Flash back to the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The dangers of air and water pollution were front and center in the nascent American environmental movement. At the time, with vehicle and industrial emissions running rampant, many American cities were choked with smog.

Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” published eight years prior, had put a spotlight on the environmental and human harms caused by largely unregulated pesticides like DDT. By 1969, a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California had dumped millions of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific, polluting miles of ocean and killing thousands of birds. That same year, Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River — formally one of America’s most polluted rivers — famously caught fire when sparks from a passing train ignited oily debris floating on the river’s surface.

By 1970, as the country’s serious environmental problems continued to make headlines, a new environmental consciousness had risen in America, and people started demanding changes to protect our water, air and natural treasures.

Fast forward 52 years. This week, people around the world will celebrate Earth Day 2022. On this anniversary, it’s worth taking a step back and considering how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. While we continue to focus on our ongoing environmental problems, it’s important to acknowledge where we’ve had success: the story of solar power in cities across America offers a shining example of that progress and its cumulative impact.

The rise of solar power: An American success story

In 1970, solar technology was in its infancy. The high cost of solar cells created an obstacle for photovoltaic (PV) technologies like solar panels to reach the public in any kind of meaningful way. In fact, it wasn’t until 1973 that the University of Delaware boasted one of the very first solar-powered buildings in the U.S.

Today, in contrast, solar has entered the mainstream. Market places like EnergySage allow homeowners to shop for the best bid to install solar. The solar industry has national and state trade associations. The once nascent industry has come into its own, and left a whole lot of solar panels in its wake.

According to our latest report, the United States now has enough solar energy installed to power more than 23 million homes — more than 16% of all homes in America. Alongside solar-friendly policies at every level of government, solar technology improvements and rapidly declining costs have helped to fuel this success story.

Environment America Research & Policy Center’s new report, Shining Cities 2022: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy, highlights the central role that cities have played in America’s solar energy revolution. The amount of solar power installed in just nine U.S. cities exceeds the amount installed in the entire United States 10 years ago. Just looking at the number of cities designated as “Solar Stars” — any with over 50 watts of solar capacity per person — since the first edition of Shining Cities in 2014 tells the story:

That’s truly remarkable progress. And all that solar has delivered huge benefits, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet, limit air pollution and improve public health.

Other key environmental success stories

• Established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has gone on to ban some of the most damaging toxic substances like DDT (and saved the Bald Eagle from the brink of extinction) and passed monumental laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.
• Made remarkable progress in cleaning up our water. Advocates, including here at Environment America and The Public Interest Network, have led efforts to crack down on pollution so that our rivers no longer catch on fire, shield rivers from development and protect small streams and wetlands as well as major bodies of water.
• Dramatically reduced air pollution, meaning cleaner, healthier air to breathe and clearer skies. Thanks in large part to the Clean Air Act and other policies that have brought down air pollution in the U.S. since 1970, Americans now experience much lower levels of particulate matter, ozone and other unhealthy pollutants in the air we breathe.

• Permanently protected millions of acres of wild places. From the vast Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Alaska to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of Cape Cod, conservationists have successfully ensured that some of our most pristine wildernesses and critical habitats will be protected for generations to come.
• Helped renewable energy — including solar as well as wind and geothermal — take off nationwide. More than 12% of electricity in the U.S. comes from the wind, the sun and the earth, compared to just 0.5% in 2001 — and next to nothing back in 1970!

There is, of course, plenty of work left to do in order to ensure a clean, healthy future and livable climate. We must, for example, continue to replace dirty energy with clean and renewable alternatives at an even more rapid clip. While more than a dozen states are taking steps to address the vast amount of trash this country produces, we’ve got immense room for improvement. And the list goes on.

But, instead of sinking into feelings of doom and despair, we should feel buoyed by the remarkable track record of the environmental movement to date. We have every reason to be hopeful for future Earth Days with even cleaner skies, protected ecosystems and healthier communities. While there’s always more work to do, this Earth Day we should also remember to stay grateful for how far we’ve already come.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

From Earth Day 1970 to 2022: A story of progress was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I might be a month late, but I’m excited to share my New Year’s resolution. In 2022, I’m setting out to make sure more states get on the path to 100% clean and renewable energy.

