Climate Change in Western Colorado- What Global Warming means for Farming, Food Security, and the Western Slope

Climate Change in Western Colorado

With Special Matinee Screening of “This Changes Everything”

What Global Warming means for Farming, Food Security, and the Western Slope

PAONIA, COLO. – Join community leaders, expert panelists, farmers and chefs as we discuss food security and climate change on the Western Slope.

Featuring the recently released documentary THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING inspired by the Naomi Klein best seller and opening remarks and a brief slide presentation by Pete Kolbenschlag, long time Colorado conservation and clean energy advocate.

With an expert panel to discuss the climate change impacts now threatening Colorado agriculture – including its impacts on bees and other pollinators, on water resources and irrigation supplies, and on food security and Western Slope value-added crops in particular.

Sunday, November 1 from 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Special Movie Screening of “This Changes Everything”

At the Paradise Theatre of Paonia, 215 Grand Avenue – Sponsored by the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance

With a brief slide presentation prior, and a community discussion following the film.

Monday, November 2 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Expert Panel: Global Warming Impacts to Farming and Food Security on the West Slope

With Community Action Workshop and Delicious Local Food

The Hive Paonia, 130 Grand Avenue– Sponsored by the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance, The Learning Council,

Western Slope Conservation Center,

The workshops and panel discussion are free and open to the public.

Panel Experts:

Dr. David Inouye discussing his decades of research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (near Gothic,

Colorado) on the impacts from climate change to bees and other pollinators, critical to western Colorado’s fruit

industry and other agriculture.

 

Dr. Gerald Nelson discussing the effects of climate change on global food security and on Western Slope

specialty crops including wine grapes.

TBD discussing impacts from global climate change on western Colorado’s irrigation supplies.

Updated: October 15, 2015

Sunday details

2:30 PM: Slideshow – Climate Change and Western Colorado, free and open to the public

The film will begin immediately following the slideshow for a $10 donation

Community discussion will follow the film

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Shot in nine countries over the course of four years, THIS

CHANGES EVERYTHING, directed by Avi Lewis, recently had

its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING is based on the critically

acclaimed non-fiction best-seller by award- winning

journalist and author, Naomi Klein.

 

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING presents seven powerful

portraits of communities on the frontlines of both fossil fuel

extraction and the climate crisis it is driving, from Montana’s

Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast

of South India to Beijing and beyond. Interwoven with these

stories of struggle is Klein’s narration, connecting the carbon

in the air with the economic system that put it there.

The film builds to its most controversial and exciting idea: that we can seize the existential crisis of climate

change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

 

The Opening Slideshow will be based off a small portion of the current work of the Climate Reality Project

chairman and former U.S. Vice President, Al Gore, focused especially on climate change impacts – and solutions

– most relevant to this region. The presenter, Pete Kolbenschlag, recently completed the Climate Reality Project

Leaderships Corps training in Miami Florida, and is a long-time advocate for sustainable environmental and clean

energy policy in Western Colorado.

 

The Community Discussion will focus on local developments and action that people can take with topics

including the Clean Power Plan, the Citizens Climate Lobby, and updates from the “Western Colorado Climate

Challenge.”

Monday details

5:00 – 6:15 PM: Localvore Tasting and Community Action Workshop: Local Responses to Food Insecurity

6:30 – 8:00 PM: Panel Discussion, free and open to the public