1-3 pm at Plymouth Church, lower level (800 S. Oakes, Helena)
Learn about:
And... get a rain barrel to take home!
Cost: $80 (rain barrel included, $105 value); limited to 20 participants
$25 Workshop participation only; limited to 30 participants*
* be entered into a raffle to win a free rain barrel!
Dear people of faith and fellow Earth-lings ,
You are invited to join with Helena Interfaith Climate Advocates in a Vigil for the Earth in
observance of Earth Day.
Helena Interfaith Earth Advocates is comprised of members of Helena area congregations and faith communities who believe that our faith traditions mandate love for our planet, humanity, and all beings. This love compels us to take action to protect our climate and environment and those who are harmed or threatened by unwise or greedy exploitation of the Earth and its creatures.
Learn more on our Fb page:
Helena Interfaith Climate Advocates
The Vigil for the Earth will include speakers bringing messages from our various
participating faith traditions, periods of silence, an opportunity to share our own words of
gratitude, grief, and hope for the Earth and its community of beings, as well as an
opportunity to participate in a meditative walk through the labyrinth located on the
grounds of the church. For more information, contact Nelson Bock nbock6552@gmail.com or Frank Kromkowski fkromkowski@gmail.com
Resilient Helena is participating in the Greater Helena Gives Day
Generous donors will match your contribution so please consider making a donation now in support of our work via Greater Helena Gives
or
By mailing a check to: Resilient Helena PO Box 1445 Helena, MT 59624
Thank you!
Resilient Helena is exited to announce that we received a small grant from the Helena Area Community Foundation. These funds will be used to support our work in climate resiliency, specifically by hosting water conservation workshops.
A Billion Acts of Green - Take Action
"We need to build a global citizenry fluent in the concept of climate change and inspired by environmental education to act in defense of the planet."
- EarthDay.org President Kathleen Rogers
Climate change is here, it's real, it's happening. The time to act is now.
Wednesday, April 12 - Early Earth Day Climate Justice - St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
Dinner, 5:30 pm Proceeds donated to Our Children’s Trust for Montana youth lawsuit Held v. State of Montana. Learn how you can support sixteen Montana youth who are suing to defend our rights to a “clean and healthful environment.” The trial begins June 12 in Helena.
Speaker, 6:30 pm Paul Lachapelle, PhD, founder, Climate Smart Montana, will speak on climate change challenges faced by communities, including obstructionist strategies by the fossil fuel industry, and opportunities for citizens to make positive change through organizing and collective social movements. In person at St. Paul’s Sanctuary (512 Logan St, Helena) or online on St. Paul’s YouTube channel.
In March and April 2023, Resilient Helena hosted a series of three WaterWise Workshops:
#1 Water Sources and Water Use - How much water do we use? Where does it come from? How to read your water meter (where is it located anyway?), and more.
#2 Water Efficiency Indoors - ways to use less water, identifying and fixing leaks, and more.
#3 WaterWise Landscaping - what to plant, how to water effectively and efficiently, and more.
We live in the high desert and get about as much annual precipitation as Tucson, AZ. We use 5-6x as much water in the summer and basically irrigate with drinking water so it's a good idea to become 'WaterWise' and save money and precious water resources. Take the Challenge!
The next several Resilient Helena meetings take a deeper dive into the various sectors (energy, public health, etc.) identified during the 'Community Mapping' exercise and actions we can take to create a more resilient and sustainable community.
At each meeting, we will bring in the identified organizations and individuals to discuss ongoing initiatives and needs as we 'Learn and Act' coming together as a stronger community.
Chuck Marohn, founder of the Strong Towns movement, was named one of the most influential urbanists of all time by Planetizen. Marohn was in Helena to share his ‘Strong Town’ vision and approach for creating financially robust and resilient communities. Marohn is the author of Strong Towns: A Bottom-up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity and Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town. This free public event is made possible by Resilient Helena in cooperation with the City of Helena, The Montana Book Company and generous community donors.
Opportunity for our Community: The North Coast Hiawatha Route, which will connect 24 counties across Southern Montana. Lewis and Clark County is one of seven remaining counties that has not joined the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA), which puts Helena at a disadvantage concerning the planning, routing, grant possibilities, and scheduling of the train line. The forum explains the social, economic, and environmental benefits of the passenger rail line for Helena, and how we might convince the County Commissioners to get on board and join the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The forum featured six panelists, including Mayor Wilmot Collins, Dr. Jeremy Johnson, professor of political science at Carroll College, and Mike Rooney of Downtown Helena Incorporated, and Dave Strohmaier, chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. Sponsored by the Sleeping Giant Citizens' Council (SGCC).
Community Discussion re how to Reduce Helena's waste footprint - April 5, 2021.
Presentation by Leigh Ratterman, Zero Waste Manager for Home ReSource, a local building materials reuse nonprofit that is helping is doing to drive Missoula's Zero Waste efforts, described how she collaborates with community members and city leaders how to best get Missoula to its goal of Zero by Fifty. What can Helena learn and what can we do to reduce our waste stream?!! Organized by: Helena's Citizen Conservation Board/Waste Committee; Hosted by: Resilient Helena.
Resilient Helena hosted a discussion with members of the Helena's Citizen Conservation Board (CCB) Waste Committee and others actively working to Helena's waste footprint - with an ultimate goal of 'Zero Waste'. The CCB passed a Waste Reduction Resolution on 1/14/21 and the Helena Citizens' Council endorsed it on 1/27/21. The Resolution now goes to the City Commission for a vote on February 22, 2021. Please show your support for these efforts! Email the Commission and/or speak on the 22nd.
