Addressing climate change and improving the economy go hand in hand

Olivia Vong is Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Third Coast Regional Fellow and a Master’s student at the University of Houston pursuing her degree in public policy with a concentration in economics.

Growing up near the coast of Texas, hurricanes were a normal part of life, but those hurricanes have become more intense and more devastating. Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 caused catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. More recently, in February 2021, multiple snowstorms in the gulf coast region caused a power crisis that left more than 4.5 million homes and businesses without power, some for several days.

I gained a very preliminary understanding of climate change throughout high school but I did not truly understand its impact until I went to college. As I learned more about climate change throughout undergraduate and graduate school, I felt the need to do something. There is this sense of urgency since climate change is such a multifaceted issue that disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income individuals. Through addressing climate change, not only are we saving the planet but we are also beginning to address inequalities. 

I joined my local Houston chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby because I liked CCL’s core values and wanted to get more involved with the policy side of climate change.  Overall, my work as a regional fellow has helped me feel more energized about the cause. Getting to see students be so energized about climate change and want to take action on their campus is so inspiring. I learn so much from our campus leaders! 

One common misconception about addressing climate change is that it is not economically viable. Economic models show that this is a false dichotomy and addressing climate change and improving the economy go hand in hand. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, CCL’s preferred climate legislation, would put America on the path towards net zero emissions while growing the economy. Cities like Houston would benefit hugely from a carbon price which would accelerate the implementation of the city's climate action plan. This will in turn lessen the inequalities exacerbated by climate change.

Getting off the climate roller coaster

Sara Saucedo is Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Tornadoes Regional Fellow and a Masters Student at Arkansas State University studying Environmental Science with an emphasis on public policy and economics.

Having moved to Jonesboro Arkansas from Pasadena California, I have seen the effects of climate change firsthand. I have lived through years of drought, record breaking heat waves, numerous forest fires, and continuous school cancellations due to extremely unsafe air conditions. In 2014, California declared a state of emergency and a 25% water usage cutback. The following year, the city of Pasadena imposed a watering schedule prohibiting the use of water on certain days and times. The Bobcat fire (September 2020) was only 12 miles from my house and burned 115,796 acres of land. 

Growing up, the effects of climate change were just another part of life. Over time, I began to question why we were suffering from these weather changes while other parts of the country were not. When I moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas in January 2017, I decided to create the first environmental club at Arkansas State University. Under my newfound organization I was able to acquire over 300 members, ban all future balloon and sky lantern releases on campus, remove plastic straws from the dining hall, implement recycling bins in all Residence Halls, receive media coverage in local newspapers and magazines, a television interview with the Mayor’s Office Director of Communications, and organize the NEA Global Climate Strike. Additionally, I was the only student selected to sit on the Jonesboro Chambers of Commerce Green Business Committee to assist in planning local environmental efforts. Although I had great success in my local community, I knew more had to be done. 

In late October 2018, I was tabling at an EcoFest event in a city near me and I saw a table a few rows away with a big banner that read, “Citizens’ Climate Lobby.” I ventured over to the table, where I met Jan Schaper, the Arkansas State Coordinator. Jan greeted me and began to inform me of what CCL was. I immediately grabbed the clipboard and began filling out my information. I knew this was the more that had to be done. Two weeks later I was in D.C. at my first climate lobby meeting. Over the next three years I lobbied in DC two more times and twice virtually. I was then hired as CCL's Regional Fellow where I have assisted state and regional coordinators in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas with event programming, chapter development, and support of university campus leaders.

Throughout my work with CCL and my time with Arkansas State University, it has become clear to me that the creation and implementation of environmental policy is essential to aid in the endeavors to protect our planet. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, CCL's preferred climate solution, is the most powerful tool to put America on the path to zero emissions while growing the economy. 

Working on climate is like riding an unceasing rollercoaster of emotions. I am constantly conflicted with feelings of sadness, frustration, fear, and yet hopeful and inspired. Every time I hear an inspiring success story of an act of environmental stewardship my emotions take a turn and I feel as though my ride is coming to end. With each and every day I see more and more progress in the world, and I can only hope that sometime soon this rollercoaster will steady itself enough for me to get off. When I imagine the future, I see myself putting a “closed” sign on this rollercoaster, walking away with only joy.

