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Last week marked the equinox- one of only two times in the year when our Earth is seemingly in perfect balance- the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun.  The rest of the year, we are tipping back and forth as we hurtle through space at roughly 67,108 miles per hour.  It made me think about how this could be a metaphor for the many polarized perspectives on our planet- politics, religion, education, economics, and especially the environment.

In the media, I hear the voices of the climate change deniers along with the doomsday predictions.  I see the extreme environmental activists like Julia “Butterfly” Hill who lived in a tree for two years to prevent logging, and on the opposite side of the spectrum I see individuals with their head in the sand.  I’ve come to accept that there will always be extremists on every issue, but when we are dealing with our rapidly changing climate where do we find a reasonable balance between extreme measures and complete inaction?

After 16 years in the business, I think Brendle Group has a level view on this complex issue. Admittedly, when I first started working for them three years ago as one of the few non-engineers, I didn’t know what a GHG inventory was and was equally baffled at the process of identifying how to reduce emissions for an entire city. Now a little wiser to the process and the lingo, I see that our engineering firm recognizes that climate change poses risks along with opportunities, and they strike that balance by offering climate action plans along with adaptation strategies.  I’ve seen the positive results of our team’s work, from the implementation of climate action plans in small municipalities and major cities to the dozens of ski resorts creating measurable goals for a more sustainable industry.  It’s exciting to see quantifiable options for a healthier environment and people taking action.  It gives me hope for a more balanced world. 

I encourage you to read more about Brendle Group’s past experience and current climate projects here: https://www.brendlegroup.com/climate