From Our Youth Allies: "The Planet Needs Action Not Words"

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June 2022

ALL GENERATIONS TOGETHER

Nearly four years ago a lone high schooler pursuing the simplest of actions – a school strike – sparked what would become a global youth movement that changed the worldwide conversation about the climate crisis. Acting for their own futures and deeply informed by climate science, Greta Thurnburg, youth, and indigenous leaders across the globe called out the inaction of the last four decades. They put today’s adults on notice: Live up to your responsibilities as if your house is on fire, because it is.

Four years on, the worldwide conversation about the climate crisis is more urgent and alarming than ever, while fossil fuel interests, global institutions, international finance, and national governments continue with inaction. Only a truly multi-generational climate justice movement from the ground up, from outside the halls of power, can change that.

ECA’s June focus “All Generations in Solidarity” aims to reinvigorate the intergenerational conversation about ways we can work together and build a movement equal to the task at hand. On June 8th and June 15th ECA hosts a two-part discussion that explores working more effectively to enhance climate collaboration among generations to achieve the urgent results we urgently need. The link to register is just below.

It’s clear that we elders have a duty to our youth, recognizing their clarity, resilience, and burning determination, to truly join the battle, devoting resources and time to the existential question facing all generations today. They and we must take steps to force action, together.

ALL GENERATIONS IN SOLIDARITY A Two-part Action Strategy Forum

Register for June 8, 3 PM (Eastern) | 12 Noon (Pacific) - We will screen "I am Greta" (the 30-minute educational version) & follow it with a facilitated Intergenerational Panel Discussion among youth, parent, and elder organizers.

Register for June 15, 3 PM (Eastern) | 12 Noon (Pacific) - Multigenerational Climate Action Strategy Forum, a continuation of the previous week’s Intergenerational panel discussion. We will share some energizing animation and music content to inspire us and guide our climate action strategy discussions in smaller groups of all ages.

This event is free, participants of all ages are encouraged to attend (suggested donation $25 to support ECA programming and events). Because this event is open to all ages, we will not be recording these sessions, please plan to attend.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF ELDERS

An exciting development has been lifting our spirits lately. Our generation, the elders, have been rising in ever-growing numbers to join with our beloved youth activists in demanding meaningful action on the climate crisis. They are working collectively in their communities, their states and nationally, and good stuff is getting done. But this article is not about celebrating…not yet. It’s about the scale of the power we elders can bring to the climate movement by turning up.

Individually, we may feel powerless in the face of the enormity and complexity of the climate crisis unfolding around us. But remember, we Boomers are a gigantic generation with untapped power in our sheer numbers. There are more than 53 million Americans over age 65, over 16% of the US population. Our generation holds serious wealth (although certainly many of us are not wealthy). In 2019, AARP reported that, if American elders were their own country, it would have the 3rd largest economy in the world. We are the largest US voting bloc and politicians pay attention when we tell them what we want.

Here's a thought-provoking finding by political science researchers: “The 3.5% Rule” (note that it’s a rule, not a theory). Every social movement over the last century that engaged at least 3.5% of a nation’s population has succeeded in bringing about the change they called for. Elders age 65 or older, by themselves, make up 16% of Americans. The 3.5% Rule says we cannot fail if at least 11 million Americans get engaged. This number may seem unattainable until you consider that in surveys following the 2020 protests of the death of George Floyd, at least 15 million Americans reported participation (one survey found as many as 26 million).

Elders number more than 53 million. We are the answer. If we act together, we can make it all happen.

Listen to Nadine Young, ECA Communications Co-Chair, talk about the power of elders on The Optimist Daily podcast.

HERE’S A BRILLIANT WAY TO MAKE A TAX-FREE DONATION TO ECA

By Leslie Wharton, Chair ECA

I just retired and find that I have some extra time for making new discoveries. I want to share this one with Elders Climate Action members. When I went to make my annual donation to ECA, I discovered that I could now use my IRA retirement account to make that donation. It is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). As you probably know, all the money you withdraw from a regular IRA is considered ordinary (taxable) income.

But if you make a QCD directly from your IRA to a qualified non-profit, that distribution does not have to be reported as income on your tax return! So you neither report it to the IRS as income nor claim it as a deduction on your annual federal tax filing. Eureka! And there is one thing more. When you reach age 72 and are required to take the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) every year from your IRA, the entire RMD will be taxable income. EXCEPT! – and lucky us – every dollar of QCD that goes directly to a non-profit, such as ECA, will satisfy your RMD requirement and not be treated as income for your federal taxes! So you can reduce your taxable income while doing good for the world.

One other tip, using the QCD strategy can result in you lowering your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on your tax return. Since Medicare premiums are based on your AGI plus any tax-exempt interest you earn in a given tax year, lowering your AGI could have a positive impact on the amount you pay for Medicare. I was so excited to learn this that I doubled my annual giving to ECA this past year and plan to bump it up again later this year!