Let’s listen to the Chamber of Commerce and support market-based climate solutions

Elise Koepke is a student at the Georgia Institute of Technology and participated in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program. Elise is also a communications intern for CCL.

Dear Editor,

I was surprised not to see coverage in the Marietta Daily Journal of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s updated position on climate change. The statement, published last month, endorses stronger policy action to tackle the climate crisis, championing a “market-based approach” as the best solution to reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. 

For years, support has grown among the business community for putting a price on carbon and now it couldn’t be more clear - the biggest player in American enterprise is calling for market-based mechanisms such as a carbon tax, and it’s time to listen. 

One approach that’s already earned bipartisan support in Congress is the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The proposed legislation will reduce carbon emissions by 40% over twelve years while encouraging U.S. investment in clean energy and returning money to communities in the form of dividend checks.

As a young person concerned about the livability of our planet and social justice for our communities, I want meaningful climate legislation that addresses both issues efficiently and equitably. And evidently, our Chamber of Commerce does too. With the recent climate reforms undertaken by the new administration, there's no better time to take action - let’s urge our legislators to join the Chamber and push a carbon policy through Congress. 

Nevada’s opportunity to strengthen the economy and tackle climate change

Kate Lewis is a student at Ventura College and a resident of Nevada who participated in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

 As a Nevada citizen concerned about the devastating effects of climate change on our state and the world, I am both hopeful and frustrated with the current conversation around climate policy (“What will a Biden administration mean for public lands in Nevada? It’s about climate change.” Daniel Rothberg, Jan 28).  The nation is eagerly watching the Biden administration tackle the climate issues that the previous administration had relegated to the sidelines.  Nevadans are especially looking for answers surrounding the issues of renewable development on public land and adjacent industries like mining.  Even as Biden strives towards a “unified national response”, there is a fundamental flaw in a climate policy that only addresses the crisis by legislating countless distinct policies on an industry-by-industry basis.  The adverse effects of climate change cannot be solved or even curbed by regulations, or the resulting debates, negotiations, and conflicts. 

 The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act would create a single solution: a national carbon fee that goes directly back into the pockets of the American people.  It incentivizes the development of sustainable business practices across all industries, driving down carbon emissions naturally without costly and ineffective legislation, for the good of the nation, the state, and the environment.  Nevada will not have to tackle mining tax issues and regulations, conservation and development tradeoffs, and environmental justice issues individually.  A national carbon tax would grow sustainable business in Nevada, including renewable development, and the dividend from that national carbon tax would go directly to Nevada households, strengthening Nevada’s economy.  We are running out of time to correct course on climate change and we need fast, decisive action in the form of a comprehensive carbon tax through the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

(The Nevada Independent)

California bears the brunt of climate-related disasters in the US - But we can also be the solution

Leah Bahramipour is a student at New York University and a California resident who participated in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program. Leah is also a Legislative Intern with CCL.

 While reading the article “Bay Area weather: Atmospheric river storm delivers heavy rain, high winds, power outages, flash floods,” I kept thinking about how us Californians have recently witnessed the tangible effects of climate change – from more frequent, devastating forest fires to severe storms. Scientists tell us that CO2 emissions fuel stronger weather events like the recent atmospheric river storm. So, to protect our communities, we must mitigate climate change. We can decrease our emissions with the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The Energy Innovation Act is a bipartisan bill that places a fee on carbon and then funnels the revenue directly into the pockets of the people. The policy will reduce America’s emissions by at least 40% within 12 years. I urge Representative Mark DeSaulnier to support this bill in Congress and push for strong climate policy to protect our communities.

Student urges Maryland to get serious about climate change

Dear Editor, 

Bitta Momeni is a student at Washington University in St. Louis and a participant in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

I loved your thorough and insightful article about Baltimore’s climate change lawsuit against fossil fuel companies. As a Marylander, I have seen the direct effects of climate change, especially with the Ellicott City flash floods which devastated the community. Although Congress probably will not take a definitive stance on state versus federal climate action, I still believe there are steps we can take towards reducing the impacts of climate change. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is a great supplemental act to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States because of its emphasis on innovation for clean sources of energy and bipartisan support in Congress. Our senator, Jamie Raskin, has expressed support for this piece of legislation as well. If we can get the rest of our representatives on board, it would show that Maryland is serious about combating climate change. 

