DTC, WEST brings climate program
Speaker trained by Al Gore
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Westminster Democratic Town Committee and Watchdogs for an Environmental Safe Town are teaming up to bring an interactive climate change program to Westminster.

The Westminster DTC said they wanted to bring an interactive program about the climate change issue to town.

"We were intrigued because it is the project of former Vice President (Al) Gore," Kim Cassie, the Westminster DTC Chairwoman. "He has really energized the nation and the world."

During the spring, Gore's Academy Award-winning film, "An Inconvenient Truth" was shown at libraries and churches throughout the area as well as in movie theatres.

"We wanted to make it more local and to drive the point home that it is not this big issue. It is something we can talk about in our communities," Cassie said.

She said members of the DTC agree it is time to have a discussion about these issues in Westminster.

"We thought that we would take it in a little bit of a different direction by having a live version of his slide show," she said.

The live version of the slide show will be hosted by Nick d'Arbeloff, the executive director of the New England Innovation Collaborative.

The New England Innovation Collaborative is a non-profit organization that works to "foster company creation and growth," and to form a community of "clean energy executives, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and policy makers," according to it's Web site.

D'Arbeloff is trained by Gore to be a representative of The Climate Project and to be able to educate audiences about the science of climate change. The goal of the non-profit is to increase awareness of the climate change issues at the grassroots level in the US and across the world. In addition to his jobs as the executive director for the Collaborative, he is on the Board of the Carlisle Conservation Foundation and chairs the Estabrook Council.

He is also wrote a novel, "A More Perfect Planet," which is scheduled to be published in 2007.

Cassie said Donna Brownell, the founder of WEST, has worked closely with her to identify people interested in attending the event as both participants and viewers.

"When you think of the environment in Westminster, you think of WEST," Cassie said.

Cassie said they are hoping to attract anyone that is interested in learning more about climate change.

"It's going to affect us all. Some people say it is already affecting us," she said. "It is a free event at the Westminster Country Club. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and get some answers from various vendors."

The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Westminster Country Club at 7 p.m. Caisse said there is limited space so she is requesting those interested in attending and speaking with vendors should e-mail, cpwestminster@gmail.com or call (978) 874-1154 x2 to reserve a seat.

Refreshments will be provided and a cash bar will be available.