2009 Climate Champion Awards Dinner Held in Boston

Thursday night, October 15, more than 250 people attended Clean Air-Cool Planet’s first annual Climate Champion Awards Dinner at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Boston’s Rowe’s Wharf.

See photos from the event.

They came to honor Clean Air-Cool Planet’s founding board member, Susan Tierney – one of the night’s award winners – Eco-Tourism Pioneer Sven-Olof Lindblad, Congressman Edward Markey, and Dr. David Shi, president of Furman University as well as several other winners for accomplishments ranging from renewable power production, exceptional public education on climate, rewarding community and campus action, and the greenest grocery store going. (Photo: Susan Tierney and Jim Fallows.)

Following the cocktail reception, guests took their seats in the ballroom, with a view of Boston Harbor on three sides and the music of Swing Café in the background.  Welcoming remarks were delivered by Dinner Chair Michael Bradley of M. J. Bradley Associates, a founding chair of the CA-CP board of directors. He was followed by his co-chair, Jason Grumet of the Bipartisan Policy Center, who proved adept at haiku, drawing gales of laughter from his audience – somewhat at Dr. Tierney’s expense.

During dessert and coffee, Roger Dower of the Johnson Foundation, current chair of the Clean Air-Cool Planet board, and CEO Adam Markham presented the first awards, calling upon recipients from the Chewonki Foundation, Furman University, Hannaford Supermarkets, SunEdison Corporation, and the Town of Temple, New Hampshire to receive their awards.  John Markey, brother of Rep. Ed Markey, received the award on behalf of the congressman, who remained “in Washington, right where we need him,” as Adam Markham noted.

Clean Air-Cool Planet President Rafe Pomerance introduced Jayni Chase, an environmental educator in her own right and wife of actor/comedian Chevy Chase.  Although Chevy was unable to attend, he sent along a video message to help Jayni and Rafe present the Climate Champion Award to Sven-Olof Lindblad of Lindblad Expeditions.  In a dramatic moment, Chevy appeared on the three large, drop-down screens at the front of the hall, and recalled the (fictional) behavior of many of the well known travelers who visited the Arctic last spring onboard the Lindblad vessel National Geographic Endeavor. More than 100 thought leaders from government, industry and the private sector came together on the trip, organized jointly by CA-CP, Lindblad, the National Geographic Society and Aspen Institute. (Photo: Sven Lindblad, Rafe Pomerance, and Jayni Chase.)

Sven Lindblad responded with recollections from the many trips and experiences he has had taking people to the world’s beautiful and endangered places. Mr. Lindblad concluding that it is vitally important to take people to see places endangered by global warming for the sake of the next generation, like his 13-year-old daughter Isabella, who joined him for the occasion.

Michael Bradley introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Gina McCarthy, EPA assistant administrator, noting that as head of the air and radiation division at EPA, it fell to Gina to lead the effort to regulate greenhouse gases – putting her squarely in the middle of the global warming fight at the federal level. (Photo: Gina McCarthy.)

Assuring her listeners that the approach of the EPA today will be “based on science and not on faith,” Gina delivered a series of potent assertions about the need to create wise, science-based rules to control emissions of greenhouse gases, garnering several rounds of applause and no fewer cheers and bursts of laughter.  She then turned to the guest of honor, Sue Tierney, regaling the rapt dinner guests with tale after tale from their long association working on energy, climate, and environmental work.

The assembled crowd had barely wiped away tears of laughter before Adam Markham introduced well known author James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine, who also happens to be Sue Tierney’s brother.  Jim followed some of his own observations by encouraging comments from others – including Steve Kline from National Grid, and Tufts University Professor and IPCC member Bill Moomaw, also a founding board member of CA-CP.  Ralph Loomis read a joint written statement from John Rowe of Exelon and Ralph Cavanagh of NRDC.  Final comments before presentation of her award were made by Sue’s husband, John, and her two sons, Tom and James.

Sue spoke briefly, in typical fashion insisting that others deserved the credit and noting the support and friendship of many people in the room. 

Following concluding remarks from Roger Dower and Michael Bradley, Swing Café struck up, and the dancing began.

Next year, Clean Air-Cool Planet will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. With the bar set high for entertainment, substantive programming and a packed house, we are already beginning to deliberate on plans for next year’s celebrations. Stay tuned and stay involved!

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