Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly newsletter that provides insight into FCNL’s environmental work, discusses opportunities to engage members of Congress on environmental issues, and shares stories of your work around the country.

This year, our climate team is joined by FCNL’s Advocacy Corps, a group of 20 young people nationwide, in working for congressional action on climate change.

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Inside the Greenhouse

Clean Power Plan: On October 9, 2017, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced he will be repealing the Clean Power Plan. This decision, coupled with the decision earlier this year to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, demonstrates shortsightedness and callous disrespect for those already experiencing the effects of climate change. Despite the lack of leadership from the White House on this issue, bipartisan support for congressional action on climate change continues to grow. This month, the Climate Solutions Caucus reached 60 members, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Many of these members were convinced to join the caucus due to the grassroots support they received from within their districts.

Climate Disasters: It was a difficult month for people across the country, with residents of Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico cleaning up after hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. In the west, California experienced the most deadly wildfires in the state’s history. Governor Jerry Brown recognized the role of climate change in the strength of these fires noting that “with a warming climate, dry weather and reducing moisture, these kinds of catastrophes have happened and will continue to happen.”

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Support the Climate Solutions Caucus

Contact your Representative

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In the face of these disasters, we must call on Congress to address the underlying causes of more severe fires, floods, and storms. We encourage you to contact your member of Congress, and ask them to join the Climate Solutions Caucus or to support climate legislation so that we can take meaningful action to protect the lives, homes, and livelihoods of Americans from further climate disasters.

This month, the young adults of FCNL’s Advocacy Corps engaged their members of Congress to ask for action on climate change. We hope you can find inspiration in their stories.

If you know of anyone who is interested in environmental issues, and how young people are affecting change at the federal level, please invite them to subscribe to this newsletter as well! Send them this link! Sign up to get Inside the Greenhouse every month.

News and Updates

• FCNL’s Diane Randall and Emily Wirzba were quoted in an interfaith opposition to the Clean Power Plan Repeal: Religious Leaders Condemn Trump Repeal
• Read about the inaugural Clean Energy Week, which brought together elected officials, energy producers, and nonprofit leaders to discuss clean energy production: National Clean Energy Week
• Despite the Clean Power Plan Repeal, states invest in clean energy: Governors Push Clean Energy Technology

There are currently 60 members of the Climate Solutions Caucus!

The Climate Solutions Caucus is the first bipartisan body of its kind. It educates representatives on economically-viable options to reduce climate risk and explores bipartisan policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate. See who’s involved.

Advocacy Corps Spotlight

In Action:

Last month, Advocacy Corps Isabella Teti was invited to an in-person meeting with Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey. Isabella has been working closely with Senator Casey’s staff to protect EPA funding in the federal budget. Because of the relationship she built with that office, a staff member tipped her off to an event happening at Pennsylvania State College for Constitution Day. Isabella brought a friend with her to the event and had the opportunity to talk with Senator Casey about why, as a Pennsylvania resident, she thought it was important to protect EPA funding.

In the News:

This month, Morgan Mack published a letter to the editor in the Richmond Pal-Item newspaper. In his letter Morgan calls out the record-breaking qualities of Hurricane Harvey, discusses how climate change strengthens hurricanes, and calls for his representative, Luke Messer to join the Climate Solutions Caucus, and to address the issue of climate change.

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