With climate extremes and disasters growing year after year  – with 2024 being the hottest year on record, and 2025 starting off with horrific Los Angeles wildfires, the most costly un-natural disaster ever in the US – it is understandable that communities, residents, voters, and taxpayers are all worried about how to pay for rebuilding and adapting in the face of mounting climate impacts. And especially worried when the Trump Administration is cutting federal disaster relief and FEMA, NOAA’s weather services and forecasting, and research on climate change and clean energy solutions, among the countless other cuts and chaos. 

So, no wonder that at least 10 states in 2025 introduced state legislation to address this funding gap by making fossil fuel companies pay their fair share of contributions to climate change impacts. This follows the two new “Climate Superfund” laws adopted in 2024 in the states of Vermont and New York, where Third Actors helped build public support and persuade state legislators to pass the bills and influence NY State Governor Hochul to sign the bill into law. Third Actors are at it again and are working in numerous states to pass more of these “make polluters pay” bills.

The approach is based on past legal approaches that have held Big Tobacco and big hazardous waste and toxic polluters accountable for the health impacts and messes they made. The “Climate Superfunds” created by the proposed bills generally impose a fee on large greenhouse gas emitters’ past emissions and the amounts are determined using the established climate attribution science methods, raising billions of dollars from large oil, coal, and gas companies over a specified period like 25 years. Read on for details on our progress, the status of various bills, and what you can do.

Progress on State Climate Superfund Legislation

Third Act Maryland, together with the big statewide Chesapeake Climate Action Network, helped build support for the RENEW Act (Responding to Emergency Needs From Extreme Weather Act) to to make polluters pay. Third Actors participated in numerous rallies at the state house, attended sessions, lobbied legislators, submitted testimony, shared on social media, called and wrote legislators, and more. While the RENEW Act did not pass in its original form, it was amended to become a “study bill” and renamed the “Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Total Assessed Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Study and Reports” bill (HB0128/SB0149). It passed both the Maryland House and Senate and has moved to Governor Wes Moore’s desk for signature, and it is expected that the Governor will sign the bill by the May 27 deadline as it has strong bipartisan support. The Maryland General Assembly committed to the first step of “Making Polluters Pay” by requiring the Comptroller’s Office to lead and complete a study by December 2026 to quantify the cost-impacts of climate change in the State of Maryland. This will make Maryland the third state, after Vermont and New York, to pass legislation in support of enacting the climate superfund concept and principle. To make fossil fuel companies pay their fair share of the costs of climate change, we will have to come back to the Maryland General Assembly with another bill after the study is done.  

New Jersey is a state where volunteers are preparing to launch a new state-level Working Group soon, and it’s also a state that has introduced a Climate Super Fund Act. Third Act supporters in New Jersey and also members of Third Act Union affinity group have been collaborating with partner Food & Water Watch to host 5 “town hall” style meetings to educate New Jerseyites about the bill and what it would do. Third Actors are also collecting petition signatures and postcards that they will deliver to legislative leaders in mid-May, urging leadership to get the bills posted and voted on. They’ve been working to get legislator co-sponsors of the bill (32 co-sponsors in the Assembly & 8 in the Senate so far)  and town resolutions in support of the bill (36 towns have signed resolutions in favor with at least 8 more pending), which was a successful strategy in New York State. The NJ Climate Super Fund Act passed in both the Assembly and Senate environmental committees and is now pending in the Assembly Budget and Senate Commerce Committees. The state coalition is working to get the bill passed before the July summer recess.

California is a big state where Third Act has three Working Groups – Third Act Bay Area, Third Act Sacramento, and Third Act SoCal – and is the world’s fifth largest economy. The Golden State has introduced two companion Climate Superfund bills (AB and SB). There is a huge statewide coalition led by the Center for Biological Diversity that Third Act is participating in. Third Act Working Groups in California have been working to build public support through getting Third Actors to take action and email their legislators, getting signatures on digital petitions (link), calling and meeting with state legislators on key committees, attending a press conference in Los Angeles, participating in committee hearings and rallies in Sacramento, joining with environmental justice allies to bring attention to climate impacts in frontline communities like in Richmond, CA (link to Bay Area blog), and more. The Senate bill passed the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and the Assembly bill passed out of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. There are several more committee hearings to go in both the Assembly and the Senate, and then the bills must pass each house with a two-thirds majority because these bills impose a fee. The California legislature does not adjourn until September 12 and Governor has until Octoebr 12 to sign bills. So there’s a ways to go to continue to build visible and vocal public and political support and persuade key legislators to support the bills.  

