LAST CALL THIS FALL TO GET LOUD FOR CLIMATE!
It’s crunch time for climate action! Let’s get loud.
This is how Citizens’ Climate Lobby is headlining their urgent call to action. President Biden is still negotiating with Congress to determine which climate provisions will be in the Budget Reconciliation Package they are working on passing, and how ambitious they will be. The focus now is on the Senate.
Please use the link below to contact your Senator and President Biden and urge them to include bold climate policies (such as a price on carbon) in Reconciliation that reach the critical goal of 50% emissions reductions by 2030, opening a path toward meeting our aspirations under the Paris Climate Accord.
TAKE ACTIONFollow the easy instructions to call your Senators or email President Biden. If you are feeling ambitious, you can do both! The more voters they hear from, the more likely it is that Congress and the President will find a way to pass climate policies through Budget Reconciliation that truly meet the moment.
Many powerful interests are fighting to weaken and derail these efforts. YOU can help by letting your Senators and your President know you want them to pass sweeping, bold action tackling the climate crisis!
SPEND MONEY WITH CLIMATE IN MIND
It’s always a good time to harness the power of your money to support climate solutions. No matter where you live or how much you live on, this really matters. Here, we offer two ways you can align your spending with climate protection.
If you use a credit card from Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Citi, or Bank of America, these banks are still funding fossil fuel extraction which is contributing to the destruction of a stable climate. There is now an alternative, and switching will send a powerful message to big banks that it’s time to stop funding fund fossil fuel extraction once and for all.
There is finally a credit card alternative for the climate-conscious: Aspiration
GET A CLIMATE-FRIENDLY CREDIT CARD!If you bank with any of these banks, Aspiration also offers banking services, or you can simply move your money to your local credit union or community bank.
Another great resource is Stop the Money Pipeline, a website devoted to helping people move their money out of banks that are helping to destroy the climate. To learn more, click on the button:
LEARN HOW TO MOVE YOUR MONEYFor more information about supporting climate action with your money, see the additional resources below:
Money is the oxygen on which the fire of global warming burns
Stop the money pipeline campaign
If you have investments of any size, here are some helpful sources for divesting from fossil fuel investments:
Earthfolio Sustainable Investing
IT’S GO TIME TO ELECT CLIMATE CHAMPIONS
It’s GO TIME for electing climate champions! With this action we offer two ways to help elect federal and state governments committed to climate action!
Sign up with the Environmental Voter Project, dedicated to helping ensure that everyone committed to climate action votes in every election. The Environmental Voter Project provides opportunities to volunteer or donate to encourage the most climate aware people who have not been regular voters to vote in critical swing states. Their work is data-driven and has been highly impactful in recent years.
Environmental Voter ProjectA second way to help elect climate champions is to make donations through Give Green. To take this action, click the button below, select any of their chosen candidates, and make a donation in any amount.
Give Green
LEARN ABOUT AND ACT FOR RACIAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
As an organization that works for a healthy planet and a safer world, we recognize that health and safety are enjoyed unequally across racial lines in our country. We recognize that addressing these inequalities must be an integral part of our mission and daily work. We stand in solidarity with people calling for racial justice, and we urge our members and supporters to do the same.
We offer some links to educate yourself on the links between racism and the climate crisis, and urge you to learn more about what you can do:
Read up on the links between racism and the environment, Somini Sengupta, New York Times, June 5, 2020.
We don’t have to halt climate action to fight racism, Mary Annaise Heglar, HuffPost, June 12, 2020.
Climate change tied to pregnancy risk affecting black mothers most, Christopher Flavelle, New York Times, June 18, 2020.
Black, Hispanic, and Latino people care about climate change the most, Drew Costley, OneZero, May 6, 2020.
PM2.5 polluters disproportionately and systemically affect people of color in the United States,
Christopher W. Tessum et al., Science Advances, April 28, 2021.
INVITE A FRIEND (OR TWO) TO JOIN POWER UP FOR CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Help make this the year we begin bringing down greenhouse gas emissions and uniting to protect our beautiful world. Invite a friend to join Power Up for Climate Solutions. Below is a short the message you can copy and paste or adapt:
I belong to Power Up for Climate Solutions, (www.powerupforclimate.com) a non-profit devoted to helping people take action to contain the climate crisis. Once you sign up, you will receive climate action invitations chosen for their simplicity and impact about once a month. They also have great resources and a blog on their website. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time! Here’s the link to join: www.powerupforclimate.com/join-us/
Most new members join because someone they know invited them. Please help us increase our impact by inviting a friend or family member to join us!
TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE!
There is one simple step you can take that many climate experts say is the single most effective thing you can do to help solve the climate crisis. Talk about it with your friends and family members. Talk about why you care, and what actions you are taking to contribute to solutions.
There is no need to talk to skeptics or deniers. Talk to those who are concerned about climate change to some extent. As climate scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe has said, “The biggest challenge isn’t science denial, it’s complacency.”
Here are several resources to inspire you:
Katherine Hayhoe, Why you should talk about climate change right now, Gizmodo, October 13, 2021.
Funny 1-minute Video on talking about climate change.
WRITE TO YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS ABOUT CLIMATE
Do you like to express yourself in writing? If so, write a letter to your Representative telling them why you care about the climate crisis. It’s useful to talk about impacts you’ve experienced in your home district, which they represent. Be sure to ask your Representative to make climate action their highest priority.
Use the button below to find your Member of Congress. Sending a postcard is also a great action, and will reach them faster.
If you already know your Member’s name, you can send a letter or card to them at:
Representative ___________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
SUPPORT THE YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT
Young people around the world have organized climate strikes and other actions to speak up on behalf of a livable future in growing numbers over the last few years. Whatever your age, you can support the Global Youth Climate Movement. Use the link below to get updates so you can support this movement and attend Youth Climate Strikes near you in the future.
LEARN WHAT’S NEXT
SHIFT YOUR FOOD HABITS TO LOWER YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT!
Shifting your food habits can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. Reducing the amount of food you waste and eating a plant-rich diet could be the most high impact lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your carbon emissions. Check out these great resources for shifting to more climate-friendly eating, then decide on any changes you’d like to make that will be easy to stick to.
Here’s an excellent website with tips, inspiration, and recipes for preventing wasted food:
RESOURCES FOR REDUCING FOOD WASTEHere’s an informative and useful guide from the New York Times that answers lots of questions about food choices and climate:
FOOD AND CLIMATE Q&ANote to those who are not vegan or vegetarian: there are many food shifts you can make without giving up animal products that will benefit the climate. The New York Times article is full of useful comparisons and information about this.
REDUCE YOUR TRAVEL IMPACTS ON THE CLIMATE!
Travel allows many of us to connect with our loved ones and enrich our experiences on this beautiful planet. Yet we know that traveling contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Here are some resources and ideas on how to reduce your travel impacts on the climate.
5 ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your travel:
- Consider buses or trains for short trips (under 500 miles).
- When you fly, choose nonstop economy.
- For 1 or 2 travelers, nonstop economy flights beat driving an average car.
- For car trips, drive the most efficient car possible and avoid SUVs.
- Buy carbon offsets your travel.
Two good carbon offset choices:
Here are three useful resources on ways to lessen your climate impact and continue to explore:
The Ocean Foundation: How to reduce your carbon footprint when you travel
Sustainable Travel International: How to reduce the carbon footprint of your travels
Washington Post, 9/10/21, How to actually make your travel better for the planet