We’re almost there, but don’t exhale yet! On August 28, the California assembly passed SB100—with the bold but achievable goal of powering California with 100% clean, carbon-free electricity by 2045. Keep up the momentum–Governor Jerry Brown still needs to sign the bill. This is politics and anything can happen. Stranger things have happened.
From September 12th to 14th, Governor Jerry Brown will convene the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. If the nation won’t, California will. The summit will bring together leaders of all stripes: elected, appointed, and self-defined leaders from around the world. It is intended to be a launchpad for “worldwide commitments and accelerated action from countries—supported by all sectors of society—that can put the globe on track to prevent dangerous climate change and realize the historic Paris Agreement.”
Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland and Maeve Higgins, an Irish comic based in New York City have a brand-new podcast called Mothers of Invention (it was Mary’s idea, even though she didn’t know what a podcast was. Can I call her “Mary”? Somehow it doesn’t seem right…okay fine–“President Robinson”). They are talking to amazing women all over the world who are driving solutions for climate change.
I call myself a ‘climate change warrior.’ I’ve been talking about and taking action around climate change for the past eight years. I know more about the science of climate change, am more familiar with dire predictions and have had more climate conversations with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle than many people—but in the end, I had nothing to say to my friend.
A friend of mine came up to me after one of the shows: “I had no idea Sarah struggled so much. She’s always so full of life, so animated,” she said. “I’ve been going through a hard time, but I don’t talk about it. I can’t talk about it. But when Sarah so boldly told her truth, something opened up for me. Tell her thank you,” she said. She was crying.
