Before you head out for your Labor Day weekend, catch up on this week’s ecoright climate news so you can share what you know at this weekend’s BBQ.
This week’s must reads:
Winter is coming: We thought Rep. Bob Inglis was the Jon Snow of climate change, but in this op-ed, Citizens Climate Lobby’s executive director bestows that title on Rep. Carlos Curbelo. “Like Jon Snow, he has seen firsthand the greater enemy that must be defeated. Instead of White Walkers, however, Curbelo has seen the ankle-deep sea water that floods his district in Miami during certain high tides. For him, it isn’t winter that’s coming it’s the ocean,” Mark Reynolds writes.
Nerd crush: We adore, respect, praise to the nth degree the tireless work of climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, who is frequently mentioned in these pages. Read this account on how her outreach to evangelicals is successfully changing climate minds.
Ayotte urges common ground: Former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, no stranger to harsh winters, says lawmakers need to put aside differences and find compromise on climate change and clean energy. “As I look at the environment discussion, often the experience in Washington has been that both sides often use it as political football rather than looking at common ground and where we can find pragmatic solutions,” Ayotte said. “There is a lot of discussion around climate policy where there are significant disagreements, but what about issues like modernizing the energy grid? It seems to me both Democrats and Republicans want to make sure we have a strong, modernized grid that also allows us to take advantage of all our energy resources including renewable resources.” Ayotte currently serves as a senior advisor to Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.
Ed Board calls for Trump to heed warnings: The editorial board of the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina calls on President Donald Trump to place the same faith in the generals on climate change”a long-term threat to peace in the world and the security of the United States”as he does their counsel on other national security matters.On College Republicans: Sierra Magazine profiled Nick Frankowski, Ohio State University’s vice chair of the Ohio College Republican Federation, on how young Republicans think and talk about climate change. “We’re obviously very young and energetic, and we’re still figuring things out. We’re not settled into rigid positions on anything yet. The principles are consistent, but when it comes to specific issues like climate policy, we’re very enthusiastic to learn more and come to a conclusion that aligns with our principles,” he says in the interview.
Governator offers support: Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Assemblyman Chad Mayes the “type of Republican California needs.” Mayes was pressured to resign his leadership post after negotiating and helping pass an extension of that state’s climate change program, initially passed under Schwarzenegger’s administration. “If the Republican Party will go in that direction then we will have an increase in the membership of the Republican Party,” Schwarzenegger said. “Because this is what the people want us to do.”
Thanks to @ChadMayesCA for following in the footsteps of great Republicans like Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. https://t.co/0cXgoRqw9q
Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) July 18, 2017
Mayes thanked the former governor for his friendship and called him a “change agent” who “paved the way for others seeking to make our world a better place to live.” Mayes said state party leaders can “either convert individuals to become Republicans, or we can reflect California values and as a party begin to move toward Californians. What we’ve been doing for the last 20 years is not converting Californians to our ideas. We’ve been repelling them. And we haven’t been reflecting Californians, we’ve become more insular and ideologically pure. And both of those are not winning strategies.”
It’s been a tough week and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Hurricane Harvey victims, rescuers, and responders in and around Houston.