Climate Toolkit Symposium Resources

OCT. 26 - 28, 2025 | PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS; PITTSBURGH, PA

Thank you for helping to co-create our inaugural Climate Toolkit Symposium, presented by Phipps Conservatory and Duke Farms. What an incredible two and a half days of learning, collaboration, connection, and conversation. We were thrilled to be in-person with such an inspiring collective of cultural institutions and look forward to the work ahead.

How to Use This Resource

The Climate Toolkit Symposium was structured in three plenary sessions, five breakout discussions, a keynote address, and three climate action workshops, each with its own set of mawasilisho. On this page, you’ll find each session represented by a video recording, presentation slide deck, and links to further resources and literature. Get started below!

Plenary Session One: Energy and Decarbonization

Cultural institutions are stepping up as climate leaders by reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy. In this panel, Richard Piacentini from Phipps Conservatory, Jon Wagar from Mashamba ya Duke, Rachel Novick from Arboretum ya Morton, and Rafael de Carvalho from Bustani ya Mimea ya New York shared how they are implementing ambitious decarbonization strategies, offering lessons learned from real-world successes and challenges.

Video Recording: (in progress)
Presentation Slides:

Plenary Session Two: Climate Interpretation & Engagement

How can institutions engage with the public on a changing climate? This panel presentation brought together Anais Reyes from Makumbusho ya Hali ya Hewa, Casey Mink from Makumbusho ya Historia ya Asili ya Utah, Jen Kretser from Kituo cha Pori, and Mark Wourms from Msitu wa Bernheim na Arboretum to highlight creative approaches to interpretation and engagement that inspire audiences to participate in climate solutions.

Video Recording: (in progress)
Presentation Slides:

Maeneo Lengwa ya Kuzuka I: Usimamizi wa Taka na Suluhu zinazotegemea Asili

Breakout tracks offered participants an opportunity for focused conversation on specific areas of climate action. Each session began with a short presentation from a subject expert, followed by a facilitated, round-table discussion to support knowledge sharing and problem-solving. Allie Tilson from Aquarium ya Taifa led one breakout room through engaging thought exercises on streamlining institutional waste practices; and Jeff Downing from Mt Cuba Center and Dr. Christy Rollinson from Arboretum ya Morton led another breakout on utilizing our community platforms to accelerate nature-based solutions through native plant conservation, habitat restoration, and urban tree planting.

Usimamizi wa Taka na Ushirikiano wa Wafanyakazi

Presentation Slides:
  • Aquarium ya Taifa – Allison Tilson, Senior Manager of Sustainability and Conservation Operations

Suluhisho Zinazotegemea Asili

Video recording:
Presentation Slides:

Breakout Focus Areas II: Climate Research; Conservation and Action; Facilities Management

Round two of breakout focus areas featured three discussions: Dr. Chelsea Miller and Dr. Lara Roketenetz from the Chuo Kikuu cha Akron Field Station led a discussion on the intersection of education, community science and academic research; Dr. Shafkat Khan from Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium facilitated intimate round-table discussions on conservation and action beyond our campuses; and Jim Hanson and Joe Zalenko from Mashamba ya Duke engaged facilities and sustainability staff on electrification equipment, operations software, and best practices for facilities management.

Utafiti wa hali ya hewa

Presentation Slides:

Conservation and Action – Bridging the Gap and Breaching the Boundaries

Presentation Slides:
Rasilimali Zaidi:

Usimamizi wa Vifaa

Presentation Slides:
  • Mashamba ya Duke – Jim Hanson, Manager of Sustainability and Technology, and Joe Zalenko, Facilities Manager

Plenary Session Three: Youth Climate Advocacy

Amplifying youth voices is critical to advancing the climate movement and driving action within communities. In this panel and Q&A session, we heard directly from Emma Ehan, Anwita Maneish Nithya, Cortlan Harrell, and Marley McFarland, leaders of Phipps’ Youth Climate Advocacy Committee, on how to battle climate anxiety while activating the next generation of young changemakers.

Video Recording: (in progress)
Presentation Slides:

Keynote Address: “Our Finest Hour: Looking Back from the Year 2276”

In this keynote address, David W. Orr, Professor Emeritus at Oberlin College, provided a sobering outlook on the current state of the intertwined political and climate crises while offering key perspectives on how we as a society can advocate for climate action during turbulent times.

Video recording: (in progress)
Presentation Slides:

Kiini kama Dira: Kuongoza Kitendo cha Hali ya Hewa na Mawazo ya Kuzaliwa upya

This session, led by Richard Piacentini from Phipps Conservatory and Sonja Bochart of LENS / Shepley Bulfinch, invited participants to explore the power of working from essence—connecting with the unique core of who they are and what truly matters. From this foundation, our actions become more regenerative, our strategies more aligned, and our potential for lasting impact more fully realized.

Presentation Slides:
Resources and Worksheets:

Climate Action Resiliency Planning

This session, led by Stephanie Shapiro and Al Carver-Kubik of Washirika wa Mazingira na Utamaduni, engaged participants through institutional baseline climate and community assessments, planning and implementation exercises, and prioritization frameworks to help form the basis of resiliency plans.

Presentation Slides:
Resources and Worksheets:

Civic Engagement: Becoming Your Community’s Climate Resource

Our final climate action workshop of the symposium, led by Rose Hendricks of Mtandao wa Kitendo wa Kupanda mbegu wa ASTC, engaged participants to think deeply about strategies for civic engagement and community action to improve planetary health.

Presentation Slides:
Resources and Worksheets:

Photography

CHECK OUT THE FULL SET OF PHOTOGRAPHY HERE

Maswali? Resources to share? Wasiliana alampl@phipps.conservatory.org au 412-622-6915, ext. 6752

IMETOLEWA NA

Kuhusu Phipps: Ilianzishwa mwaka wa 1893, Phipps Conservatory na Botanical Gardens huko Pittsburgh, PA ni kiongozi wa kijani anayetambulika duniani kote na dhamira ya kuhamasisha na kuelimisha wote kuhusu uzuri na umuhimu wa mimea; kuendeleza uendelevu na kukuza ustawi wa binadamu na mazingira kupitia vitendo na utafiti; na kusherehekea jumba lake la glasi la kihistoria. Ikijumuisha ekari 15 ikijumuisha jumba la kihistoria la vyumba 14, bustani 23 tofauti za ndani na nje na usanifu na uendeshaji endelevu unaoongoza katika tasnia, Phipps huvutia zaidi ya wageni nusu milioni kila mwaka kutoka kote ulimwenguni. Jifunze zaidi kwenye phipps.conservatory.org.

Kuhusu Duke Farms Duke Farms ni maabara hai ambapo tunatengeneza mikakati ya kielelezo ya urejeshaji wa asili, uhifadhi wa wanyamapori, na mpito wa nishati safi. Ipo kwenye ekari 2,700 huko Hillsborough, New Jersey, chuo chetu ni mahali pa kukutanikia watoa maamuzi wa kimataifa na majirani wa ndani ili kuzua mabadiliko. Duke Farms ni kitovu cha Wakfu wa Doris Duke ambao hujitahidi kujenga mustakabali wa ubunifu zaidi, wenye usawa na endelevu. Jifunze zaidi kwenye dukefarms.org.