Training Sessions – Take Home Lessons to Change the World
Friday, May 16
8:30 – 11:30 am
The following in-depth training sessions will take place the final morning of the ICLEI Local Action Summit ~ North America. They are offered free to all Summit participants, but you must pre-register. Please be sure to select the session of your choice when you register for the event.
Session A: Establishing a Local Government Energy Office
This session will introduce the concept of a municipal energy office as the best method to position local governments to control energy costs. The session will prepare participants to capture incentives to implement energy conservation, renewable energy and global warming emission reduction programs in the community. The fact that energy is the major contributor to global warming and air pollution along with rapidly rising energy costs have catapulted energy issues to the forefront of political and environmental issues. Federal and state energy programs are ramping up to help address these issues through grants and other funding. Utilizing the highly successful Ann Arbor model, this session will the steps to establishing an Energy Office. The session will demonstrate how establishing a municipal energy office can pay for itself and bring additional funds and programs into the community to help meet climate protection goals.
Trainers:
- Dave Konkle, Energy Manager, City of Ann Arbor, MI
- Leslie Cook, Climate Protection Partnerships, US EPA
- Viive Sawler, Energy Conservation Manager, Town of Markham, AB, Canada
Session B: Developing Effective Sustainability Plans for your Community
With the guidance of two local government sustainability experts, this training session will provide insight into the steps a community can take to ensure the development and effective implementation of a sustainability plan. Participants will walk through the entire process from community visioning sessions to annual reports, emphasizing the importance of metrics and timelines throughout the process.
Trainers:
- Michael Mucha, City of Olympia, WA
- Shannon Parry, City of Santa Monica, CA
Session C: The Elephant in the Room: Reducing Transportation Emissions at the Local Level
Reducing transportation emissions at the local level is complex, but since over a third of greenhouse gas emissions in most communities are due to transportation, it is critical that local governments have an array of solutions at their disposal. Through knowledgeable experts and hands-on break-out groups, this session will help participants understand the connections between transportation, land use planning, and climate change in urban, suburban, small town, and regional contexts. Using real-world examples from our members, participants in this session will examine and apply strategies for tackling transportation issues in their own communities.
Trainers:
- Reid Ewing, National Center for Smart Grown - Land Use Institute
- Mark Baloga, Executive Director, DuPage County, IL, Mayors and Managers Congerence
- Catherine Miller, Principal Sustainability Planner, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Session D: Fostering Resilient Communities through Climate Adaptation Measures
This session will provide an overview of ICLEI's Five Milestone framework for Climate Adaptation. Participants will learn how to assess a community's vulnerability to climate change by linking with existing scientific data and region specific resources. The second half of the session will actively engage participants in a hands-on exercise to prioritize efforts to enhance resiliency, based on the assessment. ICLEI's Climate Resilient Community Pilot Program Participants and ICLEI staff will be on hand to provide guidance and direction.
Trainers:
- Mikaela Engert, Planner, City of Keene, NH
Session E: Developing Waste Reduction Consciousness, REDUCE, Reuse, Recycle
This training session will provide an overview of current solid waste practices and the tools to turn your neighborhood, office or city into a waste reducing community. Through hands-on exercises, story telling, and a variety of training techniques participants will experience how to successfully reduce waste. The session will highlight Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) programs and resources together with numerous other pro-environment strategies that focus on reducing pollution and waste. Participants will return to their communities prepared to build a waste reduction program that fits community needs.
Trainer:
- Kym Fedale, Environmental Educator, City of Bellingham, WA
- David O'Donnell, Deputy Commissioner, Department of the Environment, City of Chicago, IL