Civic and Community Engagement
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
I bet you already know who you are going to vote for in the 2024 election. For president, that is. Congressional races, likely. The Governor, for sure. Top of the ballot, races driven with endless advertising and analysis by the pundits.
But do you know whether your local school board is being targeted by a slate of science deniers? Will your mayoral race turn into a disaster when a climate change denier takes over and works with a like-minded city council to reverse all the changes their liberal predecessors made?
When you bring proposals to them to address energy equity, or to create cooling stations for heat waves, or restore wetlands, or improve energy efficiency for municipal buildings, will they care? Do you know? Will you be prepared when you stand in front of the ballot in November, ready to cast your vote for the leaders that may have the biggest impact on you, your family, and your community? Or will you just guess and hope for the best?
96% of elected officials take office locally. City councils, county commissioners, school boards and other officers make decisions on local services and programs valued at over $2 trillion annually. The impact or their daily decisions drives local economies, their influence is profound and their actions often not scrutinized by a disinterested electorate.
Except for a small block of largely white, affluent, and older voters, most of us – over 73% of eligible voters – do not cast a ballot in local elections. “This means people who are least likely to live through the worst of climate change are deciding and influencing both today’s and tomorrow’s priorities”.
Register. Research. Show up and vote. Minimum.
Want to do more? Knock on doors (according to MPR, Minnesotans apparently say Sure!). Become an election judge. Go to your city council meetings and get to know your elected officials to decide who to vote in or out. Take the time to research your local races. Maybe consider running for office yourself.
Do what you can. And what you can do is vote.
Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 83: Engage Your Elected Officials
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