Greetings!
Elder Climate Activists are on the move! This past month a small group of focused, dedicated Elders gathered in DC for our collaborative event with Mom’s Clean Air Force. We are grateful for the intergenerational bonds that formed there. In the past year climate change has gained visibility as has the growing movement of climate activists across the globe. Our membership is growing, new chapters are forming and Elders are rising up and speaking up. This month we feature some of the ways that ECA is collaborating and partnering with other organizations. We encourage all our members to step up, become more involved with ECA, and get involved in one of the projects featured below. The youth are counting on us!
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Margo Frank
Co-Chair of ECA Communications Committee
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Reflections on Elders Climate Action Day in Washington DC
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From Youth Panelist, Serena Moscarella
"Typically, when I have to speak to a room full of people, a black pit of anxiety grows in my stomach until I blurt out what I have to say in an often jittery spiel. However, during the Elders Climate Action day, a new kind of anxiety arose in me; what could I tell these adults about climate change that they didn’t already know? Taking my seat along with my fellow climate activist partners and soul sisters, Alissa and Raina, I waited for the panel to begin. Soon enough, questions began to spark conversation between the multi-generational crowd. Questions like, “Where are all the boys in the climate movement?” electrified the room and kept us on our toes. By the end of the discussion, my nerves were at ease and my mind was at peace. I finally knew that intergenerational action was not only a possibility but a certainty."
From Moms Clean Air Force Intern, Marietta Shapiro.
"[Elders Climate Action Day] concluded with a candid discussion of a few key messages. One, was the need to move past viewing climate change through a political party lens. It is a serious issue which affects all people. Secondly, participants agreed upon the need for intergenerational unity and collaborative efforts to help solve the climate change crisis. Finally, the importance of conveying a sense of urgency to lawmakers and industry leaders on this matter. Climate change is not merely a future problem, but rather a current crisis warranting prompt action. ECA Day attendees vowed to keep in touch to continue these critical discussions and learn more about climate action opportunities."
Read Marietta's full summary here
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Graphic Notes From ECA Member Nancy Margulies
(click on image for larger version)
We love this visual interpretation
of the events in Washington DC and our ongoing partnership with Moms Clean Air Force
.
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Arizona Chapter Hosts
Faces of Climate Action Town Hall Meetings
across Arizona
The Arizona chapter is working hard to coordinate Faces of Climate Action Town Hall Meetings across Arizona through the generous support of an Environmental Defense Fund grant. The AZ chapter is working with a number of local partners to host climate focused town hall events in five districts across the state to bring together elected leaders and intergenerational, multi-cultural and interfaith voices from the community. Thank you Arizona Chapter for taking the lead on such a critical conversation!
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Chapter Highlight
3 minute video updates from our chapters
Watch the Massachusetts Chapter Highlight and learn how the chapter helped to build a national project.
Click the video on the right to watch now.
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Read the new article
A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist
by
Cathy Brown posted Jul 16, 2019.
"No matter your age, gender, race, or political ideology, there are ways to fight climate change that fit your life and values." ECA is highlighted
in their listing!
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Tell us what you have been doing for climate action. Send a 150 word (max) summary of what you've been doing and we'll share it in a future newsletter. Send to
info@eldersclimateaction.org
.
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ECA leaders help draft policies to inform the Green New Deal
By Steve Simon, PhD - Chair, Policy Committee
ECA’s policy committee has been meeting for about two years to identify policy statements which mirror the latest climate science and reflect the numerous efforts of ECA’s chapters and members
.
This past fall we joined working groups of the US Climate Action Network (USCAN) of which we are a voting member. USCAN is a climate advocacy organization over 30 years old that has over 180 member organizations including most of the major “big greens”. Six ECA members became active in three of the four Action Teams in USCAN: Equitable and Ambitious Climate Vision (EACV) action team putting together a climate problem statement and then policy prescriptions for energy sectors such as: Electricity, Transportation, Manufacturing and Industrial Processes, Agriculture, Buildings and Energy Efficiency, Phasing Out Fossil Fuels, Adaptation and Drawdown, Negative Emissions, Forests and Land Use. Each policy statement becomes a draft portion for the New Green Deal platform being formulated by New Consensus and other organizations. Already our Transportation Policy has been adopted by Presidential Candidate Jay Inslee. ECA member Bob Yunke led the USCAN subcommittee formulating this and under Bob’s leadership this policy continues to be refined and accepted by climate advocates and candidates for office.
Bob will be giving the ECA National Call on September 23, describing the transportation climate challenges and his innovative solutions.
USCAN will be organizing its 2019-2020 Action Teams in August and ECA is allowed a total of 12 members who will create policies that can be used as we move forward. We are looking for additional ECA members, those with a strong interest or expertise in drafting policies on EACV (see specific areas listed above), and 100% Renewable Energy or Building Power from the Grassroots Up. Contact us ASAP at
info@eldersclimateaction.org
if you are interested.
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New Resources for You to Use!
(All are PDF format for printing & sharing)
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Make 2020 the Year of the Environmental Voter!
A recent analysis of nation-wide elections shows that over 15 million individually identifiable environmentalists don’t regularly vote. This is a problem for advancing sound environmental policies. It is also a huge opportunity. The key to getting powerful environmental policies in place might not require persuading millions more Americans to be environmentalists; it may be as simple as getting more of our existing environmentalists to vote.
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Join us for the Next EPTV Training for Volunteers
August 13
12:30 PM (ET) | 9:30 AM (PT)
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Working with the Environmental Voter Project (EVP), ECA had some success contacting and turning out environmental voters in 2018 election. Based on that experience, the two organizations are launching a formal partnership –
Elders Promote the Vote (EPTV) - to reach millions of environmental voters with a get out and vote message leading up to the 2020 elections. The goal of
Elders Promote the Vote: engage at least 200 volunteers who will make 2 million voter contacts and generate at least 10,000 additional pro-environment votes. We need help to strengthen the pro-climate, pro-environment voice.
This is a nonpartisan project and is purely a get out the vote campaign. Join us at the next volunteer training on August 13.
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Watch Greta Thunberg's Call to Action
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Mark Your Calendar
Your voice is needed during the Week of Climate Action!
Elders are working with our youth climate allies planning the next Climate Strike and
Week of Climate Action September 20 - 27, 2019.
Get involved or help plan a Climate Strike in your area, connect with
350.org
or
Zero Hour
to help plan and organize a climate strike. Represent Elders Climate Action at your local events.
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We are preparing a “Week of Climate Action” email bulletin for September with suggestions and ideas for ways you can take action every day during the week of action!
Stay tuned...check your email inbox in September.
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ECA National Call
4th Tuesday of Each Month
August 27
7:00 PM (ET) | 4:00 PM (PT)
Are Shouting and Silence Our Only Two Options? Bringing Bipartisanship and Transformation to Citizen Activism
with Special Guest Speaker Sam Daley-Harris
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Join Us for Climate Tea & Talk
Join us for monthly casual climate conversations and talk with other elders about the climate issues, solutions and strategies that matter most to you.
Second Tuesday of Each Month
6:00 PM (ET) | 3:00 PM (PT)
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Join Us for ECA 101 for New Member
Join our monthly call to learn more about the mission, vision and action opportunities at Elders Climate Action.
Next Call
August 28, 5:00 PM (ET) | 2:00 PM (PT)
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Donate to ECA
and help us continue to build programming, events and opportunities for elders to get engaged and take action on climate change. We need your contribution to continue to provide you with the tools and information to amplify the voice of elders on climate change. We cannot do it without you!
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