December 2016     
WE ELDERS WILL NOT GIVE UP HOPE.

The landscape has changed and we are in uncharted territory so where  do we go from here?  Our challenge has become greater and the road is more difficult than it was.  What does that mean for us?  It means we as Elders stay true to our course, our own true north and keep working to build the movement.  As elders we know patience, we have wisdom and passion.  We know we wi ll be able to say that "we did something once we knew" that the planet was in danger.  We will work hard to continue our mission to mobilize elders throughout the United States to address climate change while there is still time to protect the wellbeing for our grandchildren, future generations, and all life.

For me, on a very personal level, I will not all ow this setback to stop me.  I have two young grandchildren; I am resilient and will work harder to preserve this beautiful planet for my grandchildren, their grandchildren and all generations moving forward.

WE NEED YOU..... What can you do?  
You can step up and ask your friends and family to connect with
Elders Climate Action ; you can send them this newsletter; you can volunteer in some way, so fill out this short survey ; and of course every movement has expenses in order to continue, so you can make a Donation Today!  

Every kind of contribution will help us mobilize elders so we can all say "we did something when we first knew"


For the Grandchildren and all life,


Geri Freedman
Co-Chair of Elders Climate Action

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ELDERS CLIMATE ACTION DAY
MAY 1 & 2, 2017 
IN WASHINGTON DC

Elders Climate Action Day in Washington, DC - More Important than Ever!

The recent election does not need to dash our hopes.  Instead, it is an invitation to build a national movement to address Global Warming.  We, as elders, have a vital role in the success of that movement.

We gather for our second Elders Climate Action Day (ECAD) in Washington, DC May 1-2. We will hear from national leaders, such as Congressman-Elect Jamie Raskin of Maryland, and present each Member of Congress with our legislative agenda.

We want the ECAD program to meet all your hopes and expectations, so please fill out the attached questionnaire. For those who can come a few days early, we understand there will be a People's Climate March in Washington, Saturday, April 29, 2017 and, on Sunday, an eye-opening conference on how biodiversity and ecosystem restoration can help address climate change.

None of us need be an expert on Climate Change to make a difference; we just need to demonstrate our determination and commitment to our children, grandchildren and continued life on planet Earth. We are the elders, we have patience, passion, and wisdom and we care deeply about future generations.  

This year our Elders Climate Action Day will be the formal kickoff for a series of ECAD events around the country.  We hope to have community events in a location near you beginning in the summer of 2017.  

JOIN US IN MAY AND BE A PART OF THE MOVEMENT THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CLIMATE CHANGE!


Elders! Help us Plan our Spring Campaign!

We are planning Elders Climate Action Day 2017 and we want to hear from you! Based on input from some of our members, we have put together a short survey. Please click HERE and tell us what you would like to have on the ECAD 2017 program next spring.


ELDERS CLIMATE ACTION DAY IS COMING! SPRING 2017


Ellyn Dooley, Climate Warrior  
ECA Volunteer, California

My mother instilled in me at an early age that it is important to contribute oneself in life. So I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout and a volunteer throughout my life.

As I got older, I didn't want to simply take action for the sake of taking action. Incremental change didn't appeal to me. It needed to be a grand scale difference, a highly leveraged difference. I say this rather tongue in cheek because the sound of it makes me embarrassed. I do not think of myself as an arrogant person, but for whatever reason, I always felt that any investment of my time and energy should be pivotal, should change the tide. So as a young twenty something I was ending hunger. In my thirties I was transforming education. In my 40's and 50's I was raising money to cure cancer.

Enter my 60's and the birth of my first grandchild. At that moment I realized I had to do something about climate change. The thought of my legacy all of a sudden became relevant. I couldn't imagine my grandchildren not being able to play outdoors because it's too hot or the air is too polluted. I couldn't imagine them not enjoying the gushing waterfalls of Yosemite or the lush tropical gardens of Hawaii. I couldn't imagine their world not having all the species of birds or the presence of the simple wildlife that I'd taken for granted my entire life.

That was and is still unthinkable to me, and so I was called into action with Elders Climate Action. Why ECA? Because ECA is strategically positioned to be that pivotal energy, that turn the tide kind of effort that resonates with me. Elders care deeply about what they are leaving their grandchildren. It is the largest and most powerful voting bloc in our country---whose voice can't be tuned out, dismissed or ignored. And I love the elegance of our message and our mission. Carbon fee and dividend, divestment and the Clean Power Plan reduce carbon emissions in an economically stimulating, socially just way. It is brilliant, clean and simple.

So I write letters to the editor, I lobby my member of Congress and am a self-proclaimed "climate warrior" educating and informing my friends and family as much as I can. Because at the end of the day, I cannot sit by and do nothing knowing what that "nothing" could end up leaving for my grandchildren .

