Climate Smart Montana
Climate Smart Montana is a non-partisan, non-profit network with the goal of sharing information and resources to better coordinate community-based climate solutions and resiliency efforts in Montana.
Network Activities Include:
- Collect and distribute the most relevant climate science materials, news, and resources.
- Share best practices and highlight success stories of communities that have adopted local climate solutions.
- Understand local challenges related to a shifting climate and share strategies to adapt to those changes.
- Facilitate community efforts to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.
- Identify and obtain funds to strengthen community resilience across Montana.
- Encourage other communities to participate in this network and support their efforts to advance local climate solutions.
Listserve
We have an unmoderated listserve ([email protected]) to share information and network. To join the Climate Smart Montana list serve, send an email to: [email protected] with the following text in the Subject: "subscribe climatesmartmontana YourFirstName YourLastName"
For more information, contact Paul Lachapelle at paul.lachapelle@montana.edu
Participants
Get names and contact information for participating individuals and organizations. Update your participant information here.
Montana Community Resiliency Plans
See the existing and proposed community resiliency plans in Montana and learn more about the term 'community resiliency.'
Resources and Publications
See resources and publications on topics relevant to Climate Smart Montana's work.
Upcoming and Past Events
October 16, 2019: Institute on Ecosystems Rough Cut Science lecture "Creating Climate Resilient Communities"
October 3, 2019: Montana League of Cities and Towns 88th Annual Conference presentation "Creating Climate Resilient Communities"
Climate Smart Montana
Meeting Recordings
Our next meeting is Thursday, July 7, 2022.
July 7, 2022 featuring Dr. Beth Schenk, PhD, RN, FAAN, Executive Director, Environmental Stewardship, Providence, presenting "An Introduction to Decarbonizing Healthcare." Beth will describe how Providence, one of the nation’s largest non-profit health systems is addressing environmental stewardship, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the organization. Providence has set a bold, ambitious goal to become carbon negative by 2030, a secondary goal to divert more than 50% of waste from landfill and hazardous streams by 2030, to incorporate environmental justice in their community partnerships, and to build resilience in healthcare delivery and in thecommunities they serve.
June 2, 2022 Featuring Dr. Tyler Hoecker, Climate Adaptation Postdoctoral Fellow with the University of Montana, presenting "Anticipating forests of the future in the northern Rockies."
May 5, 2022 Featuring Matt Madsen, Research Associate with the Western Transportation Institute, presenting “GoGallatin – Sustainable Transportation Solutions”
April 7, 2022 Featuring Peter McDonough, Climate Change Studies Program Director, University of Montana, presenting “How Not to Teach Climate Change.”
March 3, 2022 Featuring Emma Redfoot, Secretary and Board Member with Mothers for Nuclear on "The future of nuclear power in an evolving energy world".
February 3, 2022 Featuring Courtney Long, Assistant City Planner, Red Lodge, MT., presenting Energy Conservation for Small Towns: Small towns can make big progress toward climate resiliency, which Red Lodge is tackling with its 2018 Energy Conservation Plan.
January 6, 2022 Featuring David Strohmaier, Missoula County Commissioner and Chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority on current and future initiatives to reestablish passenger rail across the state.
December 2, 2021Featuring Steve Thompson and several of his colleagues from the National Center for Appropriate Technology to discuss implementing the Montana Climate Solutions Plan.
November 4, 2021Featuring Nate Bellinger, Senior Staff Attorney, Our Children's Trust, who will discuss the current Held v. State of Montana lawsuit.
October 7, 2021Featuring, Kyla Maki, Energy Resource Professional with MT DEQ, "Planning for Electric Vehicles in Montana.” Specifically Kyla will cover: state funding for charging stations and vehicles; coordination with neighboring states; federal EV corridor designations, focused on interstates/highways in Montana; planned private investments in EV stations in Montana; and fuel tax and regulatory issues.
September 2, 2021Featuring Peter Reynolds, Chair of the Bitterroot Climate Action Group (BCAG) & BCAG colleagues, "Starting the Conversation: Building Climate Resiliency
in a Rural Community.” Please review this information at: https://bitterrootcag.org/our-
August 5, 2021Featuring Bonnie Rouse, Section Supervisor, Energy Efficiency & Compliance Assistance,
MT DEQ (https://deq.mt.gov/energy/
July 1, 2021 Featuring Amy Cilimburg from Climate Smart Missoula and Sarah Coefield, Missoula's Air Quality
Specialist, impacts and ways to adapt to wildfire smoke. https://www.missoulaclimate.org/wildfire-smoke.html
https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/
June 3, 2021 Featuring Anne Hedges from MEIC , energy/climate-related laws passed from the most recent Montana legislative session.
May 6, 2021 Featuring: Carolyn Craven and Amy Rapp, “Great Falls Slaughterhouse Mega-Complex”
April 1, 2021 Featuring: Dr. Andrea Hamre, of the Western Transportation Institute and Vanessa Palmer of Streamline Bus
March 4, 2021 Featuring: Anne Hedges, MEIC
February 4, 2021 Featuring: Patrick Judge, Helena Sustainability Coordinator
January 7, 2021 Featuring: Karen Stears and Randy Hafer, Billings Energy & Conservation Commission
December 10, 2020 Featuring: Tom Woods
November 12, 2020 Featuring: Sen. Pat Flowers (SD32), Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell (HD84), and Rep. Christopher Pope (HD65)
September 10, 2020 Featuring: Steve Thompson, National Center for Appropriate Technology
July 9, 2020 Featuring: Tom Woods
June 4, 2020 Featuring: Constanza von der Pahlen and Adrian Leighton, Salish Kootenai College
May 7, 2020 Featuring: Tonya Graham, Geos Institute
April 2, 2020 Featuring: Michelle Archie, Harbinger Consulting
March 5, 2020 Featuring: Mary Sheehy Moe, City of Great Falls
Our Partners Include:
