Opinion

Yesterday was Election Day in the United States. On its face this might seem like just another “off-year” election: with no U.S. presidential race on the ballot, no entire Congress up for grabs. But from the biggest cities to the smallest towns, statehouses to local councils, what happened yesterday in the U.S will ripple through our lives in ways many overlook.

In cities as large as New York City with nearly nine million residents, to college towns like Boone, North Carolina with about 20,000, voters are making decisions that matter. Last night, New York residents voted for their first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who beat former New York state Governor, Andrew Cuomo in a race that electrified the nation. 

In two other states, the results are also historic: In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger has been elected the state’s first female governor. And in New Jersey, another woman, Mikie Sherrill has won the governor’s race, defeating a GOP-endorsed opponent.

Why local votes matter — maybe more than you think

You’ve heard it before: voting is every citizen’s right and a vital part of democracy. But here’s the kicker: in local and state elections, you’re often voting on policy that touches your everyday life far more directly than what happens in Washington. Because in the U.S local governments, state legislatures and governors wield enormous power.

They decide the health of our communities, the quality of our environment, the schools we build, the trees we plant, and the laws that protect or roll back vital climate protections. For example: decisions about urban tree canopy investment, plastic pollution bans, requiring climate education, or on the other hand, restricting the growth of renewable energy. All of these decisions often originate and are made at state or local levels, not just in Congress.

Though the federal government is influential and messages about it dominate our headlines with a neverending stream of executive orders, acts of Congress, court rulings — it is only one part of the puzzle. There are fifty states, and thousands of municipalities all making decisions — often with more immediacy and direct impact on your local environment, your commute, and your children’s classrooms.

Virginia’s result means a shift in the commonwealth’s leadership and a signal that voters expect perhaps more than just partisan theater. New Jersey’s win for Sherrill, meanwhile, underscores a rejection of the familiar and a push toward fresh leadership. Together, these outcomes suggest that even when the headlines appear loud and seem dominated by two parties constantly fighting each other at every turn, state and local races are where the action is truly happening.

So, What Should You Do?

At a time when we’ve seen our own federal government here in the U.S pushing false information on climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency trying to roll back climate protections, and executive orders decreasing investment in renewable energy production – it is more important than ever to let our politicians know what matters to us. 

If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll wait for the next big federal election before I bother voting,” consider this your wake-up call: vote local. No matter what you believe in or which party you vote for or which candidate, take part in this important process and vote.

Because abstaining means leaving the choices about your environment, your schools, your climate future to others. These local and state elections give you the power to fill policy gaps left wide open by Washington — and even to stop bad decisions before they begin.

Whether you care about the fate of our national parks, the strength of our renewable energy economy, or making sure the next generation understands climate change and has the skills to act — those fights often start at home, in your town, in your state. So when you walk into that voting booth, remember: this isn’t secondary. In many ways, it’s frontline.

Don’t forget too that you can support our work too and make a difference on the issues you care about. So, if investing in climate literacy matters to you then you can pledge your support here. Please join the movement and add your voice to this urgent call for change. You can sign the Global Plastics Treaty petition, and spread the word to your friends! Or, you can donate to our Canopy Project, which organizes tree plantings all over the world, and take the effort not to buy clothes that promote Fast Fashion.

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This year marks the 53^rd anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement, commemorated annually as Earth Day. Since 1970, billions of individuals from more than 190 countries worldwide have come together every April 22nd to take action towards a greener, more equitable future for our planet. As the countdown to Earth Day 2023 continues, it is important to remember regardless of where you are or what you do, you have the power to yield real change and be a champion for Earth. To protect our planet, we must invest in it.

Rallying behind this year’s theme, Invest in Our Planet, which highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving the climate crisis, here are 7 ways you can actively participate in Earth Day 2023:

Plant trees or a pollinator garden.

Trees are one of the most powerful tools to combat the climate crisis. Attend a local tree planting event or donate to campaigns, like EARTHDAY.ORG’s The Canopy Project, to help reforestation efforts across the world.

Pollination is essential for all terrestrial life on Earth. Plant a pollinator garden using species native to your area to support local populations of butterflies, bees, and other organisms critical to sustained biodiversity in your ecosystem.

Reduce your plastic consumption.

Plastic pollution is one of the most important environmental problems we face in today’s world. We all contribute to this problem and must work to reduce, and ultimately end, plastic pollution. Make a plan this Earth Day to reduce your plastic consumption using EARTHDAY.ORG’s plastic calculator.

Participate in advocacy.

Educate yourself about the science behind climate change and show responsibility in addressing it by taking climate action to the next level. Send a letter to your local elected officials, speak up at your next town hall meeting, or use EARTHDAY.ORG’s Vote Earth hub to learn about your voting rights, register to vote, and get reminders for important voting deadlines.

Make sustainable fashion choices.