Sincerely, 

Bitta Momeni

Our Home is Burning: The connection between wildfires and climate change

Adrianna Schwaiger is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a participant in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

Dear Editor, 

The article published on February 6, “SoCal Edison, and other utilities spend $13 billion to reduce the risk of wildfires” addresses the issue of wildfires in California, and we cannot ignore the connection between wildfires and climate change. California has experienced record-setting fire seasons due to climate change, and it is clear that these fires are costly for both the economy and the environment. 

It is imperative that we reduce our carbon emissions to combat climate change and reduce the impacts of wildfires in California. As a resident of Murrieta, CA, I request that Rep. Ken Kalvert take action by supporting the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763). This policy will reduce America’s carbon emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years.

The only home we have is burning, and it is costing us billions of dollars. That is why we need to take immediate action against climate change by enacting bipartisan climate legislation like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

A New Year’s Resolution: Passing Beneficial Policy

Kali Pupo is a student at Juniata University in Pennsylvania and a participant in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

At last, it’s 2021. For many of us, the new year represents a reason to hope. With the new Congress sworn in, I’m urging Representative John Joyce and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to support and co-sponsor The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan policy puts a price on carbon emissions and returns the fees collected to households in the form of a monthly dividend.

Unlike regulations, this policy works with our free-market economy and won’t grow the size of government. Nor will this policy add to our giant national debt. This policy allows us to address climate change while boosting our economy and creating jobs. Overall, we’ll save billions of dollars every year and we will prevent the worst of climate change. And even better, the majority of people in our communities would soon benefit from the policy by getting extra money in their pockets each month. 

My new year's resolution is to fight harder for policies that will benefit our community and our economy. I hope I have that in common with Representative Joyce, Senator Casey, and Senator Toomey. 

Polar Plunges May Not Be So Polar Due To Climate Change

Ruth Metcalfe is a Kennebunk High School student who participated in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

It’s heartening to hear the annual (what I used to call) Polar Plunge in Kennebunk is still happening amidst the uncertainty of this year. As a student at Kennebunk High School, I’ve spent the past year learning about the effects of climate change on our precious coastline through a Gulf of Maine Studies course that connects the University of New England, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, and high school students in the pursuit of climate solutions and understanding. Cold waters seem inevitable in Maine, yet I am worried that our plunges in the Atlantic will become less and less chilly. Sea level rise and warming ocean temperatures threaten the basis of our coastal communities, which is why action on the legislative level is vital. 

I urge The Portland Press Herald to focus on the importance of these climate issues and solutions, one solution being H.R. 763: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Supporting local communities while protecting our oceans, this bill is exactly what Kennebunk and all coastal communities need for a chance at a sustainable future (and one that is not completely under water). I thank The Portland Press for keeping Mainers informed on local issues and look forward to news on climate solutions from Representative Pingree and Senators King and Collins. 

This is the article I choose to response to: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/12/29/community-news-88/ 

Name: “Atlantic Plunge scheduled for Saturday” - Portland Press Herald 

Has COVID-19 Helped or Harmed the Environment? It's Up to Us.

Elise Rueppel is a rising high school sophomore outside of Boston. She loves the outdoors and spends her summers hiking, kayaking, and camping.

If you are looking for a concrete answer there isn’t one. I believe that the real answer lies in what we have learned throughout the past six months and how dedicated we remain to the environmental movement through the ups and downs that are inevitable for the future due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. While we need to stay focused on the current public health crisis on our hands, we cannot forget about the climate crisis and the ways that COVID-19 responses have and will continue to have an impact. Let’s look at a few examples, If you remember back to the early days when “Quarantine,” and “Unprecedented” were new words, the world was in lockdown. Travel was frozen, and nobody was going to work or even the grocery store. This proved to be a great gift to the environment because emissions plummeted to amazingly low levels. This was because transport contributes to roughly 25% of the world’s emissions, which was reduced with the slim number of cars on the road and planes in the air. 

