Moms are working in Wisconsin to fight for clean air and a stable climate. We host events, share information about what’s going on, and create opportunities for mothers to talk to their legislators about their concerns. Please join us in Wisconsin, and let us know about your priorities.
16,456
members in Wisconsin
How we’re making a difference in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Moms Work for Justice in Every Breath
Moms Clean Air Force works actively in Wisconsin to address climate change issues that disproportionately harm communities of color. We are committed to bringing moms together to develop events, policies, and actions to end environmental injustices in Wisconsin.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS
Wisconsin Mom joins Rep. Gwen Moore for Inflation Reduction Act anniversary celebration.
On August 6, 2024, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin Organizer Jayne Black joined Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) and partners at Love My Air Wisconsin and Hepatha Lutheran Church to celebrate federal investments in clean air monitoring.
Jayne discussed local initiatives to combat air pollution before highlighting how the Inflation Reduction Act is benefitting Wisconsin:
“As we fight air pollution and our changing climate, we need programs like Love My Air to empower families with air quality knowledge so they can take precautions to protect their loved ones from the impacts of air pollution. As a mom I understand how essential it is to have air quality information.
“We’re here today to celebrate the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, and I’m very proud to say that Moms Clean Air Force worked tirelessly to help pass IRA and its unprecedented $369 billion investment in cutting climate pollution. This essential funding is already flowing to communities, and we are overjoyed to see it right here in Milwaukee.”
Moms Clean Air Force speaks at Midwest Decarbonization Conference.
Moms from Wisconsin and Ohio joined partners from Faith in Place and Pilgrim’s Progress Community Development Corporation for a virtual session during the Midwest Decarbonization Conference. During their discussion on intersectionality and building decarbonization, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin Organizer Jayne Black highlighted how the EPA Clean School Bus program is benefitting her state. Jayne shared:
“Because diesel is a known carcinogen and has many health implications, this program for me personally, and for all the moms who work on this with such passion and dedication, it’s everything. This is a game changer.”
Wisconsin moms attend Play-In for Climate Action in DC
On July 23, 2024, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin Organizer Jayne Black traveled to Washington, DC, for our annual Play-In for Climate Action. The Play-In included a morning of purposeful play at the National Children’s Museum, as well as a press conference about the importance of prioritizing children’s health in our changing climate.
During the press conference, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) introduced a resolution calling attention to children’s unique vulnerabilities to extreme weather—and advocating for urgently needed adaptations to keep kids safe.
Following the morning at the museum, Moms traveled by electric school bus to the Capitol to meet with their elected officials. Jayne met with the offices of Senator Tammy Baldwin, Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-2), and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) about protecting children’s health in our changing climate and reducing our use of plastics.
Wisconsin Mom joins Senator Tammy Baldwin to talk about how air pollution impacts her asthmatic son.
On May 10, 2024, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black spoke at a roundtable event with Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI). Jayne shared how her son’s asthma is impacted by air pollution, expressed concerns over the high cost of asthma inhalers, and discussed how Moms Clean Air Force is fighting for Justice in Every Breath.
Wisconsin Moms host press conference to highlight electric vehicle benefits.
On March 14, 2024, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin and Climate Action Campaign hosted a press conference at Northwest Technical College in Green Bay to highlight the economic, consumer, and health benefits of electric vehicles in Wisconsin.
Speakers included Jayne Black of Moms Clean Air Force, Seth Hoffmeister of Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Brandt Herstenstein of the Electrification Coalition, Carly Ebben Eaton of BlueGreen Alliance, John Hippensteel of NWTC, and Carolyn Length of the Tesla Wisconsin Community.
Jayne shared why reducing air pollution is important to her and her family: “As a mother of a son with asthma and a daughter with multiple sclerosis, I know how important it is to protect our kids from air pollution, especially the most vulnerable,” she said.
Wisconsin Moms fight for clean air in the classroom.
Wisconsin Moms Clean Air Force organizer Jayne Black is leading an effort to clean up the air inside classrooms. In 2023, she worked with state lawmakers to introduce a bill that would launch a process for monitoring the air quality in schools and protect children’s health.
Bad indoor air quality has been linked to increased student absences because of respiratory infections or allergic responses and reduced academic performance. And since many classrooms are aging, replacing the HVAC system is not enough to keep the air clean. Instead, Moms Clean Air Force and other clean air advocates are pushing for the adoption of classroom air purifiers.
Learn more about the Wisconsin bill.
Menominee women speak out for strong mercury protections.
In January 2020, as the Trump administration moved to undermine the federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), Rachel Fernandez, a member of the Menominee Nation in northeastern Wisconsin, joined the chorus of Moms advocating for strong protections against mercury pollution.
In the US, the biggest source of mercury—a highly toxic heavy metal—is coal-fired power plants. When coal is burned for energy, mercury is released into the air, and from there, it falls onto rivers and lakes, entering the food chain. The entire state of Wisconsin is under a fish consumption advisory because of the high levels of mercury in our waterways. This is devastating for the 11 Tribal nations in the state that depend on hunting, fishing, and gathering.
