The Program
Fellow Rotarian Michael Desplaines delivered a very informative – and scary – presentation on climate change. He says organizations like the Norfolk Botanical Garden need to educate the public about climate change and what needs to happen in order to save the planet. “I don’t want the Botanical Garden to become a zoo of sorts, a place where people come to see what nature used to look like,” he says.
The stakes couldn’t be any higher. Michael says that a study released last fall by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that we have 12 years (now, 11 ½ ) to prevent temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. If we fail to do so, the damage to the planet will be irreversible, resulting in catastrophic weather, massive population migration, and food scarcity.
Michael says increased prosperity in places like China is putting considerable pressures on the planet. “The world wants what we have,” he says. “The thing is that if all the world’s inhabitants were to enjoy the standard of living we do here in the United States, it would take five planets to produce the needed resources!”
There is some good news, however. Michael says that meeting the goal set out by the IPCC is most certainly doable. Among other things, we need to reduce our consumption of meat which accounts for an out-sized proportion of resources relative to the number of people fed. We also need to significantly increase our use of wind and solar power, eliminate or drastically reduce single use plastics, replace toxic chemicals like Roundup, and conserve energy.
The Meeting
After prayer, pledge, and song, we heard the following announcements:
- One visiting Rotarian – Joe Hansley from Churchland.
- Guests – Jeff Wells accompanied by Joe Sherman and his daughter, Madison. Michael Desplaines introduced us to Dale Murray (architect), Sally Parker (psychologist), and Ken Boxer (corporate trainer).
- Don’t forget about Giving Tuesday, April 2. If you are not already a Rotary Foundation donor, that’s the day to make it happen!
- Ann Baldwin is offering fellow Rotarians a free copy of her new book, “62 Most Misused Words and Phrases plus Pesky Pronouns: A Quick Guide to Better Grammar.”
- Wine Needed – right now, we only have 24 bottles for the Suds & Buds Wine Pull, but we need at least 100! Please remember to bring a bottle to the next meeting. It must be at least $20 in value, but more is even better!
Happy Bucks:
- Bob Latimer – on TV for the closing of Greenies in Ocean View
- Marilyn Gowen – daughter’s wedding
- Barry Kesser – for Chuck Spence and a speedy recovery from shoulder surgery
- Lorna Cochrane – got a new car
- Joe Massey – new grandson, Spencer Massey Hall
- Dr. Bill Lehew – fourth grandchild born
- John Cameron – great vacation at the Petrified Forest and Santa Fe
- Angela Kerns – for the new exhibit at the Virginia Zoo
Jim Kitz drew the winning ticket from the drawing, but not the winning card, so the pot continues to grow.