RVA Earth Day 2019 Climate Conversation

This Earth Day, Richmond went global to talk about climate change. The City of Richmond Sustainability Office hosted a “Climate Conversation” with the VCU Office of Sustainability and Shared Studios, a Brooklyn-based art, design, and technology company, at the Monroe Park Portal on April 22. This event promoted conversations about climate change, the environment, and sustainability efforts in Richmond and around the world. The Portal, a gold-painted shipping container equipped with video and audio technology, allowed participants in Richmond to connect live, face-to-face with people in an identical Portal in Mexico City.

Although Sustainability Office staff created conversation prompts, the ideas and curiosity of participants led to more of an exchange of ideas and experiences. Questions on local weather patterns and impacts from climate change led to conversations about what participants care about most in their own lives. Participants found common ground in their observations of more intense weather events and heat waves, but were surprised to hear that access to information about climate change is not the same everywhere. Richmonders learned about how health risks like air pollution, ozone, and high temperatures can become dangerous no matter where you live.

As participants came and went, they learned about RVAgreen 2050, the City’s integrated adaptation, mitigation and equity-centered climate action planning initiative to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 and help the community adapt to Richmond’s climate impacts (extreme heat, extreme precipitation, and sea level rise). Participants also shared their ideas about how Richmond can reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. VCU Office of Sustainability representatives also provided information about sustainability efforts in the campus community.