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[thefutureofwatt]

Taking Climate Action Now

One of the ways an individual can amplify their impact is to push policy leaders and organizations to make a change. But looking up the contact information, making calls, and writing can be tiresome, and it can be hard to know where to begin. Well, I have a solution that does everything quickly and painlessly.

Go to https://climateactionnow.com/

Download the app (iOS and Android support)

Enter a few pieces of information

Start having an impact

It's really that simple. 

Climate Action Now is an app that takes all the difficulty out of amplifying the voice of the climate-concerned community. In a few steps, it's possible to email organizations regarding their emissions, congratulate leaders for their actions, and demand the President of the United States take measures on a climate topic. In most cases, the prewritten email message, which can be edited, is sent via the app. Sometimes the app will kick you over to the email app, but the message will still be prepopulated. I've included screenshots showing the user experience, including the number of screens an average message requires (about 4 taps of the finger). The app is also not limited to just email communications. When relevant, it will also provide phone numbers and helpful talking points if you want to talk to another human.

On top of pushing leaders and organizations on climate topics, the app includes learning activities that teach the many facets of climate change and the solutions. It enables you to become a force multiplier in your local circles, which is highly valuable for having a personal impact. The icing on the cake is that activities earn you daily points to buy and plant trees in response to your efforts. You can also become a subscriber to their app and increase your impact.

The folks at Climate Action Now have made communicating and learning about climate quite simple. To the point where there really isn't an excuse for not doing it, especially if you're frustrated by inaction from leadership and corporations. The next time you endlessly scroll IG, Reddit, Twitter, Meta, or TikTok, stop for 5 minutes, take some action, and earn points. Like me, you might find yourself addicted to blasting out emails far beyond the allotted possible daily points!

[thefutureofwatt]

Since I mentioned systems in my initial post, I'm sharing this fascinating discussion on systems justification. It’s a good listen for anyone wanting to make a change to understand and anticipate what friction they may/will encounter. More about the episode:

Noted psychologist, researcher, and author John Jost of New York University offers an explanation: people have very strong psychological needs that weigh against thinking of themselves as subjugated victims; they crave certitude, closure, safety, and predictability. They are inclined, for these reasons, toward what is called “system justification.” As Jost writes, “people are motivated (often unconsciously, without deliberate intention or awareness) to defend, justify, and bolster aspects of the status quo, including existing social, economic, and political institutions and arrangements.”

The tendency to justify unjust systems is pervasive, even and especially among the people those systems treat worst. This means that everyone working for positive change is starting behind the eight ball, rolling a rock up a hill.

I read Jost’s two recent books — A Theory of System Justification and Left and Right: The Psychological Significance of a Political Distinction — earlier this summer and I've been thinking about them ever since, so I'm thrilled to talk to him about the evidence for system justification theory, the way it is distributed among conservatives and liberals, and ways those seeking change can work around it.

I highly recommend the Volts podcast, which covers the climate crisis and leaving fossil fuels behind. David often interviews politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world's most important fight.

[thefutureofwatt]

Accelerating change

Three months ago, I took my first steps in pivoting my life toward solving climate change when I joined the "Learning for action" program at Terra.do. This 12-week course introduced me to the breadth and depth of the climate change landscape. Topics included climate science, advocacy and action, economic systems and development models, climate justice, clean energy and power, regenerative agriculture, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience.

From the outset, my goal has been to find my home in tackling climate change. Before I joined Terra, the objectives I laid out for myself were as follows.

Gain climate knowledge - Acquire a broader understanding of the climate crisis through education.

Learn how my skills apply - Understand how to leverage my years of experience, skills, values, and interests.

Determine my industry focus - Figure out where I might focus my energy in the climate space.

Update my story - Modify my career story-telling mechanisms to connect my background with climate job requirements.

Strengthen personal impact - Determine what changes I can make outside work to have a more significant effect.

I completed the program feeling optimistic and energized about the future and made progress against my first and second objectives. I'm now turning my attention to the remaining three objectives. To strengthen my personal impact, I want to share what I've learned and what I discover to accelerate change. This will be one location where I do that.