Climate change is not your fault, it’s the oil companies’ fault. They still make us pay for it, though, and they keep us from realizing the economic, social, and health benefits of a clean energy future. The problem is accelerating on an exponential curve, but so are the solutions. The secret is us. 75% of Americans say they are concerned or very concerned about climate change, but only 14% say others around them are very concerned. They’re not hearing from us. We all need to work to engage everyone, every day in climate action. Read more and find resources to activate your friends, workplace, community and policymakers in this April eUpdate.

If you were able to attend the 11th annual American Climate Leadership Summit last month — we thank you for joining us! If you were unable to join LIVE, don’t worry. You can access all the recordings from the summit on ecoAmerica’s YouTube channel now. 

Highlights:

General Sessions: Must See
National Health + Climate Forum: Must See Health Sessions
National Faith + Climate: Must-Watch List

ecoAmerica was excited to announce at the American Climate Leadership Summit that Schools for Climate Action won the 2022 awards and GreenRoots was awarded, runner-up. You can learn about their tremendous climate initiatives in their replication guides below.

This episode of Let’s Talk Climate features Karly Hampshire, fourth-year student at UC San Francisco School of Medicine and Founder and Co-Director of the Planetary Health Report Card Initiative; Dr. Elizabeth Friedman, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City; Dr. P. Qasimah Boston, Co-Founder of the Tallahassee Food Network; and Katherine Catalano, Deputy Director, Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association.

Register for our upcoming episodes in the Let’s Talk Climate series, HERE.

Americans are increasingly concerned about climate change. With the impacts all around us, it is easier than ever to strike up a conversation. This action sheet (handout) contains 5 steps to crafting emotionally resonant, personalized, and effective messages on climate change.

On April 6, ecoAmerica’s Nicole Hill, MPH presented on mental health and climate change at NACCHO’s 2022 Preparedness Summit in Atlanta. To learn more about the mental health impacts of climate change, you can read ecoAmerica’s and the American Psychological Association’s report, Mental Health and Our Changing Climate.

Environmental Defense Fund and the African American Mayors Association (AAMA) are partnering to provide local governments with the expertise and funding needed to develop climate-resilient infrastructure projects. The inaugural EDF Fellowship for Environmental Justice and Climate Equity is a two-year, $250,000 grant investment providing capacity support for AAMA mayors and collaborates with EDF to best position mayors to connect local infrastructure projects with climate and environmental justice goals.

“On Passover we recount the story of our people’s journey out of mitzrayim – narrow places. It is a story of struggle, a story of organizing to take on powerful forces, and a story of liberation…”

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares some examples of how Lutherans are caring for creation and addressing climate justice, including ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow Ambassador Training program. “God calls us to be stewards of the earth, and to fully integrate creation care into our love of God, neighbor and everything in our environment.”

Register for a Climate for Health, Blessed Tomorrow, or Path to Positive Communities Ambassador Training to become equipped with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and resources to speak and act confidently on climate change and solutions. Climate for Health, Blessed Tomorrow, and Path to Postive Communities trainings are now offered virtually, online. Read a quote from Climate for Health Ambassador, Deborah Podwika, M.A., C.S.M.,  in the spotlight card above on why you should sign up.

Rev. Carol Devine is the new Director of Blessed Tomorrow, a coalition of diverse religious partners united as faithful stewards of creation. She is an ordained pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She has pastored congregations in Kentucky and has been part of Disciples’ regional staff. She has recently worked at Lexington Theological seminary where she earned her MDiv.

The Climate for Health Program Director leads ecoAmerica’s Health sector program as it expands its work with America’s leading national health executives and institutions to elevate climate change as a priority, build climate literacy, and catalyze and diversify climate action and advocacy. Does this sound like a fit for you or someone you know?

• The Green-Energy Culture Wars in Red States, The Atlantic
• Here's how out of whack Earth's climate is today, Mashable
• Survey: Climate, environment shape Generation Z life decisions, Axios
• Inside Clean Energy: The Idea of Energy Efficiency Needs to Be Reinvented, Inside Climate News
• Realization of Paris Agreement pledges may limit warming just below 2 °C, Nature