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This Earth Day was a unique one.
Not only were we marking 50 years of advocating for the environment, but we were also tasked with analyzing how we need to take action for the climate in our evolving world. At The GREEN Program, we gathered a group of global change-makers to discuss how we can all mobilize for the environment. In our 4-day Earth Week panel series, we uncovered how these change-makers were making strides for sustainability in organizations, such as NASA, NREL, Arup, Nike, ExxonMobil and more.
Throughout the week, the GREEN community asked ourselves…
How can we take action for the climate today?
The Future of Energy
Learn about the changing landscape of energy in our evolving world with speakers from Independent Power Systems (IPS), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Momentum: Move Innovation Forward, and ExxonMobil.
A Panel of Global Change-Makers
Miriam Hegglin
Environmental Engineer at ExxonMobil
Jim Reilly
Microgrids Engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Hannah Capshaw
Solar and Storage Consultant at Independent Power Systems (IPS)
Zachariah Rizk
Project Associate at Momentum: Move Innovation Forward
The GREEN Team’s Key Takeaways
1) There are still major strides needed to live in a 100% clean energy world
As a general consensus, all of “The Future of Energy” panelists disagreed with the statement “We can live in a 100% clean energy world right now”. Jim Reilly, Microgrids Engineer from NREL, believes that we are moving in the right direction with renewable portfolio standards, but we still have ways to go!
2) The 4D’s of energy systems can transform the future of energy
Project Associate at Momentum: Move Innovation Forward, Zach Rizk, believes the 4D’s of the trends of energy systems, decarbonization, decentralization, democratization, and digitalize, will guide the future of energy in the US.
Explore the 4D’s transforming the energy market here.
3) “Bleeding edge” projects can be costly, but can help push innovation within the field
Within her work with solar energy at Independent Power Systems, Hannah has navigated many projects where her company has tried something new or has innovated on existing technologies. These projects can be costly with the innate learning curve involved in project development but have also enabled her organization to become experts on innovations within the solar energy space. Innovation can have upfront costs, but prove to have long term benefits!
4) Push your comfort zone and interact with people from varied perspectives
When Miriam, a 22-yead old woman, graduated university with an environmental engineering degree, she found herself on an offshore oil and gas platform surrounded by peers with diverging values and backgrounds as her. Through her work to develop relationships with these colleagues and to uncover the misconceptions she had about them and vice versa, she honed important communication skills that would help her in future conversations to advocate for the environment within her organization.
Learn from people with opposing viewpoints as you, so you have a better understanding of their perspectives and have more tools to tackle their objections to your ideas!
How can you take action for the climate?
After learning from these global change-makers, you may be thinking, “So, what now? How do I get started?”. Here are a few ways you can get started (or continue) to mobilize for the environment:
“Within your role, challenge yourself to look at what else and what’s next in your job description. Beyond doing your job well, advocate for sustainability initiatives within your company by asking for resources and speaking up. “
Miriam Hegglin
“Talk to your legislators and utility companies to incentivize renewable
energy policy. Elect people with clean energy strategy, and make utilities aware of how they can profit from renewables”
Hannah Capshaw
“Vote!”
Jim Reilly
“Lobby your state representatives and energy commissions to invest in energy entrepreneurs!”
Zach Rizk
More Mobilizing Change Panels
Engineering for the Environment
Panelists from Dubai Electricity & Water Authority,
NREL, NASA and Pfizer
Reinforcing Responsible Sourcing
Panelists from Nike, Fitbit, and Ground Upcycling
Consulting for Climate Change
Panelists from Independent Power Systems (IPS),
Arup, and a Graduate Student of Energy Systems
from UC – Davis
Rooting for Global Food Security
Panelists from Florida Impact,
the United States Patent & Trade Office,
Grounded Upcycling, and Louisville Food Pantry
Boots on the Ground: Turning Passion into Action
with featured speaker, influencer, activist, and backpacking queen, Pattie Gonia
Explore how The GREEN Program is fostering a community of global change-makers, including the GREEN Alumni from the above panel, through our short-term education abroad programs! If you would like to get in touch with our team, please reach out here: [email protected]
