This week's 10 minute task: Let's Get Moving on Climate Action
30 miles of meltwater through a glacier. Photo from The Washington Post
Each week's Activist Micro Action is something that should be able to be done in 10 minutes or less. Some actions are just the beginning of other actions that will require more time, but we have to start somewhere. What we're working on here is building the habit of taking action.
If you want a virtual high five once you've done the action, email me at info@omkariwilliams.com and I'll celebrate with you.
Here's This Weeks Activist Micro Action
Hi Jill,
Last week there was an article in the Washington Post with the ominous title A Greenland glacier's rapid melting may signal faster sea level rise. This is definitely not the news that one wants to read over morning coffee or, frankly, anytime. But here we are. Things are real and getting worse. It's so easy to ignore what's happening when we don't feel the immediate impacts. But there are immediate impacts for people all over the world and it's our responsibility as inhabitants of this planet to do what we can to make things better for all of us.
There is a bill before the Senate, S. 938, sponsored by Bernie Sanders that directs the President to declare a national emergency as regards climate change. When we think of emergencies I am hard pressed to come up with one that surpasses not having a livable planet. Maybe we're old enough that we'll be okay, but what about our kids, grandkids, friend's kids, the kids down the street, the kids across oceans? What about them? What hellscape are we dooming them to?
There is so much going on in the world that it's easy to get distracted, it's easy to check out, and it's hard to stay connected. That's why I preach the gospel of micro actions. This week I ask that you contact your representatives in the Senate and ask that they co-sponsor this bill and get it moved along to President Biden's desk. Things in the Senate tend to take forever but they don't have to. When they want to move fast they are completely capable of doing so. Anyone remember how fast they passed the Patriot Act?
You can find contact information for your Senators here (this page will give you their phone number but you can go to their contact page to send an email). Here's a script you can use for an email or a call. From start to finish you can do this in less than 5 minutes.
Senator ____________,
My name is ______________ and I am a constituent. I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor S. 938 which would direct the President to declare a national emergency relating to climate change.
Not a week goes by without a new story about the accelerating pace of climate change or its devastating impacts somewhere in the world. This is an existential threat to human life on Earth and the window we have to address this threat is closing at an increasingly rapid rate. We must take strong, immediate action to mitigate the worst impacts now, while we still have the chance. Please take this step in addressing this crisis and co-sponsor this bill before we run out of time.
Sincerely, your name
Copy and paste as is, or make any changes you wish. Please pass this along to anyone you think would be interested, which should, honestly, be all of us. Let's keep applying pressure and see what change we can compel.
Thank you for all that you do. xo, O
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