Foundation for a Green Future, Inc.

Water on My Mind

was held on  

 Tuesday, March 22, 2016, beginning at 1 pm

at the BSA Space, 290 Congress Street, Boston, MA

Please Click HERE for a peek at the Forum  (filmed by Boston Neighborhood Network)

In Honor of World Water Day

 World Water Day aims to remind people about the significance of fresh water and to promote sustainability for fresh water resources' management. It’s a day to celebrate water. It’s a day to prepare for how we manage water in the future.

Program

9 am - 12 pm   Youth Summit run by Green Schools

1 pm  Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Matthew Beaton



Executive Director, Massachusetts Water Resources Authoirty, Fred Laskey



1 pm - 3 pm   Panel Discussion with Representaive Chris Walsh as Moderator 

 

Panelists:  



Bob Zimmerman, Charles River Watershed Association



Austin Blackmon, City of Boston



Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch



Bradley Campbell, Conservation Law Foundation



Carter Craft, Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York

 

3 pm - 5 pm Breakout Sessions

Breakout 1:  Infrastructure for a Livable Future

In Depth Discussion about Financial, Environmental, Economic and Social Aspects of "CWERCs" - Community Water and Energy Resource Centers.   Led by Julie Wood, Charles River Watershed Association.



Charlie Jewell, Director of Planning, Boston Water and Sewer Commission



Breakout 2:  Design and Legislation.  

A look at the legislative and logistical issues required to enable the successful design of this innovative Water Energy nexus.  Led by Senator Eldridge and Representative Dykema.



Breakout 3:  Resilient Water Systems  

Led by Julie Conroy, Senior Environmental Planner, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, several experts will join the discussion bringing their unique perspectives.  

Julie Conroy, Session Leader



Kristin Divris, Water Utility Resilience Program,MassDEP  

 

  Kirk Westphal, Water Resources Engineer, CDM Smith

 

Steve Estes-Smargiassi, Director of Planning and Sustainability at Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

 

 Breakout 4:  AgRemediation  

A discussion about how it is possible to recycle stormwater, phosphorus and nitrogen using agricultural ecosystems in an urban setting.  Led by Bruce Fulford, Principal of City Soil.



5:30 -8 pm   Cocktail Reception with Keynote, Wenonah Hauter  

PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE FORUM HERE.

This year's Keynote Speaker:  Wenonah Hauter



Wenonah Hauter is the founder and Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. She has worked extensively on food, water, energy and environmental issues at the national, state and local level. Her book Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America examines the corporate consolidation and control over our food system and what it means for farmers and consumers. Experienced in developing policy positions and legislative strategies, she is also a skilled and accomplished organizer, having lobbied and developed grassroots field strategy and action plans. She has completed her new book,  Frackopoly: The Battle for the Future of Energy and the Environment due for publication in 2016. From 1997 to 2005 she served as Director of Public Citizen’s Energy and Environment Program, which focused on water, food and energy policy. From 1996 to 1997, she was environmental policy director for Citizen Action, where she worked with the organization’s 30 state-based groups. From 1989 to 1995 she was at the Union of Concerned Scientists where, as a senior organizer, she coordinated broad-based, grassroots sustainable energy campaigns in several states. She has an M.S. in applied anthropology from the University of Maryland. She will address the issues of water and energy nationally and how this interplay impacts Massachusetts.

Our partners:

Office of Representative Chris Walsh

Boston Society of Architects (BSA)

Charles River Watershed Association  (CRWA)

City of Boston

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC)

Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)

Massachusetts Rivers Alliance  

Green Schools

Thank you to the generosity of our sponsors:

     

    

And to the Catering Services of:

 Broadcasting and filming:

Virtual networking (click to start swapping cards!):

 Thank you for the venue!