Press Release

Venice, CA – Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges facing Southern California.  Scientists predict that global warming will become a leading cause of species extinction over the next several decades.  Addressing these challenges is vital to all our futures, and three experts from the Endangered Habitats League, Heal the Bay, and the Center for Biological Diversity will speak to these issues in a lecture on the evening of February 13, 2009 at 7pm.  This lecture is held in conjunction with the exhibition Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World, currently on view at the G2 Gallery.

The Endangered Habitats League – Executive Director Dan Silver will discuss the challenges to our local inland wildlife and their habitats.  Dan has extensive experience in working to protect the Los Angeles and Southern California landscapes and wildlife.  He will speak to the stressors climate change brings to these issues.

Heal the Bay – Sarah Abramson Sikich, Coastal Resource Director, will discuss marine protected areas, coastal power plants and desalination, water reuse and plastic debris and the marine environment.  Heal the Bay has worked on local Santa Monica Bay issues since 1985, and is now focused on the ocean watersheds of Southern California.

Center for Biological Diversity – Ileene Anderson will be speaking to recent efforts to protect the Tejon Ranch to benefit wildlife, and the challenges of climate change to local wildlife and lands. 

About Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World
Formed through a partnership of leading organizations from the realms of faith, science, justice and art, the purpose of the Irreplaceable campaign is to educate policymakers and the public about the impacts of global warming on wildlife.  To this end, Irreplaceable formed an exhibition of work by top nature photographers showcasing the beauty of earth's most vulnerable places and creatures.  These art works are brought into sharper focus with knowledge from science, religion and conservation law.  The main partners in the campaign are Conservation International, Earthjustice, the International League of Conservation Photographers, and Noah Alliance.