“Creative power can pull down mountains of evil and level hilltops of injustice”-MLK, Jr. 

Learn:

Everyone benefits when we take climate action, which are actions that decrease greenhouse gas emissions. We all breathe cleaner air, you save money, and you help improve the lives of those around you. So when you think about weatherizing your home or buying an electric car, think about how you are leveling the hilltops of injustice!! Why?

• Higher income households have higher carbon footprints and lower income households spend a higher proportion of their income on their energy bills (this concept is termed energy inequity). Lower income households are therefore more affected by extreme weather, even though they did less to contribute to the problem.

• Climate action helps stop injustice to children. 

A child born in 2020 is up to 7 times as likely to experience a severe weather event than one born in 1960. 

• Climate action can help the historically marginalized.

Redlining, historical racist policies that previously disinvested in communities of color, also limited resources for green spaces and infrastructure. These areas now tend to be hotter than others and are more affected by extreme weather events.

• Climate action helps to stop injustice to the global poor.

The global poor will bear much of the brunt of severe weather even though they emit less emissions than richer countries. 

Act:

• Sign up for a home energy assessment (energy audit). 

• Donating LED bulbs for an emory student-led group. They teach middle school students about energy efficiency and then provide them kits to help them in their own homes! Donate bulbs at the Decatur Recreation Center.
• Take Decatur's Clean Energy Plan Survey here to give them feedback for how important climate is to you and your family!

Advocate..Choose One!

• Encourage the EPA to limit methane (a potent greenhouse gas).
• Comment on emission standards for vehicles. 
• Support and thank our DeKalb County commissioners. They set some strong goals for 100% renewables for DeKalb County community-wide electricity by 2045. 

-Just send them a one sentence line to say that you support these efforts and would like to see continued action to decrease carbon emissions. Email them at BOCinfo@dekalbcountyga.gov.

Upcoming Events: 

• City of Decatur clean energy roundtables are also coming up! Make your voice heard! Click on the links below to sign up. 
  • Decatur Clean Energy Roundtable 2: Clean Energy and  Economy,  January 19th, 6-7:30 PM. 
  • Decatur Clean Energy Roundtable 3: The Built Environment, February 24, 6-7:30

For more information, visit the Clean Energy Decatur website.