First, let me set the scene: 2022 is just getting started, and the United States is teetering on the cusp of a dramatic renewable revolution. As legislative sessions commence, policymakers in state houses across the country are crafting their priorities for the year. Meanwhile, Congress continues to debate legislation that would make historic investments in clean and renewable energy, potentially lowering the cost of rooftop solar by 30% and of an electric vehicle by up to $12,500. From where I sit, the year ahead is bursting at the seams with possibilities. 2022 could very well be a tipping point in our nation’s transition toward a cleaner, healthier future powered by renewable resources.

Seeing this promising national policy landscape and knowing the practically unlimited nature of the renewable resources at our fingertips, I’m deeply optimistic. The reasons I’m so hopeful could — and have! — taken up a whole blog post of their own. What’s especially front-of-mind for me right now is the wealth of opportunities this year for ambitious, impactful actions at the state level all across the country.

State renewable energy standards and goals have long been critical drivers of adoption, which has in turn driven down costs and spurred advancement thanks to economies of scale. Ever since the possibility of meeting all of our energy needs with clean and renewable resources started coming into view a few years ago, leading states and cities across the country have stepped up and set goals for 100% clean or renewable energy.

In 2021, Oregon and Illinois became the eighth and ninth states, respectively, to join the club of states that have made 100% clean electricity commitments. And, plenty of others are considering hopping on the bandwagon. With that in mind, this week, Environment America officially launched our 2022 campaign for 100% Renewable in a dozen states.

I’m not a betting woman. But, if I were, I’d put money on at least one more state stepping up to bat with a new commitment to go 100% in 2022. The question is who will it be — Massachusetts? Colorado? Maybe it will be my home state of Rhode Island, or where you live. All I know for sure is that I’m excited to see what the year brings for this movement.

I hope you’ll join me in resolving to secure a commitment to 100% clean and renewable energy for your state in 2022. You can get started today by joining our One Million for 100% Renewable Energy community of action takers who support our vision for a cleaner, healthier future powered by renewable energy.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

2022 could be the year your state goes big on clean renewable energy was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In the halls of the U.S. federal government, things tend to move at a painstakingly slow pace. Programs to hasten our transition to clean and renewable energy are no exception. After years of failed “Infrastructure Weeks” and months of debate, the U.S. Senate finally passed a major bipartisan infrastructure package earlier this month that includes significant funding for clean transportation and power infrastructure.

As the bill heads next to the House of Representatives, the national debate on how to build a clean energy future is very much still ongoing. For example, nearly 200 house members have called for including clean energy tax incentives in a final infrastructure package, which did not make it into the version passed by the Senate. Elected officials and renewable energy advocates have been calling for the extension and expansion of these crucial programs for years, but those calls have been met with little progress to date.

While these deliberations drag on at the national level, state legislatures from coast to coast are quietly continuing to make progress at a much snappier pace. Our new roundup highlighting state legislative action on energy issues shows the extent to which states are leading the way — in part thanks to the advocacy of our network of state-based environmental organizations and members. “The United States of Clean Energy, Summer 2021” summarizes clean energy progress and commitments made in spring and summer state legislative sessions across the country. Here are just a few top highlights:

• Oregon goes 100 percent: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill into law committing to 100 percent clean power for state customers by 2040. Oregon is now the eighth state with a legislative commitment to 100 percent clean or renewable electricity. Not only that, but, with it’s 2040 timeline, the Beaver State also ties New York as the national pace-setter for the fastest timeline in the country to reach this goal.

• Maine, Massachusetts and New Jersey are going big on offshore wind: Maine’s state legislature kickstarted the development of the Gulf of Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array. This research array will help move toward tapping its immense offshore wind potential. Nearby, New Jersey passed a bill that will help ensure offshore wind and related transmission projects are able to move forward in a timely manner. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities also voted to greenlight 2,658 megawatts (MW) of new offshore wind capacity off the Jersey Shore. That’s enough energy to power more than 1 million New Jersey homes. And, as part of its climate bill, Massachusetts bumped up its commitment to offshore wind power by an additional 2,400 MW to 5,600 MW by 2027, or enough to power roughly 2.8 million homes.

• Five states pass appliance efficiency standards: Massachusetts, Oregon, Nevada, Rhode Island and Maine passed strengthened appliance efficiency standards. These requirements will reduce energy and waste as well as greenhouse gas emissions while saving customers money on their utility bills.

For more examples of progress on clean and renewable energy from the states, check out “The United States of Clean Energy, Summer 2021.”

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

When it comes to clean energy, don’t sleep on the states was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill on Tuesday requiring electricity providers to deliver 100 percent clean power to customers in the state by 2040 into law, Oregon officially became the eighth state in the nation to enact a 100 percent clean or renewable commitment ratified by its state legislature. It’s a huge victory for the Beaver State and will ensure a cleaner healthier future for all Oregonians. It’s also an important step in the broader national movement toward clean and renewable energy. So, as we celebrate, it’s also a perfect time to reflect on how we got here and where we’re heading next.

To start at the very beginning, let’s back up to the start of the century. In 2001, America got just one half of one percent of its electricity from wind, solar and geothermal renewable energy sources. Despite that paltry total, renewables were already beginning to grow, and the Department of Energy forecasted that these options would double in use by 2020. To jumpstart that growth, states, at the time, were beginning to establish specific targets to encourage renewable energy progress.

For example, in 2002, California set its sights on reaching 20 percent renewable electricity by 2017. Dozens more followed suit in the coming years and, now, 31 have adopted renewable portfolio standards, or RPSs, that ensure renewables make up some minimum percent of electricity generated or used in a given state.

Over the years, the majority of states with renewable standards have actually increased their ambitions over time, as they’ve seen renewables consistently beat all expectations. And in the 2010s, an even bolder idea started to take hold: What if we didn’t just use more renewable resources, but we could actually rely entirely on them to power our lives?

In 2015, Hawaii became the first U.S. state to put that vision of 100 percent renewable power into action, enacting a statewide commitment to do so by 2045. California then passed Senate Bill 100 (SB100) into law in 2018, similarly signing up to transition to 100 percent clean, zero-carbon electricity by 2045. California’s landmark commitment, won after Environment California led a broad coalition of more than 250 organizations that built a groundswell of public support, acted as a spark that led to action from coast to coast.

Once the most populous U.S. state and world’s fifth largest economy was on board, a trend quickly took off. New Mexico was next to pass a 100 percent clean target in 2019, followed within months by Washington, New York and Maine. Each of these victories were thanks to not only ambitious elected leaders, but also to the hard work of advocates and organizers such as those at Environment New Mexico, Environment Washington and Environment Maine who mobilized broad public support to secure a clean energy future for their states. And, as that crucial work has continued and expanded in the years since, so has the list of states getting on the road to 100 percent. Virginia became the seventh state, and first in the Southeast, to join the group in 2020, and Oregon now makes eight.

And those commitments aren’t just words on paper. They are also leading to real, tangible progress here and now. Today, more than 10 percent of America’s electricity comes from the wind, the sun and the earth. And we owe a large part of that progress to the very leadership states have delivered from coast to coast.

So, where do we go from here?

The transition to clean and renewable energy can’t stop with Oregon — or with any of the commitments states have already made. In order to continue accelerating the pace of the clean energy transition, we must both expand the network of communities that are working toward a clean energy future and ensure that those communities back up their promises with the concrete actions necessary to achieve the targets they set.

On the first front, Environment America and our national network of state organizations will continue to prioritize state and local commitments to 100 percent renewable energy. States, cities and leading institutions are the places where we can make the most immediate progress. These victories also spur momentum for further nationwide action that will bring clean energy to every American.

