Climate Weekend

Several events are coming up this weekend and in the days and weeks following to let you take immediate climate action. Please do one or more.

Sunday, September 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Copeland Park, learn about your future ELECTRIC ride - car and/or bike and/or bus - from people who have electric cars and bikes. Learn about the many benefits of e- vehicles and how they can actually help you save money. Ask Me About My EV: tinyurl.com/DriveEVLaX

Sunday, September 26 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Emerson Elementary School on Campbell Road, it's the first annual SOLS supporters meeting. Bring your own picnic (only dessert treats will be supplied) and learn about this community group working to put solar on our public schools right here and right now. Solar On La Crosse Schools Annual Supporters Meeting: tinyurl.com/SOLSPicnic

Now through October 4 Sign up for Western Technical College's Drawdown Challenge. This is your chance to pledge and DO things that will help decrease carbon emissions. The sign up will end on October 4 and the challenge actions will happen from October 4 through 23. Actions include everything from researching more climate- friendly options for your family, to trying different ways of shopping, eating, transporting, cooking, and living, to going beyond your family to push for bigger, more meaningful changes in our community and our country.

On September 23, 28, and 30, join a Sierra Club ACTION NIGHT to Build Back Better. At these virtual action events, "we’ll be doing things like posting on social media to pressure our Members of Congress, making window signs, and reaching out to friends and family -- or for a phone bank to call Sierra Club supporters in Arizona and West Virginia to ask them to call Senators Manchin and Sinema, who are two of the key votes needed to secure these wins."

On October 12 from noon to 1 p.m., the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are hosting an online lunch and learn program: Global and Local Climate Action. (Registration available soon.)

If you haven't yet completed the city and county surveys to let them know how you would like them to use American Recovery Program Act funds, please do. City surveys are here. And County information and link to the survey is here. 

Using this money to improve energy efficiency, especially in the city's rental housing stock and, possibly, in new public housing, can reduce our carbon emissions, reduce energy bills for families, and improve health. Using ARPA funds to improve our public transportation system, so people would not feel the need to own a car, will reduce carbon emissions, improve access to jobs and services, and improve public health. Using ARPA funds to and support neighborhood services, like child care and necessities, near where people live and work, will reduce transportation emissions, give people more time for family, and reduce congestion. Our community is not a bunch of disconnected blobs - jobs, health, transportation, school, etc., but is a system of interconnected systems. Improve one and you can improve many. Ignore one and it causes problems in others. 

Please use this opportunity to take one or more actions now and pledge to increase your commitment through the end of the year if you can.