Bills Pending With Promise

There are at least two other bills that are still pending in the Maine and Massachusetts legislatures and Third Act working groups are actively working to get those passed.

Third Act Maine is collaborating with Maine Youth For Climate Justice, which is the lead organization putting forward the Maine Climate Superfund Act, as well as Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition, a statewide alliance of 39 conservation, climate action, and public health organizations. There was a Youth Day of Action at the Maine State House on April 17th where Third Act Mainers joined up with youth activists. The bill was introduced on April 25 and a public hearing will be scheduled early to mid May. The coalition will be working to pass this by the end of session on June 20, 2025.  (photo from youth climate day)

Third Act Massachusetts is working to build support for the Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Cost Recovery Act together with the statewide “Make Polluters Pay MA” coalition. Third Act MA and the coalition are gathering petition signatures and working on organizing a big in-person “lobby day.” Work is ongoing to persuade more towns and municipalities in Massachusetts to endorse the bill, and to activate more Bay Staters to engage with their state legislators. These bills have been introduced in a two-year session, and so there is more time to organize visible support before committee assignments and a vote in 2026. 

Bills That Faced Pitfalls, But May Return

Other states introduced similar legislation in 2025, but some bills did not pass out of committee or get a hearing or a vote, such as in Tennessee and Connecticut. Third Act Connecticut collaborated with partners and got an op-ed published, but opposition from big business won out. 

Third Act Oregon supported the Oregon Make Polluters Pay Act by hosting an educational webinar for Third Act Oregon supporters, submitting written testimony, and participating in a hearing on April 7, which included legal and climate experts as well as survivors of Oregon’s wildfires. Unfortunately, the bill died in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment without a vote. Senator Khanh Pham, one of the authors, said she would continue to bring forward and advocate for this kind of legislation in future legislative sessions and that there is no time to waste for taking action to address climate change. 

How You Can Help

One indication of both the promise for advancing climate resilience and the threat that “Make Polluters Pay” bills pose to the fossil fuel industry is that the Trump Administration has singled out these laws and signed an Executive Order directing the Attorney General to go after states’ climate laws. The House also passed a bill that would give “blanket immunity” to Big Oil and fossil fuel companies from any lawsuits or legislation striving to hold them accountable for their contributions to climate change, impacts, and damages. That bill is pending in the Senate, and we have an opportunity to kill it because it will unlikely get the full 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. 

So, while there are several bills still working their way through state legislatures – and you can join a Third Act Working Group to get more involved in your state, people all across the US can sign this petition to Congress that will get delivered to Senators and ask them to oppose this Big Oil bailout. We can’t give this toxic industry any more free passes when our communities are burning, flooding, and being destroyed by climate change.

While Jane would never have called herself an “activist,” she was “always doing something in that arena.” Her propensity to stand up for justice began at home, where her parents, though Republicans, rooted for the underdog, disliked extreme wealth, and believed in basic fairness. By the end of their lives, her parents’ politics had shifted so that they would have voted for Bernie Sanders for president. Jane’s mother would have loved Third Act too, having become an environmental and democracy activist after the kids were grown.

At college in Ohio Jane joined anti-war protests, often against a hostile community. And with no script or organization, she took it upon herself to knock on doors to talk about the war and the dangers of nuclear power. Jane’s efforts continued after college, in Nashville, where she got involved in Central America solidarity work and helped organize a statewide protest against Ronald Reagan’s slashing of social programs.

Jane’s passion for community empowerment really came into focus with her early job as a paralegal in a rural Legal Services office near Nashville, where she represented indigent clients in Social Security hearings. A woman came into the Legal Services office one day needing medical care but lacking insurance and resources. Jane told her about a little-known Congressional Act (Hill-Burton) that required medical centers who received aid under the Act to set aside funds for needy patients. Jane prepared the client to advocate for herself to obtain that assistance and will never forget how “lit up” the client was when she returned to report her success.

This ignited Jane’s belief in the value of self-advocacy. She convinced her Legal Service program to create a permanent staff position for community legal education, and then got the job. A rich memory for Jane is the group of older Black women, tenant leaders at the Nashville housing projects, who came in asking for legal education lunches in the projects’ community rooms: “we’ll bring the food; you bring the lawyers.” Over home-cooked traditional Southern fare, tenants learned about their rights and responsibilities. This was community legal education at its best—on the clients’ terms.

Jane married, moved to Massachusetts, gave birth to her son, and continued to work as a paralegal, but after five years returned to Nashville and began to work again with ideas of self advocacy and participatory democracy, now at Vanderbilt University and focused on youth civic engagement. Her role there was to broker the needs of the community to faculty and students who wanted field experiences—such as connecting a student doing a women’s studies project with the woman who led a hospital worker strike that led to the founding of a union local in Tennessee.

 After five years at Vanderbilt, Jane went to graduate school for her master’s degree in social work, and then spent  most of the rest of her career – 22 years – at a youth-centered non-profit, the Oasis Center. There she helped create, and operated, vehicles for adolescents to be engaged in the community through volunteering, leadership training and advocacy for causes they cared about.

Jane found Third Act while searching for a way to get involved in the climate movement. She had always been concerned about human impact on the environment. This concern grew as she learned about the climate crisis and contemplated the impact it would have on the world she would pass on to her own son.

She finds Third Act tremendously gratifying. It has opened up possibilities: she always loved to write, for example, but who knew she’d ever be writing for a blog? Third Act supports her need to have fun while doing the serious work. And Jane especially appreciates that Third Act “Backs up the Youths!” When we really listen to them, and let them exercise leadership their way, “we get to see a little of what the future is like.”

Jane’s identities, like her experiences, center on the collective: family and community. She is a mother and an excited new grandmother; she is a sister to four brothers; she is the family matriarch. She is also deeply involved with Al-Anon, a 12-step fellowship program for family and friends of people with addictions, which is relevant to her work with Third Act in helping her understand how power operates in a collective. She walks a Buddhist path.

Jane is also an artist. She has been drawing and creating her whole life, and while not professionally, it’s been a surprise and delight to have been getting commissions recently (examples of her work can be found on Instagram at @pointing_at_the_moon).  Her artistic skills come in handy for creating graphics for print materials and protests. Her experience leading expressive arts classes, where she learned how to encourage others to contribute their unique gifts to the world, also serves her at Third Act.

Looking ahead, Jane hopes to spend more time with her granddaughter and her brothers and their families, and later this year to visit the big redwoods at Sequoia National Park. She acknowledges that despite how dark the world looks now, she doesn’t know what’s going to happen and isn’t going to assume the worst. Systemic change happens over time. We don’t know the ultimate effect of our individual actions. All we can do is “make our offerings.” And “look for the helpers,” like Mr. Rogers. “That’s where I keep my gaze.”

The optimism of that moment is impossible to conjure up right now (though, truthfully, it was a short optimism; the killings at Kent State and Jackson State followed it by mere days). But we can honor that moment by doing all we can to produce some of the same kind of momentum.

The hottest March on record just came and went—and at the same time, we’re seeing an alarming rollback of environmental protections dating all the way back to that first Earth Day in 1970. What we can do in this moment is remember that day not just as history, but as a blueprint. I talked about it on PBS NewsHour, and about the work needed to meet this moment. Third Actors across the country are rising to that challenge—building grassroots power in all the ways that count.

Many of Third Actors will be participating and hosting Earth Day events—and even more are using this week to start planning their participation in Sun Day in September. And of course every day we’re honoring the spirit of these grand gatherings with the daily, prosaic work that they make easier: lobbying of public utility commissions for cleaner energy, pushing city halls and state houses to make installing renewables easier, and all the other tasks that lack drama but get the job done. 

 Remember that the first Earth Day was powered by the pictures that had just come back from space: the first glimpses of a beautiful blue-white earth suspended in the inky void. That earth is more tattered now, and it’s lost some of that white at the poles, but it remains sublime. And it remains worth fighting for!

