Spring has sprung and good vibes are in the air; some of them could even power your home. And there’s nothing like the April-fresh scent of an impending Earth Day to put you in the mood to create a Top 7 list. We’ll check out some sweet, sweet climate action, how to prevent the next pandemic, how to talk about climate change, and how to attend our Youth Summit on scholarship. We’ll also meet the fixers you need to know.

What are you most optimistic about? Let us know and we might feature you in a future newsletter.
#1 FEDERAL CLIMATE ACTION IS HAPPENING
Pinch your uncle and slap a monkey! I never thought I’d see the day.
We're encouraged by some promises kept:
Offshore wind turbines
The coronavirus relief bill addressed environmental injustice by including $100 million to mitigate dangerous air pollution in communities of color and low-wealth communities. 

EPA will require power plants to cut smog emissions, review attacks on science ($) under the Trump administration, and announce new regulations for methane. Oh, and EPA put climate change back on its website. 🎉🤦🏼‍♀️

Vineyard Wind, the first major offshore wind project in the U.S., is on track to power 400k homes, create 3,600 jobs, and reduce costs for MA ratepayers by $1.4 billion. It’s part of a major push to expand offshore wind to power 10 million American homes in 10 years. Related: Our research shows how offshore wind facilities could save many lives and billions of dollars.
Trains, cars, solar panels, small boats
We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s announcement about the Administration’s plan to bolster the economy and create jobs through fixing infrastructure and climate change at the same time, which includes goodies like these:

  • Addressing the disproportionate air pollution in communities of color
  • Manufacturing, generating, and distributing clean energy
  • Capping millions of leaky oil and gas wells and reclaiming abandoned coal mines
  • Funding energy retrofits and building affordable, energy-efficient housing units
  • Constructing roads, bridges, rail lines, waterways, and ports
  • Incentivizing EV purchases, rebates to replace gas cars, and so many charging stations.
  • Conserving 30% of US public lands and waters
Honey badgers not caring
We just went through four years of regulation whiplash. Can’t future administrations reverse these changes? 
Investments like these are difficult to reverse—wind turbines, not unlike honey badgers, don’t care which way the political winds are blowing; solar panels, once built, are difficult to stick in places where the sun don’t shine. And programs to fund clean energy lead to companies and communities that will fight to keep their benefits going. 

So don’t despair, Dear Optimists. But do join efforts to bring renewable projects to your area. Even if you’re a mayor who doesn’t believe in climate change ($) living in a place called Carbon County where coal is king, you might just save your local economy with a wind farm. 🤷‍♀️
#2 EARTH DAY IS COMING
This year governments and organizations are poised to announce their ambitious climate goals, in what may be the most important time for climate action, like, ever.
Brace yourself for climate pledges
The Biden administration invited 40 world leaders to the White House Climate Summit as it aims to position the U.S. as a climate leader (!!!) and jump start discussions in advance of the UN’s climate talks in November. To set an ambitious standard for the world to follow, the Administration is facing pressure to pledge a 50% carbon cut by 2030. Check out a new report on how meeting Paris climate goals would add trillions of dollars in economic growth. 
Heart filled with green infrastructure
Join us April 22nd at 6:00 PM ET with Christiana Figueres, lead negotiator of the Paris Climate Agreement, at the Harvard Kennedy School Robert S. McNamara Lecture on War and Peace conversation about writing the next chapter of the survival of our species in real time. We are thrilled to co-host this event with the Institute of Politics at HKS, JFK Jr. Forum and The Forum at Harvard Chan School, and we’d love to see you there. Learn more
#3 WE CAN PREVENT THE NEXT PANDEMIC
Infectious diseases have spilled over from animals to humans about twice every year for the last 100 years. 😳
“We swim in a common germ pool with other life forms,” our Director Dr. Aaron Bernstein told Grist. Yeah, he’s super fun at office parties. And he also knows how to prevent the next pandemic for about 2% of what we’re paying for Covid—a.k.a. the $16 trillion virus. 

Because diseases jump from animals to humans at the edges of forests, preventing deforestation, setting up disease surveillance, and providing good health care where the diseases are most likely to emerge will help prevent the spread. So will regulating the wildlife trade, where people can come into contact with infected animals. And as possibly the world’s best two-fer, the same actions will stem climate change and secure the future of our own species.
Learn about the new Preventing Pandemics Coalition, listen to his interview with The Better Off podcast, and don’t miss the Last Week Tonight With John Oliver episode that he helped create.
#4 THE GRIST 50 FIXERS
Dr. Gaurab Basu

Each year, Grist searches for the most inspiring innovators working on fresh solutions to the planet’s biggest problems. From over 1000 nominations, they chose our Health Equity Fellow as one of 50 Fixers working to build a sustainable world that works for everyone.

Meet Dr. Gaurab Basu. He’s a primary care doctor, an educator, and a climate advocate who sees the connections between climate, equity, and health every day at his clinic. He educates medical students, his patients, and now you on how to build a healthier future: 


#5 YOU, TOO, CAN TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
Do you or someone you love have trouble talking about the climate crisis? You’re not alone, and now there is help.
Eric Christian Olsen and Dr Vish
Our Reel Science series explores why it’s so hard to describe the importance of taking climate action, and how we can do better. Tune in as host Eric Christian Olsen talks with Health Communication Professor Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath for some solutions:


And for more pointers on connecting with climate deniers, check out our issue about talking climate at Thanksgiving.


#7 SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND OUR YOUTH SUMMIT
Our summer program with Putney Pre-College will prepare high school students to be leaders in their communities.
Kids at climate protest
Students can join two week-long Youth Summits focused on climate change and public health! They will learn from scientists, health experts, academics, and energy innovators. We’ll include workshops, field-based activities, and group projects to give young people a platform to use their voices for change and find a network of peers for support in their local movements. Learn about scholarship opportunities by contacting Program Manager, Skye Flanigan.
#7 THESE CLIMATE STORIES TO HELP YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT
Lightbulb
Power tower
Plane
Truck
Solar panel
THERE'S JUST ONE THING WE'RE NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
It’s so awful I’m putting it last, so maybe you won’t even see it.
A face so sad you can barely look at it
I like to focus on hopeful stories to keep us all motivated to fight the good climate fight, but some challenges are insurmountable.


 I wish it weren’t true, but alas, here we are.
STAY CONNECTED