Even though we try to strike a lighthearted tone with this newsletter, we are reeling from our country’s recent shootings. Our hearts are completely broken for all Americans suffering from these tragedies. We remain committed to channeling our grief and anger into action for a safer, more just world.
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Oh, the emotional roulette wheel of climate change. All day long it spins, the little ball bobbing willy-nilly, daring us to wonder where it will land.
Last week I took our puppy to the backyard to sip my morning coffee while she settled into a patch of sunshine to chew her stick. It was the kind of cool spring day that fills your senses—birds chirping, wind rustling—I could feel my blood pressure nod approvingly. “Nature is really good for your health,” I informed the puppy, who rolled over for belly rubs.
But one sip of coffee and a few rogue synapses later, I found myself wondering if trees and birds will be around for my kids when they get older. I can’t help it; catastrophic thinking is my superpower. I’m not alone—70% of Americans are also worried about climate change (Hi guys! 👋) and it’s stealing roughly 44 hours of sleep per year.
So my mind turned to Washington D.C. “Where is our Really Big Climate Legislation?” I asked the puppy. “PARDON ME, BUT I WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE LEGISLATION!!” She sprang to her feet on high alert. I ruined our peaceful moment and I hadn't even finished my coffee yet.
“But don’t forget all the good stuff happening too,” I told her, and she relaxed a little. My mind turned to Mary Annaïse Heglar who wrote, “The thing about climate is that you can either be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions.”
I love this shift in perspective. Because no matter where the bouncing ball lands, the way to feel better is to appreciate how far we’ve already come, and to help things move along faster.
I shared this with the puppy and she licked my face, a clear sign this issue should focus on love and human ingenuity.
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Luna says thanks for reading.
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FALLING IN LOVE WITH CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
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Solutions we could have only dreamed about even 15 years ago are now widespread:
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And can we take a minute to appreciate electric cars? When this latchkey kid was growing up, EVs were just shy of flying saucers a là Jetsons. But EVs displaced roughly 1.5 million barrels of oil every day last year, are significantly cheaper to refuel and repair over the long haul, and recently saw a 60% jump in registrations.
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CUDDLING UP WITH CLIMATE INVESTMENTS
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This tally of federal funding can sweep you off your feet:
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Climate action alert: Last week EPA opened applications for $500M in clean school bus rebates, prioritizing communities that are overburdened by pollution. Learn how to apply.
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Your lights yearn to be turned on by electricity from repurposed fossil fuel infrastructure.
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We can potentially tap old oil and gas wells for geothermal energy. That’s so hot! The Department of Energy is piloting a project that could create new jobs for some of the nation’s 125k oil and gas workers.
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A toxic landfill in Houston will become home to the country’s largest urban solar farm, creating 300 jobs, powering ~10k homes, and eliminating 120 million pounds of carbon from the air. Yeah baby, yeah!
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LOVE FOR THE FLAG, FREEDOM, AND FINANCIAL SECURITY
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The benefits of clean energy transcend the polarizing topic of climate change.
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State legislatures passed over 400 bills to cut carbon pollution from 2015-2020, and a recent analysis looked at lessons learned for advancing bipartisan policies. It found that focusing on economics, national security, free market innovation, and expanding energy choices were powerful drivers for lawmakers who don’t necessarily prioritize climate benefits.
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Across America’s heartland—where fossil fuels and farming have seen ups and downs—wind energy offers steady income, jobs, a tax base for public schools, and an increase in property values for future generations. Wind and solar together met 20% of U.S. energy needs in April, largely because of “a wind boom in the Great Plains and Midwest, across states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas,” per Axios.
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Everyone gets to play doctor.
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Building patient-centered climate resilient health clinics: When climate shocks occur, many people at risk may never make it to a big urban hospital, which is why we are working with frontline health clinics that serve predominantly low-wealth people to put patience at the center of climate resilience. Learn more
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