Harwood Lecture Series

Takeaways from cop29 with jay collins, 7:00-8:30pm, Tuesday 12/3
The Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens

Jay Collins, Vice Chairman of Citi and Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at Georgetown University, is presenting our Winter Harwood Lecture on Tuesday, Dec. 3rd. Jay will share new insider information on this year's United Nations climate change conference in Baku that took place November 11th - 22nd. Don't miss his fascinating perspective on the financials of climate change, and what it will take to overcome the challenges ahead.

The Harwood Lecture Series was started in 1992 in honor of the late Michael Harwood who was a founding member of Washington Environmental Council. We are thrilled to bring expert speakers and thinkers to the local community in pursuit of sustainability and environmental awareness. All Harwood lectures are free and open to the public.


Past Lecturers…

2024

Patrick Horan
A lecture on how “Sustainable Farming is vital to a Sustainable (New England) Community”

Jay Collins
A talk on “Takeaways from COP 28: What Happened and Where do We Go From Here?”

2023

Becker & Seth Low
Talk on Frederick Gunn School Green Initiatives and Sustainable Architecture

2022

Jennifer Heaton-Jones
“Talking Trash” a lecture on how to manage waste by the Executive Director of regional, governmental, solid waste and recycling authority, HRRA.

2019

Hugh Rogers
“Whose Water is it?” a lecture on CT’s water system

2015

Dr. George Garland
"The Road to Paris and Beyond" - a Lecture on Climate Change

Reverend Canon Sally Bingham
"Amplifying Pope Francis' Encyclical on Caring for Our Common Home"

Laura Rissolo
Landscape Designer - "Habitat for Pollinating Insects"

2014

Nick Mancini
Certified Master Gardener, Author, Lecturer - “Organic Gardening - Vegetables and Flowers" 

2013

Dr. William H. Schlesinger
President of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies - "Global Climate Change: Causes, Impacts and Things You Can Do"

2012

Alex Prud'homme
Author, Lecturer - The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Freshwater in the Twenty-First Century

2011

Paul Tukey
Author, Filmaker, Lecturer - Global Warming and Your Garden

2010

Bill McKibben
Author, Educator & Environmentalist - Climate Change

Jim Serach
Science Teacher, Lecturer - Student Involvement in Environment

Carol Gracie
Author - Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast

Rose Hiskes
Diagnostician and Horticulturist - Asian Longhorn Beetle

2009

John Turenne
Executive Chef - Sustainable Food

2008

Peter Picone
Author, Lecturer - Native Plants for Wildlife

Mark Biedron
Founder, The Willow School - "LEED" School Construction

2007

John Maxwell
Managing Director, Parker Global Strategies

Keri Enright
Director, Smart Power - Alternative Energy: Global Issues & Local Action

2006

Donna Ellis
UConn Extension Program - Invasive Plant Control

Andrew Roraback
CT State Senator - WEC's 35th Anniversary

2005

Dr. Michael Klemens
Herpetologist - Biodiversity in CT

Robert Crelin
Author - Dark Skies : Light Pollution

2003

Richard Blumenthal
CT Attorney General - State Environmental Issues

2002

Michael Pollan
Author, Environmentalist - The Botany of Desire

2000

Dr. Warren Leon
Ex. Director, Sustainable Energy Association - The Consumers Guide to Effective Environmental Choices

1998

Russell Brenneman
President, Conn. Forest & Park Association

David Sutherland
Nature Conservancy

1997

Marcy Benstock
Ex. Director, Clean Air Campaign - What An Individual Can Do

1995

Dr. Barry Commoner
Author, Environmentalist - The State of the Environment & What We Can Do About It

1993

Jake Page
Editor, Natural History Magazine - Think Locally, Act Globally

1992

Madeleine Kunin
Governor of Vermont - A New Environmental Agenda