As Elder activists,  we depend on one another to keep us inspired and involved. 
Let us know why you care about climate change.  


NEWS FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER

Arnie Epstein 
Massachusetts Chapter, Leadership Team

Arnie Epstein testifies before the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection .
I've been passionate about doing what I can to combat climate change for over a decade.  This led me along a number of paths including co-founding our local energy group, organizing a town-wide solar initiative, leading the effort to have our town designated a Green Community, and becoming our town's first Energy Manager.  

After retiring, I searched for a way to have an impact beyond my own community.  In Massachusetts there are a number of climate action groups and I "tried out" several.  I was looking for something that was a fit with my own background and outlook and could make a real difference at the state and national level. Through a friend, Rick Lent, I heard about Elders Climate Action and attended my first meeting of the Massachusetts chapter in March.  The group is diverse but open to different viewpoints. And all are committed to making a difference.  I must also say that Grady McGonagill, co-founder of the chapter, is an inspirational leader.

I rapidly found ways to contribute that aligned with both my passion and engineering and scientific background.  In Massachusetts, the debate over natural gas pipeline expansion was heating up and my research convinced our chapter this project would be terrible for the state.  We lobbied our state representatives and, in coalition with other groups, took part in a number of rallies culminating in the People Over Pipelines four day march.  This led me to take a closer look at the state's landmark Global Warming Solutions Act.  I found that while the administration is actively working towards shorter term goals, the plans needed to meeting the longer term objectives of the bill are lacking.  We are calling this "Get Real" and it has been adopted as a chapter initiative.  Last week the state held public hearings on the Global Warming Solutions Act where Grady testified at the Boston hearing and I testified in Worcester (picture above).  I've also been publishing our chapter newsletter and helping out where my background working with computer systems is useful.

The most moving experience for me has been at presentations given at retirement communities.  I've met other elders searching for ways they can make a difference and leave behind a livable planet.  Surely together we can.     



Mark your calendar!
New in 2017
Monthly Member Calls

Beginning January 2017 Elders Climate Action will be hosting Monthly Member Calls.  The calls will be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM Eastern, 4:00 PM Pacific.

There will be an informative and inspirational speaker each month and an opportunity to meet other ECA members and share stories.




Before the Flood. This full length documentary by Leonardo DiCaprio and National Geographic takes a look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet.  This film is a must see for everyone. Host a watch party in your home for friends and neighbors. Watch the trailer here. 



Are you looking for holiday gifts for children?  Check out our resource page   With Your Grandchildren for some great ideas for books and online apps.  Here are a couple of books to get you started.


The Nature Connection, An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms, Claire Walker Leslie, 2010.

This interactive workbook is packed with creative, year-round activities for curious naturalists ages 8 to 13.  This is a treasure trove of fun, free activities for kids while learning and spending time in the outdoors.



What's Under That Rock Papa?  
Dave Bauer, 2015. Ages 3 - 8

A great read for any grandparent with a child they love!  You'll get lots of easy ways to share time outdoors, in your own backyard!  You can also visit the website
Creativenatureplay.com for additional resources.

Creative Play, this website provides resources for a child centered experience in nature in a variety of settings.   There are plenty of great resources here for experiences to share with the younger generation.  http://creativenatureplay.com/ 




Our L a st  Refuge, a film about the Blackfeet Nation's fight to protect the wild and sacred Badger-Two Medicine from industrial development. Watch here.




Our Children's Trust, the U.S. District Court in Oregon has ruled that the constitutional climate case initiated by 21 youth can go to trial. These young people are an inspiration to us all, their willingness to stand up and their perseverance to engage in legal action for their constitutional right to live in a climate capable of sustaining human life. Read more about these brave and committed young people at  Victory for America's Youth - Constitutional Climate Lawsuit against U.S. to Proceed and visit their website at https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/










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Elders Climate Action 
is  a Project of the 
Conscious Elders Network

The Conscious Elders Network (CEN) is an educational, non-profit organization fostering a budding movement of vital elders, dedicated to growing in consciousness while actively addressing the demanding challenges facing our country.


Do you shop online? Here is a way to help Elders Climate Action!

If you shop on Amazon you can sign up for Amazon Smile and every time you make an eligible purchase a donation is made.  All you have to do is sign up and select Conscious Elders Network as your organization to receive the funds.  These donations will help Elders Climate Action.  What an easy way to contribute and it costs you nothing. To sign up and read about the program go to Amazon Smile.  After you sign up you will use smile.amazon.com to make your purchases.  



Facebook is an essential tool in getting the word out about Elders Climate Action. The more our Facebook page is visited, LIKED, and SHARED, the more people we will reach. In order to be seen, we need you! Learn the Facebook basics here.
 
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There are many ways 
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Elders Climate Action.
Each person and their efforts 
can make a big difference! info@eldersclimateaction.org 
  

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