Previous Events

So many smiles!  Wind and whimsy!  Saturday September 16th a trio of Climate League Board members (Shelley Buonaiuto, Jo Elsken and Herbie McGill) set up a kite-creation table at  Celebration of Community Connections in Fort Smith.  In addition to helping kids get...

 The Arkansas climate movement has gained two highly skilled, dynamic climate advocates!  In mid June Shannie Jackson of Conway (left) and Shannon Farhat of Barling (right) attended the two-day Citizens' Climate Education Conference in Washington D.C.   It takes a...

The Arkansas Climate League is delighted to announce that Jo Elsken and Corey White have joined the Arkansas Climate League Board.  These two dynamic individuals share a passion for expanding green energy access and have deep roots in the Fort Smith community.   Corey...

On May 19, we returned to Fort Smith's Elizabeth McGill Center to host another Community Luncheon. It was a lively and informative event! Thirty or so local residents, including Climate League Volunteers, enjoyed a full meal, conversation, and even spontaneous...

Arkansas Climate League volunteers handed out weatherization and energy bill assistance information at Fort Smith's May 7th Cinco De Mayo Festival. Held at Fort Smith park, the community gathering brought together food vendors, musicians, artisans, healthcare...

Collaborations build allies and deliver results. For the second year in a row, The Climate League joined other Arkansas environmental and policy organizations in putting on the Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit. In addition to being involved in foundational planning and sharing in logistical expenses, The Climate League collaborated on organizing two breakout panels: “The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” and “Climate and Public Health”. Throughout the planning process,, we proceeded with an eye to highlighting issues and opportunities relevant to low-income families and struggling Arkansas communities and diversifying the core planning team and panelists.

On October 20 nearly seventy Arkansans filled the UAFS Economic Development Center for a day of learning and networking at our River Valley Green Energy and Education Workshop. Topics included: the expansion of solar in Arkansas, energy insecurity in the River Valley, home weatherization, financing solar energy, community solar and more.

In late August Ozarks At Large host Kyle Kellams’ sat down with Climate League Board Members Paulette Meikle and Robert McAfee, along with Herbert McGill (Director of Fort Smith’s McGill Center), and Dr. Latisha Settlage (Dean of the UAFS School of Business and Industry).

A healthy climate takes many forms. In early 2022, Onie Norman, a longtime community organizer and friend of The Climate League, told us about her intention to secure playground equipment for a park in her Dumas neighborhood, a community resource she’s been nurturing for years. The park is a welcoming green space featuring large trees and a few benches. It is owned by the local Youth Improvement Club (YIC) and is adjacent to an elementary school, which does not have an adequate playground for the students – most of whom are African American.

The Climate League is on the forefront of fostering climate change education and clean energy conversations in Arkansas communities often left out of these vital discussions. On Friday, June 17th, we sponsored the monthly community luncheon at Fort Smith’s McGill Center. The gathering drew together neighborhood residents and League volunteers. The shared meal created openings for exchanging personal stories and local concerns and aspirations.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021 The Climate League hosted an online discussion focussed on the why, what and how of climate justice and the shift away from fossil fuels. Panelist Dr. Paulette Meikle (UAFS Fort Smith Associate Dean/League Board Member), Joanna Person-Michener (Arkansas licensed climate-informed therapist ) and Shelley Buonaiuto (Artist/League Board Member) anchored the discussion and took questions from the zoom audience.

The League was delighted to partner with the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Audubon Delta, and the Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club on the 6th Annual Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit. Due to lingering pandemic concerns the Summit was held online on Friday, November 5th.

The Arkansas Citizens’ Climate League hosted a virtual Earth Day panel discussion titled “Taking Care of the Earth, Each Other, and Ourselves” from April 22, 2020 (Earth Day) via Zoom.

In January 2020 Climate League board members and staff showed up to support Citizens’ Climate Education volunteers who delivered an interactive climate presentation to the Public Policy Panel’s lead grassroots organizers. The organizers arrived from communities across south Arkansas for a gathering in Monticello.