|
🎉The Clean Energy Plan has made Earth Day even more special 🎉 Indivisibles,
In honor of Earth Day today, we’re thinking about what’s possible when a core group of elected leaders answer our call to take on the climate crisis and fight Big Oil and Big Pharma -- and deliver what our families need to thrive, like the freedom to power our communities with clean energy, create good-paying union jobs, and lower our healthcare costs.
Just last year, the Biden administration passed a monumental plan to create a healthier, brighter future for us all: the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA. This historic legislation creates millions of jobs, reliable renewable energy, and a tax break for anyone who buys energy efficient appliances -- AND it puts in place new ways to finally hold big corporations accountable by requiring them to pay their fair share of taxes.
You may have heard about it in the news recently as it’s come under attack by some in Congress who want to politicize it, but the truth is that this clean energy plan benefits us all. There are also big risks of standing on the sidelines and letting the IRA be defined by its critiques. We can’t let Big Oil and Big Pharma use divide-and-conquer politics that claim the IRA is just for some people (with a lot of racist overtones and dog whistles). We can’t allow disinformation about government spending and clean energy to drown out the facts. And beyond these attacks, there’s also a risk that this transformative legislation simply doesn’t penetrate public awareness and get the attention it deserves.
This incredible plan cannot be politicized or drowned out -- it should be celebrated! 🥳 That’s why we’re launching Powering Progress, a first-of-its-kind campaign at Indivisible. This campaign is critical because we have an opportunity to shape folks' understanding of the federal government. Representative democracy depends on people of all backgrounds understanding the connection between massive legislation like the IRA and how it directly benefits them. There is power in helping to define this legislation because it can lead to increased support for an active and inclusive government. (We also know terms like “Inflation Reduction Act” are preeeetty wonky, even for us. For our campaign, we’re going to follow the lead of smart messaging experts like Climate Power and call it the Clean Energy Plan, but you’ll see us use both names for now!)
So, if you’re still wondering what all the buzz is about, we’ve highlighted some of the notable aspects from the IRA that we feel are worth celebrating:
👷 142,000 new clean energy jobs for electricians, mechanics, construction workers, and technicians -- thanks to 191 clean energy projects in 41 states.
💰 Households can potentially receive thousands of dollars in tax credits to cover energy efficient improvements, like purchasing energy-saving windows and doors and efficient heating and cooling equipment. Find out how much you can save with Rewiring America’s IRA Calculator.
🇺🇲 The IRA will help the US gain reliable energy, created right here. By generating our own renewable energy domestically, we will stabilize the energy market and increase affordability.
⚡ As we face more extreme weather events every year, modernizing and weatherizing the electrical grid is one of the biggest projects we’re addressing. In order to meet the energy demands of today, we have to update our electrical grid. These grid improvements will help deliver more electricity from clean energy sources and be more reliable during hurricanes, floods, and snowstorms.
🚧 Companies are already breaking ground on new projects that will bring clean energy and jobs to communities across the country -- solar and wind projects, battery factories (aka gigafactories), and electric vehicle manufacturing plants. In practice, that looks like 3,500 new jobs already coming to Georgia thanks to a gigafactory and 3,400 good-paying, union construction jobs in Nevada to build a battery materials campus.
These are just a few of the incredible impacts from this plan -- and we’ve taken on the task of getting the word out to as many Americans as possible. Powering Progress will promote the real-life benefits of using Clean Energy Plan funds, putting money directly into people’s pockets and jobs into communities. And we’ll push back against the powerful opposition groups attempting to move public opinion to support local policies to block building clean energy alternatives.
We’ve already launched a pilot cohort of 10 Indivisible groups who are hitting the ground running through canvassing and planning public celebration events which will uplift the Clean Energy Plan. Indivisibles in Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Nevada are planning creative strategies to get the word out -- from tabling and flyering at Earth Day events, to organizing townhalls with their member of Congress, to launching a communications campaign through highly-visible media and postcards in their community.
Ready to join the celebration? Here’s how you can take part in Powering Progress:
While there’s still much more we must do to save our planet, we must also recognize and protect the progress we make in this fight. When we organize to demand action on the issues we care about, and when we push our electeds to pass solutions that are as big as the problems we face, we can create a healthier, greener, more just future for us all.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team 
|
