Whidbey Climate Action launches free monthly Island Conversations series in Langley

Whidbey Climate Action has launched a free monthly discussion series called Island Conversations that organizers say meets at St. Hubert’s Community Room, 804 3rd St., Langley, at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. The series combines expert talks and group discussions and lists an email contact of info@whidbeyclimate.org for more information.

WCA describes Island Conversations as a forum to "educate ourselves and invite our community," offering presentations "focused on climate change with the intent to inform, empower, and activate through conversations and sharing. Join us." Each session is framed as a mix of expert remarks and facilitated conversation intended to spur local sustainability projects.

The program has already run at multiple island venues. An April 4, 2024 Island Conversations event took place in the Front Room at the Bayview Cash Store on Bayview Road, Langley, with a 6:30–8:30 p.m. time window, a Fay Weller presentation on creating climate resilience on Gabriola, and support from the Organic Farm School, the Whidbey Institute, and the Greening Congregations Collaborative. WCA’s site also promoted a Thursday, May 2nd meeting at the Bayview Cash Store Front Room with a stated 6 p.m. start, and an Instagram post promoted a January 8 session set for 6–8 p.m., indicating start times and venues have varied across past sessions.

Content examples range from permaculture overviews to community resilience case studies. WCA’s website recounted Penny Livingston opening a session by asking attendees to "close our eyes and imagine waking up in a perfect world," and quoted her summary line, "The problem is the solution." An April program description said Fay Weller would "briefly share success stories about creating the Climate resilience of Gabriola" followed by group discussion on what can be adapted for Whidbey.

Island Conversations is one of several WCA initiatives tied to local funding and projects. Whidbey Climate Action launched the Whidbey Climate Fund to "combat carbon pollution and support ecosystem and community repair," and reported the fund grew to more than $20,000 after initial member donations and additional contributions from Whidbey Islanders. The fund issued a first call for proposals in September 2024 and awarded four grants to projects including South Whidbey Tilth and Sweetwater Farm; reporting on grantees noted items such as Henderson’s checkermallow, a solar panel, a piece of charred applewood and fermented kitchen scraps as elements supported by those grants.

While WCA currently lists St. Hubert’s Community Room, 804 3rd St., Langley, at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month as the recurring meeting time and place, previous listings and event pages document sessions at the Bayview Cash Store Front Room (phone 360-321-4145) with varying start times. WCA’s stated goal remains local education and project activation through monthly expert talks and group discussions; organizers continue to invite community participation via the listed contact.