Press Mention Knoxville News Sentinel July 11, 2014
Topical Mention
Climate Knoxville draws environmental groups to Market Square
In this mention
Climate Knoxville, a community event at Market Square, brought together environmental organizations to discuss climate action and carbon reduction. Network developer Louise Gorenflo emphasized the moral imperative of reducing carbon emissions and highlighted the EPA's Clean Power Plan and the city's weatherization initiative. Jennifer Alldredge of Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light discussed the collaborative approach to addressing climate change through unified voices and shared resources.
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Climate Knoxville draws environmental groups
to Market Square
By Lance Coleman
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Climate Knoxville draws environmental groups to Market Square
Bands, comedians and speakers gathered with groups from across the area Saturday
evening at Market Square to support meaningful steps to deal with climate change.
Climate Knoxville was spearheaded by network developer Louise Gorenflo who said
the day was about organizations cooperating to make a difference.
"Today is a celebration of people coming together recognizing we have a job to do, and
it is fun just to see each other," she said.
Gorenflo said climate change is happening now and it is no longer an issue of stopping
climate change.
"We need to work on reducing how severe it is going to get," she said.
Gorenflo said people need to start drastically reducing carbon emissions.
"The EPA carbon rule is effective policy for us to get behind and support, and the
mayor's initiative to weatherize inner city home through the Smarter Cities Partnership
will help the City of Knoxville keep people in their homes and healthy," she said.
According to a Climate Knoxville news release, the Environmental Protection Agency's
Clean Power Plan, announced on June 2, for the first time calls for cuts in carbon
pollution from existing power plants.
Gorenflo said climate change is a moral issue because one of the basic precepts is
people should not benefit from harming others. Burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal
causes climate change, she said.
"We're living in a way to maximize our consumption. We're polluting without taking
responsibility for our pollution. That is the underlying moral abuse," she said.
Jennifer Alldredge, project manager with Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light, said
instead of each of the groups represented at the event working alone to respond to
climate change, the idea behind Climate Knoxville is to unify voices and work together
toward common goals.
"We're pooling our resources," she said.
Alldredge has worked in the Knox County school system for five years teaching students about energy efficiency at home.
"I teach students how to be more energy efficient so they become more responsible energy consumers," she said.