The 5 Rs of shrinking our waste stream: Refuse, reduce, reuse, rot (compost) and recycle. Please join us in this effort to make Helena more resilient and reduce our contribution to climate change.
Resilient Helena hosted a discussion about Helena's first annual Sustainability Report presented by Patrick Judge, Helena's Sustainability Coordinator. For instance, with the City's energy savings actions, we are currently saving $600,000 each year (as compared to the 2001 baseline energy use) and
saving $5,000 per month by replacing parking garage lights with LEDs. There is much more our community can do to reduce our waste footprint, conserve and protect our water resources, and use energy most efficiently. Watch the recording to learn what is already happening and how we can improve!
Resilient Helena hosted a discussion with members of the Helena's Citizen Conservation Board (CCB) Waste Committee and others actively working to Helena's waste footprint - with an ultimate goal of 'Zero Waste'. The 5 Rs of shrinking our waste stream: Refuse, reduce, reuse, rot (compost) and recycle. This discussion focused on recycling - what can we do now, what happens to Helena's recycling, and where do we want to go to reduce waste. Please join us in this effort to make Helena more resilient and reduce our contribution to climate change.
Resilient Helena held a 'Learn and Act' discussion re: the Helena Area's Food system. Briefly, what is it and how does it work? Where are its vulnerabilities- not just for vulnerable populations but for all of us? How would the availability of more locally grown, prepared, processed food benefit the community? Where is it already happening? Who could use our support? How would it make all of us more food “secure” and healthier in a time of frequent disruptions- economic, ecological, even political.
Resilient Helena hosted a discussion with members of the Helena's Citizen Conservation Board (CCB) Waste Committee and others actively working to Helena's waste footprint - with an ultimate goal of 'Zero Waste'. The 5 Rs of shrinking our waste stream: Refuse, reduce, reuse, rot (compost) and recycle. Read notes here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gbhTuwDz1BwFMSll2vWsT7MVNmL27Xye/view?usp=sharing
The Waste Committee of Helena's Citizen Conservation Board (CCB) hosted a community discussion about how to reduce Helena's waste footprint and move towards a goal of Zero Waste. The 5 Rs of shrinking our waste stream: Refuse, reduce, reuse, rot (compost) and recycle.
Speakers included: Chase Jones, Energy Conservation and Climate Action Coordinator for Missoula; Katie Deuel, Executive Director of Home ReSource in Missoula; John Hilton, Owner, Helena Recycling; and Ryan Green, Co-Owner, Happy Trash Can in the Gallatin Valley.
Resilient Helena hosted a virtual community meeting to discuss how we can prepare for and respond to wildfires as we continue to work to create a resilient and thriving community.
What are the risks? What can we do as individuals? What response plans are in place for Helena? Do you know the evacuation routes? Do you have a 'go bag' ready in case of a fire or other emergency?
Speakers: Reese Martin, Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, and Amy Teegarden, Program Manager for Fire Safe Helena and the Tri-County Fire Safe Working Group.
Resilient Helena hosted a virtual community meeting to discuss how we can continue to create a resilient and thriving community in these challenging times and in a changing climate.
Meeting Agenda
Resilient Helena
L&C Public Health Department - Eric Merchant
Helena Solidarity Network - Julie Cruse
Elevate Montana - Rebecca Hargis
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation - focus on wildfire
Resilient Helena hosted a fun and interactive 'Community Mapping' discussion. We began identifying key community resources (people, organizations) and potential partnerships as we work to create a more resilient Helena!
The key areas include: Energy, Water, Transportation, Air Quality, Public Health, Waste/Recycling, Social/Environmental Justice, Food, and Climate Adaptation. We categorized efforts in these areas as either Policy/Advocacy, Community Engagement, and Education. Not surprisingly, there are many opportunities for greater collaboration. We identified other topic areas and stakeholders/potential partners who could/should be involved. Please contact us if you'd like to help us refine our community resiliency resource map.
Resilient Helena sponsored a Community Discussion and invited representatives from the Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) and the Sierra Club (a national effort) to lead a discussion about how we can move towards 100% Clean Electricity in Helena (and Montana - this is a state-wide effort). https://www.sierraclub.org/ready-for-100 and https://meic.org/2020/01/helena-ready-for-100-info-session-presentation/
In July 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a Special Report on Land Use and Climate Change. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2019/08/4.-SPM_Approved_Microsite_FINAL.pdf The message is simple and clear: our land use decisions impact climate change. Done poorly, we exacerbate the impacts; Make good land use decisions and we can help minimize and mitigate climate change impacts. It's our choice. We need to get this right. No time to lose. Resilient Helena invited speakers active in regional Land Use Planning, the Consolidated City-County Planning Board, and the City Planning Department to lead the discussion re: the current update to Helena'a Growth Policy (2019 update to the 2011 Growth Policy).
The Helena High School 'Green Group' is sponsoring periodic climate actions, including the September 20, 2019 'Climate Strike' at the City-County Building in Helena. The 'Climate Strike' is inspired by Greta Thunberg, amazing teenage climate activist and her actions in Sweden, globally. https://www.vox.com/2019/9/17/20864740/greta-thunberg-youth-climate-strike-fridays-future
Working with a grant from the Post Carbon Institute, Resilient Helena hosted a community gathering with local leaders to discuss climate action and identify 'critical shifts' that need to happen to create a more resilient community. Those 'critical shifts' are: 1) Supporting the Helena Citizens' Conservation Board; 2) Increasing Opportunities for Affordable, Local Food; 3) Working Towards Zero Waste; and 4) A Visual Emblem/Logo Designating Resiliency Actions and Partners
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