enough?
As I started writing this post last night at 11 pm it was a clammy 81 degrees in Chicagoland. It was about the same when I woke up this morning– it didn’t cool down overnight. There’s a heat wave in Canada–in Canada??– and dangerous heat on the East Coast. It’s 102 degrees and humid in Philadelphia right now.
So what do we do to keep our children safe from the effects of dangerous heat?
To protect our kids from this dangerous heat, we need to:
- Make sure they drink lots of water– even when they’re not thirsty!
- We need to keep them out of the sun.
- We need to make sure we don’t leave them in cars– even for a few minutes. This seems like it should go without saying, but more and kids are dying in hot cars– Yikes!
Learn more here: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
But here is my burning question: Is coping with the heat wave enough? Why is it so hot, and hot in places it’s not usually hot, and more often? What can we do about reversing this disturbing trend? Ok, that wasn’t one question. Forgive me.
Bear with me. I’m all about going green and getting happy. So keep reading!
John Holdren, one of our nation’s top scientists, warns that killer heat waves like the one that killed 35,000 people (that’s not a typo) in Europe in 2003 will become the new normal at the rate we’re going with our use of energy that inadvertently emits heat-trapping gases. Read more from one of his power point presentations– it’s not tough to follow. Lots of great info: http://ncseonline.org/conference/Chafee08final.pdf
As a mother, when I think about this kind of new normal, I get choked up. What about you?
As a parent, I ask myself, what kind of world do I want my children to live in? Do I want them to be able to play summer sports outside? Do I want them to be able to go camping? Do I want them to be healthy?
I ask you: What kind of world do you want your children to live in?
These extreme heat waves are a sign, one of many, of what I call “global weirdness”– the weird weather we get as an unintended consequence of our addiction to oil– and other dirty forms of energy like coal that we use to generate electricity.
Why? All that energy to heat and cool our homes and buildings and move us and our stuff from point A to point B to point Z in our oversized vehicles and power our IPODs and laptops and cell phones (yes, mine too!)–and don’t forget the energy it takes to create and dispose of our stuff! All that energy generates heat-trapping gases that are causing warming. (Yeah, the natural sun cycles do too, but what we’re doing accounts for almost all of it. ) And then we rip out a whole lot of trees to use for paper or furniture or cardboard or coffee cups or to clear fields for crops like palm oil. We need those trees to keep us cooler!
- Those innocent oiled birds in the Gulf are literally boiling to death in hot oil. Is that OK with you? Is this the kind of world you want to leave your children?
- Social media maven Amber MacArhur (@AmberMac) put a post on Twitter yesterday afternoon which said that during yesterday’s heat wave in Toronto there was a power outage. People were stuck in elevators at the end of their workdays. How miserable.
- Yesterday, my friend Nan in Philadelphia who loves–I mean LOVES– baseball opted out of the game because temps were expected to hit 100. She told me a good friend of hers, an outstanding athlete, suffered heat stroke the day before while riding her bike.
- Already as many people have died from complications of heat this year in Delaware as died all summer.
- This morning on the news they announced that a big section of Lake Shore Drive had to shut down to repair a huge sinkhole that was caused by yesterday’s extreme heat. A hassle, right?
- Oh yeah, and the fact that it didn’t cool down last night– that’s another part of the heating-up pattern.
Global weirdness is here. It’s now. But it’s not too late to do something. And the personal rewards of action are tremendous.
I promised you this would be about going green and getting happy. Here it is:
If you want to ensure your children a world in which they can thrive, you need to become an avid conservationist, yes– turn off the lights, drive less, unplug, weatherize, buy less. But the good news is that to be a real part of the solution, you get to discover the power of your voice to protect the planet for your children.
This is truly empowering. It’s really cool.
I’ve discovered, for the first time in my life, that my voice matters. My elected officials want to hear from me. Your voice matters, too.
More than the car you drive, more than whether or not you use a reusable shopping bag. Drive less and use that reusable shopping bag– but what really matters for our kids future– and present– is the policies we put in place that can protect the planet– or not.
If you’re in the US, the single most important action you can take is to call or write your Senator (sorry, emails and petitions are way less effective) to support the passage and strengthening of the American Power Act. You won’t be sorry.
While you’re at it, have your kids write a letter and draw a picture too. It’s a great summer family project!
