Join us Friday, May 8 at Manchester Community College for a full day of conversation, connection and ideas, featuring a series of breakout sessions designed to bring attendees into the conversation, offering space to ask questions, share experiences and explore how to take action in their own communities. Register here for the 4th annual By Degrees Climate Summit.
Each session approaches this year’s theme of community resilience from a different angle, with a focus on water quality and environmental contamination in New Hampshire.
From Concern to Action: Organizing Around Water Contamination
This panel, moderated by NHPR’s Jason Moon, brings together community organizers and advocates working directly on water contamination issues. Panelists include Ally Snell of The Nature Conservancy, along with Heidi Trimarco and Arnold Mikolo from the Conservation Law Foundation.
Together, they will talk about what it looks like to work alongside communities facing contamination challenges and how individuals can get involved, from gathering information about local water quality to contributing to broader advocacy efforts. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how this work happens and where they might fit into it.
Shared Waters: A Community Conversation
Moderated by NHPR climate reporter Mara Hoplamazian, this session creates space for a different kind of conversation.
Through a guided discussion with a few opening prompts, attendees will be invited to share their own experiences with water contamination and hear from others across the region. It is an opportunity to connect with people who may be navigating similar challenges, reflect on how these issues show up in everyday life and build a sense of shared understanding.
Conversation with Keynote Speaker Mariah Blake
Through an open Q&A, participants will be invited to ask questions, reflect on key themes from Mariah's keynote speech and explore the broader implications of PFAS contamination. It is a chance to dig deeper into the issues raised in her work, connect them to local experiences and hear more about the role of investigative journalism in uncovering environmental challenges.
LakeSmart with NH LAKES
In this session, Brea Arvidson of NH LAKES will introduce attendees to the LakeSmart program, a free, voluntary initiative that helps residents understand how their land-use choices affect water quality.
Whether you live on the water or farther inland, this presentation will walk through how everyday actions connect to the health of New Hampshire’s lakes and rivers. Attendees will also have the chance to reflect on how they use their properties, with practical tools to help reduce their impact and protect local ecosystems.
These sessions are a key part of what makes the summit more than just a series of panels. They are designed to help you engage directly with the issues, learn from others and leave with ideas you can bring back to your own community.
If you have been thinking about attending, now is the time to register and join us.