(Image from nasa.gov)

Climate change impacts and climate change responses all occur at the local level, and start with recognition of the changes ahead.  Our future climate will include more extreme weather events and higher ocean levels: more hot days, more large floods, more fires, more extremes of all weather types:

• Hotter, drier weather with longer summers
• More extreme heat events
• Longer and more frequent droughts
• Greater frequency and intensity of wildfires
• Fewer winter nights that freeze
• More variable rain
• Bigger, more variable floods
• Sea level rise
• Higher sea level and storm surge

We can work to lessen or delay extremes by taking steps as individuals and groups to reduce current and future global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Taking action now will be more cost-effective than waiting to respond to unprecedented conditions in a time of crisis.

One of Conservation Works climate change actions is to reduce the amount of waste being disposed through landfilling (thus reducing the generation of methane, a potent GHG) by aerobically composting food scrap wastes.  Our Worm Wizards program recognizes that vermicomposting is an easy, straight-forward way to both help the plant and be useful to gardeners, both at home and at schools.  Other Climate Change programs include raising awareness of changing climate issues and supporting preparedness activities.

A Story:  Worm Wizards of Waste inspires a New Climate Leader

The happy sounds of children at recess fill the air as Sydney, an 8-year-old student from Prestwood Elementary School, walks through the school garden towards the shade of a big tree where her school’s new Worm Composting System is set up. “These are where the worms live!” she says with a smile. Just a few weeks after helping to set this system up, Sydney shares her excitement, “We are reducing world pollution of greenhouse gas, and we're helping the world, little by little, it's really fun and gonna be fun. We're really trying too....we’re giving up one of our recesses at school to help feed the worms.” With a sweet sense of pride this little climate leader jumps from one foot to the other while smooshing the bag of worm food in her hand before tenderly emptying it into the compost bin for the worms.  

The reduced GHG emissions that our Worm Wizards of Waste program brings to a school can been detailed in the data, but the true impact is in the sense of wonder, relevance and climate leadership that this program provides to our community.