Erie County Community Resiliency Workgroup Summit

By Kayla Villano
Gannon Student Contributor

Each year, the Community Resiliency Workgroup (CRW) holds a summit focusing on a topic vital to our region’s economy. In conjunction with NWPAGE, PA Sea Grant, Environment Erie and Erie County, the CRW has committed itself to developing a climate conscious community through education, coordination and implementation of projects that address climate change and building a resilient community. This year’s summit, held October 14 and 15, will turn its attention to the increasing seasonal changes, its affects on tourism, and how local businesses can prepare to adapt. “For instance, Peek n’ Peak,” Kaitlyn Vitale of Environment Erie explained, “They recently installed their zip line and ropes courses. This is great example of the adaptation we are talking about.”

The Erie community is invited to view a screening of “Merchants of Doubt,” a documentary that compares the anti-global warming effort to similar propaganda tactics utilized by the tobacco and chemical flame retardant industries. The screening will be held on October 14 at 7 PM at the Erie Art Museum.

Following the film screening will be a breakfast keynote at 8 AM on October 15. The community is invited to learn why weather is critical to Erie’s tourism industry while enjoying a breakfast. The panel of speakers will consist of John Oliver, Visit Erie Executive Director; Megan Goold, US EPA Region 3 Climate Change Coordinator; Nate Irwin, PA DEP Aquatic Biologist, and Jerry Skrypzak of Save Our Native Species (S.O.N.S). “We want local businesses to be proactive,” Vitale said. “This event is one step towards that goal.”

You can register to attend the keynote by clicking this link

To find out more about the CRW, read this overview