Ringing In a Livable Future For All
Happy New Year!
At Families for a Livable Climate, we welcome opportunities to reflect, renew, and realign. The new year signals these practices for many of us, so following are a few resources to help us (re)commit to ringing in a livable future for all.
REFLECT
This podcast episode from NPR’s Life Kit shares excellent tips and exercises to help you mindfully reflect on the past year and set yourself up for more presence and self-awareness in the new year.
Image from Climate Changemakers
COMMIT
When you are ready to set your sights toward hopes and visions for the new year (and beyond), we invite you to consider climate actions you have space for this year. Taking action - no matter how big or small - is an important way to reduce climate anxiety.
There are so many exciting opportunities to take action! As Heated’s Emily Atkin states in this inspiring video,
“There are literally thousands of things that you can do to help slow the climate crisis. And if you choose to do only one thing, you are helping. Period.”
Need help getting started? This Climate Action Venn Diagram from climate scientist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a great exercise to get the juices flowing and figure out how your interests, skills, and community needs can align in order to find joy and fulfillment in climate solutions. Check out Dr. Johnson’s climate action TED Talk and this podcast episode to learn more about the venn diagram.
Climate Venn Diagram from Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
ACT
Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of climate action suggestions for the new year and beyond:
JOIN A CLIMATE ACTION COMMUNITY
Find a group that inspires you and is already taking action, and join in! When we connect in community, we are more empowered and resilient. Join one of our volunteer working groups or attend our Welcome Call on Jan. 31 (details here), find a local climate organization or club, join a virtual community (like Climate Changemakers, Climate Wayfinding, or Climate Awakening), or gather together with friends!
Climate Conversations video from Katharine Hayhoe
TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOLUTIONS
According to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, the most important thing you can do to fight climate change is to talk about it. Check out this webinar we hosted with Dr. Hayhoe about how to have effective climate conversations (and this video from Dr. Hayhoe!), or watch this short video with more climate conversation tips. (We also host climate conversation workshops, join our email list to stay in the loop on spring dates!)
MAKE A PLAN TO ELECTRIFY YOUR HOME AND TRANSPORTATION
Whether you rent or own, there are steps you can take to reduce your gas consumption and lower your energy use. Review this checklist from Yale Climate Connections, learn about weatherization with this webinar, and check out Rewiring America’s Home Electrification guide and Inflation Reduction Act savings calculator. NorthWestern Energy customers can also schedule a free energy audit here.
DECARBONIZE YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES
We learned from a recent article that “for every $1,000 dollars the average American keeps in savings, each year they indirectly create emissions equivalent to flying from New York to Seattle.” Imagine how many emissions we could avoid by divesting our savings, investments, and retirement accounts from fossil fuels! You can watch a recording of one of our Decarbonize Your Money workshops, use this tool to view social and environmental scores for investment accounts, and check on your bank’s climate change contributions.
TO DATE, MONTANA PARTICIPANTS IN OUR DECARBONIZE YOUR MONEY WORKSHOP HAVE DIVESTED OVER $10 MILLION FROM FOSSIL FUELS!
SPEAK UP TO PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES
Montana Environmental Information Center has some great resources for getting involved in public policy and advocacy - check them out here. Learn more by watching this Legislative Advocacy 101 webinar from Montana Nonprofit Center, reviewing the NRDC’s advocacy guide, and reading these climate lobbying tips from Yale Climate Communications. Additionally, here is a constituent meeting guide and a guide to writing Letters to the Editor. And, stay tuned for our announcement of the 2nd Biennial Climate Advocacy Day at the Montana State Capitol in early 2025!
ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE IN YOUR SCHOOL, WORKPLACE, CHURCH, & COMMUNITY
Speak up and take action in the communities in which you are already involved! This handy Climate Solutions at Work guide is a good place to start.
Ready to make a public commitment to climate action in 2024?
Additional climate action resources and ideas:
A Matter of Degrees Podcast: What Can I Do Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
Climate action book suggestions from Yale Climate Communications
Project Drawdown Solutions Library
Climate Action Quiz from Yale Climate Communications
