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The Second Annual
A2 Climate Teach-in
March 10, 2024
Looking Back at the Teach-in --
to Help You Move Forward
Inspiration? Yep.

Power players? Check.

Young people and those who are "more seasoned"? Absolutely.

Specific tools for taking climate action? Lots of 'em.

The Second Annual A2 Climate Teach-in had all of this and more.
But even if you DID attend the Teach-in -- you could NOT have seen everything.

So here's EVERYTHING -- plus bonus content.
Our Hopes for the Future 
Representatives from the Ann Arbor Public Schools Freeman Environmental Youth Council
Keynote
U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
What We Can Do Together for Climate Action
Keynote
Missy Stults, Ph.D., Director, City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations; A2ZERO
Community Solar and Other Initiatives
Build Your Climate Action Toolkit
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step -- or two.

Unsure where to start? The chart below offers a few suggestions for ways to take climate action.

Pick one or two actions that you can commit to for 2024.

Remember, even small steps can make a big difference.
Here are some resources from the Teach-in which can help you to build your Climate Action Toolkit.
Sustainable Eating
  • Overview of the issue: Supporting local farmers. 
  • Why choose sustainable, organic food, local food.
  • Advocacy with your food dollars.

Ryan Poe -- The Hungry Locavore 
Alex Blume -- Argus Farm Stop
Yusef Houamed -- El Harissa
Sustainable Transportation
  • E-bikes, cargo bikes 
  • City of Ann Arbor’s plan to expand bike infrastructure 

Kim Mayes and Jim Summers -- Human Electric Hybrids and Urban Cargo Riders
Suzann Flowers -- City of Ann Arbor Transportation Program Manager
  • Bonus Content -- EVs: see webinar
Sustainable Congregation and Business
  • How to decarbonize your congregational and commercial space – and how to become an advocate.

Jan Culbertson -- Ann Arbor/Washtenaw 2030 District

Click on photo to see the video.
Sustainable Banking and Investing
  • Where we bank.
  • How we invest.

Catherine Daligga -- Third Act Michigan
Ann Putallaz -- AFP Consulting
Local Advocacy Opportunities
  • What is climate advocacy, and does it make a difference (letter writing; lobbying; protests; petitions)? 

David Gurk -- Washtenaw Climate Reality Project
Ginny Rogers -- Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Click on photo to see the video.
‌
  • How an elected official responds to advocacy.

Rep. Jason Morgan -- Michigan House of Representatives.

Click on photo to see the video.
Local Climate Justice
  • Overview of the issue: equity and fairness; vulnerable communities; interconnection with other societal inequalities; a just transition.

Leah Wiste -- Michigan Interfaith Power and Light
Leah Tessman -- Habitat for Humanity Huron Valley – Healthy Homes program

Networking at the Teach-in
The organization names listed below are each linked to their website.
FOOD


TRANSPORTATION

HOME/BUSINESS/CONGREGATION

MONEY
AFP Consulting

ADVOCACY


JUSTICE

GOVERNMENT

YOUTH


BONUS CONTENT
From the First Annual A2 Climate Teach-in
Mayor Christopher Taylor
A2Zero -- the City of Ann Arbor's plan for achieving a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030.

  • 2012 Climate Action Plan (with no money or budget)
  • 2017 Washtenaw County Millage – laying the groundwork
  • 2022 Community Climate Action Millage -- $7 million per year for 20 years to fund local clean energy, waste reduction, energy efficiency, sustainable food, and resilience programs and services. (Thumbnail photos by Elli Gurfinkel).
Professor Shelie Miller
Finding the Best Leverage Points to Make a Difference

  • Three big things: less consumption; make better choices; talk about it.
  • Three categories: transportation; household energy and stuff; food. Can do big things and little things.
  • Difficult to give things up -- easier to view changes as adding satsifaction.
  • Leverage points and decision points.
VOLUNTEERS
Please give a round of applause for our volunteers. (They may not actually hear you -- but it's the thought that counts).
Coert Ambrosino
Richard Morley Barron
Nicholas Bell
Mark Berg
Nishta Bhatia
Carolyn Blackmore
Ugur Cetin
Carol Clifford
Kate Morris Curtain
Mark Davis-Craig
Julie Dybdahl
Judith Erb
Trina Fuller
DeVeaux Gauger
Kelly Gauthier
Elli Gurfinkel
Knut Hill

Mary Hampton
Loren Jackson
Victor Jimenez
Bentley Johnson
Amani Johnson
Clare Kotre
Don Levitt
John Little
Ed Lynn
Jimmy Mahfet
Cathy Marshall
Jack Marshall
Stephen Modell
Ruth Mohr
Mike Muha
Joan Nuxoll
Serena O’Brien

Bill Parkus
Peyton Peters
Marcy Plunkett
Tom Rich
Gabriella Richley
Esther Rosenthal
Murray Rosenthal
Jaron Rothkop
Margaret Sansburn
Janet Shane
Dick Simon
Michael Simon
Sandy Simon
Stu Simon
Jackie Sproat
Cathy Stone
Jeremy Tieking
Jennifer Wolf
What's Next?
Join us for the famous collaborative, experiential, FUN game-workshop Climate Fresk.

Climate Fresk is based on the science of the IPCC reports and has been played by more than
  • 1.5 million participants
  • In 157 countries
  • In 45 languages
  • With more than 70,000 volunteers.
Aims of the Climate Fresk workshop:
– Lower the barriers to engage with climate change
– Increase awareness and empowerment
– Spark conversations in a fun and informal manner.

Watch for more information in upcoming A2 Climate Teach-in Newsletters.
For more information, clicFor here for the A2 Climate Teach-in website.
Click HERE for the the A2 Climate Teach-in website.
The content from the Teach-in will appear on the website in the near future.