Plug In!

Greta Thunberg recently said, “There’s a lot of talk about returning to ‘normal’ after the COVID-19 outbreak. But normal was a crisis.”

A crisis as sweeping as climate change calls for an equally sweeping response. That’s why we at Rewiring America are building a movement to confront climate -- and jumpstart our economy in the process -- through bold and concrete action. It’s time to Rewire America.

Our message is resonating: since our launch two months ago, the interest has been overwhelming. We are getting terrific press, have gone from zero to 7000 email subscribers, and have received financial support from over one thousand of you (in recurring donations averaging less than $8 per month). At least a dozen of you have had letters and articles published in your local newspapers about our work. Check out this article on Medium and guest columns in The Akron Beacon, and The Hill, for example. We love seeing you put our work into your own distinct voices.

But we can’t turn this interest into action by ourselves. We need volunteers...we need YOU! Please join our movement: volunteer, donate, and spread the word. We need businesspeople, engineers, graphic designers, developers, and citizens everywhere to be amplifying our shared vision for Rewiring America. Write a letter to the editor, or to your state legislator or city council member, and then share that writing with us. And don’t forget to forward this newsletter on to your friends, family and co-workers – anyone who you think should get involved. Plug in to Rewiring America by emailing us at hello@rewiringamerica.org.

For this week’s newsletter, we have asked one of our volunteers, Rebecca Federman, to talk about why she’s donating her time to help build our movement:

Why is climate change an important issue to you?

My mom is a lifelong climate activist – she once took a 28-hour round trip bus ride to attend a climate march in New York – and my dad is a scientist, so I’ve been hearing about climate change my whole life.

I’m volunteering because frankly this planet is all we have. If we continue on our current path towards irreversible damage, that’s not a future I look forward to. But we DO have ways to help combat global warming and come out the other side better for it. Rewiring America is a perfect example of that.

What drew you to RA's approach to confronting climate change?

The practicality of the whole thing. RA’s mission to electrify everything doesn’t start from lofty policy objectives that may or may not advance real progress on the ground. Instead they are looking at real solutions based on the technological capabilities we already have…and have come up with a roadmap to feasibly guide policy, implementation, and progress. And the benefits to Americans are tangible and data driven – money back in households’ pockets and millions of jobs created. It’s hard not to get behind that!

What do you do for RA?

My title is Policy and Communications Advisor. I was lucky to join RA at an early stage, so I’ve been able to wear a few hats. On the policy end, I look into existing and proposed climate research and policies to better understand the landscape and hone in on where our ideas are unique, areas for potential partnership, and additional challenges we should think through. On the Comms side, I help with our publications and run RA’s social media accounts (Follow @rewiringamerica on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook!).

Not only have I learned a tremendous amount since coming on board, but I feel fulfilled knowing I’m working to help make the planet and America thrive, and in an equitable way. The RA leadership are among the best and brightest in the climate space and learning from them and working alongside them gives me hope that real change is possible and universally beneficial.

What are some ways other people could be involved?

Well first off – If you’re reading this and want to get involved with Rewiring America, email hello@rewiringamerica.org. We are building out the volunteer corps as we speak.

Aside from that, remain abreast of the climate issues nationally and in your area. Engage with local leaders to make sure decisions are made with the climate in mind. Keep up with climate news and legislation. And invest in sustainable and electric goods…not only are they better for you, but they last longer, save you money in the long run, and help our planet – the only one we have.