On the second front, we are also winning policies to help advance each of the technologies that will enable a 100 percent renewable energy future. These range from solar and wind power, to batteries that allow us to store renewable energy for when we need it most and efficiency measures that lower our overall energy needs. From tax incentives for clean energy technologies to policies putting solar on all new homes, each small step contributes to a virtuous cycle that starts with concrete goals — like those just enacted in Oregon — that accelerate the pace of progress and, eventually, lead to even more ambitious plans as the initial commitments are met.

You can add your voice to this movement today by joining our One Million for 100 Percent Renewable Energy project and calling on your state, city or town to be the next to go 100 percent and kickstart its own virtuous cycle.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

Oregon becomes the eighth state to go 100 percent was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group paints a picture of a nation with a remarkable opportunity. We Have the Power: Reaching America’s potential for clean, renewable energy finds that America has the resources and know-how to reimagine our energy system to run on clean and renewable energy. If we take that opportunity, we’ll have cleaner air, healthier communities and a liveable future to show for it. Such a transformation would impact all of our lives for the better, and I’m excited to share some key takeaways from the research:

1. Transitioning to clean and renewable energy will protect our health, safety and environment.

Renewable energy resources are powerful tools for fighting climate change, cleaning up our air, and protecting the environment both now and for future generations. Getting off dirty fossil fuels and, instead, tapping into the power of the sun and wind will save lives; reduce air, water and climate pollution; and mean a safer and healthier world for everyone.

2. We have plentiful renewable energy resources to meet our needs.

U.S. solar energy resources have the technical potential to meet America’s 2020 electricity demand more than 77 times over, and U.S. onshore and offshore wind resources combined could meet our 2020 demand 11 times over, according to the report. In addition, all 50 states have sufficient solar or wind potential to meet current electricity needs, and 49 have enough to continue doing so in 2050, even assuming that most energy uses such as transportation and buildings run on electricity by that time. So, we really do have the power — and plenty of it.

3. Renewables can power our society around the clock.

The report also reviews recent studies from a variety of academic, government and non-governmental institutions regarding the feasibility of a reliable, affordable energy system run on renewables. It highlights broad agreement that such an energy system is within reach and can supply the electricity needed to power modern society 24/7/365.

4. Four key strategies will be essential to building a renewable energy system, and we can succeed at each of them.

We Have the Power identifies four key strategies that will be essential in transforming the nation’s energy system: building out renewable energy; modernizing the grid; reducing and managing energy use; and replacing direct uses of fossil fuels with electricity to take advantage of clean technologies. Within each area, the paper cites encouraging trends in technology, prices and adoption that suggest progress can be further accelerated in the years to come.

5. Governments at every level can help spur progress.

Finally, the report calls on policymakers at the local, state and federal levels to set ambitious goals for the transition to clean renewable energy, as well as provide the support needed to ensure clean energy can actually deliver on those goals. Specific policy recommendations range from such programs as clean energy tax incentives that lower the costs of renewable technologies to strong standards for renewables and improved energy efficiency.

I’m full of hope that Americans both want to see a cleaner, healthier, renewable energy future and are ready to do what it takes to deliver it for themselves and for generations to come. And, after reading We Have the Power, I think you will be too. Check it out on Environment America’s website and, if you share our vision for 100 percent renewable energy, join our One Million for 100% Renewable Energy project to show your support.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

An opportunity of 300 million lifetimes was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Policy signed by Gov. Charlie Baker includes key steps toward renewable energy

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill into law last month that will move the commonwealth toward a cleaner, more efficient future powered by renewables. While this legislation alone won’t bring Massachusetts all the way to the finish line for 100 percent renewable energy, it does represent several big strides coming out of the starting blocks.

The newly enacted climate bill is especially exciting in three areas: its requirements for more renewable electricity, increased commitment to offshore wind and new energy efficiency standards. Each of these will be crucial in moving Massachusetts away from dirty energy in the decades to come.

Boosting renewables

The climate bill includes a requirement that at least 40 percent of the state’s electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2030, which will be a key factor in getting Massachusetts homes and business to move away from fossil fuels. That requirement represents a significant improvement in the state’s existing renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and will shake out to additional renewable capacity equivalent to 200,000 more solar roofs coming online over the next ten years.

