What a difference a year makes.
Earth Day 2020: In a guest essay in the New York Times, I announced that I refused to celebrate Earth Day, after nearly four years of fighting against an administration that denied science, violated the public trust, cost us years of action against dangerous climate pollution, and installed EPA administrators who ignored the profound mission of the EPA to protect human health. Instead, I declared that it was our responsibility to fight for Earth Day, as warrior moms.
As the first 100 days of this new administration draw to a close, I am so proud to know we have a President who is willing to roll up his sleeves on behalf of our families. Who is willing to invest in our future. Who is willing to fight to keep us safe. Who cares about the world we grandparents will leave behind, the world our children will inherit.
A president who says, when he hears the word climate, he hears jobs. Not green, or purple, or red, or blue jobs. Jobs. There is no such thing as a green economy. We have an economy. We want it to be strong, sustainable, and resilient against the pressures of this century. We want a great economy — and that means an economy that invests in the health and well-being of our families and that doesn’t value profits over people.
In the same vein: the pundits are talking about big government v. small government. I don’t think that’s the correct framework. It’s all about good government. Government that does what’s necessary to protect and enhance everyone’s basic human rights. Those have to include the right to clean air and clean water. Because without that, there is no possibility of a good life.
Yesterday, our public health policy director, Molly Rauch, joined Senators Schumer, Heinrich, Markey, and King to urge the Senate to pass a resolution that will reinstate strong standards for methane pollution — pollution that threatens our health and our climate. Hours later, in a bipartisan vote, the Senate passed the resolution to reinstate methane standards.
Our mothers are fighting for the passage of bills that will get toxic chemicals out of baby food, tailpipe pollution out of cars and trucks and buses, and methane pollution out of our neighborhoods.
Make no mistake: even the legislators who are doing the right thing MUST hear from you. Why? Because there are literally hundreds of other bills they could be supporting. They need to know that votes for climate and clean air are votes that win them your ongoing support.
What a difference a year makes, indeed! From refusing to celebrate to celebrating healing the damage and moving forward. From anger to hope. From pollution to jobs. From mad to rad!
What lies ahead of us for this next year? Only good things!
Tell Congress: The American Jobs Plan Will Lead Us to Climate Safety