Salt Lake City:

Vermont:

Massachusetts:

DC:

Reno:

Las Vegas:

Southern California:

Thank you so everyone who showed up or supported on the sidelines. Hands Off! was just the start of a growing national movement to resist Trump and his outrageous, harmful policies. We need you to stay in the fight for our country and our democracy, and right now, Republicans are attempting to suppress the vote once again and restrict voting rights for millions of Americans with the SAVE Act. The so-called “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility” (SAVE) Act has recently been introduced in Congress and has been declared a top priority by House Republican leadership. Despite its name, the “SAVE” Act would put up major barriers for millions of eligible voters to cast their ballot.

If passed, the SAVE Act would require all eligible Americans to present proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote. This would especially burden military voters, tribal voters, rural voters, survivors of natural disasters, and the tens of millions of married women in America who have changed their names. It’s already illegal for non-citizens to cast a ballot in federal elections, and states have secure systems in place to prevent non-citizens from voting.

Third Act is partnering with a large coalition of groups and we need your help to stop this legislation—can you send a letter to Congress telling them to vote NO on the Save Act? As a loyal, long-time voter, you can edit your letter to your members of Congress about why you think it’s vital to protect voting rights.

The New York Times reported that nearly 300 students have had their visas revoked by this administration. To make matters worse, on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump was allowed to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to process swift deportations—the very same act used to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It was wrong to use it then, and it’s wrong to use it now.

We feel particularly strongly about this as older Americans, who have enjoyed these liberties our entire lives, and who have the pleasure of working side by side with students and other protestors from here and around the world on important fights. We know our country has no monopoly on wisdom, and are proud that so many have sought an education here, and in the process broadened and improved our nation.

Starting on April 1, I will be biking across America, starting from just west of San Diego (Ocean Beach) and taking 70 days to cycle to St Augustine Beach, Florida. [I’ll be joined by] my friend Becky—we’ve known each other for almost 30 years, and we have done a lot of bicycling adventures together. I’m 67 and she is 71, and we were like, You know, we’re not getting any younger, so if we’re gonna do this, we can do it soon. We’ve been planning this trip for probably about two and a half years.

What does your journey look like? How many stops will you have along the way? 

The plan is to average about 50 miles a day, and [every five to seven days] we will have a rest day—and we’ll just figure that out as we go. The farthest north we get on this route is Phoenix, Arizona, and our husbands are going to fly in and be with us for two full days of rest. And [again] when we reach Austin, Texas, as well as New Orleans. The final destination will be the Atlantic Ocean, but we don’t know the exact date—[probably] about June 6 or June 7. I’ve always wanted to do this, and felt like, now’s the right time—you’re at a certain age, you’ve been talking with your best friend about it for so long.

I’ve always wanted to do this, and felt like, now’s the right time—you’re at a certain age, you’ve been talking with your best friend about it for so long.

What inspired you to embark on this adventure?

I did some of my first long distance cycling when I was 18, with a church youth group, and I fell in love with it—I met people that were biking across the country back then, in the 70s. And I knew I wanted to do it someday. So it’s been in my heart and my soul and my mind for a long time.

Tell us about the fundraising component. 

Becky told me that she had been involved with her local Habitat for Humanity for about 40 years, and wanted to do [the ride] as a fundraiser for Habitat. And she said, You should think of something to do it for, as a fundraiser. I have three precious grandchildren, ages 10, 8, and 5, and over time, like many of us, I’ve become more and more aware of issues around climate change. A couple of years ago, my oldest grandchild looked at me and said, “Grammy, I want to do adventures with you.” And I said to her, “You do not have to ask me twice.” That’s when I knew I needed to up my game.

A couple of years ago, my oldest grandchild looked at me and said, “Grammy, I want to do adventures with you.” And I said to her, “You do not have to ask me twice.” That’s when I knew I needed to up my game.

I grew up in a family that was all about environmental stewardship, giving back, and taking care of the earth, so that’s how it all came together. I decided I wanted to raise funds for climate action organizations. I learned about a nonprofit called Climate Ride, which is based in Missoula, Montana; [they plan] bicycle trips that raise funds for climate-related nonprofit organizations. Becky and I did a ride with them in Joshua Tree National Park, and met the [Executive Director]. I asked if I could partner with them, and she said yes and told me I could choose the organizations to fundraise for. So I started identifying nonprofits that I wanted to raise money for, and I found out about Third Act. I’d read some of Bill McKibben’s books, but I hadn’t heard about Third Act, and when I learned of it, I was like, Oh my gosh, this is perfect for me. I’m over 65! 

