Can you believe it? It's 2022! This is our first
O2 Punchlist of the year, and you can look forward to them the first Thursday of each month. This newsletter gives us an opportunity to keep you in the know with both our work and our community. None of this would be possible without your support, so we want to give you the inside scoop every month.
Wish we may and wish we might, but is that really just wishful thinking? Are we truly healthy when Utahns are losing two years off their lives on average due to air pollution? Are we truly wealthy when Utah is losing out on $2 million in direct and indirect costs due to air pollution?
We have a New Year's resolution to pass Prosperity 2030—for our health, wealth and happiness.
In case you haven't heard of Prosperity 2030, let us fill you in. Prosperity 2030 is the landmark air quality legislation we introduced with GOP Sponsor Senator Kirk Cullimore last year. This is a first-of-its-kind, Utah-unique plan to tackle the air quality crisis, aiming to cut emissions along the Wasatch Front in half by 2030. The legislative session is nearing, and next two months are imperative to Prosperity 2030's passing.
We'll cover more later, but before we fully dive into 2022, let's reminisce on 2021.
2021 was a special year for us. Thanks to the generosity and support of people like you, we are positioned perfectly to tackle the year ahead. We quadrupled our overall number of donors, grew our volunteer base by 120%, supported 27 candidates in 14 different cities, and gained more support for our mission than we could have ever imagined. Here are some highlights:
"Making the choice to volunteer with o2 Utah was easy because of my shared love for the environment and politics. They have helped me get involved with different aspects of environmental policy and everyone at o2 Utah has been so great. I'm so glad I get to help them out!"
— Gillian Chapman
"As a family, we decided we couldn't wait any longer to do something about climate change. We love Utah too much to let it keep getting polluted. We care too much about our health and our children's health to keep breathing unhealthy air. We believe in the cause of o2 Utah and we want to help get people elected that will make strides toward cleaning up Utah's air."
— Sarah & Robbie Stone
"I am completely and utterly grateful for o2 and it's staff. Everyone was a joy to work with and the care and dedication my campaign received was above and beyond. They were and are helpful, insightful, diligent, dedicated and most of all they made an extraordinary difference in my race. Thank you o2!"
— Angel Vice, former candidate for Millcreek City Council
"o2 Utah is a SOLID group of individuals. If you are looking for any form of campaign assistance, this should be near the top of your list as far as reaching out to groups entails. I trust them, and would recommend working with o2 Utah on any campaign or environmental issue. The entire staff is top notch, and they do exceptionally high quality work."
— Sandy City Councilmember Zach Robinson
To our municipal candidates, donors, volunteers and supporters—THANK YOU. For a more in depth look at our 2021 impact, visit our website:
We are dedicated to continuing this work. A large part of this is accomplished through fundraising, and right now we are in the market for a dedicated and experienced Development Director! This individual would be responsible for the organization's financial health and its ability to pursue the mission of acting on environmental issues in the state through electoral involvement. If this sounds like you or someone you know, click below to learn more about the position and apply.
For those of you who are new here, we do a biweekly interview series/podcast called O2 & You! Our Executive Director and host, David Garbett, meets with voices from both environmental and political spaces. We've had on some pretty incredible guests over this past year, and we invite you to get caught up! Each episode is presented as a Facebook Live event, but if you're unable to join you can access all episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
JANUARY GUESTS
1/5 | O2 & You! feat. Chris Parker, the Founder & CEO of Giv Group. Chris is a signatory of Prosperity 2030. Zero-emissions buildings? Giv Group is leading the way. Listen to find out why and learn more about what the future looks like with Prosperity 2030 on the horizon.
1/19 | O2 & You! feat. Eliza Cowie, o2 Utah's Policy Director and newest team member! Together, they will give a crash course on the upcoming legislative session and discuss ways you can get involved as we work to pass Prosperity 2030!
LAST MONTH GUEST RECAP
For the grand finale of 2021, we put a different spin on things, resulting in some pretty legendary O2 & You! episodes. If you weren't able to tune in, here's what you missed:
12/8 | O2 & You! The Emi-sode. In this extra special father-daughter interview, David and Emi have an open discussion on air quality, bringing you the unique perspective of a little Utahn.
