Category Archives: Going Green Fellowship Group

Going Green & Second Century Fellowship Groups Mix It Up at Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Posted on November 10, 2014 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

October 22, 2014.
–submitted by Karen Kendrick-Hands

From left: Bob Miller, Joanna Burish, Dick & Nina Rieselbach and Nino Amato

Twenty members accepted President Tim’s challenge to commingle our two fellowships when we met to tour the Aldo Leopold Nature Center [ALNC]. We shared hefty snacks, and hot cider as we made new friends, networked and found common ground.

We were greeted by the announcement screen gently celebrating our club’s vote to help RI dialogue about climate change. Rotarian Bob Miller welcomed us to the Center in his role as ALNC’s new Executive Director, as well as to Monona, in his role as Mayor.

Bob shared how ALNC came to be an oasis of wildness: prairie, wetland, woodlands, with nature program for kids, just off the beltway. Director of Community Engagement Sierra Munoz gave us a tour of the Climate Science Education Center where thousands come annually to learn about climate, weather and earth science using high-tech interactive features found nowhere else in the region.

(Photo 1: from left: Philip Petrowski, Mike Kosolcharoen, Michelle McGrath, James Tye, Larry Hands & Paul Riehemann; Photo 2: from left: Ellsworth Brown, Becky Stienhoff’s Mom, Kris Ashe and ALNC’s Sierra Munoz; Photo 3: from left: Lee Schwartz, Rob Ringeisen, Nick Curran and Tim Stadelman)

We were all intrigued with the “Science on the Sphere,” – the only one in Wisconsin – on which we watched NASA film clips of global storm tracks, night lighting patterns, jet stream waves and so much more.

Great minds are already pondering holding a “family friendly Rotary event” at this hidden treasure.

We more than fulfilled District Governor Dave Warren’s wish that we have 10% more fun!

Preserving Decades of Rotary Work

Posted on September 29, 2014 by jaynecoster | 17 comments

September 29, 2014

An Open Letter to Rotary Club of Madison and District 6250 Members,

Working to stop the global warming humanitarian crisis by enacting a revenue-neutral carbon tax (RNCT) will help the most people and will resonate with the next generation of Rotarians. This crisis threatens to undo much of Rotary’s good work. ‘Service Above Self’ dictates that we work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and inform others. The Going Green Fellowship Group (GGFG) of the Rotary Club of Madison asks fellow Rotarians to take the time to read this letter. We do this for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

The GGFG proposes that between January 2015 and April 2016 Rotarians worldwide learn about a RNCT as a solution to the global warming humanitarian crisis. We are asking the clubs of District 6250 to approve
Proposed Enactment B which supports a RNCT, by December 15, 2014. District approval will set the stage for this critical information sharing and dialogue to occur worldwide – 1.2 million Rotarians in 34,500 clubs in over 200 countries.

CLICK To read the full Going Green Fellowship Open Letter.

Proposed Enactment B Citations
Proposed Enactment A
Rotary International Council on Legislation – Overview of Process
Two-page Summary of Going Green Fellowship Open Letter
Video

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Posted in Going Green Fellowship Group

Tagged Going Green Fellowship Group, Rotarians, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison

We’re Going Green

Posted on May 19, 2014 by jaynecoster | 2 comments

The Object of Rotary is to foster the ideal of service through fellowship

As Rotarians with a passion for preserving our environment, after listening to a futurist at last year’s district conference, we wondered if club members would be interested in an environmentally-focused fellowship group. So we gave it a shot and we’re happy to report that the Going Green Fellowship Group is rolling along.

What do we do?

address quality of life issues and environmental concerns including climate change, carbon footprints, energy efficiency and conservation, and transportation choices;
explore science, policies, solutions, and plan service projects to engage fellow Rotarians and the larger community in flourishing sustainably.

If these topics interest you, please email the Rotary office to join the group! You don’t need to attend all or even any of the meetings – but you’ll receive group emails, and you’ll know what we’re doing. We meet on the first Monday of each month after Rotary from 1:30-2:15. The first 20 minutes of each meeting will often be a speaker. Our kick-off meeting was September 25, 2013 (exciting photo below) and we currently have about 40 members.

What have we been doing?

District 6250 Conference, May 3-4 in the Dells, We presented breakout sessions on:

Fellowship groups in our club
Our Going Green Fellowship group
A dialogue on the adverse effect climate change is having on Rotary’s six Areas of Focus including impeding the eradication of polio.

31 Rotarians (!) signed up to be part of the 6250 Environmental Network we created to share environmental stewardship ideas and projects among our clubs. 13 clubs asked for environmental presentations to their clubs!

Dr. Jonathan Patz

Dr. Patz is Director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For the past 15 years, Dr. Patz served as a lead author for the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – the organization that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Patz is also a delegate to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr. Patz, presented to our group on May 7. Several members of other Clubs in the district attended including Rotary International Director Mark Beth Growney Selene and District 6250 Governor-elect Dave Warren. Participants gave his presentation high marks; watch it here. And here is a copy of his Powerpoint slides. His presentation is 30 minutes long and starts at 4:45. Between 21:00 and 23:10 he covers how climate change is impeding polio eradication work.

What’s next?

Member Dick Pearson is presenting at the June 4 Going Green meeting on how you can save a ton of money investing in energy efficiency in your commercial/ industrial building – and likewise significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
Look for a flyer in the next few weeks with info on purchasing a (very nice looking, navy blue) reusable, stainless steel water bottle with the Rotary logo.
We’re gathering information for a tree-planting project.

Stay tuned, more updates coming.

In service,
Paul Riehemann and Karen Kendrick-Hands, Co-chairs
Going Green Fellowship Group

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Posted in 4. Fellowship Groups, Going Green Fellowship Group

Tagged Fellowship, Going Green Fellowship Group, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison