Guided by Ellen Siegel, the CAPE Pilot at Oak Hammock concludes with powerful momentum for change, fostering climate awareness and community impact

By Ellen Siegel

Sep 02, 2025.

Photo By Yue Li

The Oak Hammock CAPE Pilot, led by The CLEO Institute in partnership with the Florida Museum’s Thompson Earth Systems Institute, brought residents together for a six-week journey to turn environmental ideas into real, actionable projects. Participants formed four teams that tackled food waste, sustainable landscaping, energy, and Florida springs education, ultimately presenting concrete proposals ranging from solar panel installations to a new ILR course on springs.

Facilitator Ellen Siegel, Climate Speaker Specialist with The CLEO Institute, played a central role in guiding this process. She supported participants as they researched, collaborated, and developed their requests, ensuring the experience was both structured and empowering. Ellen highlighted the persistence of the residents, most of whom completed the program, and was especially impressed by the strong leadership that emerged within each group. For her, the pilot demonstrated that community-driven climate action can thrive in settings like Oak Hammock, where collaboration and lived experience fuel momentum for meaningful change.

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