On Friday, October 25, members of the Wisconsin Climate Table met in…Illinois?! Yes, that’s right, we met in Illinois. (To be fair, we were within spitting distance of the state line; you could see Wisconsin out the window.)
Our fall meeting took place at Nature at the Confluence in South Beloit, IL. Why Beloit? As WCT Coordinator, I am committed to making sure the Climate Table represents the whole state of Wisconsin, so I try to find locations for in-person meetings in different cities that are still easily accessible by our membership. Beloit is one of the most racially and economically diverse cities in Wisconsin, but it is often overlooked because of its small size (the population is approximately 35,000) and proximity to Illinois. Additionally, I felt it was important to bring attention to environmental justice issues in Beloit.
We spent most of the day learning about projects and initiatives by Climate Table members and discussing different strategies for moving forward on climate action in Wisconsin. Most attendees took advantage of sunny, mild weather and made use of the beautiful outdoor facilities at the Center for their small group discussions.
Katelynn Samuelsen from the Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy provided an update on the state’s first Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Funded by a $3 million grant, the CCAP will include metrics and goals in a number of sectors and is due to the EPA at the end of 2025. Many Climate Table members are participating in stakeholder meetings and other engagement activities.
One of the day’s highlights was the lunchtime speaker panel. Betsy Brewer (emeritus Beloit College, League of Women Voters), Cristina Carvajal (Wisconsin Ecolatinos), Dr. Brittany Keyes (Healthy Climate Wisconsin), and Julie Uram (Executive Director of Nature at the Confluence) shared about their work advocating for clean air and other sustainability initiatives in the Beloit area.
In the midst of our collective anxiety about the upcoming election and ongoing climate crisis, it was both uplifting and rejuvenating to spend time together on the beautiful grounds of Nature at the Confluence.
Susan Gaeddert is Community Programs Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, where she runs Active Wisconsin, facilitates the Community Transportation Academy, and coordinates the Wisconsin Climate Table.