you
I always really looking forward to the
Beach Boys being sung after glitter well
I thank you guys as you mentioned
Barbara Buffalo and I’m here tonight to
talk about a very light-hearted subject
that is very near and dear to my heart
climate change you’re maybe in the wrong
room and so now I’m not sure if you’re
aware of this but 97% of scientists
agree that the climate warming trends
we’ve experienced over the last century
are due to human activity and that’s a
big deal and we should be worried about
it now I know you’re wondering you know
what can we do or what can I do as a
normal citizen
well I’m here tonight to say you can do
something and you can do a lot together
we can do a whole heck of a lot so let’s
talk briefly about what is climate
change
so while other planets in Earth’s solar
system experience really hot weather or
really cold weather because of our
atmosphere our surface is actually
pretty nice it’s mild and stable we do
this because of the thin greenhouse
gases we have that make up that
atmosphere now normally where the solar
rays come through and they go through
that the atmosphere and they warm our
planet how this works is that normally
30% of that solar arrays they go back
into space and so we kind of maintain
normal temperatures however when we add
more greenhouse gases to our atmosphere
we track that solar energy in and it
warms our planet hotter than what we’re
really prepared for this is climate
change so you might be wondering well
what can we do about it and why should I
care well the reason why we should care
is the United States is that we’re 4% of
the world’s population annually were
responsible for 14% of the greenhouse
gases in our atmosphere cumulatively
that’s 27% so that’s not really fair
and I think we should do something about
it now you might be asking well what’s
the big deal you know we’re not really
going to see this for a really long time
well this February was the second
hottest February that we’ve ever
recorded in modern record-keeping
so I’ll hear people saying oh but these
are cycles it’s cool you know this will
just happen we’ll be fine
so when was when was the hottest
February that was last year so we need
to make a change and the reason why we
need to make a change is that I don’t
want to experience these things and
neither do you
these things are climate change will
cause things like extreme heat events
will have massive flooding and intense
rainstorms
will have sea level rises that are
flooding out Miami New York City Boston
cities will have will lose our coastal
reefs will lose the beautiful Great
Barrier Reef near Australia and so you
might say but we’re not in Australia
Barbara we’re not in Miami what do I
care about in Columbia Missouri well I’m
here to say that we care because we’re
experiencing intense heat that’s
affecting our health and our community’s
health we’re experiencing more intense
rain storms that are affecting our
infrastructure flooding out ruining our
transportation and closing our bridges
I’m saying that we care because this
flooding and these high extreme weather
events are affecting our agriculture in
our economy and our lives I’ll give you
an example from agriculture so you know
when crops are growing the corn for
instance and it’s growing in a critical
time if it experiences extreme heat or
dry conditions it could not grow a corn
cob we could have smaller corn cobs
growing so that means that it’s not
actually producing the grain that we
have dedicated so much land to and that
means that we are not going to have corn
on the cob the fourth of July so to
bring it home that’s a big deal and
that’s not a future I want but I don’t
want to just for you or depress you I
also want to talk about what I work on
and that’s to motivate you to make a
change so I have five things that I
would love for you guys to take home
with you the first is get involved
if climate change and the what happens
afterwards is of concern to you tell
somebody tell your family tell your
friends tell your elected officials just
be involved get your voice out there
quick note sharing on Facebook or
retweeting not getting involved
that’s your same circle so get the word
out farther you need to make time with
your elected officials you need to call
your representatives and let them know
that this is something you’re concerned
about we have legislation in Colombia
that requires us to have a certain
amount of renewable energy in our
portfolio we also require more
energy-efficient buildings because we
know that they play a lot our big role
in the carbon footprint so related to
that your second one is save energy
so in Colombia our greenhouse gas
emissions the majority of this is all
from the built environment this is
residential commercial and industrial
and that big blue wedge that’s our the
energy you excuse-me energy used in our
homes so you can actually make a big
difference the energy we save in our
homes just changing the thermostat
that’s the most impactful thing you can
do to affect climate change you know we
always joke that you could turn down the
thermostat when you’re not there like in
the wintertime because your couch
doesn’t care you know one of the things
that our utility recommends is to set
your thermostat to at least 78 in the
summertime and 68 in the wintertime
I’m giving real facts that you can write
down and remember so these are a big way
to affect climate change at home the
third way is how you get around
transportation accounts for 24% of the
greenhouse gas emissions in Colombia so
walk bike take the bus carpool just
think about your active transportation I
also would love it if you guys thought
about you know carpooling together or
even maybe if you don’t have to make
that errand to go combine your errands
the other big one I always talk about
this is related to my fourth fact is
that did you know that the average food
product travels 1500 miles to get to us
so what can we do better we can go local
we can think about supporting local
economy buying local did you know that
if you spent 1%
the food spending in Boone County we
would raise four million dollars for the
local economy so think about where your
food comes from processed foods takes a
lot to manufacture and also takes a lot
of carbon footprints to get to us so
let’s support our local economy and
let’s face it it’s really good food the
other thing and this is really my main
point just be smart play an active role
in the story of your life just because
that’s the way you’ve always done
something doesn’t mean that’s the way
you need to do it I want people to think
about their actions I want them to also
be critical of those actions please
don’t take this as a shame but sometimes
we also get on bandwagons of gimmicks
and trends I’ll give you an example and
I know there’s some people in the
audience sorry in advance just you know
you may be worried about bees or
monarchs or local pollinators which is
important because 74% of 75% of our food
comes from them is as a result of them
so we need to support our pollinator
habitats
however planting really pretty milkweed
and maybe wait let’s see I don’t have it
on there maybe those seeds that came
with your cereal maybe they’re actually
doing more harm than good because for
instance some of that milkweed is
actually tropical milkweed that’s not
from Missouri and so it blooms longer so
the Monarchs stay around longer before
they migrate down to Mexico so they’re
here longer they’re more susceptible to
disease and they’re outside of their
migration cycle so what I want you to
think about is to apply that critical
thinking plant local foods plant local
pollinators support your habitats and
then also just remember that you can
make a difference and together we can
all make a difference thank you
you
you
I always really looking forward to the
Beach Boys being sung after glitter well
I thank you guys as you mentioned
Barbara Buffalo and I’m here tonight to
talk about a very light-hearted subject
that is very near and dear to my heart
climate change you’re maybe in the wrong
room and so now I’m not sure if you’re
aware of this but 97% of scientists
agree that the climate warming trends
we’ve experienced over the last century
are due to human activity and that’s a
big deal and we should be worried about
it now I know you’re wondering you know
what can we do or what can I do as a
normal citizen
well I’m here tonight to say you can do
something and you can do a lot together
we can do a whole heck of a lot so let’s
talk briefly about what is climate
change
so while other planets in Earth’s solar
system experience really hot weather or
really cold weather because of our
atmosphere our surface is actually
pretty nice it’s mild and stable we do
this because of the thin greenhouse
gases we have that make up that
atmosphere now normally where the solar
rays come through and they go through
that the atmosphere and they warm our
planet how this works is that normally
30% of that solar arrays they go back
into space and so we kind of maintain
normal temperatures however when we add
more greenhouse gases to our atmosphere
we track that solar energy in and it
warms our planet hotter than what we’re
really prepared for this is climate
change so you might be wondering well
what can we do about it and why should I
care well the reason why we should care
is the United States is that we’re 4% of
the world’s population annually were
responsible for 14% of the greenhouse
gases in our atmosphere cumulatively
that’s 27% so that’s not really fair
and I think we should do something about
it now you might be asking well what’s
the big deal you know we’re not really
going to see this for a really long time
well this February was the second
hottest February that we’ve ever
recorded in modern record-keeping
so I’ll hear people saying oh but these
are cycles it’s cool you know this will
just happen we’ll be fine
so when was when was the hottest
February that was last year so we need
to make a change and the reason why we
need to make a change is that I don’t
want to experience these things and
neither do you
these things are climate change will
cause things like extreme heat events
will have massive flooding and intense
rainstorms
will have sea level rises that are
flooding out Miami New York City Boston
cities will have will lose our coastal
reefs will lose the beautiful Great
Barrier Reef near Australia and so you
