Joanne De Vries

Climate Action

Motives Don't Matter, but community does. An Idea how Climate action can happen through a community approach. Real life examples on how community driven engagement has helped move Climate action forward Okanagan born and raised, Joanne worked for 33 years as a public outreach and engagement specialist to all levels of government in BC. She focused on projects and issues related to water, waste, energy, and community planning. Seeing the need for broader engagement around these issues and community sustainability in general, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation in 2007. Highly acclaimed FOF events and programs have included provincial conferences, kids camps, film festivals, and the HEADS UP Community Mental Health program. Her current passion is Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE), a proven climate education and engagement program in Vernon, Lumby, and the Central Okanagan that matches student teams with community mentors to create inquiry-based projects in support of local and global climate goals. Joanne’s career as a change maker has taught her that understanding and respecting people’s motives ─ and exploring them within deep, respectful, and authentic conversations ─ This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx