Now is not the time to stop
On the power of continued action
There’s a huge pepper tree in my backyard. It arcs deep across the yard, creating this magnificent shade on warm days. This tree is likely older than I am, maybe even planted when my house was, nearly 100 years ago.
But to be honest, this tree is kind of a pain in my ass. Not only do the oblong leaves fall with just the slightest breath of wind, but also these tiny yellow seeds, filled with spice. Turns out a pepper tree is so astringent nothing easily grows around it. Imagine having to make your roots so sour to survive.
As one of the residents of this backyard sitting area, I am left to contend with all that the tree casts off. Unlike me, this tree lets go of what it doesn’t need. This is what I remind myself as I sweep away what that tree has shed.
Shedding what we don’t need
Citizens of the USA are waking up this morning with a new administration, one that brings hope to many of us engaged in the work of attending to our planet. We’ve shed what we don’t need to leave space for what’s necessary for our survival. The Biden/Harris administration, like you know, is the first administration to appoint a climate czar (John Kerry) and has a robust team working to protect the environment.
Maybe you’re like me and just starting to feel your shoulders come down from around my ears, the place they’ve lived for four years. Climate activists (and Americans) can (and should) take a brief pause to rest and begin to process some of our collective PTSD, but my friends, this is not the time to get complacent. We’ve shed what we don’t need. Now though, as Amy Goodman recently said, taking action to fix what’s broken needs to be on steroids.
Policy action for 2021
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Molly Rauch, Policy Director of Moms Clean Air Force. She reminded me that when we have leaders who agree with us we need to speak up and take action. Now’s the time to get to work on the policy level.
“Call the person who represents you (on the local or federal level) and request a meeting,” Mrs. Rauch said via Zoom. “They work for you. That’s the whole idea. You vote for someone that represents you and that’s their literal job to listen to your opinions.”
She calls their work “Mompartisan” because they aren’t trying to be affiliated with one side of the aisle. Yet, at least in current US politics, it’s clear that the politicians who might take action on climate are more left-leaning. That means, my friends, the time to get real action done is now.
We can’t sit back and think everything’s going to be ok now that someone who can read is running the show. This is the time to be more engaged. Molly Rauch says, “We need to put our kids on our hips and march into our representatives’ offices and be face to face. Put your 4-year-old on your knee as you are talking; they’ll play with your kid and you’ll have a connection to their heart as a constituent.”
This week’s action
We’re going to let the sweetness of the country with the second highest carbon emissions on the planet rejoining the Paris Climate Accord sink in for about a day. Then we’re going to get to work! Together, we’re going to make our voices heard on policy.
On average, it takes 66 days to make something a habit. So friends, while it matters, we’re going to try and make communicating with our representatives a new habit for 2021.
If you need ideas, sign up for specific (and easy) policy actions you can do from home. Pick one climate organization doing work that resonates to you and sign up for their policy action alerts. Here are a couple of my faves: Mother’s Out Front, Moms Clean Air Force, 350.org and Sunrise Movement. Each of these sends you a specific action you can take from your couch.
Want to take it one step further?
Molly Rauch’s urges us to take direct action right now in the following ways:
Get to know your local lawmakers (city, county, state, and federal). Send them an email introducing yourself and tell them that you want climate to be at the top of their action list. If you have a specific climate interest or concern (forest resilience in California and Australia; plastics in developing nations; etc), tell them what you want them to do. Be a thorn in their side. Make sure to to keep calling/writing/nagging them to take action on climate when it matters.
Tweet to your representatives to vote for specific climate policy. Make it public. Hold them accountable. Us that social media addiction for good.
When something’s important, make an appointment to go meet them. Bring your kids, nieces, or grandkids along. Tell them how you expect them to govern. It’s your right. Go to local county supervisor meetings, or city council and tell your representatives how these issues directly affect your life. Be a person that makes the issue real.
It’s hard to add one more thing to your to-do list.
However, our grandkids don’t have time for us to become complacent.
Today, I went outside to sweep away the droppings from that sour tree in my yard and found myself appreciating this particular moment in history. We get to dive in and show our kids we care enough about their futures to roll up our sleeves and do the work. We get to become the adults we want our kids to be.
My kids see me each morning doing this one small thing to attend to the natural world. They see me sweep away what we don’t need to make room for what we do need. After talking to Molly Rauch, I realize that right now they need to see me using my mom voice to protect them. That’s the new habit I need to create in my life.
Anyone want to join me? Can you make one new habit in your week to speak up to your government officials for our planet’s kids?
I’m excited to see what we can do when we encourage each other.