Right now, our country and our communities are facing a difficult public health crisis, coronavirus. This pandemic will change all of our lives – from having to take care of sick family members to losing jobs to turning our political process on its head.

And while this crisis rages on, we at EDF Action can’t lose sight of another looming crisis, climate change, because we know that even while a public health crisis is affecting all of us, extreme weather won’t stop. Climate change will continue to bring stronger hurricanes, more intense wildfires and severe flooding, and the United States must start preparing.

That’s why we’re working to build political power through grassroots organizing to make sure our elected officials are advocating for bold climate solutions, including transitioning the U.S. to a 100% clean future by 2050, at the latest. 

EDF Action has launched a new Climate Team that engages and empowers climate advocates and our members to demonstrate support for congressional climate action. The program is launching in four states Arizona, Florida, Iowa and South Carolina.

Here are the organizers who will do important on the ground climate work – energizing the local community and advocating for their elected official to take strong action.

Meet Our Organizers:

In Arizona, Manuel Gutierrez is going to take his experience, both in Mexico assisting candidates as well as his PH.D. in political science, and translate it into actions that improve our world. Manuel is going to work with our members to help build a movement in Arizona’s 1^st Congressional District and across the state that tackles this crisis head on and helps to grow the clean energy economy.

In Florida, Mary Linn, has spent her career advocating for the environment, from becoming a Volunteer Coordinator for Florida Sierra Club to working for an eco-tourism company that took her to Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. Mary will bring this experience and excitement to the Climate Team where she will work in the Orlando area to advocate for 100% clean economy and protect the community’s precious waterways.

In Iowa, Jeremy Bernstein is a life-long community and political organizer in the Midwest, and he understands that climate change is the most pressing long-term issue facing our country. Jeremy will be in Iowa’s 1^st and 3^rd Congressional Districts organizing EDF Action members to advocate for clean energy solutions and make a real difference in our fight to tackle the climate crisis head on.

In South Carolina, Sydney Kesler is a true organizer at heart, on issues ranging from health to racial equality to local environmental solutions, like weatherization and clean energy. Now, Sydney is taking her environmental organizing experience to South Carolina’s 1^st Congressional District to advocate for climate action and cultivate grassroots engagement on important local issues like flooding.

EDF Action is excited for this new team of organizers! We are looking forward the great work they will do in their communities, and how we can all work together to tackle the challenge of our generation – climate change.