Industry contributes approximately 20% of emissions which was also reduced due to the shutdown of factories and businesses. In such a short period of time we were able to see how the environment was able to rebound, and many cities experienced their cleanest air ever. Unfortunately, while the world reopens, the levels have been rising again, although there is still a 5% reduction from the 2019 levels. This shows us what is possible, and highlights the need for clean, renewable energy going forward. However, there are negative implications of the pandemic as well. One in particular has been the disappearance of reusable bags, cups, straws, bowls, and so on. While this makes sense in eliminating the risk of spreading germs that pose a threat in a COVID-19 world, it feels like we are going backwards environmentally. It is important to recognize this, and remember how vital the return to reusable items will be when it is safe. Additionally, we know how important it is to wear a mask, but it is important to think about the kind of mask you are wearing and the impact it may have. Disposable masks are great for some instances, but the lack of proper disposal has led to unnecessary problems. Parking lots and streets lined with dirty masks are gross and unsanitary, but masks in the ocean are deadly. Not only do these masks contribute to the growing number of plastic pollution in the ocean that affects many species, but they also take about 450 years to decompose. 

Future generations will not only learn about the effects of COVID-19 in a textbook, but will also see remnants floating in their ocean. How can we avoid this? Disposing of your mask properly is one way, but an even better solution is buying or making your own reusable and washable mask. This is a great example of how to take a problem brought about by COVID-19 and manage it in an eco-friendly way. This is important because in the midst of a public health crisis the worst thing we could do would be to forget about the environmental crisis as well. 

On a different note, it would be easy to think that important legislations regarding climate have been put on the backburner due to the pandemic, but fortunately this summer we saw success. The Massachusetts State House passed a bill early August that outlines an emissions reduction roadmap for 2050 among many other things regarding climate action. This was a symbol that even in these trying times we still need to focus and work on climate issues. With state and national elections coming soon, it will be interesting to see how citizens show up and vote for climate in this COVID-19 era. 

As you can see, the results are mixed as to whether COVID-19 has helped or hurt the environment thus far.  Being aware of the affects the pandemic has had on the environment and working to figure out solutions that will benefit both crises is what is important. We cannot allow COVID-19 to stop us from fighting for the environment. Let’s kill COVID-19, not the environment.

Nature is Calling; Our Response Has Begun

Elise Molleur is a recent graduate of The University of Scranton a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and Philosophy. She grew up in Summit, NJ but has spent half of her life on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.

In a time where we have seemingly discovered a sense of normalcy in nature, we are reminded of the importance and versatility of the outdoors. As an environmentalist, my aim is to protect the physical health of nature; with a global deadly pandemic that lacks predictability and draws us to the freedom of the outdoors, I now understand how nature can stimulate and support our mental health. Demonstrated by the influx of individuals to beaches, parks, and forest trails throughout COVID-19 restrictions, we are reminded of the irreplaceable value of the great outdoors.

The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in June is a hopeful and progressive reassurance that we will not “return to normal” when restrictions are lifted, cases decline, and the nation can press play again. Rather, we will move forward with the environment as our priority after being reminded that it is a privilege. Though unfortunate that it took a relentless and erratic pandemic for us to recognize the amplitude of nature’s effects on our mental and physical health, we won’t end here. Nature is calling, and our response has begun.

We Aren't Just Fighting For Us

Grace Zhang is a rising senior at Hathaway Brown School, a private all girls high school in Shaker Heights, OH. She plans to study political science in college.

When I ask for tools to make a compelling argument, one of the most common answers is sharing my personal story, and when it comes to climate activism, it isn’t any different. And at first I thought “Nice! That sounds easy enough right?” But when it comes to my experience with climate change, I find that I have nothing worthy to share. “I have been incredibly lucky,” I think to myself. I read the news every morning and find the headlines dominated with the horrible effects of climate change. Wildfires are consuming California whole. Runoff from factory farms are creating algae blooms that are murdering hundreds of fish. Rising water levels are threatening to submerge entire communities and destroy livelihoods. Everyday I feel almost assaulted by negative news and suffering, but when I look outside my window, I see nothing resembling what I read about and inevitably, I move on.

However, I recognize this isn’t luck, it’s privilege. I recognize that with everything I have been blessed with, a nice house in a safe neighborhood, a quality education, a loving family, etc., I am able to effectively escape the consequences of climate change for now and continue my life in blissful ignorance.

The truth is too many of our personal stories look like mine. While the news shoves depressing headlines in our faces, the personal stories that we interact with more often don’t often leave space for the most marginalized and the most victimized by our destruction of the planet. We have the privilege to tune out these stories and fail to look beyond the safe confines of our little bubbles.

