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Climate chaos is hot



This last week saw major legislative action in St. Paul and Washington regarding what we euphemistically call climate change. I believe chaos is more accurate. After all, what’s wrong with a little change.

Any way! In Washington, we saw that awesome force of nature Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez team up with the ever righteous Senator Ed Markey, from Massachusetts, to introduce a resolution in support of a Green New Deal. Although detailed language is being worked on the two said that broadly, the legislation will address issues such as job creation, emission reductions, greening infrastructure and a variety of principles that would come with a "robust" climate-change package, according to CNN.
A.O.C.

While the old time champion of nuclear arms control and the young firebrand were stirring the pot in D.C. the 100% Campaign was launching a major green initiative here in Minnesota.

Senator Nick Frentz, of North Mankato, along with co-sponsor and former gubernatorial candidate Karin Housley, introduced a bill that would move Minnesota to a standard that would require utilities to provide 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by the year 2050.

"One-hundred-percent clean energy is achievable," the sponsor of the House of Representatives companion bill Jamie Long said at a Tuesday press conferecne. Representative Long is from Minneapolis and is the Assistant Majority Leader.

It would seem that climate chaos has moved from the back to the front burner. Have we moved toward a tipping point that take us, belatedly, to substantive action.

Some numbers released by MN350.org this week suggest that we may be reaching a tipping as regards the public desire for action.  I’ll just quote wholesale from their press release:

“After doubling its base of supporters in 2018, climate advocacy group MN350 reports the growth in awareness and advocacy among Minnesotans has not slowed in the first weeks of 2019,” the release states. “Kate Jacobson, Co-Executive Director, says MN350’s database has grown to more than 20,000 Minnesotans, reflecting an unprecedented level of concern about preventing damage to our climate.”

“Meanwhile, the group’s monthly reach on Facebook has grown 51 percent since September, now reaching 111,000 people a month. Its Twitter numbers have shown comparable growth.”
Rep. Long


“MN350’s recent experience aligns with national research findings. Yale University last month reported its benchmark for concern about climate change grew nine percentage points from March to December 2018. A full 72 percent of Americans say climate change is personally  important,” the press release continues.

Could be a tipping point in the making!!

You can read the entire press release here:  http://tinyurl.com/y6ecxyu2

MN350.org is driven by volunteers. If you want to push the tipping point over the edge drop them a note a volunteer to pitch in.

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