I was honored to be back on the schedule for the Public Library Association Conference in Minneapolis, MN this year. It has been a struggle to get sustainability topics on their radar so this felt like a big win!

I was joined by Jennifer Ferriss, Lisa Kropp, and Hazel Onsrud, my follow advisory board members from the Sustainable Libraries Initiative and we took a run at making the connection that climate action combats loneliness. Using data and advice from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community and the urgent focus called for in the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries, we helped audience members see how many of their programs are helping to strengthen the social fabric of their community – a key to success for climate action.

If people do not know one another and have empathy, respect, and understanding for one another, we aren’t going to get very far…