*Please note ECA is not providing tax advice - please consult your tax advisor about giving from your IRA.

Take Action

ALL GENERATIONS TAKING ACTION IN SOLIDARITY

On June 11 in Washington, DC and on other dates across the country, join a "MARCH FOR OUR LIVES" PROTEST NEAR YOU to demand a nation free of gun violence.

#POSTCARDSFORTHEPLANET

Elders Climate Action is proud to participate in the "Breathe Again Collaborative," a project funded by US Climate Action Network. This collaboration of seven organizations is working to unify our voices and our message: a declaration that healthy air is health care.

Join us, and bring your friends, family and neighbors, for our #PostForThePlanet Postcard campaign -- we'll send thousands of postcards to state Governors and Members of Congress urging their action on air pollution. Use local postcards from your town or state or create your own, use our message or write your own! Or download and print our templates.

Get instructions and the script here. AND be sure to let us know you took action by sending a photo of you and your postcards to info@eldersclimateaction.org and/or post on social media using the hashtags #PostForThePlanet #CleanAirIsHealthCare #BreatheAgain.

FROM OUR ALLIES AT EVERGREEN

President Biden made a bold commitment to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035. While we continue to call for Congress to pass $555 billion in climate investments, we can also make progress on this goal through a whole-of-government effort to tackle climate change and pollution in the power sector.

The administration must pursue a bold three-pronged approach using executive action. Specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy must take the lead to drive down pollution, facilitate clean energy deployment, and support states as they fulfill their own commitments to clean electricity. Click here to add your signature to an official public comment letting the EPA know you support this strategy.

JOIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND’S CALL ON CONGRESS TO ACT ON CLIMATE

It’s time for big, bold climate solutions. We are calling on Congress – yet again – to create jobs, transition to clean energy and transportation, and aggressively address environmental injustice. We want bold investments that move us to clean transportation and clean power.

Click here to urge your members of Congress to support investments that go bold on jobs, bold on clean air, and bold on solving climate change!

TELL THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT TO STOP STIFLING SOLAR POWER!

Our May Action Bulletin included a petition to the Commerce Department about an investigation that’s holding up delivery of solar panels to US installers (83 percent of US-based solar installers report cancellations or delays, utilities are stuck burning coal while they wait for solar panels, American solar installers are being laid off). Our petition called on Commerce to wrap up its investigation quickly.

The last thing the U.S. needs is another delay of its transition away from fossil fuels. Members of the Biden Administration are alarmed, and more than 80 lawmakers have signed a letter pointing out that the investigation is harming U.S. solar expansion. To fix this mess, we need political pressure. And that’s why we’re back joining this new petition demanding that the Commerce Department wrap up this inquiry as quickly as possible and without further delay. Sign here.

COMMENT ON THE SEC'S PROPOSED CLIMATE RISK DISCLOSURE RULE FOR CORPORATIONS. Deadline June 16.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took a much-needed step forward by proposing new financial protections for investors, including folks like nurses, teachers, and firefighters with retirement plans like a 401K, pension or IRA, from climate-related financial risk.

The proposed rule would mandate disclosures about a public company’s greenhouse gas emission and its vulnerability to losses due to climate change. It would also require companies to develop plans to protect investors from these risks. We support the proposed rule but are pushing for it to be stronger, by including disclosures around environmental justice, Indigenous rights, a just transition for dislocated workers, and community-level impacts. Comment now.

TAKE ACTIONS EVERY DAY WITH THE NEW CLIMATE ACTON APP!

Have you been using the easy Climate Action Now app? If you haven’t tried it, download it today from your phone’s App Store (iPhone & Android), use ECA’s invite code 56 so we can keep track of your actions too, then follow the simple prompts to get started. With this app, developed by ECA’s partner Climate Action Now, you will add your voice to thousands of others, tweeting, calling, and sending customized emails to your elected officials, corporations, the finance industry and others. Earn points to plant trees for the actions you take! Climate Action Now offers weekly app trainings on Wednesdays at 7 pm ET, Register Now

AND YOU’RE INVITED TO CLIMATE ACTION NOW’S PLANT POWER ACTION PARTY!

Click here to register for this Action Party on June 7, hosted by Climate Action Now, exploring the power of plants to save our planet and improve our health while reducing greenhouse gases and animal cruelty. How? Using the amazing power of a plant-rich diet! Chloe Waterman, Senior Program Manager for Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly Food Program, will be our guide. After her talk, we’ll launch the Climate Action Now app on our phones, enter a magic number, and start taking actions that turn our newfound knowledge into action and a more plant-powerful world. June 7 at 7 PM (ET), 4 PM (PT).