In the lead up to President Obama’s speech last week, White House energy advisor Heather Zichal was quoted as saying that President Obama views addressing climate change as a “legacy issue” for his Administration. Based on the address he gave last Tuesday, it’s clear he thinks the response to this issue will define not only his Administration, but the direction in which our entire country is headed. Obama essentially argues that few things could be more important to our collective life, liberty and pursuit of happiness than ensuring that our planet is healthy for the coming generations.
Affecting everything from our health today to our economic viability in the economy of the future, Obama argued that it’s critical that America acts to not only participate in but to lead the way in the world’s response to global climate change. Citing countries such as China and Germany who are “going all in in the race for clean energy,” the President argued that a “low-carbon, clean energy economy can be an engine of growth for decades to come…I want America to build that future-right here in the United States of America.”
Indeed, Americans do have the smarts and the determination to find a solution to the climate problem that does not compromise our economy. Last week, President Obama asked us to stand up and prove it, and to meet this challenge head on; already Americans across the country are organizing to do just that.
Part of this citizen engagement will be driven by the nonprofit group Organizing for Action (OFA), which works to support the President’s policy agenda, including his proposed plan of action on climate change. Though the group’s action on climate change has mostly been low key – asking only that supporters ‘call out’ elected officials who deny the science behind climate change – their efforts are ramping up in response to the President’s recent announcement.
Now that a new climate action plan has been unveiled, OFA is rallying Americans to take part in actions that they hope will generate a groundswell of support for the proposed changes. As the first phase of what’s sure to be a concerted effort to elevate climate change in the national conversation, OFA is asking supporters of the President’s plan to take four steps to declare their support for reform:
- Spread the word by sharing Obama’s vision with family and friends.
- Call out elected officials who deny climate science.
- Help our communities transition to clean energy.
- Host a house party to gather local supporters together and plan for action.
Expect to see more local events and actions crop up in the weeks to come as OFA ramps up efforts. A national Climate Action Bus Tour kicks off in the Southeast on Thursday, July 11 in Tennessee and will make stops in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana before heading to the rest of the country. Check our upcoming events page for more details to attend a climate bus tour rally near you. Then be sure to sign up for our own Action Alerts so you can find out ways to support what SACE is doing on the ground in the Southeast. And if you spend some time with family and friends this holiday weekend, don’t be shy about starting a conversation about the importance of clean, independent energy for our nation’s future. After all, what else is the 4th of July about? Well, except fireworks…