Growing offshore wind

The new legislation also bumps up Massachusetts’ commitment to offshore wind power by tacking on an additional 2,400 megawatts (MW) of procurements to Massachusetts existing goals in this area. If we meet these benchmarks by 2027, Massachusetts will get 5,600 MW of clean renewable energy from offshore wind — enough to power roughly 2.8 million homes. Given that the commonwealth boasts the highest offshore wind potential of any state in the country according to our new report Offshore Wind for America, this energy resource has a big role to play in moving the state toward a 100 percent renewable energy future. Additionally, as the state prepares to welcome the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the country, Vineyard Wind 1, the bill is a timely reminder that strong state leadership is the most effective way to take advantage of offshore wind.

Cutting energy waste

The bill’s energy efficiency standards for appliances will cut energy waste dramatically. Requiring appliances and plumbing fixtures in 17 different categories — from commercial dishwashers to household faucets — to use energy and water more efficiently will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water and generate big consumer savings. In fact, each year, starting in 2025, appliance efficiency standards in Massachusetts will save enough electricity to power 32,000 homes and enough water to meet the needs of 61,000 families. This could have ripple effects even outside of the Bay State, as a handful of states in the region, including Maine, New York and Rhode Island, are considering adopting new efficiency standards as well.

In the race to 100 percent renewable energy — a vision that seven states and more than 170 cities have already set their sights on — this new law certainly won’t get Massachusetts all the way to the finish line. But it’s a strong start, and policy makers can continue taking action to build on it in this legislative session and beyond. Staff at Environment America and Environment Massachusetts will continue to do our part, advocating tirelessly for our vision of a 100 percent clean and renewable future for the Bay State and for the nation.

In Massachusetts, we’re working for passage of the 100% Clean Act, a bill championed by Massachusetts Rep. Marjorie Decker, Rep. Sean Garballey and Sen. Joseph Boncore. The legislation would transition the state’s electricity, heating and transportation system to 100 percent clean energy. We’re also supporting policies that would reduce pollution from existing large buildings, support efficient housing and require solar roofs on new homes and commercial buildings.

Beyond Massachusetts, we’re continuing to call on a dozen other states from across the nation to pass new legislative commitments that will get them to 100 percent renewable energy or electricity — or to accelerate their existing commitment to do so. And in each of those states, we’ll also cheer on incremental progress toward that transformative vision, just as we did in Massachusetts.

Interested in adding your voice to the chorus? You can join our One Million for 100% Renewable Energy project and show your support for a renewable future today.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

Massachusetts new climate law means a cleaner, more efficient future was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

On Monday, Environment America launched its 2021 100% Renewable campaign in 13 states. To some, it may seem like an odd time to launch a multi-state campaign for 100 percent renewable energy. Sure, it’s still early in the New Year, and many groups are rolling out their plans and ambitions for 2021. But we’re also in the midst of the first 30 days of a new presidential administration, and the Biden team has been busy with a flurry of climate and energy actions that will impact the energy future of our entire nation. In the midst of all that, you might find yourself wondering why an advocacy group would be emphasizing state energy policy right now.

Let me explain why I’m so excited to be kicking off this campaign at this moment.

For starters, working in the states is essential because we have years of state leadership to thank for the momentum, progress and newfound national ambition we are seeing today. In 2018, California sparked a nationwide trend when it passed Senate Bill 100 (SB100), committing the Golden State to getting 100 percent of its electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2045. To date, seven states and more than 170 cities have similarly committed to achieving 100 percent clean or renewable electricity, and one in three Americans now lives in a community bound to that vision.

And it’s not just commitments that are taking off — the pace of concrete renewable energy growth in the U.S is also on the rise. As Environment America Research & Policy Center’s latest Renewables on the Rise report shows, state policies — from clean energy standards to ambitious solar programs — played an outsized role in increasing the nation’s share of renewable electricity more than 20-fold over the last 20 years. With that kind of track record, it’s no wonder that our federal leaders are looking to take a page from state policy books.

