Sustainability

It’s not often we hear good news related to climate change. In fact if you are anything like me, you find that the daily news dealing with climate change only adds to a sense of despair about the future which is difficult to shake. Hope IS an ACTION, and to avoid despair, I know I have to take some action, even a small action, to try to move something forward towards counteracting the ever-growing threat of climate chaos. 

But today, after watching all the tragic news about the disaster in Maui, I heard a small piece of GOOD NEWS. I looked it up and was excited to learn that a group of young environmental activists in Montana have WON a lawsuit against the state for violating their constitutional right to clean air and a healthful environment by permitting fossil fuel development without considering its effects on the climate! They won! Hurray for these young people in Montana! Hurray for Our Children’s Trust for their persistent legal efforts in all the states and nationally in filing similar lawsuits. Hurray for Judge Kathy Seeley for rejecting the attempts by state agencies to dismiss the lawsuit! 

Much more about the trial and ruling can be read in the NPR article at https://www.npr.org/2023/08/14/1193780700/montana-climate-change-trial-ruling. 

So, what action can I take today to counter the threat of climate change? Yesterday I sent messages to my members of congress. Today I am writing this article hoping to encourage you to take some actions. Last month I replaced an old gas water heater with a new hybrid electric heat pump water heater. Most days I do something to tend my organic vegetable gardens and pollinator and native plant beds. Perhaps tomorrow I will decide what state legislation to support going forward or draft a letter to the editor of the JI. Sometimes I just take a walk to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty we still have with us. 

Below are some very good organizations you can join and learn of ways to act on climate: They each have easy links to use for sending info to your members of congress or the state legislature about bills you want them to support, and if you want to get involved further there are lots of ways to act locally. 

1. Citizens Climate Lobby https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ - People of all ages working in a nonpartisan way to find and 

support the most effective legislation to combat the causes of climate change. 

2. CTLCV https://www.ctlcv.org/watchlist.html - CT League of Conservation Voters is the leader at the capitol moving key environmental bills through the legislature. 

3. Third Act https://thirdact.org/act/ for anyone 60 years or older various actions and activities, including a new CT chapter starting to work on the social justice issues involving the chronic street flooding and sewer overflows into homes in the Hartford North End and efforts to decarbonize state and nonprofit buildings in Hartford.