Urging Congress to defend climate investments and clean air progress.
Over the last three years, we have made significant progress to cut climate pollution, thanks to the leadership of President Biden, EPA, and the members of Congress who led the fight to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—the largest climate investment in U.S. history. We’ve also set strong federal standards to reduce harmful pollution from power plants, vehicles, and sources of soot.
This progress is under attack. Join Wisconsin Moms to tell Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin and our members of Congress to defend climate investments and clean air progress—to safeguard our children’s health and future.
Calling on EPA to strengthen ozone pollution protections.
Twenty counties in Wisconsin experienced high ozone days according to the 2023 State of the Air Report. Ozone pollution is unhealthy and dangerous. It is linked to asthma and other health harms. And because it forms when pollutants in the air react with heat and sunlight, ozone levels climb on hot, sunny days—and in extreme heat exacerbated by climate change.
EPA announced in August 2023 that it would delay strengthening the current ozone standards, putting the health of hundreds of thousands of people in Wisconsin at risk for years to come. This delay is unacceptable.
Join Wisconsin Moms in telling EPA not to delay on setting strong ozone standards.
Working to transition Wisconsin’s school bus fleets to electric.
Millions of children still ride diesel-powered school buses, exposing them to harmful diesel pollution that can trigger asthma attacks and interfere with their ability to learn. Wisconsin moms have hit the road to build support for clean, electric school buses. We are working with local school districts to ensure they are taking advantage of federal funds from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program to transition their bus fleets to all-electric.
Learn more about electric school buses HERE.
Protecting our families from mercury pollution.
Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that occurs naturally in coal in small quantities. When coal is burned without adequate pollution controls, mercury gets into the air. From there, it falls on waterways and enters the food chain. Exposure to mercury can interfere with normal brain development and cause learning and behavioral problems. Children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of mercury, and pregnant women can pass mercury through their placenta into the brains of their developing babies. Mercury is also linked to heart disease.
Indigenous communities in Wisconsin, particularly the Menominee Nation, are reliant on fish as a food source and are particularly concerned about mercury pollution in their air, land, and water. Menominee moms spoke out against the Trump EPA’s efforts to weaken the national Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) in 2019 and 2020. Today, Wisconsin moms continue to elevate this issue and work with the current EPA to strengthen the mercury rule.
Our children are breathing polluted air.
Five counties in Wisconsin, including Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, and Sheboygan, received failing grades for high ozone, or smog, in the American Lung Association’s 2023 State of the Air report. This dangerous level of smog is especially harmful to the more than 79,000 children with asthma in the state.
Not only does Wisconsin’s air quality worsen asthma, but it can also lead to death. In the US, soot, or fine particle pollution, contributes to over 100,000 deaths per year. Wisconsin experiences some of the country’s highest particle pollution deaths per capita, along with Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, and New Jersey.
Climate change is making our health worse.
Milwaukee and Green Bay have witnessed two of the five fastest warming winters in major cities across the U.S. over the past 50 years, with temperatures soaring by an average of 6 degrees Fahrenheit. This shift is reshaping ecosystems that rely on frozen landscapes and snowfall, creating ripple effects for the state’s environment and public health.
Climate change brings frequent heavy rainfall to Wisconsin, resulting in flooding that can erode soil and coastlines, wash out roads and bridges, and break dams. If this occurs, sewers and wastewater treatment plants can become compromised, leading to algae blooms and illnesses. Moreover, rising temperatures from climate change intensify the risks of extreme heat events, increasing the risk of heatstroke and worsening chronic illnesses, such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Clean energy policy will save lives.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have found that cutting air pollution generated by burning fossil fuels would save over 50,000 lives and provide more than $600 billion in health benefits. The researchers also conclude that clean energy policy like that proposed by the Biden administration is key to reducing the worst sources of harmful air pollution: coal-fired power plants, gasoline-powered cars and trucks, and buildings and industries fueled by coal, oil, and natural gas. While other studies have linked air pollution to fossil fuels, this may be the first that specifically highlights the important role public policy can and must play in achieving air quality goals.
The study emphasizes the advantages of transitioning to clean energy as much as it warns about the dangers of not doing so. “We are trying to shift mindsets from burdens to benefits,” Professor Jonathan A. Patz at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies told the Washington Post.
“Shifting to clean energy sources can provide enormous benefit for public health in the near term while mitigating climate change in the longer term.”
- There were no results found.
- There were no results found.
Past Events
September 2024
On September 28, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the International Day celebration at the Crock Center.
On September 26, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black presented an overview of Moms Clean Air Force to the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay.
On September 24, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black held a press conference with a diverse coalition of health and climate leaders to sound the alarm on Alliant Energy’s plan to transition the Edgewater Generating Station to methane gas.
On September 20, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black held a livestream on Instagram where she interviewed climate advocate Brittany Keyes about her work in Wisconsin.
August 2024
On August 21, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at Howe Elementary Community School Back to School event.
