Kenai Change is on the move.
The citizen’s coalition responsible for March’s Kenai Climate Conference held a public meeting Wednesday, where they decided to maintain their original title (Kenai Change) and developed a charter and mission statement to drive direction for future action.
“The purpose is to create healthier and climate resilient communities on the Kenai Peninsula, though collaboration, education, mitigation and adaptation,” said Krista Timlin, one of the group’s steering committee members.
The group formed last spring, led by the League of Women Voters, for the purpose of organizing the comprehensive conference that met local scientists with the public, coupled with “the hope that this would build momentum to continue,” Timlin said.
An ultimate, but not solely ultimate goal, is to affect policy, within the borough and its cities and unincorporated areas, Timlin said.
Food security — including agriculture — infrastructure — including a community transit system — energy security — including efficiency — environmental change and community outreach are areas requiring immediate attention as identified by Kenai Change members, Timlin said.
Five subcommittees have been established that will focus on those essential components that address climate change on a local scale, Timlin said. Local professionals from the Cook Inlet Keeper, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District and the Kenai Peninsula Borough among others will head each. The individual subcommittees and representatives across subcommittees will be responsible for recruiting members, identifying needs and developing ways to facilitate discussions, she said.
Timlin said anyone wishing to get involved may visit the Kenai Change website KenaiChange.org to sign up for meeting alerts.
The next meeting will be held on Nov. 4, but a location has not been set yet, she said.
“Those interested in attending should check the website, or the KenaiChange Facebook page for updated information. Personal interest in helping out is really all that’s required,” Timlin said. “If someone has an expertise that is great, but we’re interested in anyone and everyone in the community that’s interested in this.”
Reach Kelly Sullivan at kelly.sullivan@peninsulaclarion.com
