FREE EVENT -- ALL WELCOME
Doors Open for admissions 30 min. prior to Panel. FREE ADMISSION
Climate Change seems to be on everyone’s minds these days, from local coffee shops, town halls, to political forums. Although there are still skeptics (in the minority), the overriding factors driving climate change/global warming is the amount of CO2 that is put into the atmosphere by human hands. For example, it’s estimated that 40% of CO2 comes from transportation emissions.
We’ve put a panel of scientists, politician, and other community individuals together to talk about the local and far-reaching impact of climate change. We hope you, our audience, will also be an active participant in the discussion.
The Vineyard Conservation Society has some excellent written resources on the local impact of Climate Change on its web site at http://www.vineyardconservation.org/a
Our Panelists:
Dylan Fernandes: Fernandes is a fourth-generation resident of Falmouth, and grew up in Woods Hole, MA. Fernandes first attended school at American University in Washington, D.C. He transferred to the College of Charleston and graduated there, earning a Bachelors in Science and majors in economics and political science.
Rep. Fernandez was appointment to the Global Warming and Climate Change committee in the MA state house. And has been an outspoken leader in regards to environmental issues for our local island community and state since his election in 2016.
“The single greatest issue facing my generation and my children’s generation is climate change and global warming,” Fernandes said in the release. “I am honored to sit on committees that will help prioritize sustainability and move Massachusetts to a 100 percent renewable energy future.”
Fernandes has filed several environmental bills, including ones prohibiting offshore drilling in Massachusetts waters, reducing single-use plastics in state buildings and agencies, and allowing the 104 independent public retirement systems in Massachusetts to divest in part or full from fossil fuel companies.
Ben Robinson a member of ICAN as well as the Sunrise Movement. Having grown up on Martha’s Vineyard, exploring its fields, forests and waters has made him appreciate the immense value we place as an island on the natural world. Being lucky enough to have traveled has broadened this appreciation that those values we share as Vineyarders are also shared across the planet by all the local communities I have had the honor to visit and live within.
Zach Zobel is the lead project scientist for WHRC’s initiative with Wellington Management, which has a goal of integrating climate science and asset management. His masters and Ph.D. degrees in atmospheric sciences from the University of Illinois were focused on understanding how climate extremes are changing in the United States. He worked with dynamically downscaled climate simulations that were run at a spatial resolution rarely analyzed in the climate change literature. He received his undergraduate degree from Purdue in atmospheric sciences and was previously a storm chaser. He has chased tornado-warned storms in 15 different states and has been able to confirm 7 tornadoes to the National Weather Service.
Two MVRHS students who have been part of the Protect Your Environment “PYE” club as well as the local ‘climate cafes’ are also participating and representing this generation that is inheriting a warming climate.
Owen Favreau is a member of the Protect Your Environment Club (PYE) at MVRHS. He is junior at MVRHS and a recent graduate of the Mountain School semester program in Vershire, Vermont. As a member of PYE, Owen has had the opportunity to facilitate Island-wide climate cafes as well as the Youth Climate Summit hosted by the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary.
In his freshman year, Owen developed a keen interest in environmental science. Owen’s participates in communities like Martha’s Vineyard and The Mountain School transformed his interest in environmental science to an interest in environmental advocacy. As a participating member in PYE, Owen is able to be an advocate for change and foster a respect for environmental science and advocacy in others within his community.
Jeremy Houser, Ecologist for the Vineyard Conservation Society will act as the panel’s moderator.
