Letter from the Executive Director

With Expedition Copenhagen complete, Will and I recently visited Stonyfield Farm to thank them for their support. The Expedition Copenhagen final report is now available, complete with feedback fr om delegates and media highlights - you can also watch the reflection video here. Select Expedition Copenhagen delegates are organizing Clean Energy Forums for April 3rd across the Upper Midwest to build public support for climate and clean energy legislation.

With the public’s concern for global warming waning and confusion increasing, it is becoming increasingly evident how important our work is to educate, inspire and empower the public in a campaign to propel climate change solutions. Paul Hawken told a crowded room at the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society 30th Anniversary: “the climate issue is an issue of survival for civilization; this is our work and why we’re here.” To keep momentum strong in the U.S. Senate as we move to pass comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, our authentic eyewitness account is needed more than ever. Will Steger’s Eyewitness to Climate Change tour was in Montana last month and is gearing up for a whirlwind tour of South Dakota, Maine, New Hampshire, and Alaska in April! Follow the Will Steger Foundation blog for updates from the road.

We are also gearing up to host our 5th annual Summer Institute on Climate Change Education on Wednesday August 11th; the focus will be on global warming basics, solutions, and addressing climate skepticism.

Here’s to an inspiring and action-filled Spring!

Sincerely,

Nicole Rom, Executive Director

Emerging Leaders

Together with Focus the Nation, the Alliance for Climate Education and Global Exchange, we are helping young leaders make clear connections in their communities between jobs and clean energy. This spring, we will work with a select group of youth organizing teams, including select Expedition Copenhagen delegates, in the Upper Midwest to support their efforts in better understanding where their energy comes from, what clean solutions are immediately available, how Washington can start spending money to make clean energy available and cheaper and how this connects to what jobs look like now.

Education

Kristen, our K-12 Education Program Manager, was lucky enough to attend the AAAS Conference on Promoting Climate Literacy through Informal Science early in February. The conference was a great chance to hear what other non-profits, including science museums, aquariums, zoos and community organizations were up to, as well as make some important contacts at the national level.

Much of this past month has been spent in the early planning stages for the 5th annual Summer Institute for Climate Change Education. Save the date for August 11, 2010! In addition we are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Summer Institute intern for May/June-August. Check out the Summer Institute video and spread the word!

EE Week: Be Water and Energy Wise! Register for National Environmental Education Week, April 11-17, 2010

National Environmental Education Week (EE Week), the nation's largest environmental education event, inspires environmental learning and stewardship among K-12 students. EE Week connects educators with environmental resources to promote K-12 students’ understanding of the environment. EE Week is a program of the National Environmental Education Foundation. When you register for EE Week, you will join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing the environmental literacy of K-12 students. You will also receive certificates of participation, free online resources, information on professional development and funding opportunities, and access to discounts on educational materials from Acorn Naturalists, Kilowatt Ours, and Nature-Watch just for EE Week participants.

Upcoming Events

March

• Neighborhood Sustainability Conference Saturday, March 13th 8:30 - 4:30 pm
• YEA! MN Workshop 2:00-3:30 pm Central Lutheran Church 333 12th Street South Minneapolis, MN 55404 (Next to the Convention Center)
  ***The conference is free, but please register at www.afors.org

April

• Focus the Nation Clean Energy Forums with WSF and Global Exchange - Saturday April 3 and Saturday April 10th across the Upper Midwest - MI, MN, ND, SD, WI, IA, IL and IN www.focusthenation.org/blog/april-2010
• April 22nd - Earth Day
  • 8:00 am - 11:00 am: At School of Environmental Studies with YEA! Minnesota
  • 10:00 am - 2:00 pm: Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon with YEA! Minnesota and WSF, Capitol steps, St. Paul

May

• Blue Green Alliance – Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference, May 4-6, Washington D.C. The 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference is the leading forum for transforming ideas into action and building a green economy that creates good jobs, reduces global warming and preserves America’s economic and environmental security. Check Out the Blue Green Alliance Now
  Early Bird Registration through March 15! Early Bird Registration is available at www.greenjobsconference.org through March 15, 2010.

SAVE THE DATE! WSF Summer Institute - Wednesday August 11th, 2010

In the News

WIll is featured in a full-page interview in the Winter 2010 edition of Momentum magazine, a quarterly publication from the Institute of the Environment out of the University of Minnesota. Read the article here.
Twenty years ago, a six member team, led by Will Steger, completes a grueling 3,741-mile, 222-day dogsled expedition across Antarctica. The Adventure Blog celebrates the achievement in their recent blog. Read the article here.
Will's recent keynote address was a "smash hit" during the Elk River Energy Expo. Star News cover the event. Read the article here.
Expedition Copenhagen delegate Liana Balinsky-Baker writes a profile article on fellow delegate, Reed Aronow for the Schmooze website. Read the article here.
The World News Network covers Will's recent visit to Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire. He appears on the schools program, "Briefings." Watch the video interview here.

iPhone App: Green Tips Have you seen our iPhone/iPod app? We've just launched Green Tips with one of our partners to help educate adults & kids on becoming more green. This app gives hundreds of tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, suggests green activities for kids and families, and gives you a chance to ask questions to leading Green experts. We really hope you check it out!

Action!

CERTs and EnergyMisers, LLC VendingMiser Bulk-Buy program

The Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) is kicking off its new "CERTified campaigns" program with a campaign aiming at placing 200 VendingMisers on cold-drink vending machines across the state, resulting in an energy savings of over 335,000 kilowatt hours per year - roughly $26,800! Between now and May 1st, you and your organization or business can sign up to save approximately $130 per year on energy costs for each beverage vending machine by participating in a statewide VendingMiser Bulk-Buy Program through the Clean Energy Resource Teams and EnergyMisers, LLC. For more information, visit CERTS.

Photo of the Month

WSF President Will Steger, WCCO-TV anchor Don Shelby, and author Paul Hawken

“There is no place we can employ more people per dollar than in retooling our built environment.” – Paul Hawken

Photo credit: Diana McKeown