CCA Hosts Meeting with Ecologist Terry Chapin on Local Actions for Reducing Climate Change

Terry Chapin. Photo by Tore Marklund.

By Michelle McAfee

The Copper Country Alliance (CCA) hosted a Zoom meeting on the evening of Friday, November 19, with ecologist and author Terry Chapin, Doctor Emeritus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The focus of the meeting was “local actions for reducing climate change and its impacts.”

Dr. Chapin received the Volvo Environment Prize in 2019 and is the author of “Grassroots Stewardship: Sustainability Within Our Reach.” His current research focuses on the effects of changes in climate and wildfire on Alaskan ecology and rural communities.

The CCA is a Copper Basin environmental and conservation nonprofit doing local advocacy work. This organization provides input for plans and projects that affect the Copper Basin. CCA works to avoid climate change impacts in the community, maintain habitats and rural ways of life, preserve scenic landscapes, and create a fair balance between motorized and human-powered recreation and hunting.

The meeting opened with Ruth McHenry announcing CCA’s board election results, with a return of 16 ballots overwhelmingly electing Robin Mayo and Kelly Smith to three-year terms on the board. One ballot voted for Felicia Riedel by write-in. Felicia said she was appreciative of the vote but stated she could not be a staff member and a board member.

Felicia then introduced Dr. Terry Chapin, who complimented CCA for doing outstanding work, “It’s wonderful to see people in a community stepping up to do the kinds of things you folks are doing. It’s very impressive.”

Terry Chapin began his lecture by saying, “We have important reasons to be concerned about the future of the planet. The situation is serious, it’s getting worse, and the future of the planet and our grandchildren is at risk.”

He followed by acknowledging how it’s easy to feel helpless addressing this massive issue, which can disempower people’s actions and lead them to give up. But, he says, “There are lots of good reasons for optimism. We know how to fix most of the specific problems that are leading to the degradation of the earth.”

Dr. Chapin presented slides clearly outlining his ideas, supported with graphics illustrating ecosystem services, foundations for long-term well-being, stewardship, and positive actions. He proposed plausible strategies for solutions that might make a difference and said he believes there are many things we can do individually and together to solve the climate crisis. “I want to talk about pragmatic actions all of us can take in support of sustainability,” he said.

One slide showed drastic changes in global temperature over the last 1700 years. Yellow lines revealed a fairly consistent rising and falling of temperatures in that period, similar to patterned lines on an EKG heart monitor. When the graph reaches the beginning of the instrumental record on the timeline, or roughly 130 years ago, the lines become red with a sharp upward turn spiking to the top of the chart in our current period. 

Dr. Chapin explained that during the last 1700 years, temperatures have been much more stable than in the previous ice ages. But now, the planet is moving outside that zone of temperature stability and is warming much more rapidly. He paused, then said, “So that’s a reason for concern.”

Dr. Chapin told the group about surveys done in industrial countries, showing that more than half the people worldwide are concerned about the state of the planet. Three-quarters of those people believe humans are responsible for the degradation of the earth and want governments to prioritize the well-being of people and nature rather than focusing only on jobs and the economy.

Terry Chapin offered an example of a person in Kinsale, Ireland, 10 years ago who suggested to their town council several ways to become carbon neutral. The council tried the ideas with much success, and now 1200 towns have initiatives to transition to more sustainable infrastructure. He also mentioned that several Alaska city assemblies are developing climate action plans for their cities.

Dr. Chapin explained the “science of stewardship” to the group of 13 participants, including soil and climate ecosystems, benefits to society, and humans’ long-term potential to thrive. He feels the cultural component may be the most important because it influences our attitudes and whether we exploit or steward nature. “If society as a whole recognizes food, water, safety, healthy lifestyle, and security from harm as being important, that society is more likely to protect and conserve those resources,” he said.

Dr. Chapin spoke of Indigenous people having thousands of years of experience respecting nature and sustaining the properties of nature, such as soil, climate balance, and abundance of organisms. He said Indigenous cultures view this as respecting nature so that nature continues to provide the benefits that support our lives.

“Individual actions can make a long-term difference,” Dr. Chapin said. 

He listed those actions, including celebrating our connection with nature, fostering a sense of place and identity, nurturing people’s interactions with nature and passing those values on to the next generation, reducing unnecessary consumption, and spending time with friends and family instead of buying things. Getting outside and spending time with your loved ones can have a positive long-term effect on our world.

Dr. Chapin also conveyed the importance of individuals choosing positive messaging rather than negative or divisive language to defuse contentious conversations. He said, “When talking with those we may disagree with on day-to-day behavior, it’s likely everyone involved cares about the future of our grandchildren, so that can be a great starting point of agreement to begin a more difficult conversation. It’s more effective to focus on solutions rather than blaming other people.”

The main message Dr. Terry Chapin brought to CCA was: Everyone can make a difference right where they are. Changing the world sounds too big for anyone to take on, but Dr. Chapin laid out a map every person can follow by taking practical, simple actions. Start with small changes in our own lives, get involved in our communities, imagine a better world rather than thinking what we have now is the best we can do, communicate with our neighbors, and be informed. 

If enough people act on a personal and local level, those ripples can have a mighty effect on the more significant issues of our world.

The meeting concluded with a Q & A session and a good old-fashioned door prize drawing in which a participant won one of Dr. Chapin’s books, and another person won a tote bag. 

Dr. Chapin concluded by saying, “I really appreciate being invited to talk to this group. You’re the kind of community that can make things happen. You can influence people who visit Wrangell St.-Elias.”

Check out these links to recent research in the Wrangells to read more about climate change in the area.