How much money are you trying to raise? 

Becky told me that when she decided to raise money for Habitat, she wanted a big goal—half a million dollars. And I was like, Well, you’ve thrown down the gauntlet, you know? And then I thought, this is what I’m going to do, too, because climate change is a big problem. It’s going to take more than a half-million dollars to solve it, but this is what I can do to do my part. 

It’s going to take more than a half-million dollars to solve [climate change], but this is what I can do to do my part. 

How can Third Act support you along your journey? 

Telling [my] story and inviting other Third Actors from across the country to share the story with others—and, of course, to give if they can. I’m not going to turn down any really big donors, of course, but look, if 10,000 people give 50 bucks, all the money is there. 

I think the other thing people can do is follow me on Facebook. I’m hoping to post some short videos as I meet people and get into conversations with them along the way.

Any final reflections before you hit the road?

People have told me that even if they’re never going to do this, it inspires them to become active and take care of themselves, and also to be generous. And those are all things that are values of mine. And I think when we do that, good things can really happen. That’s my experience in life: you start out with a small group of people and then it just grows from there.

Akaya: I want to remind [everyone] that it’s almost spring. Tomorrow is spring, and spring is a season for seedlings and new things. Even in this moment of important defense: the seasons continue. 

Bill: To help us get started on the right foot into spring is Ezra Levin, who probably most of you know because he’s been doing such great work at Indivisible. He’s done extraordinary work, beginning in the days of the first Trump administration, to rally national opposition. He and [his spouse] Leah Greenberg were described by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people on Earth. We want to learn from him, [so] Third Act has been partnering with Indivisible to get some of this work done this year.

Akaya: I recently learned that April 5th is National Deep Dish Pizza Day, but something tells me that something else might be [happening] on April 5th as well. Can you tell us what it is?

Ezra: At Indivisible, we have a common goal with Third Act: we’re trying to empower people around the country to lead themselves, to organize themselves, to figure out ways to actually have impact themselves, wherever they are. And we’re in a wave moment right now: there are more people getting active right now in red, blue, purple, communities all over the country—rural, suburban, urban. 

As dark and dangerous as everything is, the silver lining right now is a lot of folks are looking around and saying, Well, I guess I’ve got to do something. And that’s exactly right. That is what we need in this moment. We’re made up of about 1,600 local, Indivisible groups all over the country. And one thing that we’ve been hearing since the election is: there’s so much energy out here. We’re going to congressional town halls. We’re going to congressional district offices. We’re showing up in our individual, local community events. When are we going to hit the streets? When is it going to be big? When are we really going to break through? 

Because right now, there are a lot of folks who are paying a lot of attention, who are organizing, but most of the time, most people are not paying attention. We are facing a constitutional crisis right now, and as important as it is for those of us who pay attention to politics every day to be active and show up, that’s not enough. We need people who normally don’t pay attention to be paying attention in this moment. We need to break through to folks who aren’t already with us. And so April 5 is that, in addition to Deep Dish Pizza Day.

April 5 is the first mass mobilization, and we’re calling it HandsOff! It will be in communities all over the country. You can go to [the Third Act] website and sign up to host your own HandsOff! event to tell Elon Musk, congressional Republicans, Donald Trump hand: hands off! Hands off our government, our democracy, our Social Security, Medicaid. We are partnering with brilliant union leaders like SEIU, Working Families Party, MoveOn, and more. 

Akaya: Ezra, what needs to happen between now and April 5 to make this actually work? What are you asking for?

Ezra: Great question. So what I’m not asking folks to do is hear this and say, Oh, that’s interesting. I’ll show up on April 5. I don’t want people just consuming politics. Politics is what we do together, and we all have a role to actually do this work. So what I would love people to do is start their own local HandsOff! mobilization—or, if there is one already, start recruiting. Start making it the thing that everybody does—your domino group, your book club, your social group, your neighbors. Ask: Oh, you’re going to the April 5 thing, right? 

I want everybody on this call. I trust y’all are going to show up. [But] we need everybody who is not on this call to show up as well. It’s very important that we all show up and be seen and be heard.