But, as I wrote back in January, it isn’t going to be easy to pass a broad, ambitious federal commitment to go 100 percent. With that in mind, now continues to be a great time to keep doing what we know is already working. State energy leadership is successfully moving us toward the clean and renewable energy future we need, and also fueling a race to the top between states. That’s exactly what we need to lean further into.

Beyond that, a robust campaign for bold state renewable energy targets has the ability to serve as fuel for the Biden Administration’s national push for action. The more states that commit to a clean energy transition, and the more ambitious their plans, the easier it will become for the Biden administration to make the case for — and even pass — a bold plan for the whole country.

Now that you know why states continue to represent some of our best opportunities to advance a clean and renewable energy future, here are some opportunities I’m most excited about:

• California: While California was one of the first states to pass a legislative commitment to go 100 percent, Environment California is now calling on the governor and state legislature to accelerate the Golden State’s transition and move its existing 100 percent clean energy target up from 2045 to 2030. As a national environmental leader, California can and should continue setting the pace for the nation.
• Minnesota: Environment Minnesota is advocating for Rep. Jamie Long’s 100% Clean Energy Bill, which requires 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2040 and sets an interim target of 55 percent renewable energy by 2035. Those ambitious goals would help Minnesota emerge as a clean energy leader in the Midwest, and could help bring others in the region along with it.
• New Jersey: Environment New Jersey is supporting legislation that would commit the Garden State to reaching 100 percent clean, renewable electricity statewide by 2035. The bill comes as part of an effort to implement the state Global Warming Response Act, which requires a 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions statewide by 2050, and would mean tapping into the state’s immense offshore wind energy potential.
• Pennsylvania: With the help of PennEnvironment, state legislators are gearing up to reintroduce legislation in both the House and Senate to transition the commonwealth to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. State Rep. Chris Rabb has championed the bill since its initial introduction in 2018 and will sponsor the House version once again. Last session, the bill was co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 100 legislators, demonstrating that a clean energy future really is something everyone can get behind.

Check out all 13 states where we’re pushing for 100 percent renewable energy, and join us by calling on your home state to make the next commitment. Add your name to our One Million for 100% Renewable Energy project today to get started.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

Thirteen opportunities to advance 100 percent renewable energy was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

What does Democratic control of the U. S. Congress and presidency mean for the future of clean energy?

Earlier this month, Georgia voters elected two Democrats to the U.S. Senate, shifting the balance of power from barely red to even-more-barely blue. With President Joe Biden’s inauguration, we welcomed a new administration that has been publicly supportive of a clean energy future. With this combination, the same question has popped up on Zoom meetings and phone calls with friends and family alike all month: What will be possible in this new federal political climate? Specifically, since I’m surrounded by energy wonks and organizers, what will the coming years mean for the future of clean energy?

My take in short: Some critical steps for clean energy now have a greater chance of moving forward at the federal level, but comprehensive energy action will remain a challenge. That means state leadership will remain key.

With even a razor-thin margin in the Senate (in which only the incoming vice president’s tie-breaking vote puts Democrats ahead), a number of doors to stronger federal action on clean energy will open wider. For one, the path to confirming Biden administration nominees to such key energy and climate positions as EPA Administrator and Secretary of Energy will be smoother. Getting leaders who are committed to building a cleaner, healthier future for all Americans into these roles is a crucial step toward prioritizing clean energy in the years to come.

Beyond that, budget and funding packages, which just need to pass the Senate by a simple majority thanks so a legislative rule known as reconciliation, will also be more likely to succeed in this Congress, and those bills are also more apt to include investments in clean and renewable energy. Bipartisan funding legislation, including increased funding for renewable and energy efficiency programs, should have a good chance of passing in the month to come. These include important tax incentives for wind and solar projects.

Unfortunately, not all federal policies will be met with such promise. In fact, transformative change at the national level will still be a tough row to hoe. That’s because even bills that get a majority of votes in the Senate will need to earn support from both sides of the aisle thanks to the filibuster rule, which enables opponents to block legislation unless it’s supported by a three-fifths majority. Simply put, that means that big, bold policies that would mark a real turning point for energy in the US — such as the nationwide vision for carbon pollution-free power by 2035 that President-elect Biden campaigned on — are unlikely to breeze through.