Fast fashion has completely revolutionized the apparel industry, but not for the better. Learn about the detrimental impacts of fast fashion, the importance of sustainable fashion, and commit to responsible consumption.

Plan your own event.

It’s easy to start your own Earth Day event! Whether it be a community cleanup, march, teach-in, or rally, EARTHDAY.ORG has step-by-step instructions on how to organize your Earth Day activity in their Earth Day 2023 Action Toolkit. Be sure to register any and all events you plan on the official Earth Day Map.

Donate.

By donating to a campaign supporting the environmental movement, like EARTHDAY.ORG’s The Canopy Project, you are not only making a difference, you’re empowering change and mobilizing individuals to take part in building a better world for generations to come.

Activate on social media.

Creating content for the world to see is critical in communicating the importance of climate action. Whether you create posters and banners, or plan/attend a march, rally, cleanup, or any other popular Earth Day event, be sure to post what you’re doing to tag #EarthDay and/or #InvestInOurPlanet to spread awareness around the environmental movement and possibly be featured on EARTHDAY.ORG’s social channels.

For more information on how to do Earth Day, be sure to check out the Earth Day 2023 Toolkit and checking out EARTHDAY.ORG’s website: https://earthday.org/earth-day-2023/.

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Climate change is the most important humanitarian crisis of our lifetime, so why aren’t we showing up to the polls for it? Every generation, environmental issues have steadily risen to the top priority for young voters. Finally, they have reached a fever pitch with the majority of young people (18-29) ranking climate change in their top 3 voting issues in the last presidential election. However, despite this surge in political interest, environmentalists are routinely abstaining from participating in major elections.

In a recent report from the Environmental Voter Project, over 8 million environmentalists did not vote in the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, over 12 million skipped the 2018 midterms and over 13 million already-registered voters who care deeply about the environment are currently unlikely to vote in the 2022 midterm elections. It’s clear that a massive community of environmentalist American citizens has been discouraged from voting and taking political action to address climate change, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear cause for why. It may be one of the many reasons citizens don’t vote in general, such as having little trust in the government, not feeling represented, or simply not keeping up with politics. But voting is essential, and each one of us nationwide and across the world is a stakeholder in our environment and its well-being. 

Climate advocacy organizations like the Environmental Voter Project are now taking on the task of turning these absent environmentalists into super voters, who are voters that choose to consistently participate in federal, state, and local elections. The addition of millions of super voters supporting climate legislation can permanently change the face of environmental issues in this country for the better. You too can get involved.

Are you registered to vote? Voting is one of the most powerful ways you can contribute to civic activism in this country, and learning to vote environmentally is essential to confronting the dangers of climate change. Educating ourselves and other environmentalists on the importance of voting is critical to overcoming the small voter turnout we’ve seen in the past. Vote Earth and add your voice to the conversation, to the global movement, and to the polls this year. Vote for your future and the future of those yet to come. 

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Here are five common excuses many people make to not vote on Election Day and how to respond to them. With many candidates this year running on themes of sustainability and environmental issues, making sure as many people get out there and vote will influence the policy decisions made for decades to come.

1. “My district is deep red/blue: my vote won’t matter!”

No matter what congressional district you live in, there are tight races for positions all over the place, especially for local positions. Many of the most influential pro-climate legislation is implemented in local jurisdictions due to environmentalist mobilization.

Direct action is easiest to implement when it is on smaller scales like this, such as funding for green municipal infrastructure or action against plastic pollution within townships. In districts where the House and Senate races are uncontested, the positive influences of small, local choices can gradually shift the mindsets of those running for higher positions.

2. “None of the candidates interest me!”

Even if no one in your district is running on issues you are interested in, the decisions they make can cascade up. Research other candidates running in your area and their stance on climate action. Even if their ideals don’t perfectly align with yours, voting for someone you know can work well with others to enact useful legislation could lead to broader climate action down the road.

The internal dread people feel when voting for a candidate they see as the “lesser of two evils” is understandable: not everyone has your best interests at heart. Regardless, it is good to familiarize yourself with your ballot to see what these candidates’ priorities are.

3. “I’m busy that day, I won’t have time to go to the polls!”

There are plenty of options for people who cannot vote in person on the Tuesday of Election Day. This site from the National Conference of State Legislatures lists all of the options for early in-person voting, with most states starting around 20 days early.

For mail-in absentee ballots, this site provides the deadlines for each state. Most states require ballots to be received within a few days of Election Day, so the sooner you can mail those in, the better.

The deadlines for early voting options vary greatly from state to state, so do your own research on your state and district for specific details.

4. “The system is rigged against me, it’s flawed to its core!”

People on all sides of the political spectrum have their own grievances with the electoral systems in place. To disregard the one major system that allows everyday people to have their voices heard is a disservice to our democracy. Even if you have lost trust in the process, there is no harm in contributing by voting for whomever aligns closest to your values.

