The Environment Roundtable is pleased to announce that Lisa McMillan and Rikkia Ramsey-Williams are now serving as the co-chairs for this group.
LWVPT thanks Carol Bloom for her dedicated service as chair for this roundtable for the past two and a half years.
The League of Women Voters of the United States confirms as citizens of the world, we must protect our planet from the physical, economic, and public health effects of climate change while also providing pathways to economic prosperity.
Starting in the 1920s, the LWVUS has built a broad national program focused on protecting and managing the interrelated aspects of air, water, land use, energy, and waste management. The League has been in the forefront of the environmental protection movement, helping to frame landmark legislation and seeking to preserve and protect life-supporting ecosystems and public health.
The Environment Round Table is focused on building support among policy-makers and citizens for the clean energy transition and energy conservation as well as natural resources protection. To that end, we
We partner with local groups such as
Guilford Clean Power Now Coalition
Citizens Climate Lobby Greensboro Chapter
2022-2025
Deep River Riverkeeper
At the Lunch with League, Board members of the Deep River Riverkeeper, Dr. Patricia Gray, Chairperson of the Board; Steve Drew, former Greensboro Water Resources Dept. Director; and Stephanie Stephens, Deep River RiverKeeper, shared a deep dive into the river’s 200-year legacy and how the DRRK and citizens can meet its challenges and improve its well-being today for biodiversity, recreation, agriculture, and drinking water.
Watch the recording of this presentation here: https://youtu.be/TE-YYdCLvdA
Matthew Mayers, volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Mayers gave a high-level overview of how NC electric utilities (in particular Duke Energy) are regulated and highlighted some of the structural problems that stand in the way of effective decarbonization of our electric grid.
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/xUlRlQNdYkE?feature=shared
Dr. John Zino, Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, NC State University
Dr. Zino’s presentation at our Lunch with the League was an educational overview of the history of nuclear energy.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/2rE5e-ow5AE?feature=shared
Lisa Sorg, Environmental and Investigative Reporter for NC Newsline
Sorg spoke about NC’s nuclear power, including the move to smaller nuclear modular reactors. She shared a wealth of resources to educate us about nuclear power, including links for permitting and licensing; waste disposal; oversight and enforcement; and event notification reports, including federal and state entities. Contact environment@lwvpt.org for a list of resources shared.
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/AX1lUOWL6tI
Rod Adams, Former US Nuclear Submarine Engineer
Adams founded Atomic Engines, Inc., which was one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures established in the U.S., whose aim was the development of a small modular reactor (SMR). He shared some history and current development of the SMR design.
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/v9CmWcQu8aM
Dr. Shaleen Miller, Sustainability Director for the City of Winston-Salem, teaches the Urban Ecology & Design class in the Environment and Sustainability Program at UNCG.
Her presentation showed ways for citizens to protect and maintain a robust tree canopy essential to clean air, regulating water flow, cooling cities, providing habitat and more.
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/zF1zNrO454k
Dr. Shamika “Shree” Dorestant, Greensboro’s first Chief Sustainability Officer
Dr. Dorestant introduced us to the City’s Community Sustainability Council and 20-Year Strategic Energy Plan.
See Greensboro’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience
Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/tDmaaOzp0-A
Marion Gamble, Greensboro chapter member, Beyond Plastics
Beyond Plastics is a nationwide project that “pairs the wisdom and experience of environmental policy experts with the energy and creativity of grassroots advocates to build a vibrant and effective movement to end plastic pollution.”
Contact: beyondplasticsgreensboro@gmail.com
Gary Kenton, LWVPT Board Member
Gary opened a discussion of the pros and possibilities of nuclear energy as a power source for the future. The film Pandora’s Promise was recommended as an introduction.
Margaret Rowlett, Solar Power Now Coalition (SPNC)
A partner of the ERT, the SPNC advocated for the formation of the City of Greensboro’s Strategic Energy Plan (SEP) and advocates for additional clean-energy commitments in the Guilford County Board of Education’s Energy Plan.
The ERT made a written Public Comment for inclusion of three additional commitments for the Guilford County Schools Energy Plan.
Ashley Robinson, Greensboro’s Waste Management Educator
Ashley’s presentation showed the how, why, what and what not for recycling in Greensboro.
Watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Mc49jqjjM
Further information here: https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/field-operations/recycle
Kirsten Minor, Health Manager for CleanAireNC (AIRE means Action and Innovation to Restore the Environment)
CleanAireNC’s mission statement is “We advocate for the health of all North by pursuing equitable and collaborative solutions that address climate change and air pollution.”
Watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCn1ysDFRN8&list=UULFw7uUq2dwGH0_s7aiRMlYkQ
Justin Catanoso, ERT League Luncheon 2023
Justin Catanoso, professor of journalism at Wake Forest University and reporter for Mongabay, international environment news organization, spoke at the ERT League Luncheon, open to the public. He shared his investigative reporting about the biomass wood pellet industry in NC (Enviva) that clear cuts mature tree stands and ships pellets overseas to be burnt in industrial furnaces.
See: https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/timber-harvests-to-meet-global-wood-demand-will-bring-soaring-emissions-study/