Pam Allio, the communications Chair for the Bay Area Chapter at Climate Reality Project has a vast experience working in the climate sector and mentoring a wide range number of youth environmental activists.
Allio said to Egypt Today that the Bay Area chapter is very important location for Climate Reality Project .
“We have about 1500 members across eight of the counties around the Bay Area” Allio said.
Allio added that the Bay Area Chapter is an area that is impacted by climate change. The effects of the wildfires and the smoke hung in the air were seen for over 30 days.
“I’m sure you saw the pictures where San Francisco skies were orange and I was actually driving through San Francisco on that day. It was quite scary.”
Allio joined the chapter in July of 2020 after training and became the communications chair in September of 2020 and have led a group of individuals to be able to educate and bring awareness to the Bay Area people.
“I can honestly say that in my whole business career managing and growing this communication team has been one of the greatest experiences. We enjoy it, we’re passionate about it, we’re volunteers and yet we have pulled off organization to be able to help youth to have a platform to participate on.”
Allio explained that their website has hits from 35 countries around the world and their newsletter, goes out to about 1300 people every month.
“ We highlight activities that are going on in the Bay Area to blogs that are on current issues, whether that’s water conservation or whether that’s a specific issue of development that’s going on, we tackle also what the people in that area care about” Allio recounted.
Allio explained that sustainable development is also very crucial. “ Our group has launched recently a podcast that anybody can take an idea from or find a climate champion.”
Allio and her team has set an infrastructure to be able to know that the next people can take it and move forward with their own creative ideas because creativity is the key factor. Allio said that she is hoping that her assistant Alakoka will step up and be the communications chair because she has made the decision to step up to be chair of the Bay Area chapter and really drive the youth and all of the participants from all ages, all walks of life and all religions to be able to come together to make a difference.
Over the years you have mentored a number of youth practice. To what extent do you see education and mentoring
On the importance of education in climate change Allio said that is extremely important. “ It is very important to continue to mentor and guide youth in how to take actions and help them in developing their own careers towards sustainability. In my business career, I’ve had the opportunity to interview a lot of youth who are graduating from universities around the world and discussed with them issues related to sustainability or environmental science and honestly they don’t know what to do next. What’s the next job? So mentoring them is very important task.”
Pertaining to Al Gore’s truth in 10 presentation Allio said it gets updated every time. She narrated that there was a new training she trained in 2020 and mentored, six months later or nine months later, Allio noticed the changes that happened on climate even in that short amount of time.
“So the truth in 10 that Al Gore does is really about the devastation that happens, to create that sense of urgency that we do need to act now that fossil fuels are a huge catalyst for driving this change and that we do have the solutions and there is hope and that you can use your voice to take action. We have renewable energy solutions that we to turn now to them” Allio said.
Allio further explained that solar and wind energies are the two primary sources that really can drive a lot.
“ Beside relying on renewable sources of energy we have to eliminate carbon emissions by eliminating fossil fuels and we have the tools to do it now and I did read that Egypt is trying to help drive down the cost of electric vehicles, which is great and I think that’s one of the issues we need to get to in the United States is getting to more affordable electric vehicles for all” Allio added.
Allio is working for Cisco Systems and they are not talking about eliminating carbon, they are talking about lowering their own greenhouse gas emissions and that is coming down through the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States.
“ Certainly countries in Europe have driven a lot of change in regulations about reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and making those commitments. Corporations are looking to science as well.”
Allio added that Cisco is one of the only hardware technology companies that meets the requirements for the science based target initiative to reach net zero emissions by 2040.
Cisco is looking at very innovative ways to create smart buildings and drive efficiencies for data centers, for operating businesses, for campus network environments and trying to make significant progress in that area.
Allio recounted that there has been great strides in the movement of all stakeholders in driving corporations to make change. That comes from investors, board of directors, employees, the millennial generation.
“ They don’t want to work for a company that doesn’t truly meet their sustainability commitments. So that is a huge driver as well as the regulations that have come down from Europe. It’s a journey, it is not flip a switch, but you have to make your commitments and pledges and stick to them.”
Pertaining to the major changes that have occurred in the environmental sector so far Allio said that the level of activism from all walks of life is certainly a major change.
“One third of the world population is under 30 so they have witnessed climate change since they were born and they look at the older generations and say, why haven’t you done something about it yet? So I think they do realize that they have a voice, there’s many other great examples within Climate Reality Project of youth that have driven change and created solar panel projects for green schools campaigns. So I think being able to empower and engage youth and make sure that they feel safe in doing so is very important.”
Allio said that she believes that youth can be swayed and think that there’s nothing they can do. “I think too young people believe in facts and the science behind climate change, they speak authentically and truthfully.”
According to Allio the most important aspect in climate change is that we should hold maintain one and a half degrees Celsius rise.
“ We are way off track and certainly the war on Ukraine and the other crises have impeded that. But we need to get back to the pledges and commitments made and hold countries accountable for what they agreed to.I think where money is placed, it has to be placed on countries that need it the most especially if we’re looking at developing countries” Allio added.
Allio message to the international community is that there is still time and hope, we just need to act now.
“I think you need to look ahead 4, 5, 6 generations to say what is the world gonna be like? especially because the effects of climate change have multiplied year over year.”
Source: Egypt Today Magazine