There’s also another problem whose consequences have become increasingly apparent over the course of this summer: police brutality. While the climate justice movement and Black Lives Matter seem to occupy completely different spheres, US climate activists have much to learn from those protesting for the end of police brutality. Similarly to my experiences with climate change, my experiences with police brutality are almost non-existent, and I’m sure that’s the same for many of you who are reading this. We could just as easily ignore it and move on with our lives. So why has BLM managed to acquire such mainstream support and incite widespread action?

I think the answer once again lies in stories. BLM has been able to do what we have not. They have elevated the stories of individuals and given a platform to the oppressed and victimized. They have done this so successfully in fact that when one thinks of BLM, they think of specific individuals and their experiences. These people’s pain and suffering suddenly seem so much less foreign and eventually, despite all our differences, it connects us all in our collective humanity. The movement reminds us that it’s about way more than any of us individuals, it’s about our responsibility to each other and in that way, our fight to stop climate change shouldn’t be any different. We also amplify the voices of those who are disproportionately affected by climate change and we have to realize that it's a problem that other, more powerful and privileged people contribute the most to. Just by looking at the world around us, we see that the most developed and wealthy countries continue to speed headfirst towards the destruction of the planet, while the poorer ones feel the effects of the crash.

We must also remember the systematic racism that led to BLM and so many movements before also deeply affects our cause as well. Unfortunately, some of the people that are hit hardest by climate change are also victims of the U.S’s bitter struggle with racism. They are the hardest hit by extreme weather, air pollution that leads to unnaturally high rates of asthma, highly dangerous water, etc., to the better world we all dream, it is essential that there is justice for them as well.

In order to successfully fight climate change, we have to look beyond our personal stories because we aren’t just fighting for us. We’re fighting for the entire world and every single living that calls our planet home. We must set aside all our differences and remember why we do what we do: to create a better Earth for all of us . The key to doing that is letting this movement become more than just ourselves.

Opinionated Facts and the Dilemma of Being a Modern Day Student

Remy Goldberg is a rising sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University from Northern New Jersey. He is currently studying Chemistry, Policy & Management, and Economics.

Climate change is an undeniable fact. California faced deadly and ecosystem-damaging wildfires near the end of 2019, only to be then followed by Australia wildfires and then more California wildfires. It seems that every year there are more severe hurricanes than the year prior. Western Europe is experiencing record breaking heat waves, reaching 38.7°C/101.6°F (CNN).  While there are still many people who deny the existence of climate change or claim it isn’t human-caused, it has been proven time and time again that these extreme weather patterns are not independent events, and they will become the new normal if nothing is done to curb climate change.

I spent my quarantine taking advantage of all the remote education possibilities I could find. I participated in the Climate Advocacy Training Program run by Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for U.S. national policy to address climate change. More specifically, CCL supports the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763); in short, this bill proposes putting a steadily increasing fee on fossil fuels and returns the funds raised back to the American public in the form of a dividend. It follows UN recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 40% in the next 12 years. 

As of right now, I’m a chemistry major in college/university, but I’m also considering switching to economics, policy, or even statistics. All I know is that I want to work on environmental sustainability. I was first drawn to science because it seemed like a way to contribute to climate solutions, but as I take classes and do my own research, I realized that there are already so many tangible, possible solutions out there. The struggle lies in implementation.

I imagine this is also a feeling shared with my fellow students, but it’s a really discouraging time to be a student in the world. Scientists and educators with expertise propose effective solutions to our world’s problems, yet they are hardly ever listened to. Even with a pandemic threatening every aspect of life, politicians are still skeptical about listening to epidemiologists because of economic and factual concerns.

It’s frustrating to aspire for a future career, yet know that no one will listen.

My hope for the future is that politicians and policymakers look towards experts for advice on how to deal with societal problems. Without a doubt, fact can and should be debated considering that bias in statistics and misinformation is rampant, but there shouldn’t be a blatant disregard for the research and new information. On the topic of the environment, we can’t keep ignoring our dire situation with the hope that it doesn’t actually exist or that it will magically fix itself. Our governments need to take tangible measures to reduce our carbon emissions, and in order for that to happen, we need to fight for change.