Arts in Action:
Creatively motivate & engage your community
Sabine von Mering, David Abel, Eileen Ryan, Jim Wolf
ROOM 325C
A storyteller, an artist and a filmmaker. Come learn how these artists use their creative talents to engage folks in the climate conversation and how you can use non-traditional ways to start conversations and build momentum in your community.
Developing your Path to Opt-In Specialized Code Adoption:
How to make a significant climate impact in your community
Lisa Cunningham, Cindy Arens, Alexander Gard-Murray
ROOM 305A
Come learn how your community can adopt the Massachusetts Opt-in Specialized Code, which was introduced in Massachusetts in late December 2022 as part of a mandated update to our building codes. Since then, an astounding 30% of the MA population – 48 communities – have adopted this building code.
Helping your community adopt the Opt-in Specialized code is an impactful action that you can take, protecting your community from significant future costs and current health risks, as well as aligning with local, state and local climate goals. Simple requirements, like pre-wiring new buildings for future electrification, save money for consumers from expensive future retrofits.
- This may be helpful if you are working toward becoming a DOER Climate Leader Community.
Effective Communication:
Best practices for climate messaging
Joshua Low
ROOM 335
Level up your climate communications with research-based insights! Millions more Americans would take climate action if they knew what to do and were asked to act by someone they like and respect. While there is no single formula for strategic climate communication, this interactive workshop will equip you with practical strategies to build public and political will for climate action. We will share evidence-based insights into audiences (informed by "Climate Change in the American Mind" and the 6 Americas), trusted messengers, messages, and crafting compelling stories that inspire action that you can apply to your communications.
En-ROADS Live:
Test, explore, and act on climate solutions
Ibrahim Shabra, Dr. Tamara Shapiro Ledley, Tiana Veldwisch
ROOM 340A
The En-ROADS model is a powerful tool for exploring the impact of various climate change mitigation strategies. In this interactive workshop, we will examine actions such as reducing coal use and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using the En-ROADS decision support model (enroads.org). Participants will also explore the co-benefits and equity considerations of these strategies. Be prepared to engage and test the global impact of different strategies as a group, working together to identify a suite of actions that could help achieve our climate goals of limiting warming to 2 degrees C. We will have laptops in the room for collaboration but feel free to bring along your own to dive in along with us.
From Scrappy to Sophisticated:
Growing a grassroots organization from $0 to $10K to …
Dean Berg, Cheryl Schnitzer
ROOM 305B
If you have a grassroots organization in your community that is struggling to find funding for projects, programs, and people, this session is for you. Cheryl and Dean will walk through the process of going from nothing to $10k and beyond using a systems-based approach and real world examples. There are a million different things that you can do to raise money - finding the activities that provide the biggest "bang for your buck" in your community is the key. In this session we'll outline the top 5 activities that work in almost any community.
Funding Residential Decarbonization Projects:
Options for Massachusetts residents
Travis Estes, Lissette Paukert, Frank Stone, Bret Wilkins
ROOM 325B
This session will explore multiple residential financing opportunities available in MA to make energy efficiency and electrification upgrades more accessible and equitable. Program leaders from Mass Save, Mass Community Climate Bank, Nectar, and Abode will discuss key components, goals, and challenges related to residential financing, including upcoming modifications to some of the programs. The session will be moderated by Abode, a Massachusetts-based implementor working in each of the programs represented. The session will conclude with a panel Q&A and discussion.
The Power of Conversations:
A key to growing the climate movement
Sue Vatnick
ROOM 325A
In this session, having effective climate conversations will be presented as a foundational skill that is needed to build a movement strong enough to defeat the fossil fuel industry, and to stimulate the kind of society-wide mobilization needed to make a difference with the worst threat in the history of humanity. Key points:
· Why have conversations
· Goals of conversations
· How to begin conversations
· Elements of a good conversation
· Helpful tools
· Opportunities for training
