VENTURA — As part of its 9th Annual Earth Week Celebration, Ventura College GeoSciences Department is partnering with 350 Ventura County Climate Hub to host a Climate Action Summit on Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 -8:30 PM in the Applied Sciences Building Rm -150. The event will also be co-sponsored by League of Women Voters.
“I am honored to be included in an opportunity to provide clarity and truth to the discussion of climate”, says event sponsor VC Professor Patty Ridenour.
The Summit will address a variety of climate change related topics with a focus on what can and must be done to make the changes needed in our own community.
“We see climate change coming, but what can one person do? The Ventura Climate Action Summit will give you tools to survive and push back against climate change here in Ventura,” explains Kitty Merrill, a presenter and a co-founder of 350 Ventura County Climate Hub.
Speakers include Dr. Omar Clay, an Environmental Physicist, and Research Director of Science for the People, an Environmental and Sustainability Research Center in Baja California, Mexico. An expert on subjects related to sustainable development, environmental challenges, climate change and global security, Dr. Clay is concerned about political attacks on the credibility of science and scientists, as well as the importance of individual’s actions in moving towards a more conscious sustainable life style.
Ventura City Councilmember Christy Weir has enthusiastically chosen to be a “Climate Action Presenter” on the panel as well. Ms. Weir has played an active role to ensure that Ventura will be moving toward a clean energy future. Ask her about the City of Ventura has a Climate Action Plan in the Q and A that follows!
Other presenters include Jan Dietrick, a local business leader whose business, Rincon Vitova, received a gloabl award as Regenerative Business of 2017. She is also very active with the Citizens Climate Lobby.
Kimberly Rivers, the Executive Director of Citizens for Responsible Gas and Oil, will discuss issues our county faces as the technology of oil extraction changes. Tomas Morales Rebecchi, from Food and Water Watch will speak about current efforts in environmental justice in the county, working so that people with low incomes don’t get put into pollution sacrifice zones.
The speakers plan to keep their presentations brief in order to allow for a vigorous Q and A to follow. If you are curious about the science of climate change and what we can do locally, this might be the opportunity you have been waiting for. Ventura Strong, and Strong on Climate.
Free and Open to the Public.
Please park only in the campus’ large parking lot at the corner of Telegraph and Day Road to avoid being ticketed.