12/14 | O2 & You! feat. the o2 Utah Team. With all of the staffing changes that took place, we went ahead and got the whole gang together for a year-end wrap up. Get to know our incredible staff as we reminisce on the past year and look forward to the next.
Each month, you're invited to come hang with the the o2 Utah team! Although times are changing and we want to stay safe, engaging and getting to know all of you better is still a top priority. So this month, we're going virtual!
This is your VIP invite to an o2 Utah Exclusive Strategy Meeting!
As a committed friend of o2 Utah, we want you join us for a happy hour as we strategize for the upcoming legislative session on Thursday, Jan. 13th from 6-7 p.m. We are missing our Sip & Color Socials, so feel free to enjoy a beverage with us as we plan for success in the coming months, answer your questions, and hear the influential story of a surprise guest speaker.
Be sure to RSVP! Once you do, we'll send you any and all additional details.
It's important you get to know our incredible supporters. This month, we're spotlighting Logan Christian. Logan is a dedicated super-volunteer who has stepped up to help with candidates, GOTV efforts, Prosperity 2030, and more!
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"Volunteering for o2 Utah this past year was a blast! Not only does o2 work at a truly grassroots level, but they also have a rockin' team of dedicated staff who were fun to get to know and work alongside. I'm excited for another year helping put the power back in the hands of everyday people who want a clean and prosperous environment for all.”
We are so lucky to have Logan in our corner!
We're enacting change with bold environmental policy. Each month, we want to keep you updated on our policy development: what we're focussing on, facts to help connect the dots, and progress on o2 Utah policy.
The legislative session is upon us—and we can't wait! There are only two weeks until we enter what are the most critical 45 days for Prosperity 2030. Want to learn more about the legislative session, how it works, and how you can make the greatest impact during this time? On January 19th our Policy Director, Eliza Cowie, will explain everything on a special episode of O2 & You!
Leading up to this, it is crucial legislators know what's important to you. The best way to take action right now is to reach out, tell them you care about air quality, and encourage them to support Prosperity 2030!
You can find your legislators here and reach out however you feel most comfortable. Just remember—nothing beats a phone call!
We can't wait to bring you along with us through the session and we thank you in advance for helping us tackle the air quality crisis up on Capitol Hill!
We spent last year working with cities and numerous partners throughout the state on renewable energy with H.B. 411. Now is the time to ensure those who committed follow through on going clean. If you live in the following cities, it's time to hold your city council members accountable to the promises they made:
- Bluffdale
- Coaliville
- Emigration Canyon
- Kamas
- Oakley
- Orem
- West Jordan
- West Valley
Action toolkits will be available soon and we will be sure to keep you updated along the way! Learn more with Utah 100 Communities.
If your last two years were anything like ours, you blew through just about every show, book, podcast, and playlist—leaving you searching for something new. Worry not, we've got you! Every month, you can look forward to recommendations for listening, watching, and reading from our team.
WHAT DAVID IS WATCHING
Movie | "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
"The best movie on climate change yet. Consider this the unanimous staff rec."
WHAT ELIZA IS WATCHING
Movie | "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
"This film is a perfect tie in to why we need to take action this legislative session on providing better air quality and ensuring a tangible future for Utahn's."
WHAT MARCUS IS WATCHING
Movie | "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
“A great adaptation of how our politicians, business leaders, and media turn a blind eye to climate change in the face of a disaster."
WHAT TRAVIS IS WATCHING
Movie | "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
Series | "Dexter, New Blood"
"My first recommendation is 'Don't Look Up,' as well. It's a good one. But here's another! One of my favorite binge shows had one of the worst series finales of all time and has come back to correct it's mistake and it's so so good!"
WHAT BELLA IS LISTENING TO & WATCHING
Artist | Jorja Smith
Movie | "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
"The final weeks of 2021 were full of big life changes for me, and Miss Smith's R&B served as the soundtrack! She is the master of soulful introspection. Oh, and I also recommend 'Don't Look Up.' It is incredibly done and so spot on. If you care about climate and/or work in the climate space, ready to laugh, cry, and feel SEEN!"
Thank you for being in our corner. We'll see you next month!
