Talking Earth Day Politics with Spencer Black
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
12pm - 1:00pm
Online via Zoom
Registration is required
PLATO is pleased to introduce a new special event for members only: Noon Zooms! These virtual conversations with newsmakers and other guest experts will be produced monthly based on current events. They will be scheduled during a noon hour on different days. Watch for upcoming Noon Zooms in the Tuesday Weekly Update.
Unlike a lecture, Noon Zooms will be conversations between a host and a speaker on a timely issue in the news and there will be more time for questions and comments from attendees.
Our pilot Noon Zoom will feature retired Wisconsin Public Radio talk show host Joy Cardin talking with former state legislator and Sierra Club vice president Spencer Black about how we can individually and collectively make a difference on environmental issues during this era of deregulation and climate change denial on the federal level. How do environmentalists take back their power? What are you doing?
The theme of Earth Day 2026 is Our Power, Our Planet and we are encouraged to take action in our communities to support renewable energy policies and a cleaner, more sustainable planet.
Spencer Black represented the 77th Assembly District for 26 years in the State Legislature. He served as the Assembly Chair of the Natural Resources Committee and was the Assembly Minority Leader. During his tenure, Black was considered to be the Legislature’s leading environmental advocate. Representative Black authored numerous environmental laws including the Stewardship Fund, the largest conservation effort in Wisconsin’s history, the Mining Moratorium Bill, the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, the statewide recycling program, and the endangered species match grant. Black also served as the Vice President of the national Sierra Club, the nation’s largest environmental organization. In addition, he was an adjunct professor in UW-Madison’s Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture. He is also a columnist for The Capital Times newspaper.
FREE TO PLATO MEMBERS BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE ZOOM LINK TO ATTEND. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE THE EVENT STARTS. QUESTIONS CAN BE WRITTEN IN DURING THE EVENT.
As this event is online, you can use your computer or smartphone to listen to the conversation and then add your voice to the conversation during the "Question & Comment" time.
If you do not have a computer or smartphone you can also use your regular phone to dial a phone number and listen in.
Questions? Contact lecture organizer, Joy Cardin at cardinjoy@gmail.com