April 5 is the first mass mobilization, and we’re calling it HandsOff! It will be in communities all over the country. You can go to [the Third Act] website and sign up to host your own HandsOff! event to tell Elon Musk, congressional Republicans, Donald Trump hand: hands off!

Bill: Ezra, everybody else on this call, except you, is over the age of 60. Why is it important that older people show up for this kind of thing? What kind of message does that send?

Ezra: You have incredible political power. Politicians are most scared of those over 60. You know why? Because you vote. A group of folks over 60—a mass of people over 60—sends a message that this isn’t some marginal faction of the population. These are the core of the voting population, showing up and saying, hands off. That is an enormous opportunity. 

Bill: For everyone [here], we have links for you to sign up through Third Act to participate in April 5. It’s important to be doing this locally, on the ground. If you’re in DC, great, but this is a big country, and we need it to be echoing everywhere. 

Between now and April 5, there’s a few things you can do that really matter. We have an online Letter to the Editor tool. I’ve been starting all of mine by saying,“I’m 64 and I’ve never seen an attack on democracy like this.” [Third Actors] bring a long, long, long history that lets us say, this is very different. This is very weird. We also would be grateful if you could create and share a video about how and why you’re resisting and share it on whatever social media you’re on. When you do, tag Third Act. If you’re into hashtags, we’re using #eldersresist. 

This is, in part, how we spread courage to everybody else. Everybody’s a little nervous. We give each other courage when we show up. 

At the moment, they’ve kicked over a hornet’s nest with older Americans. The idea that they’re shutting down that helpline for Social Security is truly astonishing and Social Security itself is on the line clearly going forward. Co-President Musk referred to it as a Ponzi scheme. So the things that have made the things that we have spent our life building are absolutely on the line, and we need to be out there. We need to be out there as third actors. We need to be out there drawing attention to the fact that we’ve known about this for a long time. 

You don’t need to travel hours to do this. You can do it in your own backyard.

Akaya: Ezra, are you recommending that we go to the big cities? Or are you asking us to be take a more local stance as we think about April 5?

Ezra: I’m a former congressional staffer, and my member of Congress represented 13 counties: Austin, Texas, and then a whole bunch of rural counties. We saw protests in Austin regularly, and the thing that would make us take note of an Austin protest was if it was really big. And I hope the Austin HandsOff! is really big, but when we saw folks showing up in the rural counties, in the smaller cities, we were like, oh my gosh, it’s even happening there. That really caught our attention. 

I would rather 20 people out in your small, rural community, if that’s where you live, than traveling an hour to the big city. That’s going to send a better message, and you’re going to be talking to your own elected officials. And that’s what we’re trying to do, to show them that it’s in their backyard too. You don’t need to travel hours to do this. You can do it in your own backyard.

As I am sure you know, there’s joy to be found in many corners of Third Act. But what brings me the greatest joy, at this moment, is the amazing national volunteer community which I have the honor and privilege to facilitate. 

I want to extend this personal invitation to you to learn more about who we are and join us.

Who we are

We are Third Actors from across the nation, residing in states with and without working groups. We are introverts, we are extroverts, each of us with unique lived experiences all working together to grow and sustain the beloved community that is Third Act. We bring a multitude of talents and gifts to support Third Act behind the scenes: as writers, as facilitators, as tech gurus in different areas, as content specialists. We all love our country and our planet and are determined to continue to make a difference.

We are introverts, we are extroverts, each of us with unique lived experiences all working together to grow and sustain the beloved community that is Third Act.

What we do

At our monthly community meetings, we share in welcoming attendees, offer technical support, select the music that opens and closes our meetings, report on what we are doing, and even participate in Zoom speed dating.

Our info@ team answers questions that come to Third Act. Our Welcome team holds the biweekly, national Welcome to Third Act calls. Our web coaches, Zoom coaches, and Google coaches support all Third Actors with questions about technology. And as the staff requests, we take notes at meetings, we search for venues for retreats, we phone bank, we support working groups, and much more. 

I’ll be honest, some roles are not exciting (like maintaining a spreadsheet), but it is this work that provides the staff with additional hours to plan and lead. Many of us are willing to step out of our comfort zones as we take on roles, ones critical to the growth and maintenance of our movement. 