That’s where states come in.

As my colleague Johanna Neumann wrote back in November, before we knew what Georgia’s special election would hold: “The movement for comprehensive and enduring clean energy progress is likely to take place in our nation’s laboratories of democracy — our states and cities.” Despite the results, her words still resonate.

Ambitious state policies have been top drivers of renewable energy growth for decades. In 2001, America got one half of one percent of its electricity from wind, solar and geothermal energy. Today, more than 10 percent of America’s electricity comes from the wind, the sun and the earth.

And, as Environment America Research & Policy Center’s latest Renewables on the Rise report shows, state policies — from clean energy standards to ambitious solar programs — played an outsized role in securing that progress. In the years ahead, our best opportunities for visionary, transformative action on clean energy will continue to be in the states.

Winning bold action in the states now may also very well be the best way to clear the path for meaningful federal leadership. It’s the renewable energy progress and commitment to a cleaner future from California to Maine that has paved the way for ambitious proposals at the federal level. States can help turn those proposals into meaningful action toward a clean and renewable energy future for this country by continuing to show Washington, D.C., how it’s done.

So to anyone wondering if it’s still worth calling for action toward 100 percent renewable energy in your state, the answer is clear: Absolutely.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

The Senate, President and our energy future was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In August, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards established a statewide goal of net-zero carbon emissions by midcentury. His executive order represents Louisiana’s first state-level target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and that is undoubtedly an historic step in the right direction and worthy of applause. Unsurprisingly, environmental advocates throughout the community, myself included, have shown their support.

That said, Gov. Edwards’ commitment is also the latest addition to a long-standing debate around an important question: What goal is actually best for reshaping our energy system toward a cleaner, healthier future?

It’s well-established that we must transform the way we produce and consume energy. Mining and burning fossil fuels — which continue to supply the majority of our energy in the U.S. — destroys wild places and pollutes our air, water and climate. And the impacts of our energy system are being felt here and now, as extreme heat and intensifying wildfires rage in California and Oregon, tropical storms and hurricanes threaten the Gulf Coast in increasing numbers, and communities from coast to coast suffer from unhealthy air on a regular basis.

The need for urgent action has never been more clear. And, thanks to the tireless advocacy of activists and organizations like Environment America, leaders across the country — like Gov. Edwards — are starting to embrace that call to action.

But setting the right roadmap to a cleaner energy future is important. Environment America and our network of state organizations are focusing our efforts on the goal of meeting all of our energy needs with 100 percent renewable energy by midcentury or sooner. We just released a new factsheet delving into why we’re committed to that vision over competing strategies, such as “net-zero emissions” or “100 percent clean.” Here are some key takeaways:

1. 100 percent renewable energy includes all types of energy use, not just electricity. In a world run on 100 percent renewable energy, everything we need power for in our lives-our lights, our chargers, our refrigerators, our heating and cooling, our transportation-would run on energy sources that don’t pollute our air and water or harm the climate. It’s crucial that we include all of those uses, since they all contribute to pollution and global warming.
2. 100 percent renewable energy means no more dirty energy, period. Other approaches, such as “net-zero emissions,” allow for continued fossil fuel consumption, exposing people and the planet to harmful pollution for decades to come. If your bathtub was overflowing, you’d make sure to turn off the tap before trying to dry off the floor. When it comes to global warming pollution, we need to focus on turning off the tap and not just making up for the carbon we’re spilling.
3. 100 percent renewable energy commitments are essential framework for ensuring continued action. By passing legislative commitments to reaching 100 percent renewable energy, states can set in motion all of the concrete steps it will take to actually get there, from building out renewable energy capacity to adopting stronger efficiency and conservation measures.

