
SARASOTA: One of America’s foremost eco-entrepreneurs will bring his uplifting message about our capacity for reversing climate change to Sarasota’s Van Wezel Hall on Wednesday, October 24 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Paul Hawken is the driving force behind Project Drawdown, a global coalition to identify, research and model the 100 most impactful and cost-conscious solutions for reducing global warming. Leveraging research from hundreds of scientists and scholars, Project Drawdown presents compelling evidence that science and human ingenuity can roll back greenhouse gas emissions worldwide within 30 years, using tools we already possess.
This blueprint is presented in the New York Times bestseller, “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.”
Hawken is among the most prominent sustainable business leaders of our time. He has launched several successful companies, written about the impact of commerce on living systems, and consulted with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy.
His mission now is to deliver his optimistic framework for climate action to students, teachers, engaged citizens, business leaders, farmers, policymakers, and other change makers.
His Sarasota appearance is made possible by the generous support of local philanthropist Elizabeth Moore, in partnership with the Florida House, the Climate Council of Sarasota-Manatee, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, and the City of Sarasota.
“Paul Hawken’s team of scientists and research fellows have created a comprehensive plan to energize economic innovation, revitalize communities and reverse climate change. Doesn’t that sound like a worthwhile agenda?” Moore said. “The Drawdown Project is a global initiative, but many of the strategies make great sense here at home. After all, it’s our kids’ future too, by design or default.”
Tickets for the event are $15, available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drawdown-presented-by-elizabeth-moore-and-florida-house-institute-tickets-50460630103. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., followed by the presentation in the Van Wezel Grand Foyer.
Participants should come prepared to be “surprised, challenged, and empowered” by Hawken’s approach, said Jennifer Shafer, coordinator of the Climate Council of Sarasota-Manatee.
“Too often we believe there is nothing we can do in our own lives or communities to make a difference in a problem that seems as overwhelming as climate change,” she said. “Project Drawdown clearly shows that each of us can take meaningful steps toward solutions.”
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About the Climate Council of Sarasota-Manatee
The Climate Council of Sarasota-Manatee is a facilitated network of climate professionals dedicated to fostering regional understanding and action on climate change. The Council is coordinated by the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, a consortium of 34 science-based environmental organizations and government agencies in Sarasota and Manatee Counties with a mission is to enhance science-based education, conservation and restoration in Southwest Florida.
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