Karen D. Kendrick-Hands
Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), Founder and Director of Projects
Karen Kendrick-Hands led the Environmental Sustainability break-out learning center on Saturday, May 1st at the online Tri-District Conference which included District 7430 and Emmaus Rotary Club.
Maybe you know that Paul Harris was all about planting trees for both a symbol of peace and unity as well as for replenishing this valuable natural resource. In 2018, Rotary International’s President Ian Riseley called on local Rotary Clubs to plant trees and a documented 4.7 million were planted during that Rotary year!
Since then Rotary International has added Sustaining the Environment to the list of its focus areas where money and energy will be directed.
Richard (Dick) Stevens
Past District Governor 2012-2013 and Founder of the Solana Beach Eco Rotary Club
She introduced Dick Stevens founder of an Eco Club. Dick Stevens, founder of the Solana Beach Eco Rotary Club described some of their activities: numerous field trips to watch Habitat 4 Humanity install solar panels, tour a desalinization plant, and see old VW Bugs being refurbished with reclaimed Tesla batteries. Their hallmark project is working with BCK to teach 5th graders how to write grants to meet the climate crisis. They recruit using the environment as their focus and include families in many of their activities while building a traditional Rotary culture. For example, the Solana Beach Eco Rotary Club takes part in the tried and true Rotary dictionary project.
Addressing the climate crisis is sparking Interact and Rotaract clubs across the nation. Our conference moderator suggested that each club start a stand-alone ES committee. Together club members might consider how to be responsible consumers, support natural resources, minimize the use of plastics in our lives, look into putting solar panels on schools and community refrigerators in local centers.
Global grants are available in the area of Environment Sustainability. Clubs are looking at keeping girls in school to delay motherhood and help reduce overpopulation by providing solar cooking education and sani-pads.
JUNE 5, 2021
is the
UNITED NATIONS
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
Rotary Action Groups (RAGs) are springing up around this concern. These action groups have been divided into 12 geographical areas and Emmaus Rotary is in Region 9-- Eastern North America. Any Rotarian can join. Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (SE RAG). Log onto http://www.esrag.org There is a $30 a year membership cost.
Additional Information on Karen D. Hendrick-Hand follows:
Karen D. Kendrick-Hands
Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), Founder and Director of Projects
Karen Kendrick-Hands, a member of the Rotary Club of Madison, WI, USA, D6250 since 2012, helped to form the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), to synergize her passions for Rotary Service, protecting the environment and mitigating climate change, and providing a way for like-minded Rotarians to collaborate. She has served as ESRAG’s Chair, Director of Communications, and is currently the Director of Projects. She was the first-ever Observer Delegate sent by Rotary International to the UNFCCC climate talks, attending COP24 in Katowice, Poland, December 2018. In February 2020, Karen presented to the Rotary Foundation’s Environmental Issues Task Force, on behalf of ESRAG. Rotary International’s Directors and the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation accepted the Taskforce report unanimously and have created a seventh Area of Focus: Protecting the Environment.
Karen is active with the Wisconsin Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and is the Co-leader of its Rotary Action Team. When active as an attorney, Karen worked as a volunteer public interest advocate for cleaner air and mobility and transportation choices, including serving on various local, state, and regional advisory bodies, for over 30 years.
Karen is blessed to have been a Rotary Youth Exchange student in 1967-68 to Australia. Karen and her husband Larry Hands, also a Rotarian and ESRAG Board member, have been married for 46 years, and have two married sons and three grandchildren. Together they have built a carbon-neutral home and are restoring prairie and savanna habitat on 80 acres in southwest Wisconsin, USA.