Many of us are willing to step out of our comfort zones as we take on roles, ones critical to the growth and maintenance of our movement.

The rewards

There are so many rewards—it’s impossible to just share one. But the deep friendships that come from collaborating with other Third Act volunteers is first for me. In addition, there is the joy of meeting so many experienced Americans from across the country who bring their own gifts and talents to this work, often in ways they had not originally imagined. There are also the incredible opportunities to learn with and from other volunteers and Third Act staff.

The surprises

I have been most surprised by the agency that Third Act gives its volunteers. In August of 2022, a team of volunteers began to hold the biweekly “Welcome to Third Act” meetings—important gatherings that are entirely volunteer-led. Each time our team counted down the minutes to begin another call, I marveled at the fact that we had this remarkable privilege to be the welcoming face of Third Act. Not only does the welcome team continue; now responding to all the emails that come into info@thirdact.org has been turned over to volunteers. Volunteers’ gifts and talents are truly valued. 

Why join us 

Now more than ever, we believe we need to harness the “old and bold” that is Third Act and stand up for our democracy and our planet—we need you to share your gifts and talents in service to our staff. 

I would love to personally welcome you to our community and hear the ways you’d like to contribute and collaborate with us to expand our capacity to support the Third Act and advance its mission.

Click here to sign up and learn more about our volunteer program—I can’t wait to see what we do together!

Thank you for all that you do.

Dan is the Founder and Executive Director of SolaVida, a grassroots non-profit founded in 2013. His work spans policy/program campaign design and management, organization launch and management, finance, and strategy for-profit and non-profit organizations.

Money is what moves the world. And if we each do our little part with money, that’s what’s going to move the major banks and major corporations. I feel really good about what we’ve done.

What motivated you to move your money?

I got very interested in the divestment movement about a decade ago. I have a finance background, and I’m also aware of the work that was done around South Africa, to use divestment as a way to pressure the South African government to end apartheid. The company I worked for back then allowed us to shift our funds away from South Africa. We saw what happened, and how big of an influence it had. All of these pieces came together in my mind as something powerful that I could do, both at a personal level and in these bigger collectives. 

I began to look into moving my money and trying to understand how I would go about doing it. Around that time, I started to talk to the folks at As You Sow who were developing the tool, Fossil Free Funds, that tells you if various funds have fossil fuel investments. 

For my wife and I, it’s mainly our retirement funds. So I began to use that tool and to see where I could put our money. I began to work out how to make my own fossil fuel free portfolio. It’s been 99% fossil fuel free for a decade now. I later sought out a wonderful investment advisor who thinks that way, and has helped us manage our money. 

While most people won’t dive in at the level I will because I’m kind of geeky and am also very interested in the stock market, they can find others who can help them. 

What advice would you give to a Third Actor looking to move their money?

Get a financial advisor who shares your values and who knows about sustainability! I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people and the reaction every time is that it’s too complicated to know what to do on my own. 

But keep in mind your average financial advisor will either try to talk people out of this because it’s too complicated. They don’t understand or it’s not mainstream. So you have to do a little hunting to find investment advisors who specialize in these kinds of ideas. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is now a big thing.

There are a few directories that can help you find an advisor knowledgeable about sustainable investing, including: Green America’s Socially Responsible Financial Planners & Investment Consultants, First Affirmative’s directory, and Find a B-Corp.

And if they want to do it themselves?

If you don’t have a ton of money and you want to find a few funds, the Fossil Free Funds tool is very easy to very easy to use. And if a person wants to say, well, I’d like to invest some of the US stock market and some in bond funds, and they’re at the level of knowing how they want to segregate their investment profile, the tool can be used to find funds that fit. 

For a DIYer, that would be the place to start. 

Visit our collection of Responsible Finance resources on this topic.

How long did it take you to get to 99% fossil fuel free?

About a year. Once I knew what I wanted to do. It’s really a matter of you not wanting to move too much too fast, just because that’s not usually wise. 

Did you change both your credit cards and your bank accounts? 

Our bank accounts, completely, but not all the cards. It just takes time. It’s also tough to know who is sitting behind credit cards. Of the cards you can get, they can actually be branded as someone else but are issued by and underwritten by one of the dirty banks. For example, Chase could be sitting behind a supposedly clean card. 

