Your World Needs You | Mally Cox-Chapman | TEDxEthel Walker School Women

TL;DR

Environmental non-profits in Connecticut have successfully used strategies such as postcard campaigns and forming an Environmental Priorities Council to influence legislation and lower the state's carbon footprint.

Transcript

[Applause] hi there thank you all for being here oh I can hard to see is there a light little okay well anyway what if I told you that school buses postcards and dirt have a lot and common in my world how they've all made significant differences in lowering the carbon footprint of Connecticut in the last 3 years I work with a small group of environ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👣 Collaborative efforts and partnerships between environmental nonprofits and various stakeholders have been instrumental in driving positive change in lowering Connecticut's carbon footprint.
• ❓ Utilizing different strategies, such as postcards, can have a significant impact on influencing policymakers.
• 🥺 The formation of an Environmental Priorities Council can amplify the voice of environmental nonprofits and lead to effective legislation.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the environmentalists secure electric school buses for Connecticut?

The environmentalists hired young people to educate school boards on working with bus companies and utilized funds from the Volkswagen settlement to acquire 43 electric school buses.

Q: What was the outcome of the postcard campaign?

Despite initial setbacks with the campaign, the governor ultimately passed 22 out of 23 proposed executive actions, showcasing the power of postcards as a form of advocacy.

Q: What is the role of the Environmental Priorities Council in Connecticut?

The Environmental Priorities Council, formed by 31 environmental and healthcare nonprofits representing 10% of the state, advocates for climate change action and influences legislation by choosing three to six bills they want passed.

Q: How can individuals contribute to lower Connecticut's carbon footprint?

Individuals can join environmental nonprofits, engage with their legislators, use postcards for advocacy, and promote composting to reduce methane emissions from food waste.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A small group of environmentalists in Connecticut, through their nonprofit Liv Green, have made significant strides in reducing the state's carbon footprint.

• They have successfully secured 43 electric school buses through a campaign that involved teaching school boards to work with bus companies and utilizing Volkswagen settlement money.

• In addition, they conducted a postcard campaign that resulted in the governor passing 15 out of 23 proposed executive actions to address climate change.