On August 7, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the Green Bay Farmers’ Market on Broadway.
On August 6, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black spoke alongside Representative Gwen Moore and coalition partners from Love My Air Wisconsin and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at a press event celebrating funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for air quality monitors in Wisconsin.
On August 1, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black spoke about electric school buses at the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition’s Virtual Equity Summit.
July 2024
On July 30, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black attended the REVolution Bus Tour.
On July 20, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black hosted a Defend Our Climate Women’s Self defense class.
June 2024
On June 29, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the 2024 8th Annual Open Door Pride Festival.
On June 20, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the Downtown De Pere Farmers Market.
On June 11, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black presented at the Wisconsin Tribal Energy Symposium. During this two-day event, attendees had the opportunity to engage with state and federal experts from the Public Service Commission, Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, FOCUS ON ENERGY®, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and EPA.
May 2024
On May 25, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin held a visibility event at Martin Park Fine Arts Fair where they urged EPA to continue to defend our climate.
On May 1, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black hosted a table at Annie Jackson Elementary School’s Career Day in Green Bay to teach kids about air pollution and her work at Moms.
April 2024
On April 27, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black hosted a table at the Green Bay Parenting Expo.
On April 10, Moms Clean Air Force teamed up with the Future Farmers of America club at Red Smith (K-8) in Green Bay for an Earth Day event to discuss climate solutions and agriculture. Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black taught the group about indoor and outdoor air pollution, the health impacts, and how to make a DIY air purifier.
March 2024
On March 21, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black attended WI Faith in Place Advocacy Day and spoke about Moms in Madison.
On March 20, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black attended Thrive WI Women’s Network event to speak about Moms.
On March 13, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black and a Supermom attended an event with President Biden in Milwaukee, WI.
On March 1, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black held an early Earth Day event at the Boys and Girls Club. She taught children how plastic is made, why it’s bad for our health and our earth, and how to use their voices by making cards.
February 2024
On February 15, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the Love Your City event.
On February 9, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black tabled at the Green Bay Home & Lifestyle Experience, demonstrating how to make a DIY air purifier and sharing information about Moms.
On February 2, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black attended Renew Wisconsin event, which aims to propel the state into a stronger, healthier future powered by clean energy.
January 2024
On January 18, Moms Clean Air Force Wisconsin organizer Jayne Black traveled to DC along with Moms Clean Air Force Michigan organizer Elizabeth Hauptman and Moms Clean Air Force Arizona organizer Hazel Chandler to meet with legislators about climate-focused regulation, IRA climate wins, and defending climate investments.
August 2023
On August 15, Moms Clean Air Force Supermom Jayne Black hosted a family-friendly event in Voyageur Park in De Pere to talk about air quality and how it affects our children’s health.
The Origin of Moms: Moms Make News
Electric Buses Are the Coolest Ride to School: Moms Make News
August Supermom of the Month: Brittany Keyes, Wisconsin
Supreme Court Ruling Puts Polluters Over People: Moms Make News
Extreme Living: Climate Disruption Stories From Moms Coping With Flooding
Climate Questions Moms Want Answered at Tonight’s Presidential Debate
“The Elephant in the Classroom”: Indoor Air Quality
Life in the Obscene: Moms Make News
Rolling Toward Environmental Justice With Electric School Buses: Moms Make News
"State of the Air" Finds Millions Breathe Unhealthy Air
How Bills Become Laws in Your State
40% of Americans Breathe Polluted Air
2024
- WISBusiness, Diverse Coalition: Denounces Alliant Energy’s plan to extend coal use and transition the Edgewater Generating Station to methane gas
- Spectrum News 1, Groups call for different plan for Sheboygan Power Plant
- Post Crescent, Environmental groups raise alarms over Alliant Energy’s plans to convert Sheboygan plant to gas
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Environmental groups raise alarms over Alliant Energy’s plans to convert Sheboygan plant to gas
- Press release, Diverse Coalition Denounces Alliant Energy’s Plan to Extend Coal Use and Transition the Edgewater Generating Station to Methane Gas in 2028
- Press release, Beloit Mom Discusses Life in America’s Most Polluted City
- Vital Signs, From coasts to farms to cities, how Biden’s landmark climate plan is helping a community near you
- Wisconsin Politics, Healthy Climate Wisconsin: U.S. Rep. Moore and Milwaukee public health and climate leaders celebrate federal investments in the Love My Air Program
- Clean Wisconsin, Why the dream kitchen shouldn’t include a gas stove
- WFRV, Sustainably Speaking: More electric school buses coming to Wisconsin
- The Capital Times, Letter | Wisconsin needs more air quality data
- Local 5, Wisconsin Leaders Highlight the Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Green Bay and Beyond
- Press release, Wisconsin Moms & Local Leaders Highlight the Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Green Bay and Beyond
- Local 5, Breathe cleaner air with a DIY project from Rooted In Inc
- Press release, Millions of people will breathe cleaner, healthier air with new EPA soot protections, Wisconsin Moms say