While some action on climate is almost certainly better than none, my colleagues at Environment America and I will continue fighting for comprehensive energy policies that tackle pollution at the source and move us toward the clean, renewable energy future we really need. For the environment and public health, we’re calling on states to pass legislation that commits to 100 percent renewable energy and sets timely targets and benchmarks to build our renewable energy future along the way.

Most Americans support a commitment to 100 percent renewable energy. In fact, already, one-in-three lives in a community committed to this goal. With seven states on board, the only question I’m asking is: Who’s next?

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

Net-zero, 100% renewable or clean: was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In late 2016 and early 2017, Environment America was getting the ball rolling on a nationwide campaign to convince states and cities to commit to 100 percent renewable energy.

Given Environment America’s partnership with the Student PIRGs — a network of campus chapters dedicated to providing the training, professional support and resources students need to tackle issues like climate change and revitalizing our democracy — and its long history of working with young people, we wanted college campuses to be part of the movement as well. Students throughout the country were doing their own organizing around renewable energy on their campuses, but there was no coordinated, nationwide effort.

And so, in February 2017, Environment America Research & Policy Center and the Student PIRGs jointly launched the 100% Renewable Campuses campaign. Bronte Payne, who was then a second-year campaign associate working on clean energy and who had experience in campus organizing from her own college days, was chosen to lead it.

We started with Cornell University, where Bronte had spent time doing recruitment for the network and had met many students who were excited about renewable energy. Cornell’s new president was considering walking back some of the university’s carbon neutrality goals, and student activists were keen to make sure that didn’t happen. Not only did students want the university to keep its carbon goals, but they also wanted the esteemed institution to commit to 100 percent renewable energy as a way to meet those goals.

Our clean energy team provided the students with campaign expertise and credibility. Most student organizers were more acquainted with what we’d call a “pressure” strategy, pushing sometimes reluctant university officials to do the right thing. This often included critical language. Our team suggested a “hero” strategy, presenting the 100 percent renewable energy commitment as an opportunity for the university to be a nationwide leader at the forefront of a growing movement.

That strategy worked. Student organizers successfully turned widespread support for renewable energy on Cornell’s campus into a public commitment by the university administration to go 100 percent renewable. It was a pledge the university would take seriously.

Bronte attributes that follow-through to the hero strategy. There was buy-in at all levels of the university to make Cornell a clean energy leader.

The movement grew from there. Led by Jake Taber, then a campaign associate, now a content creator with Environment America’s umbrella group, the Public Interest Network, we next helped Boston University students win a 100 percent renewable commitment from their school in December 2017.

In September 2018, the team, along with our partner CALPIRG Students, helped win a landmark commitment from the entire University of California system to run all 10 of its campuses on clean, renewable electricity by 2025. A few months later, the University of California, Berkeley, went even further with a commitment to get not just its electricity but all of its energy from renewable sources by 2050.

Around the country, students have picked up our movement and run with it. Just in the last academic year, the University of Arizona, Vanderbilt University, two Austin Community College campuses and nine Los Angeles Community College District campuses all joined the ranks of the now dozens of campuses committed to 100 percent renewables. More than 40 — from Columbia University in New York to Southwestern University in Texas — are already there.

Our biggest success so far has been Vanderbilt University. On Earth Day 2019, following a student campaign advised and assisted by Environment America Research & Policy Center, Vanderbilt announced that its campus would be powered entirely by renewable energy by 2050. Two factors make this victory so significant. First, Vanderbilt students ran a model campaign that will stand as an example to student activists across the country and showed that renewable energy can win anywhere, not just in New England or California. The second factor is the follow-through: Within one year of making its commitment, Vanderbilt announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nashville Electric Service to construct a 35-megawatt solar farm to help the university meet its renewable energy goals. It was a historic move, and it wouldn’t have happened without the 100% Renewable Campuses campaign.

Looking ahead, the campaign has set an ambitious goal of committing 150 schools to 100 percent renewable energy. Environment America Research & Policy Center will continue to provide support and expertise as student activists lead their campuses toward a cleaner, healthier future powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

Originally published at https://environmentamerica.org.

The rise of renewable campuses was originally published in Environment America on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.