Join me in Going Green and Getting Happy– and spread the word!
Sign up for my blog to stay posted about how you reap the rewards of joining the growing movement of unlikely environmentalists and to stay posted on my forthcoming book, Fierce Love: How One Mother Reinvented Herself by Saving the Planet… and you can too.
Join the Spheres of Influence Network
Do you want to make a meaningful difference to protect the planet– and work with other influencers to be a part of the solution?
Are you thinking about how to leave your mark?
Do you want to understand the issues more deeply?
Then you’ve come to the right place to learn what you can do to make a difference on the climate crisis.
Spheres of Influence brings together likely and unlikely environmentalists, ordinary citizens and influencers who want to make a difference — who want to use their money and energy, spirit and wisdom, connections and passion to leave a healthy planet for their children and grandchildren– for tomorrow’s children.
OUR MISSION: To serve those who are working to protect the planet, and to help the concerned citizen become more engaged.
HOW IT WORKS: We gather several times a year for conversation about important aspects of the effort to protect the planet. At those gatherings, experts, sustainability professionals and concerned individuals come together to share ideas and resources. We also offer monthly national conference calls on which members are invited to partcipate in live dicussion; non members listen in.
Two features distinguish our network: Its caliber, and its broad range from arts and media to science and policy to global corporations.
JOIN US! Join today at Member Registration. Join now and be enterted to win a copy of James Balog’s important and beautiful book: Extreme Ice Now.
Extreme Ice
Why a salon? A salon is a European concept, defined by Wikipedia as a gathering in which “the participants sought to increase their knowledge through conversation and readings.” The Spheres of Influence Salon is a virtual and live venue for stimulating dialogue with thought leaders, experts and visionaries who are addressing the state of the planet.
Thought leaders and experts in the Salon community include:
Thought leader Rob Harmon (WA) of Bonneville Environmental Foundation, who invented the retail carbon credit (REC) and who continues to develop innovative market solutions to the problem of C02 emissions.
Richard Rood (MI), Professor of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences at University of Michigan. Formerly at NASA, Professor Rood works as part of an interdisciplinary team on climate change, and thoughtfully addresses matters such the relationship between science and policy.
Brad Warren (WA) of the international nonprofit Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, whose clients include Wal-Mart and McDonalds. He has been working at the interface of business and the environment for 25 years, and is an expert on ocean acidification- global warming’s evil twin– another unintended consequence of our rising C02 emissions.
Pamela Martin (IL), Professor of Geophysical Sciences at University of Chicago. Prof. Martin is doing important research in various areas related to climate change, including matters of practical day-to-day relavance such as the carbon footprint of our diet.
Karen Leigh Cook (NM), energy policy consultant of EECOM, Inc, is active with the US Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Center and the US Green Building Council, and believes passionately that we have a responsibility to “clear away the policy barriers for the sake of our children.”
Jeff Short (AK), marine scientist with the natoinal nonprofit Oceana. Working on how CO2 emissions impact the oceans and on climate policy in the run up to the Copenhagen talks in December 2009.
“Tackling global warming is a form of estate planning. The people who have the most at stake in reversing global warming are the parents of the world. People who are civic leaders who help to run our companies are also parents, and they play a lot of other roles in the world. I think we need to step out of our business roles and look at our spheres of influence. We all have to come together as parents to fight climate change.” David Weinberg, charter member of Salon/retired head of FelPro, Inc.
Listen to the audio testimonial from Joey Feinstein, Founder and CEO of ClimateCycle.org and Founding member of Spheres of Influence Young Leaders Circle
Spheres of Influencelaunched September 2008 at Navy Pier in Chicago during the Corporate Climate Response Conference. Speakers for the Salon Kick-Off included Rob Harmon, renewable energy thought leader and Chief Innovation Officer at the Bonneville Environmental Foundation who developed the concept of the retail carbon credit (REC), actress and founding Salon member Nora Dunn (Saturday Night Live, Second City) who is also an accomplished painter and committed conservationist who uses her talents and wit to deliver her message, and Brooks Scott, from corporate sustainability pioneer Patagonia, who spoke about how climate change has propelled their company to deepen their commitment to protecting the natural world. They shared their inspirational stories about how they are using their spheres of influence, and how we can all effectively use our talents, voices and votes.
