Climate Heroes

Mason has dedicated his career to promoting urban and rural conservation across Kentucky. As a former District and Urban Conservationist with the USDA, he connected landowners with vital resources and programs. He currently serves as Chair of the Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust and supports organizations like the Food Literacy Project, Community Farm Alliance, and West Jefferson County Community Task Force, advocating for sustainability, food education, and environmental justice.

Jody and Mariah, the duo behind Beargrass Thunder, advocate for a more accessible and sustainable built environment. They lead the Louisville Seedbank Program, focusing on heat-resistant vegetable seeds for urban neighborhoods, and successfully pushed for ‘yarden’ legislation, allowing edible and native gardens in front yards. Promoting New Urbanist principles like walkability and tree-lined streets, they inspire action through hands-on efforts, community engagement, and coalition-building to tackle climate challenges.

The Kentucky Resources Council (KRC), founded in 1984, is a key environmental advocacy nonprofit in Kentucky. KRC empowers the public to protect the environment and provides free legal assistance to those affected by environmental issues. Through their efforts, including legislative victories and ongoing legal battles like the fight against the gas pipeline through Bernheim Forest, KRC is working towards a cleaner and more equitable energy future for the state.

Jessie has dedicated her life to promoting sustainability through lectures, workshops, and community activism. With a background in urban agriculture and environmental education, she helped establish the Carbon Reduction Fund and expand renewable energy at the Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse. A key organizer in conserving 600+ acres, she now works with Land Justice Futures to restore stewardship and protect land for Black, Indigenous, and dispossessed communities. She lives with her family on a sustainable homestead outside Loretto.

Sarah Lynn Cunningham, Executive Director and co-founder of the Louisville Climate Action Network (LCAN), advocates for energy efficiency and renewable energy as key climate solutions. Through LCAN, she has built partnerships with businesses, faith groups, and organizations like Bernheim Forest. She also founded the Urban Energy Partnership, offering free services to nonprofits serving BIPOC communities to cut carbon consumption and lower utility costs.

Led by Amber Shaffer, the Berea Earth Warriors focus on cleaning up Berea’s parks, streets, and waterways while promoting environmental awareness. They grow produce for the local food bank, host workshops, and have mobilized volunteers for clean-ups, including a key project at the Owsley Fork Reservoir. The group, with over 750 members, advocates for sustainable practices and works with community partners to protect local wildlife and water sources.

In 2005, Sister Claire McGowan founded New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future to promote sustainability in rural communities with a focus on social justice. Through initiatives like the Green Pioneer Home effort and opposition to the Bluegrass Pipeline, the organization has driven local action. Today, it continues Sister Claire’s legacy, advocating for systemic change and positioning itself as “the voice for sustainability in central Kentucky.”