On this week's edition of Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, raises the blinds and sits down for a chat with Erin Bridges, an inspiring local organizer with the youth-led Sunrise Movement. Sunrise launched just over a year ago to build a youth army to stop climate change and put millions of Americans to work. This summer, they launched a program called Sunrise Semester where over 75 young people worked full-time in the lead-up to the midterms to elect politicians who will stand up for the health and well-being of our communities. They opened "movement houses" in 5 key electoral states to make this happen.
After the election, Sunrise has not backed down. Young people worked tirelessly to give Democrats the House, yet leaders like Nancy Pelosi said they wouldn't make climate change a priority until 2021. With the recent UN Climate Report telling us we have 12 years to decarbonize our economy and overhaul our society, that would be unconscionable. That's why a week after the election, Sunrise brought over 200 young people to Washington to sit-in at Nancy Pelosi's office and demand she sign on to Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Resolution for a Green New Deal. Their next action at the Capitol in DC will be Dec. 10th. If you are interested in attending or supporting, please contact erin@sunrisemovement.org
Learn more about the Sunrise Movement and get involved at https://www.sunrisemovement.org/
A great article that touches on Sunrise's strategy is at: https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/11/14/18094452/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-nancy-pelosi-protest-climate-change-2020
As always, our interview is followed by an up-to-date community calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action to make sustainability happen NOW!
Sustainability Now! airs on FORward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at http://forwardradio.org
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The music in this podcast is used by permission from the fantastic Louisville band, Appalatin. Explore their inspiring music at https://www.appalatin.com