To Join: Interested in learning about the benefits of membership? Visit our Spheres of Influence Salon Member Registration. You are also invited to learn more about our organization’s Code of Conduct.
Upcoming Salon Events:
Tuesday, April 13th , 2010
6-7 pm-Eastern / 5:00-6:00 pm Central / 3:00-4:00 pm Pacific
Teleconference & Virtual Roundtable: Renewable Energy: Possibility & Prosperity
Special Guest: Mark Townsend Cox, Founder of the New Energy Fund in NYC
Moderator: Sarah B. Warren, Ph.D., SpheresFounder
Mark Cox has a passionate, articulate vision of a path to a prosperous and sustainable future through renewable energy. He has a masterful ability to explain technical details to a nontechnical audience.
As always, select Spheres members will be invited to join the Virtual Roundtable. Non members are welcome to listen in.
April 22nd, 2010
5-7 PM
Tour of Academy for Global Citizenship
We’ll talk about how we need to prepare the next generation to work, live and lead in a very different world at this exciting new International Baccalaureate program in the Chicago Public Schools.
5-6 pm Earth Day Project with Students and Guests
6-7 pm Enjoy a glass of organic wine as we tour the school with Founder, Sarah Elizabeth Ippel.
Purchase tickets: http://ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/spheres/event.php
June 23rd, 2010
Members Only Invitation: VIP Reception for the Opening of the Field Museum’s Climate Change Exhibit.
Mingle with Trustees, Founders Circle and corporate sponsors, preview the exhibit and spread the word about the exhibit!
Recent Salon Events
April 13th. 2010
Virtual Roundtable Topic: Renewable Energy: Possibility and Prosperity
Special guest Mark Townsend Cox, Founder of the New Energy Fund
This podcast affords an opportunity not only for clean tech fans but for newbies to learn more about the possibilities inherent in renewable energy. Mark has a passionate vision for paving the way to a better world through renewable energy, and a fascinating story about why he wants to prevent future wars over oil in light of his experience as a young British soldier in the Falklands conflict over oil.
February 9th , 2010
Teleconference & Virtual Roundtable Topic: Solar, Cycling & Schools: Raising Money for Solar Panels on Schools!
Special Guest: Joey Feinstein, Founder of ClimateCycle.org.
Moderator: Sarah B. Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder
In this roundtable we learned about the mission and genesis of this exciting programwhich raised $70,000 for solar panels on Chicago Public Schools on its first bike ride. This program is exciting in part because it can be scaled up– and we need to scale up our solutions to the climate crisis.
January 26th , 2010
Teleconference & Virtual Roundtable: Forging a Corporate Coalation: Green SigmaTM
Special Guest: Melissa O’Mara of IBM who is a Sustainability Leader (and Charter Spheres of Influence member). Melissa has been spearheading the new Green Sigma Coalition of corporations who have committed to reduce their environmental footprint, including energy and water.
Special Commentator: Prof. Klaus Weber of NU Kellogg whose research includes the relationship between sustainability and corporate culture change.
Moderator: Sarah B. Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder
Melissa O’Mara shared with us her story of evolving from sales into sustainability, and the genesis of IBM’s innovation GreenSigmaTM Coalition which brings corporations into collaboration in providing sustainability services.
December 10th, 2009
Holiday Party Celebrating “Live & Give Green” at Healthy Green Goods in Evanston
We enjoyed organic wine and conversed with special guests Jack Darin, Director of the Illinois Sierra Club and Cool Globes artist Andrea Harris.
We talked about how to “give” in nonmaterial ways, including using our voices! Dr. Sarah also recommended giving green-e certified carbon offsets and Water Restoration Credits, a new product from Bonneville Environmental Foundation (b-e-f.org).
Thank you to Mohawk Fine Papers for your generous sponsorship of this event!
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Teleconference & Virtual Roundtable: Climate Change: A View from Abroad (Beyond China & India)
Special Guest: Dana Kenney (City of Chicago Dept. of Environment, formerly of USAID)
Moderator: Sarah B. Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder
Spheres of Influence member Dana Kenney worked in emerging countries on energy efficiency with US AID for a number of years. She shared her unique perspective, having only recently returned from the developing world. She offered her insights into how we can apply lessons learned from the developing world, and how emerging economies can continue to grow while we reduce our C02 emissions. She was joined for the Roundtable by Prof. Richard Rood (UMichigan) and Prof. Cynthia Lynton (Northwestern).
