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Earthwatch launched its two-month 2008 Beat the Heat Climate Change Campaign on August 14 with the second annual—and carbon-neutral—Beat the Heat fundraiser at the Museum of Science. The kickoff event raised more than $36,000 and engaged hundreds of Earthwatchers that night alone in support of Earthwatch’s climate change research projects.
But that evening was just the start of a successful campaign to inspire people to take action on climate change on both the local and the global levels. In addition to bringing nearly 200 people to Earthwatch as new members, the Beat the Heat Cause on Facebook drew more than 550 people, connecting them to climate change resources, to Earthwatch, and to each other.
On the local level, the Campaign worked with like-minded non-profit partners to mobilize more than 50 volunteers (including some Earthwatch staff) across 3 Boston-area climate change efforts this fall:
 Working with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean up on three sites in MA and NH, “Beat the Heaters” helped document trash and debris on beaches and coastlines, and removed trash, most of which consisted of cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic bags, and bottles and bottle caps.
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 Working with the Urban Ecology Institute and the Grow Boston Greener project, Beat the Heat volunteers planted 40 trees on the grounds of the Boston Housing Authority’s Whittier St. Houses in Roxbury, MA. These trees will help mitigate the urban “heat island” effect, reduce electricity and fossil fuel use, capture atmospheric carbon, improve air quality and public health, and get Boston closer to its goal of planting 20,000 new trees by 2020. |
 Partnering with the Charles River Conservancy, Earthwatch’s Beat the Heat Campaign helped remove 75 cubic yards of invasive plant species along the Charles River in Boston. Likely fueled by climate change, these species force out native species and harm local ecosystems. Volunteers focused on identifying, cataloging, and removing Japanese knotweed (Fallopia Japonica), Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) all of which pose a risk to the continued survival of indigenous plant species in the region. |
Many, many thanks to all who volunteered, donated, and passed on information as part of the 2008 Beat the Heat Climate Change Campaign. Be sure to check our climate change research projects and join us in the field. And, let us know how Earthwatch can help you address this critical issue in your community as we plan our 2009 Climate Change Campaign.
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