Now...we vote.
Environmentalists everywhere need to vote. We need to click here and pledge to vote in every election.
Why? Well, let's start at the beginning.
As the Associated Press reminds us, it didn't use to be this way. Two decades ago, John McCain was "the leading U.S. Senate proponent of taking action on global warming...." Last decade, George W. Bush certainly was no climate hero, but he did kick-start talks that eventually led to the Paris Climate Conference and he even secretly tried to raise the gas tax.
But now? Now - despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real, caused by humans, and terrifying in its potential impact - few issues divide Americans more than the issue of climate change.
In fact, according to the Associated Press series "Divided America," "nothing beats climate change for divisiveness."
"It's more polarizing than abortion," says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. "It's more politically polarizing than gay marriage."
According to surveys by Yale and George Mason University, 17% of Americans are alarmed by climate change and want to take action now, and another 28% are concerned, but only see it as a distant threat. At the other end of the spectrum, 11% of Americans doubt the very existence of climate change, and another 10% are vocally dismissive and completely reject climate change. An additional 7% are "disengaged," not even caring about the issue.
On top of this, recent studies have shown that trying to persuade climate deniers to change their minds not only (usually) doesn't work, but it often makes them dig their heels in and become even more intractable (the so-called "backfire effect").
In short, the science is settled and the stakes couldn't be higher, but huge numbers of Americans still deny climate change and now it's getting harder for the rest of us to change their minds.
So now what? Now...we vote.
When science becomes politicized, we can't let climate deniers out-hustle us. We need to vote like our lives depend on it (because...well...they might).
The good news is this: we win on the numbers.
At the Environmental Voter Project, our research shows that environmentalists have the potential to completely change the electorate. We've identified 15.78 million environmentalists who didn't vote in the last midterm elections and 10.1 million who didn't even vote in the last Presidential election.
If we flood the electorate with even a fraction of these new environmental voters, politicians will have no choice but to listen...and to act.
So how do we do it?
- Sign this simple Pledge to be a consistent Environmental Voter. Seriously...it works.
- We'll then send you reminders to help you show up to every single election. Studies have shown that if you sign this pledge to vote, your likelihood of voting skyrockets. It's an easy, effective way to help you be a more consistent voter.
- Are you already a perfect voter? Please sign the pledge anyway! The more people who pledge to vote, the easier it is to convince others to join you!
We know that you care about climate change, and we know that you want to be a consistent voter...so let us help you. We'll never tell you who to vote for -- we just want to help you remember to vote.
Click here and pledge to be an Environmental Voter today.
It's never been more important...and we can't let those climate deniers out-hustle us!