Listen to the audiofile: http://www.ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/audio/DanaKenney11-11-09.wav
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Conference Call & Virtual Roundtable
Topic: So What IS the Food & Climate Change Connection?
Special Guest: Prof. Pamela Martin (Univ. of Chicago)
Moderator: Sarah B. Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder
The food and climate connection is that one that captures a lot of attention.
Prof. Martin shared her exciting research on the impact of urban sustainable farms– and her vision for a viable local “food shed” in Chicagoland that could feed 4.5 million people!
And we learned that cutting out meat and dairy saves as much C02 emissions as driving a Prius!
For the Roundtable we were joined by Dana Kenney (City of Chicago Dept. of the Environment) and Patsy Benveniste of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Listen to the audio here:
http://ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/audio/PamelaMartin9-22-09FoodClimate.wav
Friday, September 11th, 2009
Cocktail Party & Green Home Tour
Salon members and friends new and old kicked off the fall season with a cocktail and a private tour of the beautiful green home and office of leading green architects, Ron & Lisa Elkins of the firm Two Point Perspective. We had a great time drinking appletinis, learning about green home resources, business innovation related to green design, green building policy iniatives, and even veered into how diet and climate are related as we enjoyed gorgeous vegan appetizers by The Balanced Kitchen. And we welcome new members Lisa & Ron Elkins to the Salon!
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
National Teleconference & Virtual Round Table:
Mothers Using their Voices on Climate Policy
SPECIAL GUEST: Karen Leigh Cook (US Council of Mayors, US Green Building Council)
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
Inner Sphere policy maven Karen Leigh Cook is a longtime climate policy advocate who is extremely effective at speaking out and engaging policy makers.
Karen says “We need to clear away the policy obstacles for the next generation.”
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Support Sphere Feedback Session with Joey Feinstein, Young Leaders Circle member & Founder of Climate Cycle.
Several Salon members with different areas of professional expertise met with Joey Feinstein to offer him feedback on his power point on Climate Cycle.
Joey said “Thank you all for your feedback. It saved me months of trial and error. It was spot on.”
July 14th, 2009
Teleconference & Virtual Round Table:
Renewable Energy: Outlook & Opportunities
SPECIAL GUEST: Rob Harmon, Chief Innovation Officer, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
Rob Harmon is a member of the Salon’s Inner Sphere. The inventor of Retail RECs, Rob is a true thought leader in the realm of renewable energy. With close to two decades in the industry, Rob is steeped in the field.
Rob had just been in DC talking with legislators about the problem of of the Waxman Markey bill negatively impacting the voluntary market for RECs.
Rob was joined on this call by other Inner Sphere members: Karen Leigh Cook, Brad Warren and Prof. Richard Rood.
Listen in on this high level policy discussion (and please be patient with the audio when Brad Warren is speaking). Listen and take action!
http://www.ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/RobHarmonRenewablesLegistative&BusinessUpdate7-14-09.wav
Register to pose your question and get the call in number. Salon members may be selected to participate in the Round Table portion of the call. Non-members may listen in.
June 12th, 2009
Garden Party & Dinner Celebrating our Bright Green Future
During Cocktails in the Garden we honored remarkable Young Leaders– entrepreneurs and policy advocates and educators–and launched the Young Leaders Circle of membership.
Our dinner guests lingered over an intimate dinner until after midnight discussing the policy implications of global warming’s evil twin– ocean acidification. Our special guests were Brad Warren of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and Jeff Short of Oceana. It was a powerful conversation about how we can and must use our spheres of influence to shape global emissions policy at this critical juncture.
June 9th, 2009
National Conference Call & Virtual Roundtable
“Sustaining Ourselves, Sustaining the Planet– or Go Green, Get Happy!”
FEATURED SPEAKER: Sarah Warren, Ph.D.
April 22nd, 2009
Earth Day Organic Wine Tasting with Local “Green Heroes”
We joined Bill and Eleanor Revelle (son and daughter-in-law of Prof. Roger Revelle who introduced Gore to C02) and Suzanne Canfield of the Garden Clubs of America, and Jill Geiger of Environmental Law & Policy Center for a discussion of what we need to do to scale up our efforts to combat climate change. The conclusion: Get involved in policy (arrived at over a lucious glass of organic wine)!
