Climate Change Awareness & Action (CCAA) was formed for the purpose of educating others and actively working towards reversing the anthropogenic climate disruption that threatens the earth.  We are a local 350.org group based in Syracuse, NY.  As a local group we have access to invaluable resources, including training and networking opportunities, helpful documents for planning and education, access to discussion groups, access to early announcements for 350.org events, and more.

CCAA was formed in 2015 by a group of volunteers who spent countless hours working to educate and push others to take action in the fight against climate change. Founding members include Peter Wirth, Chris Bolt, Carina Paton, Fred Zolna, Yvonne Chu, Sue Eiholzer, and Bryant Brownell

Mission Statement

It is imperative that we increase awareness and spur action on climate change:

* to support fair and just public policies and legislation
* to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
* to support regenerative agriculture and conservation

Our Past Projects

Read more about our past projects by clicking the photos below:

Board Officers

George Lorefice

President

George is married with two grown children and one grandchild.  He has a BA and an MA in biology with a concentration in limnology and aquatic biology. After a stint in the Navy and graduate school he was employed by a university laboratory and a consulting firm in aquatic biology.  For 24 years he was employed by Bristol-Myers Squibb working in microbiological quality control and compliance then as a technical auditor of pharmaceutical and medical device facilities world-wide.

He became involved in CCAA in 2018 and has continued to support the organization and its mission over the years. His interest in the position of president is to continue and advance the important work CCAA is doing to keep the public informed about what is happening as the climate changes and to promote ways to mitigate and reverse those changes.

Peter Wirth has lived in CNY since 1971. He is a life long political activist and environmentalist.  Before retirement he was a public relations consultant for 20 years and focused on issue oriented organizations covering everything from a local recycling company to Washington based nonprofits focused on  foreign policy issues. He is also one of the cofounders of Climate Change Awareness and Action. 
pwirth2@verizon.net

Peter Wirth

Peter Wirth

Vice President

Van Cleary-Hammarstedt

Treasurer

Having grown up in northern Minnesota on the outdoor hockey rinks, he is well connected to the environmental scene. With a background and work experience in social justice causes, he brings a special awareness to our effort. Having a PhD from Maxwell allowed him to also be a part of academia teaching college courses. As a recent retiree, he is taking advantage of spending more time with her favorite pursuits –hiking at Green Lakes, playing his guitar writing his own songs, and traveling. He believes climate change is an existential crisis, and his favorite saying is: “They thought they could bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.”

Reena is an avid writer and a current student at Onondaga Community College. In her free time, Reena enjoys spending time outdoors, taking up new hobbies, and photography. She feels drawn to help support the community around her, especially those who might not have found their voice yet and tell stories of the people she encounters while bringing her creative side to CCAA.

Reena Tretler

Secretary

Committees and Representatives

Education Committee

Education Committee Co-Chairs: Jim Doherty and Ken Johnson

The Education Committee is to develop and implement educational programs and activities which provide members and community groups with the knowledge and skills necessary to inform them of the causes, effects, and advocate for solutions to human-caused climate change.

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Chair: Ken Johnson

The Membership Committee creates strategies for recruiting and developing new members as well as engaging and developing current members. Committee members organize membership drives, conduct membership surveys, and match member survey data to participation in events, activities, committee membership and leadership roles.

Newsletter Committee

Editor: Roseann Lorefice

Publishing and Design: Yvonne Chu and Annalena Davis

CCAA Interns: Andrea Hayman and Kiran Hubbard

Technical Advisor: Gavin Landless

Newsletter articles can be submitted directly to us at news.ccaa@gmail.com

Legislative Liaison

Liaison: Jan Kublick

Finance Committee

Committee Chair: Van Cleary-Hammarstedt (Treasuer)

Carbon Challenge Committee

Committee Chair: Yvonne Chu