Every week is climate week at Moms Clean Air Force, but that doesn’t stop us from coming out to celebrate the official Climate Week NYC. This year, the annual sprawling gathering was held from September 22 to 29 and brought people together at over 600 events and activities across New York City. It’s hosted by Climate Group, an international nonprofit whose purpose is to drive climate action, fast, in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly, and it’s run in coordination with the United Nations and New York City.
Members of Moms crisscrossed the traffic-strewn city to attend more than a few of these events—maybe you saw us in our signature red t-shirts and buttons? We were there at the Extreme Weathers Survivors panel, to support Moms volunteer Amy Dishion joining storytellers and changemakers demanding accountability. Amy spoke beautifully about her young husband, Evan, who died while hiking on a 109-degree Arizona day. We also spoke at a few events—here are three recaps.
Tell Congress: Commit to Climate Investments and Clean Air Progress
Building a Sustainable Future
On Tuesday, September 24, Moms Director and Co-founder Dominique Browning spoke about hopeful climate action to an audience of about 150 guests at Brooklyn Museum on a panel entitled Building a Sustainable Future, moderated by Zoe Schlanger, staff writer at The Atlantic. Dominique shared the stage with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, author of the new book What If We Get It Right? and Co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab; Dr. Kate Marvel, climate scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies; and Aurora James, Founder of Brother Vellies and the Fifteen Percent Pledge and Vice Chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America
Throughout the wide-ranging talk, Dominique shared insight from her work here at Moms shifting public policy to create clean air for all—including future generations. She acknowledged how tricky it can be to have conversations about this work: “My own children make that Debbie Downer sound,” she shared, imitating them: “’Don’t tell us anymore about the toxic chemicals and the plastics!’”
She doubled down on how necessary it is to talk about climate to build an active community. “My job is to find the people, that energy that does care and is afraid but wants to harness that into positive action and go to Washington or call your senator,” she said. She urged audience members that these steps can and do make a huge difference and described the “wonderful experience” of going with mothers and fathers to Washington for the first time. It was intimidating, but “if anyone can break the ice, it’s a child grabbing a Senator’s coat,” she said, underscoring the power of personal narrative and hopeful human interaction in climate work.
Being a Climate Consumer
On Wednesday, September 25, Moms’ Mom Detective, Alexandra Zissu, spoke about how to be a climate consumer with Amy Ziff, Founder of MADE SAFE and a Moms’ volunteer, at the Naturepedic Store on the Upper East Side. Erika Janes, Editor-in-Chief of SheKnows and SHE Media, moderated a discussion that centered around why clean products are good for people and the planet. The room was filled with consumers seeking to align their purchases with their desire to not pollute the air—indoors or out. It was a lively discussion about how to search, identify, and select products for a healthier life and planet.
Alexandra shared that while consumer products and the climate crisis can feel not entirely related—one feels small, the other so huge—buying better stuff can make a real impact. She used chemicals that used to be in hairspray as an example. To oversimplify: These chemicals were harming the ozone layer. Once aware of their harm, people demanded they get removed from hairspray. They were, and the problem ameliorated. There is real power in consumer demand. We all buy many items every week for use in our homes, so Amy and Alexandra urged everyone to remember that some of these products contain chemicals that are harming our health and better alternatives are often available.
Tips were bandied around, including from the audience: how to avoid microwaving or storing food in plastic, how to “rinse” your indoor air, how a pair of “home shoes” can be a good option for people who don’t like taking off shoes at home, how warning labels on cleaning products are helpful tools, and how to use fewer products overall. (Got a question for Mom Detective? Send it here!) Alexandra pointed out that while choosing better products is a fairly straightforward, commonsense behavioral change for anyone to make, it should not be up to the individual alone to shop their way out of the climate crisis. We need to join forces and demand our elected officials enact the strongest possible chemical policy for human health—and clean air.
Lunch and Learn for Climate Justice
The National Partnership for New Americans’ Climate Justice Collaborative hosted an inaugural Climate Displaced Leaders Summit in New York City for Climate Week. This convening brought together over 60 migrant and refugee leaders and organizations to strengthen their capacity to organize at the intersection of climate and migration and to advocate for a just transition to a clean energy economy for working-class families.
Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, Project Manager for National Events at EcoMadres and Moms Clean Air Force, hosted a “lunch and learn” on Thursday, September 26, where she presented on the physical and mental health impacts of climate change and pollution, focusing on the disproportionate burdens of soot, petrochemical pollution, and diesel transportation on Black, Brown, and Indigenous families and children. Danielle talked about the work EcoMadres and Moms Clean Air Force is doing to mobilize Latino and underserved communities, as well as progress that has been made in getting greater government protections. Danielle provided attendees with her multilingual factsheets for further understanding and action.
Climate Week is always such a busy experience. It can be difficult while racing uptown and down, attending events, and meeting with colleagues old and new to stop and take stock of what we learned. What does it all mean? How can our time and connections here at Climate Week help inform our work going forward? This Climate Week, Dominique offered guidance on her panel, “What I wanted to do with Moms Clean Air Force—and what we are all doing every single day—is harnessing that power of love for the people we have brought into the world or the people we care for and training and harnessing all of that love into political and regulatory and policy action.”
Tell Congress: Commit to Climate Investments and Clean Air Progress