Making a dent

This has been a discouraging week for me, politically. Between Senator Murkowski's suggested amendment, yesterday's Supreme Court ruling, and a "thanks for writing" email from Focus on the Family with a link to this position statement,

http://www.family.org/sharedassets/correspondence/pdfs/PublicPolicy/Position_Statement-Response_to_the_Global_Warming_Debate.pdf.

it is easy to imagine that environmental reform in this country is on an almost vertically-tilted playing field. Still, I have been making positive changes where I can, and I feel some of these efforts may yet yield fruit.

The Orange County Register is "definitely considering" my letter to the editor explaining the scientific consensus on climate harms. The readership of this right-wing rag has major influence over the national Republican party. I won't sway anyone's political view on cap and trade, but that wasn't the point of this letter. I'm just hoping some high-hitting Republicans will read this and feel inspired to learn more about the science, instead of dismissing it it as "unsettled" or a "UN power grab". If I dampened the "scientific consensus is a liberal lie" drumbeat even for a moment, I will count it as a major personal victory.

Coast Hills Community Church is now "considering" issuing a statement on global warming. I doubt very much that they will go through with it, but they humored me while I was here, and I think they will at least bring it up at their Board of Elders meeting. If Coast Hills takes on climate change, it's likely that other mega-churches in the area (Mariners, Saddleback) with which they have close working relationships might also address climate change. This could be the best way to win over Rick Warren, and through him, much of the religious right. I tried the direct route but didn't make it through his Chief of Staff. This indirect approach may fare better.

I talked with a lady from NRDC two months ago and pointed out some of the health harms of synthetic fragrances. Yesterday in my email was an NRDC "This Green Life" bulletin about the health harms of synthetic fragrances. Because of the new focus by a top-notch lobby, and the small number of interested parties on this issue, it's now possible that Toxic Substances Control Act reform will include provisions addressing fragrance labeling problems. This would make life so much easier as an environmental health researcher!

The new pro-environment political alliances I've been imagining might actually come into being. I got an excited response on the phone from World Wildlife Fund climate campaign coordinators about seeking help from AARP and the NRA. Emily is taking my bundle of suggested partnerships and presenting them to the Alliance for Climate Protection at their big meeting today. I don't know how well my ideas will stick, but am excited to have started things moving.

I understand that nothing is guaranteed to come from my efforts, but it is satisfying to feel like I'm doing what I can.