BY MARY O’DRISCOLL
In March, multiple historical heat records were shattered in Phoenix. The city reached the hottest and earliest high of 105 degrees and experienced 15 days of broken daily-high records with a whopping nine days of triple-digit temps. Hiking trails were closed. Spring training games were pushed to the evening. The typically ideal time for restaurants to host guests on the patio required air conditioning indoors.
Deadly extreme heat is impacting Arizona now – not later – and residents are bringing their energy, talents, and resources to connect, collaborate, and share solutions on the state’s key environmental issues. You can join the conversation on Tuesday, June 23 at “The Longest Climate Community Table – Phoenix” at the Desert Botanical Garden. This project is planned by a collaborative of environmental nonprofit leaders and community members for TogetherTuesday, a new national initiative from GivingTuesday with a focus on small acts of generosity that highlight care in their communities. The free event starts at 4 p.m. and is open to the public.
Lead organizer Earth Gives is using the format of The Longest Table, a collaborative community concept developed by a nonprofit organization in New York. The Climate Table will set a foundation for a collaborative, year-round network focused on advancing practical solutions related to the environment, climate, and community resilience.
The event is also made possible by organizations like Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Earth Gives, Urban Farming Education, Arizona Local News Foundation, Third Act AZ, ABC15, and Green Living magazine.
“This isn’t about listening to speeches,” Earth Gives founder Rhonda Bannard says. “It’s about bringing people together around tables to share ideas, learn from one another, build trust, and discover how we can move further and faster together.”
Urban Farming Education CEO Joe Roselle is also all in. “Arizona’s greatest environmental challenge is not a lack of solutions – it’s the gap between information and action,” he says.
Because an important piece of this program is to inform and educate the public, The Longest Climate Community Table – Phoenix is spotlighting Sustaining Arizona, a new Arizona Local News Foundation initiative to secure funding to place more environmental-solutions journalists into newsrooms statewide. The Arizona Local News Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the Arizona Media Association that works to strengthen local communities through public-focused journalism.
“Journalism shouldn’t just tell us about what’s broken; it should help understand what’s working and discover ideas worth replicating,” says the media group’s CEO Tregg White. “A focus on our natural resources, water, growth, and environmental sustainability is key to our future.”
The June 23 event is open to all. Residents, nonprofit leaders, businesses, educators, policymakers, journalists, students, and community advocates are all invited to meet, connect, discuss, and share solutions on how to protect the future of Arizona.
Interested parties are requested to register at earthgives.org and should plan to be engaged in facilitated discussion throughout the event.
