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Climate Action Plan Series

In the winter of 2021, Alaska Common Ground hosted a series exploring sectors found within Anchorage’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) with a goal of helping those living in Anchorage, as well as those around the state, better engage in working together towards achieving emissions reductions and improving community resilience. Alaska Common Ground sponsored this series because we feel it is essential that we, as citizens, must engage to address this global crisis on a local level.

Over 1000 people signed up for the series. Each event was well attended with good audience engagement and discussion, including questions the panelists were able to answer during the event. The response indicated that these topics are of value and interest to the community. Many attendees were from around the State and not just from Anchorage.

A climate action plan provides a strategic framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. The Anchorage Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2019, takes into account community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, projected climate impacts, and prioritizes actions that result in substantial economic, environmental, and community benefits.

Anchorage’s CAP is divided into seven sectors of which we held discussions on:

Buildings and Energy – January 28, 2021

Watch the event video:

More Resources here.

Did you know that nearly half of Anchorage’s emissions come from our buildings and energy use? Topics discussed at this event included an update on Anchorage’s green energy work, an Anchorage Green Bank, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE), solar for homes and businesses, and energy saving ideas for home and business owners.

MOA Sector Goal: “Optimize energy use in Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) facilities to save energy and money, and work with private residential and commercial building owners to support safe, healthy and affordable buildings”

Moderated by Shaina Kilcoyne, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Solid Waste Services, Municipality of Anchorage

Panelists:

Mike Spencer, Energy Program Manager, Research & Rural Development, Alaska Housing Finance – Presentation Slides
Stephen Trimble, Founder and CEO, Arctic Solar Ventures – Presentation Slides
Chris Rose, Founder and Executive Director, REAP – Presentation Slides

Land Use and Transportation – February 25th, 2021

Watch the event video:

More Resources here.

Presenters discussed how to support the MOA Sector Goal to “Improve walkability and connect neighborhoods that employ mixed-use development and diverse transportation options.” The discussion focused on individual actions as well as how to get engaged with planning processes.

Moderated by Pierce Schwalb, Energy & Sustainability Coordinator, Solid Waste Services, Municipality of Anchorage Presentation Slides

Panelists:

Sean Skaling, Manager of Business and Sustainable Program Development at Chugach Electric Association Presentation Slides
Michelle McNulty, Director Planning Department, Municipality of Anchorage Presentation Slides
Bart Rudolph, Transit Planning Manager, Municipality of Anchorage Presentation Slides
Joni Wilm, Senior Transportation Planner, Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator, Municipality of Anchorage Presentation Slides

Food Systems – March 25th, 2021

Watch the event video:

More Resources here.

Presentation slides here.

To explore the breadth of ongoing work around food systems, we hosted an event where fifteen representatives from local organizations working on food systems gave a short introduction to how their work supports the Muni’s goal to “Support local, sustainable food systems.”

Moderated by Micah Hahn, Associate Professor of Environmental Health in the Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

Panelists:

Edible Alaska – Amy O’Neill Houck
Arctic Harvest Deliveries – Kyla Byers
Alaska Food Hub – Robbi Mixon
Yarducopia (a program of Alaska Community Action on Toxics) – Nick Riordan
Anchor Gardens – Cindee Karns
AK Pioneer Fruit Growers Association – Mark Wolbers
Space Farming Institute – Lorrie Irwin
Anchorage Urban Sustainability Farm (Heritage Land Bank) – Shelley Rowton
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, ANTHC Traditional Foods and Nutrition – Jackie Qatalina Schaeffer
Becoming an Outdoors Woman – Katelyn Zonneville
The Alaska Hunting Collective – Jason Croft (email alaskahuntingcollective@gmail.com for more information)
Intertribal Agriculture Council – Tikaan Galbreath
UAF Cooperative Extension Service – Sarah Lewis
AgAlaska, Alaska Village Initiatives – Ronalda Angasan
Alaska Food Policy Council – Rachael Miller

Consumption and Solid Waste – April 29th, 2021

Watch the event video:

More Resources here.

If your bathtub was overflowing, would you get a bucket or turn off the tap? We are all consumers and live in a “throw away” society, yet when it comes to waste, “there is no away”. An efficient and integrated solid waste management system in Anchorage is achievable if private citizens, businesses and government work together to promote consumption that is sustainable while reducing the waste stream, increasing recycling, community composting, and implementing energy collection from our solid waste.

MOA Sector Goal: “Develop an efficient and innovative solid waste management system that promotes sustainable consumption, recycling, and waste reduction.”

Moderated by Suzanna Caldwell, Recycling Coordinator, Municipality of Anchorage – Presentation Slides

Panelists: