Members of the Green Ribbon Task Force on Climate Protection encouraged audience members at a presentation in the Arrillaga Alumni Center yesterday to think about climate change and to take concrete steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The task force — brainchild of former Palo Alto mayor Judy Kleinberg — was established to promote environmentally sound practices in the community.

Panelist Karl Knapp stressed the need for a climate action plan and advocated “educating community members and instilling within them a moral imperative to save resources for future generations.”

The task force also highlighted the necessity for businesses, institutions and Palo Alto residents to encourage “green technological innovation.”

The speakers could not agree which level — local, state, national or global — most deserved aggressive implementation of strategies to curb global warming.

Echoing the “think globally, act locally” mantra of many environmentalists, panelist Walter Hays said that initiative taken at a local level will “bubble up and result in ramifications at a national level which will actually make the most difference.”

Another panelist, Chris Christofferson, said the answer depends on whether monetary benefit or moral impact is the lens used to define success.

Jeremy Carl argued that international cooperation is the most important issue, announcing that: “A global attack is needed.”

Kevan Christensen ‘10 said he was pleased to see community support and interest in such a critical field.

“The issue of climate change,” he said, “is a big challenge but an important one to address.”

Sanjee Singla, a coterminal student in management science and engineering, said he was impressed by the task force’s mission.

“I now have more respect for Palo Alto and Stanford,” he said, “in their efforts to reduce global warming.”

Weiying Yu ‘06 said the panel put the problem of climate change in perspective.

“It made you realize,” she said, “what you can do and the impact you can make at a local level.”