The following is a republished press release from the Interfaith Climate Action Network and NOT written by The Ithaca Voice. To submit community announcements directly to The Voice, email tips@ithacavoice.com.
World renowned explorer and educator Will Steger will visit Ithaca to give a public presentation with images and data his from decades of study of the Arctic and Antarctica by dogsled and kayak. The program will be held at 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 305 N. Aurora Street.
Steger has won numerous awards and honors for his work. He led the first confirmed dogsled journey to the North Pole without re-supply in 1986, the 1,600-mile south-north traverse of Greenland (the longest unsupported dogsled expedition in history) in 1988, and led the first dogsled traverse of Antarctica (the historic seven-month, 3,741-mile International Trans-Antarctica Expedition) in 1989–90. Steger became the National Geographic Society’s first Explorer-in-Residence.
He founded Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy to engage emerging youth leaders, educators, decision-makers and the public to foster climate literacy and action, with the goal of building a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
“We’re very excited that Will Steger has taken time out of his busy schedule to come and share his extraordinary experiences,” said Susan Multer, a member of the steering committee of the Interfaith Climate Action Network (ICAN). “The changes he has observed and recorded show shocking evidence of the speed with which the ice is melting.”
“Eyewitness to Polar Thawing—and How It Affects Us” is the title of his presentation. “The issues he discusses could hardly be more timely, as we’ve been witnessing catastrophic weather events that have been exacerbated or accelerated by human-induced global warming,” said Maura Stephens, a local journalist and environmental activist.
Although Steger’s presentation is dramatic, his message includes realistic reasons for hope as well as empowerment tools. He suggests economic and environmental actions that individuals and communities can take.
“There’s a saying, ‘Once you know, you can’t not know.’ That’s the main reason we are bringing Will Steger here,” explains Multer. “We think it’s a moral imperative that everyone understand just what we’re facing, so that collectively we can figure out the best ways to respond.”
After the formal talk there will be a Q&A, with Steger joined by Fae Dremock, environmental humanist and writer and Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences at Ithaca College, and Michael Hoffmann, Executive Director of the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions.
The event is cosponsored by Climate Changers, ICAN, Social Action Committee of First Baptist Church, Social Justice Council of First Unitarian Society and People for a Healthy Environment, with support from the Center for Transformative Action and other local organizations. It’s free and open to all, and there’s plentiful free street parking nearby.
WHAT: Talk by polar explorer Will Steger, “Eyewitness to Polar Thawing—and How It Affects Us”
WHEN: Wednesday, September 27, 2017, 7 pm
WHERE: First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 305 N. Aurora Street (corner of W. Buffalo Street)
Featured image courtesy of Will Steger.