Homework for the climate concerned
News of the pending Manchin-Schumer bill came as a very welcome surprise this week. It still has an uncertain road ahead (all eyes on Senator Sinema), but if it does pass, it will be the biggest climate legislation in US history. That’s worth taking a moment to celebrate. It’s also some much needed evidence that our congress is not completely broken.
But once we acknowledge our accomplishment, we need to get right back to work. Politics in the United States works best when citizens actively engage. That means you – American readers of the Instigator – have some homework to do.
- Contact your elected officials in DC. Let them know you strongly support this bill. If they are already in favor of it, you will be reinforcing their position and giving them the credit they want (and deserve). If they aren’t, you’re adding to the pressure. It matters. One of the biggest things I learned in the 11 years I ran TNC was that elected officials listen to their voters much more than most of us realize. But they don’t hear from us enough. Not sure how to do this? Check out the Climate Changemakers website. It has contact info, sample scripts, and daily action plans. Most other environmental NGOs will help you too.