Harnessing Local Political Power for Climate Change Solutions

As climate advocates, we want to get everyone engaged in some sort of climate action. When it comes to taking on global climate change, people can feel overwhelmed with the scale of the problem, and then they shut down. Brandi Robinson, Associate Teaching Professor in Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University says, “You don't have to make climate change someone's top priority. You have to connect climate change to what they already care about, and figure out how you can work together on that.” She recommends we begin locally. 

Brandi has been collaborating with her colleagues, Dr. Peter Buck, a sustainability and climate change professional, public servant, and educator. Together they co-direct the Centre Region Climate Action Program. Their work focuses on the local responses to global climate change, with specific interest in community-scale climate action planning. 

In order to guide the municipality and region to meaningful climate mitigation and adaptation plans, Peter ran and won local office. “When I got elected,” Peter says, “I knew that I wanted to create a climate action plan without actually calling it a climate action plan. Because I didn't think that our region was ready for something that you would call it that. What I started doing was thinking about, okay, where are the things that Ferguson township does? Where can I influence whatever is happening?”

The efforts have been wildly successful.  They not only saw the passage of Ferguson Township Resolution 27-14, a commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but regionwide they have multiple climate mitigation, adaptation, and education programs in place. 

In this episode they not only share their successes, they reveal the best practices, strategies, and approaches that you can use in your own town and region. 

Resilience Corner

There is no need to be overwhelmed in your climate work, especially when we use the resiliency tool at hand. In her latest installment of the Resilience Corner Tamara Staton connects our climate work with an emotion that doesn’t often come up–Joy. And speaking of joy, check out the silly TikTok host, Peterson Toscano made with Tamara in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park. 

The Resilience Corner is made possible through a collaboration with Tamara Staton, Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education. For more tips, strategies, and practices to stay strong and steady in your climate work, visit The Resiliency Hub.

Good News 

Singer Songwriter Dane Meyers hung out with volunteer climate lobbyists in DC. Together they created the Live, Laugh, Lobby song and music video.

Blending the mediums of music, video and climate activism, Dane has a long history of making sustainability feel less like a nightmare and more like a creative adventure. Beginning in 2019, his converted Tesla Model 3 became his home and recording studio for 18 months. The project showcased the unique capabilities of electric vehicles and led to a 17-song album entitled "The New American Dreamers."

Eager to connect with others, Dane is gearing up for his next adventure-a series of intimate living room concerts along the east-coast. These performances aim to spark interest in sustainability and inspire audiences to both process the deep losses of environmental devastation while celebrating the adventure into sustainability. Learn more at his website. 

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Read a full transcript of this episode over at on our show notes.