Time and again, elections in the United States have been proven safe, secure, and accurate to the wills of the voting population. The physical and digital security of US voting infrastructure is among the highest on the planet. The FBI even states that the only major threat to the integrity of elections is voter suppression from bad actors. Making the choice to vote is the best way to combat this issue.

Only 66.8% of the voting age population of the United States turned out for the 2020 presidential election. With a third of the population unrepresented, your vote can help shrink this disparity.

5. “I’m just one person, I can’t influence anything on my own!”

One vote on its own can hardly shift things, but a shift in the mentality of thousands of like-minded reluctant voters surely can. Your decision to vote can and does influence others to do the same. The lack of action on climate change can be disheartening. However, with higher vote counts from individuals passionate about climate action, the shift in priorities can cascade up and lead to more environmentally-conscious elected officials.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s campaign Vote Earth goes far beyond the process of actually voting. The fight against climate change is just as much a shift in culture as it is a shift in the policies that enable action. Talking to your friends and family about the truths about climate change no matter how challenging that may be is vital to maintaining an informed and motivated voting population. There is no other issue a candidate can run on that is as fundamental to the long-term habitability of our planet. Even though one vote on its own can hardly affect the outcome of an election, thousands of “one votes” can.

The post 5 Things To Tell Your Friends and Family Who Are Reluctant to Vote appeared first on Earth Day.

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on Tuesday, August 16^th, which contains $369 billion in funding to build clean-energy infrastructure, accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, improve energy efficiency, and ensure environmental justice. The passage of this law marks the largest investment ever in sustainability and climate in the history of the United States.

The new law will slash climate pollution by an estimated 40% over the next decade by incentivizing stakeholders across sectors to Invest in Our Planet. In the process, over 9 million new clean energy and environmental jobs are projected to be created by the end of the decade, in addition to revitalizing American manufacturing by supporting domestic production of clean energy & transportation technology. The Inflation Reduction Act will even pay for itself by generating an estimated $300 billion surplus, all without having any effect on most Americans’ taxes.

How Does the IRA Work to Solve Climate?

• Major investment in renewable energy infrastructure with $260 billion in clean-energy tax credits, reducing emissions from electricity by 80%
• ~$80 billion in incentives to modernize transportation through electric vehicle rebates
• Formation of a $27 billion Green Bank to rapidly deploy clean energy tech
• $1.5 billion in incentives for methane reductions
• Supports the EPA cleaning up air pollution around schools and ports
• Reduces emissions from trucks and heavy-duty vehicles
• Provide health care to coal miners suffering from black lung
• $4 billion in funding to combat droughts
• Additional funding for homeowners to increase energy and water conservation

How Does the IRA Help American Families?

• Tax incentives that can help low- and moderate-income families save money on their energy bills, leading to potential up-front savings of $28,500 per household
• The average family is projected to annually spend $1,025 less on energy in 2030 than it does today
• Up to $7500 in tax credits for purchasing electric vehicles
• $7000 average savings on installing rooftop solar panels
• Up to $14,000 in rebates to switch over to electric appliances.
• More tax cuts and rebates for implementing energy efficiency measures
• This law protects public health, preventing up to 3,900 premature deaths, 100,000 asthma attacks, and 417,000 lost workdays annually by 2030
• The IRA won’t impact taxes for any private citizens

The Inflation Reduction Act brings the country well within range of meeting its Paris Agreement commitment to cut U.S. emissions in half by the end of the decade; however, the IRA alone falls short of the nation’s net zero commitments for 2030 and 2050. To reach these goals, cooperation from state and local governments is essential; many officials, such as the Governor of Colorado and Mayor of DC, have already made significant progress and recently committed to deploying further strategies to reduce emissions. Be a part of our Green Cities campaign by calling on your local leaders to join this effort to strengthen communities and invest in our planet.

Through these efforts combined, it is possible for the United States to not only meet its commitments to the Paris Agreement but also surpass them. Achieving this feat as a leading nation on the world stage will send a strong signal to the international community for other countries to meet their Paris goals as well, leading to a significant drop in the price of renewable energy and subsequently reducing carbon emissions worldwide.

This November, the midterm election will decide whether this momentum carries us on to a strong sustainable future, or dies out in legislative gridlock. While the IRA represents a significant step forward for global sustainability, it only passed through Congress by a razor-thin margin that required cutting nearly 60% of the environmental action included in the original plan for federal climate policy.

It has never been more urgent to Vote Earth.

To ensure that further climate action can be taken, we need leaders that will represent the public’s need for healthy environments and a stable climate. Electing these leaders is the greatest impact you can make as an individual to restore our Earth. Use our streamlined tools to quickly and easily register to vote, confirm/update your existing registration, learn about your voting rights, and make a plan to make it to the polls.

Invest in democracy. Invest in Our Planet.

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