April 10th, 2009
Teleconference & Virtual Round Table:
Education for a Hot Crowded World: The “Green
Car Kids” from Philadelphia Automotive Academy
Special Guests: Simon Hauger and the EVX Team
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
March 10th, 2009
Teleconference & Virtual Round Table:
Simple Green: The Financial & Spiritual Rewards of Going Green in an Economic Crisis
SPECIAL GUESTS: Nancy & Mathew Sleeth, MD.
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
February 17th, 2009
Teleconference & Virtual Round Table:
Science Update
SPECIAL GUEST: Prof. Richard Rood (University of Michigan)
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
Assessing Corporate Sustainability
SPECIAL GUEST: Neal Levin, Founder of the SKAN Project.
MODERATOR: Sarah Warren, Ph.D., Salon Founder.
Organic Wine Tasting
and Discussion of Food & Global Warming
In spite of a blizzard, a great group of people joined actress and founding Salon member Nora Dunn, civic leader David Weinberg, special guest experts Prof. Pamela Martin (University of Chicago), Joanne Weidemann-Wolf of Angelic Organics, Sarah Elizabeth Ippelt of the new Academy for Global Citizenship, and Joel Smith of Slow Food International, and founding Salon member John Woldenberg, co-founder of Cool Globes.
We were joined by lots of interesting people who are various shades of green. We sampled organic wine and had a very stimulating discussion. A handful of people who attended are just sticking their toes in the water– they are part of the outer sphere of the Salon, and the growing movement of unlikely environmentalists.
December 11 th, 2008
Holiday Party
David Weinberg & Dr. Sarah Warren
Dr. Sarah Warren & Nora Dunn
Wednesday, December 3
“Setting the agenda for the first 100 days”
Prof. Eban Goodstein, author of Fighting for Love in the Century of Extinction artfully blends passion and policy. In early 2008 Professor Goodstein mobilized 1 million participants across the country. On February 5, with the National Teach in on Global Warming Solutions, he plans to do the same. — His sphere of influence is pretty big. He shared his view as an economist that the economic downturn affords an opportunity to build green infrastructure. He spoke with Salon members about how they can participate in setting the agenda for “the first 100 days.” And– A great Spheres of Influence conversation occurred, in which members helped Eban solve some of his outreach challenges.
Wednesday, October 8
“How we can seize the opportunity of the election to get the climate policies we need—for our children’s sake?”
Betsy Taylor, co-founder of 1Sky (www.1sky.org), discussed with Dr. Sarah Warren how we can use our spheres of influence in the weeks before the election to ensure that we get the climate policies we need to protect the planet for our children. Betsy Taylor was featured in Leo DiCaprio’s film 11th Hour. Prior to founding 1Sky- a new national climate focused NGO- Betsy was with Center for the New American Dream which she founded. Listen to that conversation. (www.ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/audio/SpheresBetsyTaylor10-8-08.wav)
To read the indepth email exchange with Richard Rood and Rob Harmon that followed one of the callers’ questions about the Pickens Plan, visit this page on my site. (If the link is not working, go the right side of the site and click on the page entitled “Salon Policy Experts…”)
More about the ongoing Salon:
Dr. Sarah Warren believes that the only way to turn the climate crisis around is for us all to green our lifestyles and businesses, as well as to overhaul our policies – and for all of us to act as catalysts for others to join in the burgeoning collective effort to save the planet.
The Salon is about more than reducing our carbon footprints. It’s about the power of stories, the power of exchanging ideas, and the power of relationships and new partnerships. It’s about the power of a community of influencers.
Dr. Warren believes that we should heed the call issued by David King, a former top science advisor to the British government: “”We need to pull people toward …the bigger challenges where the outcome for our civilization is really crucial.” There is no greater challenge than climate change. There is no better focus for our talents and efforts.
The spirit of the Salon is embodied by several of its charter members. Civic leader David Weinberg, the retired head of FelPro, Inc, has applied his talents as a professional photographer to climate change as the photographer for the coffee table book for the Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for Cooler Planet traveling public art exhibit. He sees fighting global warming as matter of “estate planning.” We invite you to listen to a recent Interview with David Weinberg.
