Voting on Climate!
Because how you vote matters for the planet and the people on it
It’s that time of year, y’all! That time when every political news story gives one (read: me) the sense of existential dread that we are on the precipice of another cataclysmic change with the following question looming: Will we vote for people committed to moving forward to make a large-scale change that could benefit the planet and the people on it OR are we decidedly moving backward in time, politically speaking?
This is a project and a newsletter about climate change and climate grief. And the lack of action by political leaders—and the outright climate change denial among so many, mostly, right-wing candidates—is a huge source of the anxiety I harbor. The fact that progress on climate is being held hostage by the uber-rich, the uninformed, and the ideologically misguided is what heightens that grief—it feels like the future is out of our control.
But this is a moment when we can take back that control through voting. Listen, I’m not necessarily a person who trusts the political process wholesale given the slow pace toward progress, the proliferation of disinformation, and the boatloads of money pumped into elections. Yet in the situation we’re in, we still must rely on our political leaders to do what is right and it is on us to vote for the issues that matter most to us. We can have our voices heard both through voting and direct action, they are not mutually exclusive.
With 2022 looking to be a really important year for progress (or regress), climate change is and should be one of the top priorities. Given that this is a climate newsletter, I cannot miss the opportunity to post a very firm and friendly reminder to please vote for candidates that are adamantly focused on climate solutions! Vote for these candidates, vote for the strong climate measures if you have them, and talk to people about why you are voting for these folks and measures.
I should also note that those candidates who are strong on fighting climate change are also likely advocating for the other important elements of securing and maintaining our rights including reproductive rights and our right to live in a safer world via strong gun control legislation.
How to know who’s fighting for climate solutions
Climate change is increasingly becoming an important issue at all levels of government and chances are your local candidates have a statement on their website about it. And this isn’t just the case for your state and federal representatives, it is also an issue for local candidates. Local governments can do quite a lot to combat climate change, so pay attention to what they are saying. And especially pay attention to the overlooked elections in your state and region.
This Vox article gives a really good breakdown of very important and overlooked elections with high climate stakes. The specific elections they highlight show the power of local and state elections, judicial elections, and even utility commission elections to impact climate change policies positively or negatively. For example, the seemingly benign-sounding Texas Railroad Commission, as the Vox article describes it, “is technically not a utility commission but an important environmental regulatory body in the state.”
Per the Vox article about for the Texas Railroad Commissioner: “Though he is still considered an underdog, Democratic candidate Luke Warford has made a bid for a seat on the commission by focusing on clean energy and climate issues. He’s focused on Texas’s overreliance on gas to power its grid, which was one factor that led to massive blackouts in winter 2021.”
That said, there are some tools beyond the candidate’s own sites to let you know who is strong on climate. To know how your federal representatives are on climate, take a look at Vote Climate PAC’s voter guide at https://voteclimatepac.org/voters-guide/ where you can look up your congressional representatives and their challengers’ climate scores. Here in Oregon, the extremes between the incumbent and the challenger could not be wider. Incumbent Ron Wyden (Dem) has a position score of 100 which means “Understands the importance of action on climate change as a top priority issue” and the challenger (Perkins) has a position score of 0 which means “Disagrees with the scientific consensus that climate change is real and human-made, from burning fossil fuels.”
Additionally, Greenpeace has a 2022 climate vote guide and gives you opportunities to get involved in some important races.
I also want to give a shoutout to Vote Save America and the important work they’re doing to get out the vote for progressive causes and candidates. You can read here why 2022 is so important—they also help you find out how to get involved in campaigns near you. There’s still time and this weekend is an important one!
Volunteer, donate, and share that you are voting
Once you know who to support, I highly recommend getting involved in some way. It’s a bit too late to write postcards, but you can make calls and go door-to-door for your candidates. Before the 2018 election, campaign door-knocking intimidated me, but the election of Trump emboldened me to hit the pavement and it has always been a good experience. Each time I came away enthusiastic and excited about the prospects.
Phone banking is another option and many races allow you to do that from the comfort of your home. It can be super easy to squirrel away some time between Zoom calls.
Donating is also very important, especially if you can’t volunteer. By contributing $100 to your candidate, you can pay for a paid staffer to do two canvassing shifts. For that very purpose, I just donated $100 yesterday for Oregon gubernatorial candidate, Tina Kotek, who, due to a spoiler candidate and our local billionaire putting his money into the right-winger’s campaign we are very close to electing someone who would very much like to turn back the time on all of the climate progress we’ve made (not to mention reproductive rights).
And last, if anything else, please share that you are voting on social media and directly with friends. People are more likely to vote the more they hear about other people voting. And, bonus, if you feel comfortable, share that you are voting for the candidate who is strong on combatting climate change.
Putting the positive election vibes out there
For those who, like me, are kept up at night thinking about the possibilities of what could happen if anti-climate solution candidates are elected, I’m sending you all the good thoughts. While we definitely need to do all we can to elect pro-science, pro-climate solution candidates, it can certainly take a toll. Take breaks from the news, partake in some self-care, and know that regardless of what happens, we will keep up the fight after election day (I’m saying this as much for myself as for anyone reading this).
And for those out there getting the word out about progressive climate solutions as important political agenda, thank you! We can all do this together!
Now get out there and vote vote vote! Nov. 8th can be our day!
Curious to hear from you all, who are your strong climate solution candidates near you and what are you doing to help get the word out? Could absolutely use some words of inspiration!
Fantastic article with some great ideas and direction, my friend. There is still time!