See ya, January.
With apologies to those born in January who love celebrating their birthday, hibernating bears, and anyone else who otherwise loves the first month of the year, I sort of see it like the first pancake. A little rough. Either over or undercooked. Do not recommend. But the good news is that it’s almost over. As we move into the year, we move deeper into the work.
Together, let’s make 2024 the best year yet.
This week’s must read: Putting the conserve in conservative (The Invading Sea) From Mary Anna Mancuso, who has been adopting new practices in her own life to live in a more sustainable matter, comes this piece on setting personal conservation goals.
“Supporting sustainable businesses promotes eco-friendly practices and sends a clear message that sustainability is a priority for consumers. In turn this creates a demand for climate-friendly businesses and products, fostering a broader shift toward a sustainable economy,” she writes. “Together, we can drive positive change in the market and reduce emissions. As we head further into 2024, let’s make it a year of meaningful action, where small changes collectively lead to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.”
What eco-friendly practices do you embody? I never go anywhere without my Hydroflax water bottle. In fact, Bob and I bonded nearly ten years ago over our use of reusable water bottles. Drop us a note to let us know what practice you’ve taken on.
sVIRTUAL EVENT — Mark your calendars:
Join Senator Chris Murphy and our own Bob Inglis for a timely discussion about the importance of bi-partisan cooperation on the issue of climate change. Hear about Senator Murphy’s legislative progress on environmental issues with Republican colleagues in Congress and learn about Bob’s evolution on this issue, along with his mission to re-frame the challenge of climate change in a way that better engages fellow conservatives.
LTE of the week: In my reading travels, I came across this letter to the editor in the Savannah Morning News.
“Similar to Congressman [Buddy] Carter, I am a proud Republican who recognizes the importance of energy policies that support our environment while maintaining reliability and affordability.” the author writes. “With the establishment of an enormous electric vehicle manufacturing plant and the many suppliers for that operation right here in our district, the Congressman has witnessed first-hand the economic advantages of investing in clean energy, and he can speak to those successes on the global stage.”
Congressman Buddy Carter, who represented the 1st Congressional District of Georgia and who attended COP28 in Dubai in December, recently explained that “We need conservatives to be there…[at the international climate conference.] For us to just ignore it and boycott it, I think, is the wrong approach.”
ICYMI, take our latest flash poll:
This month’s poll centers around energy audits, energy efficiency, and how much you’re willing to pay to not waste energy.
If you haven’t already, you can take the poll here.
Personally speaking, I have not had an energy audit, but that’s because I know where my home’s weak points are—old leaky windows, primarily. But I have installed solar (just got my first power bill in a year and it was for $30) and soon hope to replace my water heater with a heat pump water heater.
As previously noted, we look forward to hearing your energy priorities—and how you put or plan to put the conserve in conservative!
That’s all I’ve got! See you in February!