Other charter members include Suzanne Farver who is a board member of Rocky Mountain Institute who recently completed research at Harvard on framing climate change issues. Lisa Nigro, social venture pioneer and proud Prius owner, who founded the Inspiration Cafe, demonstrating how successfully businesses can solve social problems. Real estate developer and independent film producer John Woldenberg produced the documentary film Cool It; as a member of Board of the Holocaust Museum, he is supporting the museum’s efforts to ensure environmental responsibility.
The Spheres of Influence Salon is not just about getting more deeply informed about the climate crisis but about committing to use our collective energy and wisdom to tackle climate change. It is about joining a community of civic and business leaders and experts on science and policy who want to achieve the common end of leaving a legacy we can be proud of. The mission of the Salon is to move people from awareness into action– action that is meaningful, thoughtful and high impact.
Join Dr. Sarah Warren, a seasoned psychologist and addictions specialist– that includes oil– who is committed to creating a unified, collective war effort. She inspires to people use their spheres of influence to preserve the “garden” that nourishes us, sustains our businesses and economy, and offers us and our children remarkable beauty.
To learn more about the benefits of membership, visit our member page. No ready to join? To stay informed about future programs and opportunities for involvement, sign up on Dr. Sarah’s mailing list.
Live events will occur not only in Chicago but in various locations around the country. And, of course, thanks to the power of technology, you can participate in virtual events from anywhere!
Keep coming back to learn more details. Or, to save yourself the effort, sign up for Dr. Sarah’s mailing list.
If you want to “tend the garden” that sustains our economy and our lives, if you want to be a part of the solution to the climate crisis by using your spheres of influence, this salon will place you in the midst of the green zeitgeist—what Dr. Sarah Warren calls the war effort to save the planet.
Shaping Global Emissions Policy: What can you do?
We have a critical window in which to shape post- Kyoto global climate change policy in the run up to the talks in December 2009 in Copenhagen.
Why is this a critical window? First, because scientists tell us we have only several years in which to cut emissions to curb the most harmful effects of climate change. And at our June Spheres of Influence dinner event, we learned that the oceans are telling us that C02 emissions are not just causing climate change but poisoning the oceans– now. The oceans are the canary in the coal mine. Second, because the treaty that is negotiated in Copenhagen will either make or break our international ability to create the policies that are essential to stave off climate disaster.
You may wonder what you as a mere mortal can do to make a difference. Until very recently, I was prepared to leave international policy to the big players like Al Gore and Tony Blair.
But now I understand how critical Midwestern swing votes are –and I see the “on ramps” for the action of ordinary citizens. It all comes down to using your voice as a constituent. It matters. It really, really matters.
Key Midwestern swing vote elected officials:
House: Kirk; Halverson; Visclosky
Senate: Lugar; Bayh; Grassley; Stabenow; Levin; Conrad; Dorgan; Brown; Voinovich; Alexander; Pryor; Murkowski
So– starting with the easiest possible action: Sign the petition created by Oceana stating that we need strong climate change policy in the US now. Oceana makes it easy to speak out to your US elected officials supporting strong climate change policy. Just click the button!
Even more effective: Write a personal letter or set up a meeting with your US US Senator supporting Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 (S. 309). This bill aims to avoid the dangerous and irreversible warming of this planet by mandating cuts in heat-trapping pollution now and increasing those cuts year by year. Write a personal letter or set up a meeting with your US Congressional Representative supporting the Safe Climate Act of 2007 (HR. 1590). This bill aims to avoid the dangerous and irreversible warming of this planet by mandating a flexible economy-wide cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions, along with measures to advance technology and reduce emissions through renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleaner cars.
Another great resource for national climate policy in the run up to Copenhagen is 1sky.org which focuses only on climate change policy. In the Midwest, the Envirnomental Law & Policy Center is a key resource.
It only takes five– that’s right–five letters, phone calls or visits from constituents to get the attention of our elected officials.
Not sure how to contact your Representives?
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
They want to hear from you– and your children and grandchildren need you to take this step now to ensure a world in which they can flourish.
Get involved and you will reap tremendous personal rewards. Make a difference. It feels great to have your voice heard!
Become a Spheres of Influence member today and become a part of the solution. http://www.ecoaction.ecoactionplan.org/spheres/
Follow me on Twitter to stay up to date on opportunities to use your voice: @drsarahwarren.
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