Local Climate Heroes with Project Drawdown

There are climate heroes everywhere among us, but few get the public attention they deserve. Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, has been shining a light on the work of such people in cities across the country in his documentary short series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.”

In Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and more, Scott lifts up underrepresented voices of those working directly in their communities on climate issues. This week, we feature some of those voices.

Matt Scott

Director of Storytelling & Engagement, Project Drawdown

Grace Anderson

Founder, The Lupine Collaborative

Ashia Ajani

Storyteller, Climate Justice Educator, Mycelium Youth Network

Cheaper, Faster, Better: Tom Steyer on Winning the Climate War 
August 27, 2024 | 6:00 p.m.
Most people know of Tom Steyer as the billionaire investor and climate organizer who ran for president in the 2020 election on a climate platform. While he didn’t win, his dedication to supporting and advancing climate solutions has remained steadfast.

In his new book, “Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War,” Steyer argues that we are in a defining moment: We face the daunting, existential threat of climate change. And yet, with this great challenge comes a great opportunity for innovation, global leadership and economic growth.

Join us for a lively conversation about the market’s role in solving the climate crisis. Can capitalism really save us?

Jane Goodall: Celebrating 90
September 16, 2024 | 6:00 p.m.
Environmental icon Jane Goodall returns to Climate One in person to reflect back on her life’s work and offer a look forward to how we can heal our relationship with nature by better understanding ourselves. The indefatigable Goodall is now focused on three intertwined crises: biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental inequity.

Dr. Goodall will be in conversation with Climate One Founder Greg Dalton and Rhett Butler, founder of Mongabay, a nonprofit media organization that delivers news and inspiration from nature's frontline via a network of more than 900 journalists in about 80 countries. Mongabay covers forests, wildlife, oceans, and other conservation topics in six languages and is celebrating its 25th birthday this year.

Join us for an inspiring evening at the Sydney Goldstein Theater on the harsh truths facing all life on Earth and a bright yet narrow path forward.

Justin Pearson: No Justice Without Climate Justice
September 18, 2024 | 6:00 p.m.
On March 27, 2023, six people were gunned down in a mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. The horrific event led Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson and two colleagues to protest for common sense gun legislation on the Tennessee House floor. House Republicans retaliated by expelling Pearson and his colleague Justin Jones. Pearson ran and won back his seat with 94% of the vote.

Pearson became a national voice for common sense gun regulation. He is also a strong advocate for climate and environmental justice, having worked to defeat a multi-billion dollar crude oil pipeline that could have poisoned Memphis drinking water and taken land from South Memphis residents. The Sierra Club recognized him as the 2023 National Changemaker of the Year.

Join us for a conversation with a rising voice for environmental justice.

Residents of nearly every state in the United States are under excessive heat alerts as temperatures climb over triple digits in locations as disparate as Idaho and New Jersey. Already at least 28 people have died directly as a result of extreme heat. Similarly brutal heat waves have impacted nations around the world throughout 2024, with scientists concluding that human-caused climate change has increased the rate at which such dire hot spells occur.

Heat also compounds the danger of other natural disasters, like wildfires and hurricanes, that are exacerbated by human emissions. For example, in Houston, 1 million people have been left without power by Hurricane Beryl, suffering through dangerous heat without access to refrigeration or air conditioning. Rising sea temperatures — another consequence of climate change — helped Beryl intensify into the earliest Category 5 storm in Atlantic history.

Last week, President Biden announced his administration’s intentions to create the first-ever national heat threshold, requiring employers to protect workers if temperatures rise above 80 degrees. As there is currently no federal excessive heat standard, state and local governments cannot access federal emergency funds to respond to heat waves and at least 986 workers died due to excessive heat from 1992-2022. At present, just five states have their own heat regulations for workplaces, and Republican governments in states like Texas and Florida have explicitly prohibited local governments from implementing their own heat standards. 

PLUS:

In 2021, Google made waves when it announced that the company would go net-zero by 2030. Just three years later, the corporation is again turning heads — for the wrong reasons. An emissions reductions progress report issued by Google shows that its emissions have increased by 48% since 2019, with the company attributing the bulk of its new emissions to its work with artificial intelligence.

While the technical progress of generative software like ChatGPT and Midjourney has been astounding, so too has the amount of electrical use required by these new tools. With Silicon Valley’s push into AI showing no signs of slowing, Climate One spoke with four industry experts to better understand the climate risks posed by the sector. Their informative conversation is now available on all major podcast platforms.

Source: Smart Growth America/NHTSA

Do you work outside, in a kitchen, in a warehouse, or at other place where you’re feeling the heat? How have rising temperatures impacted the way you work? We want to hear your story. 

Please send us an email at climateone@climateone.org or leave us a voicemail at ‪(650) 382-3869‬ and let us know how climate change is affecting you on the job. We may use it in an upcoming episode. Thanks for sharing!

Is there an outstanding climate communicator in your life? Nominations are now open for Climate One’s annual Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Anyone can submit a name for consideration, regardless of whether you personally work in the climate field.

Past winners include Katharine Hayhoe, Robert Bullard, Ben Santer and Naomi Oreskes. Complete criteria for the award is available on our website, and you can also reply to this email with any questions. Submissions are open now through July 31.