Earth Day 2021

Happy Earth Day! 
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​If you're like us, this is probably not the first Earth Day greeting to arrive in your inbox today. It seems like everyone is jumping on the train, with myriad businesses and organizations suggesting things we can do (and even buy!). 

On one hand, it's encouraging to see all these Earth-friendly messages. Caring for our planet has never been a more urgent task, and the more that message makes its way into all corners of society, the more momentum we can build for bold action. 

Yet we find that too often these Earth Day messages are all about what I should do as an individual - admonitions to buy "green" products or rest easy after recycling. Especially during COVID, when we've been isolated from one another, it's tempting to really focus on individual actions that, understandably, give us some feeling of control.

This Earth Day, as the light at the end of the COVID tunnel is getting brighter and we're dreaming of again gathering in person for community events and celebrations, we're reflecting on what it means to keep WE and US at the center of climate solutions:

• WE and US means making racial and economic justice and equity central to climate action and dedicating ourselves to anti-racism work.
  
  
• WE and US means being "signal, not noise", in the wise words of Dr. Rob Davies - recognizing we all have a role to play in climate solutions and collaborating with others towards the same goal of a livable future.
  
  
• WE and US means thinking about how our individual actions can spur changes beyond ourselves, by always talking about why we care about the climate crisis and using our unique skills and passions to be a climate champion in whatever spheres we can (and yes, contributing our dollars where we can).
  
  
• WE and US means thinking of ourselves as citizens first, using our voices to advocate for needed policy change. Let's keep speaking out against bad bills at the state legislature (it makes a difference!), thank our elected leaders who do the right thing, and take heart at some of the truly bold efforts by the Biden administration to address the climate crisis!
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This Earth Day, we're reflecting on the past difficult year, but also giving thanks for the science and scientists behind the incredible vaccines that are helping turn the tide of the pandemic. We have a chance to hit the reset button, and use the lessons of the COVID crisis to shift from I to WE (or both!) and build a truly low-carbon, equitable and climate-resilient community and world.

Thank you for all the ways you take part in this movement of US, and we can't wait to see you out there.
 
Amy, Abby and Mason & the Climate Smart Team

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