Welcome to April and the new normal imposed by physical distancing. We hope our community is staying healthy and finding the best ways to connect with loved ones during these strange and stressful times.
Spokespeople in action: You know him for his thoughtful op-eds and his dedication to forging conservative climate action. In this Vice News clip, Meet the Conservatives Lobbying Lawmakers to Act on Climate Change, our spokesperson Jacob Abel (who also advocates for the Citizens Climate Lobby’s Conservative Caucus) notes that Congressional GOP leaders will take climate action because they recognize that “young people want to get [climate change] addressed and they want a conservative way to do it.” Jacob is in his senior year at Seton Hall. We see a bright future for him, probably (hopefully) in elected office someday.
Be sure to watch the entire feature!
COVID climate quote of the week: “It is absolutely reasonable that at this moment, policymakers should be focused exclusively on the pandemic,” our friend Alex Flint said. You probably know by now that he’s the executive director at the Alliance for Market Solutions, which advocates for a carbon tax. But “as soon as we have the pandemic reasonably addressed, attention has to go back to climate change,” he added. “Because climate change will not let us forget about it.” (h/t E&E Daily)
This week’s must read: Economic fallout threatens Washington momentum to counter climate change (Washington Examiner) We have talked about this internally, especially as the severity of COVID-19 takes its toll on public health and the economy. When will we return to business as usual and, when we do, will the momentum to deal with climate change fade? “All the eggs are scrambled until these things are solved and steady. I hope we don’t lose the momentum we’ve gained among Republicans,” Rep. Francis Rooney, author of a carbon tax bill, said in this interview with the Washington Examiner. “What I fear is everyone is so focused on the problem at hand that I don’t think climate issues are on the front burner again.” Forever the optimist, our Bob Inglis’s take: “Busting back into climate denial would look as bad as busting back in denying the pandemic.”
Read the full article for more quotes from EcoRight leaders and interesting insights.
This week’s must watch: Climate change and coronavirus. In her popular and informative Global Weirding series, Katharine Hayhoe explains the connection between climate change and the coronavirus. “Climate change is a big issue, but no, it is not the only one we face,” she says. “Was [coronavirus] caused by climate change or not? No, it was not. So does that mean that coronavirus or other emerging viruses or flu-like illnesses or infectious diseases have nothing to do with climate change at all? No, it doesn’t mean that either.”
Interesting personal note: In the segment, Katharine mentions the 1918 Spanish Flu and how it changed her family history. Well, I was talking to my 102-year old grandma the other night, and she mentioned that she was a baby during that pandemic and that her mother, my great grandmother, nearly died from that flu. She was so sick that her hair fell outand grew back totally white. She was 30 years old. Of course, as a child, I just presumed she had bright white hair because she was old (she lived to be 101). Obviously, I never got the backstory. So the lesson is: call your family elders! They may have stories to share that you’ve never heard before. And if they are like my grandmother, they are incredibly bored in their isolation and will appreciate the chance to talk.
Okay, on to Katharine’s informative video:
For something a little different…calling all artists: The Amplifier Foundation, the team that created ‘We the People’ and ‘Honor the Treaties’, as well as art for the last Climate March and the Science March, has launched a new campaign focused on COVID19 mental health and positive safety messaging in the pandemic. If you have artistic skills, answer their Global Call for Art or you can join the community and vote on your favorite submissions.
Don’t forget to share your favorite recipes and I’m adding books and movies to the mix too. We will get through this time by sticking together and sharing from afar!