Category News

Once Upon a Time

Photo of a typewriter with a sheet of paper with text that reads "Once upon a time."

We are storytellers. Humanity has told stories for as long as we’ve been social creatures. It’s how we make sense of the world. It’s how we share information and knowledge...

My Pink Bike

Photo of a pink bicycle

I’m joining you as the new Communities Program Director with ecoAmerica. I thought I would use this first blog post to introduce myself by way of a climate advocacy issue that is near and dear to my heart...

Stop the Bite, Start the Fight

At the first sign of mosquito bites, it is common for people to run to Walmart for repellent. A few sprays later and the problem is over, right? This mentality has led droves of North Carolinians to stock up on mosquito spray, more than ever before. Globally, sales of mosquito repellent have grown consistently for many years. While this in itself may be seen as a problem since it promotes the creation and distribution of harmful chemicals, it is actually the result of a larger issue: the growth of mosquito season.

New Let’s Talk Climate Episode: “You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action”

In the latest episode of a three part series, "You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action", ecoAmerica features Nancy Metzger-Carter. Nancy is Sonoma Academy’s Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator, STEM teacher, and the Schools for Climate Action campaign leader. She discusses Schools for Climate Action’s latest resolution (H. Res 975) on the mental health impacts of climate related disasters on today’s youth. Sonoma Academy students have first hand experience with living through harrowing wildfire disasters and the grief surrounding these traumatic climate related events. 

The Relationship Between Climate and Justice

We are watching the impacts of climate change unfold outside of our very windows. It is undeniable that the climate crisis is a threat to everyone’s physical and mental health, air, water, food, and shelter. Yet, some socially and economically…

How to Tackle Climate With Better Food Systems

Join us for ecoAmerica’s Webcast Series: LET’S TALK CLIMATE Join us for the series, “Let’s Talk Climate.” ecoAmerica is hosting fast-paced discussions with leaders in climate change on a wide range of topics. The latest special episode, How to Tackle…

Good Food Cities

Communities are beginning to recognize that supporting our food systems – such as organic farming, food loss reduction, and plant-based diets – can help mitigate climate change.  Read on to discover what they are doing and how cities are taking…

Yes, We Can!

Yes, We Can! The IPCC’s most recent report on climate change is a call to action that we can’t ignore. The report consists of nearly 4,000 pages of detailed information on climate change, most of which is unsettling. Reading it…

Greening Our Faith Communities Summit

Guest blog by NC Climate Ambassador, Rev. Amy Brooks  It is amazing that all faith traditions teach some version of this truth: that the earth is a sacred gift and that humanity is expected to take care of this gift.…

Earth Day Wisdom

Happy Earth Day! In honor of the wisdom of all community members, I am sharing some great comments that came through my social media feed today.  I believe we are stronger together, and each of us has the ability to…

Climate Solutions Benefit Us All

This is a guest blog from Climate Ambassador Ed Maxwell, written in response to an op ed printed in the Port Charlotte Sun entitled “Let’s Call the Climate Change Bluff” As a Southwest Florida resident and business owner who is…

Power to the People: Climate Ambassadors

In order to move more communities to climate action, citizens have been showing up (virtually at this time) at their city council and state legislature meetings. Around the country, cities have been putting climate solutions on the ballot in response…

Climate Voters: What’s Next

Like many people in America, I woke up today to the reality that we do not have a decisive presidential outcome from yesterday’s election. This was not unexpected; many predicted this, and many messages in social and other media revolved…

Utah Signs Climate and Clean Air Compact

Our Path to Positive Partner, Utah Clean Energy, had exciting news this week – the signing of a new Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact. Progressive and conservative state and local leaders signed this compact in a virtual ceremony in…

Environmental Justice is Racial Justice

Environmental Justice is Racial Justice

Guest blog by Climate Ambassador Nakisa Glover, of SolNation: Environmental Justice is Racial Justice and there is an extensive history of environmental racism connecting the two. The most impacted people have always been marginalized. This month we explore the connection…

The Fierce Optimism of Now

The past months of crisis have brought forward many wrenching, heartbreaking stories about the challenges that people of color in the United States face every day. The need for structural reforms in our systems, from criminal justice to housing to…

Women Are Leading on Climate Action

Celebrating Mother’s Day this week gave me pause to think about all the women and mothers who have been leading. During this time of COVID-19, we have seen women on the frontlines of the health emergency, as doctors and nurses,…

Comparing Lessons Learned

Happy Earth Day! Yes, we can still talk about caring for our planet in the midst of a pandemic. In fact, there are lessons to learn from effective preparation and resilience, both for climate impacts and for pandemics. The success…

Celebrating Earth Day in the time of COVID-19

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day – April 22, 2020 –  and many global events to celebrate this milestone have been cancelled.  Communities are wondering whether it is even appropriate to celebrate or acknowledge this yearly event,…

Celebrating Earth Day in the time of COVID-19

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day – April 22, 2020 –  and many global events to celebrate this milestone have been cancelled.  Communities are wondering whether it is even appropriate to celebrate or acknowledge this yearly event,…

Community Resilience and COVID-19

This week everyone’s attention is focused on COVID-19 and the spread of this particular coronavirus.  Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones; to those who are sick and in isolation; to the healthcare workers who continue…

Bringing Climate Into Our Conversations

I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture at Davidson College by renowned climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe.  These days I speak about climate a lot, and when it comes to the actual science I always preface my remarks, “I…

Join us at the American Climate Leadership Summit 2020

At the American Climate Leadership Summit 2019, you gained insights and inspiration from America’s foremost visionaries and industry experts, and collaborated with your peers on strategies to transform climate action into a true national priority.     The American Climate Leadership…

Climate Ambition for 2020

The year 2019 is drawing to a close. Delegates from around the world are gathering in Madrid for the COP 25 talks. In his address to the attendees, UN Secretary General Guterres spoke about the failure of many countries to…

Holiday Travel and Offsets

Guest blog from our Path to Positive partner in L.A., Jonathan Parfrey, with Climate Resolve: In September, Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, sailed across the Atlantic to attend the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. She didn’t take…

A Time to Give Thanks

It is a month of Thanksgiving. In the realm of climate action, that means we need to acknowledge that a number of America’s cities are doing great work in stepping up to the plate on climate action.  We are thankful…

Surprising Successes in Utah

Last month, youth and community leaders from all over the world met in Salt Lake City to convene on Building Inclusive and Sustainable Cities and to agree on a resolution for UN member states to use as guidance to their…

Youth Engagement with CivicSpark

CivicSpark is a California Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program, administered by ecoAmerica partner LGC (Local Government Commission), dedicated to building capacity for local governments to address community resilience issues such as climate change, water resource management, housing, and mobility. Community input…

Driving an EV Long Distance is Easy!

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of conversation about the ups and downs of electric vehicles.  I have had a Tesla Model 3 for about 2 months, and it has been nice to be able to avoid inhaling…

Turning Climate Panic Into Progress: Your Talking Points

      If Americans are hearing anything about climate change, it is likely the bad news. Our planet and its oceans are warming faster than predicted, causing billion-dollar weather disasters, a myriad of health impacts, climate refugees and more, with little time to…