A local opportunity to take climate action as an individual, as an organization, as a community.
Event
502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos is a community wide event that seeks to initiate local action on climate change. 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos is engaging local organizations in a broad spectrum of advocacy focuses, in government, commerce, health, education, etc.
Venue and date (early winter) TBA.
Precedent
In 2009 an informal, regional, environmental and sustainability citizens’ network hosted a very successful weekend community event at The Glassworks in Louisville. The event, dubbed ‘The Green Convene’, drew representatives addressing all ‘silos’ – energy, air, water, land use, trees, housing, health, transportation, biodiversity, population, work, immigration, consumption reduction, waste, recycling, factory farms, construction, industry, education, government, media, etc.. Out of that event emerged a regular public forum hosted by the Louisville Sustainability Council, followed by Metro’s 2020 Prepare Louisville**, followed in turn, by more complete staffing of Metro’s very functional, but overwhelmed, Office of Sustainability.
The citizens who organized the initial Green Convene had no idea what would develop from the effort. The organizers of 502/812 Climate are acting with the same faith, confident that good will come from the initiative. Good may already be coming from discussions over the past month. Metro Louisville just released their Climate Action Plan Key Player Survey, 8 September 2026.
In the meantime, ‘climate change’ continues to morph into ‘climate crisis’, and threatens to become ‘climate chaos’. It is long past time for a 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos event, if not initiating, then reinvigorating local action.
Planning
Event planning for 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos came to a pause Monday, 31 August 2026. A letter to Wendell Berry was dropped in the mail on the 28th, asking his participation in this event, just as he had participated in a wonderful night of poetry, readings and music by Harry Pickens, at the Clifton Center, for the Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation over two decades ago. Magic. Then, on the 31st, the crushing news. The world has lost much with the passing of Wendell Berry. What a gift!!!
So we turn back to planning the 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos event. We are following venue leads. Upon naming the venue, the event will be scheduled (early winter). Initial contacts have been made with personnel across a wide variety of ‘silos’. Planners are open to an established organization taking a greater role in the event. The Office of Sustainability, Louisville Climate Action Network, or even the mayor’s office, come to mind as potential hosts. Those who have contributed to the current work on 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos are happy to share ownership, while continuing to contribute to the event.
The event program is taking shape, a shape which will no doubt morph. This community conversation will be difficult. It will touch several delicate topics. 502/812 Climate Change / Crisis / Chaos will continue to ask uncomfortable questions, resulting in soul searching by individuals, by organizations and by the community at large.
The event will not result in grand answers and solutions to climate challenges. The event is an opportunity to initiate a community wide action. It is an opportunity to create deeper unity across silos. We will need that greater unity.
Supporters
Andrew Lawson (Civic Louisville, TreesLouisville)
Ben Reno-Weber (Metro Council member)
Carolyn Waters (Open Waters Consulting)
Christine Brinkmann (Executive Director, Louisville Grows)
Cindi Sullivan (TreesLouisville)
Cindy Green (co-housing)
Clarence Hixson (water)
Claude Stephens (Bernheim Forest)
David Kinloch (energy, hydropower)
Dr. David Wicks (River City Paddle Sports)
Deanna Rushing (data centers, power)
Don Reinhardt (co-housing)
Frank Schwartz (co-housing, ‘good trouble’)
Jackie Green (land use, transportation)
Jean Christensen (facilitator)
Jenniffer Chappell (Metro Council member)
Jim Wayne (Former State Representative, mental health)
John Hartmann (hope)
Justin Mog (UofL Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives,
Sustainability Now! Forward Radio)
Kristin Faurest (nature advocate)
Dr. Mark Wourms (Bernheim Forest)
Rachel Harman (built environment)
Rohit Wason (JCPS high school teacher)
Shawn Reilly (TARC)
Virginia Bush (Indivisible Environment Action Coordinator,
St. William Creation Care Team Coordinator)
To list your support, contact: earth.home.40202@gmail.com
Uncomfortable Questions
How do we help the Louisville area prepare as climate change continues morphing into climate crisis, on the way to climate chaos?
What will climate change mean for the Louisville area?
What will our responses (individual, organizational, community) be?
Who is discussing this?
What will be the pace of rebuilding after local flood, fire or wind events?
What will people eat as crops fail?
Are we prepared to helplessly stand by as millions die globally?
What happens when thousands of climate refugees (national & international) show up?
What work is there for them?
Where will they be housed?
Where will those left homeless be?
Will our streets fill with littering panhandlers?
How is peace and safety maintained mid-chaos?
What do today’s citizens need to hear, learn, and change in preparation for tomorrow?
What are we communicating to the public today?
Your help is needed in planning, critiquing (in editing), in recruiting, in administering. Let us know how you can help by contacting: earth.home.40202@gmail.com
Thank you.