might say but we’re not in Australia
Barbara we’re not in Miami what do I
care about in Columbia Missouri well I’m
here to say that we care because we’re
experiencing intense heat that’s
affecting our health and our community’s
health we’re experiencing more intense
rain storms that are affecting our
infrastructure flooding out ruining our
transportation and closing our bridges
I’m saying that we care because this
flooding and these high extreme weather
events are affecting our agriculture in
our economy and our lives I’ll give you
an example from agriculture so you know
when crops are growing the corn for
instance and it’s growing in a critical
time if it experiences extreme heat or
dry conditions it could not grow a corn
cob we could have smaller corn cobs
growing so that means that it’s not
actually producing the grain that we
have dedicated so much land to and that
means that we are not going to have corn
on the cob the fourth of July so to
bring it home that’s a big deal and
that’s not a future I want but I don’t
want to just for you or depress you I
also want to talk about what I work on
and that’s to motivate you to make a
change so I have five things that I
would love for you guys to take home
with you the first is get involved
if climate change and the what happens
afterwards is of concern to you tell
somebody tell your family tell your
friends tell your elected officials just
be involved get your voice out there
quick note sharing on Facebook or
retweeting not getting involved
that’s your same circle so get the word
out farther you need to make time with
your elected officials you need to call
your representatives and let them know
that this is something you’re concerned
about we have legislation in Colombia
that requires us to have a certain
amount of renewable energy in our
portfolio we also require more
energy-efficient buildings because we
know that they play a lot our big role
in the carbon footprint so related to
that your second one is save energy
so in Colombia our greenhouse gas
emissions the majority of this is all
from the built environment this is
residential commercial and industrial
and that big blue wedge that’s our the
energy you excuse-me energy used in our
homes so you can actually make a big
difference the energy we save in our
homes just changing the thermostat
that’s the most impactful thing you can
do to affect climate change you know we
always joke that you could turn down the
thermostat when you’re not there like in
the wintertime because your couch
doesn’t care you know one of the things
that our utility recommends is to set
your thermostat to at least 78 in the
summertime and 68 in the wintertime
I’m giving real facts that you can write
down and remember so these are a big way
to affect climate change at home the
third way is how you get around
transportation accounts for 24% of the
greenhouse gas emissions in Colombia so
walk bike take the bus carpool just
think about your active transportation I
also would love it if you guys thought
about you know carpooling together or
even maybe if you don’t have to make
that errand to go combine your errands
the other big one I always talk about
this is related to my fourth fact is
that did you know that the average food
product travels 1500 miles to get to us
so what can we do better we can go local
we can think about supporting local
economy buying local did you know that
if you spent 1%
the food spending in Boone County we
would raise four million dollars for the
local economy so think about where your
food comes from processed foods takes a
lot to manufacture and also takes a lot
of carbon footprints to get to us so
let’s support our local economy and
let’s face it it’s really good food the
other thing and this is really my main
point just be smart play an active role
in the story of your life just because
that’s the way you’ve always done
something doesn’t mean that’s the way
you need to do it I want people to think
about their actions I want them to also
be critical of those actions please
don’t take this as a shame but sometimes
we also get on bandwagons of gimmicks
and trends I’ll give you an example and
I know there’s some people in the
audience sorry in advance just you know
you may be worried about bees or
monarchs or local pollinators which is
important because 74% of 75% of our food
comes from them is as a result of them
so we need to support our pollinator
habitats
however planting really pretty milkweed
and maybe wait let’s see I don’t have it
on there maybe those seeds that came
with your cereal maybe they’re actually
doing more harm than good because for
instance some of that milkweed is
actually tropical milkweed that’s not
from Missouri and so it blooms longer so
the Monarchs stay around longer before
they migrate down to Mexico so they’re
here longer they’re more susceptible to
disease and they’re outside of their
migration cycle so what I want you to
think about is to apply that critical
thinking plant local foods plant local
pollinators support your habitats and
then also just remember that you can
make a difference and together we can
all make a difference thank you
you
you
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