Find answers to your questions on finding a better credit card and bank here, including tips for how to figure out if a card is “clean” or not, ways to avoid affecting your credit score, managing any credit card rewards, and more, on our FAQ page.

Have you found other ways to align your money with your values?

There can be a double benefit from the financial benefit offered by investing in improving the efficiency of your home. 

On divestor.org, a website I founded in 2013 to share this information, we have a section on what to do if you’ve got a block of money and a home. It might be smart to take your money and invest it in your home with more efficient windows, more efficient appliances, and so on. You’re doing the right thing with respect to the environment, but you’re also improving the value of your home because you’re adding more modern features, and driving down the cost of ownership of electric bills and things. 

My wife and I bought this home in 2015 and one of the first things we did was we put money into new appliances. We had the place weatherized, which was a smart financial decision and good for the environment too. There can be a double benefit from the financial benefit offered by investing in improving the efficiency of your home. 

If you’re going to be in your home for a long time, it’s a great place to invest your money because you know, when you turn around and sell the house, it’s going to be worth more. If you think about it holistically, your real estate is an investment too. 

Did anything surprise you about the process? Were there any challenges? 

The biggest challenge is that if you’re in a 401K or a 403B retirement plan, you may have limited options and none of them may offer fossil-fuel-free options. There are a growing number of new retirement plans that are better. You can also advocate for and ask your employer to request that the plans offer better choices. 

But even within your existing retirement plans, there are ways to approach this. Typically you are given an option to invest in large, medium, or small companies. If you take the funds that are medium to small, you’re effectively divesting because all the large oil companies like Exxon and Chevron are some of the biggest companies in the world. So if you’re given a midrange fund or small fund, by definition those companies aren’t part of the world that they invest in. 

We all have these options in 401(k) plans and 403Bs. Most people don’t even realize they’re there. They may not be perfect, but it’s a way to stay away from the “fossil fuel majors.”

Learn more with Third Act’s resources and webinar recording on retirement plans.

It’s interesting to hear how many different ways there are to move your money. A decade later, how does it feel to be effectively fossil fuel free? 

Money is what moves the world. And if we each do our little part with money, that’s what’s going to move the major banks and major corporations. I feel really good about what we’ve done. My wife and I feel good about it because we know that it is the right thing to do. It’s where the pressure point is, and in our own way, we can help. 

Third Act is wonderful and I love being a part of it because you meet people, elders in this case, who are committed and trying to do something good in the world. That’s what brings me hope and joy now.  These are big problems. We can do our part individually and can do even more when we act together, collectively. 

Every time I get on a Third Act call, I meet other people who are trying, who are committed, who are doing what they can. It is a joy to see the impact it’s having!

Please note: Third Act is a non-profit educational, organizing, and advocacy organization. We are not investment advisors and are legally prohibited from providing investment or financial advice. The information Third Act provides is for educational purposes.

Third Act does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. Financial choices are your personal decisions.

I treasure the collectives I was a part of because we really accomplished a lot. We changed the lives of millions of people in this country and that was because we worked collectively.

He grew up in northern Kentucky, one of five children in a conservative German Catholic family. He attended all-Catholic schools, including a Jesuit high school and college. “Everyone worked hard, did well, had no complaints, and was happy with America,” says Bob. “I lived in a bubble.” 

Bob went to graduate school first at the University of Chicago and then to the University of Wisconsin. While at Wisconsin, he became the founding president of the Teaching Assistants Association, the first in the country. The Organizing Director of 1199, the National Union of Hospital and Health Care employees, recruited Bob to be an organizer. “I went overnight from a comfortable, all-white world into the world of low paid workers, a majority of whom are Black and Latino. I was 26 at the time. I learned what this country really is like for the vast majority of workers and their families.” After the reform movement won the Teamsters election in 1992, Bob became Assistant to Teamsters President Ron Carey and the Teamsters Organizing Director.

Like many Third Actors, Bob participated in the great movements that extended democracy in America and made progress in organizing unions, civil and women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and peace. Looking back on his second act, Bob says “I treasure the collectives I was a part of because we really accomplished a lot. We changed the lives of millions of people in this country and that was because we worked collectively; that’s one of the things I treasure about the Third Act.” 

Bob learned about the Third Act after years of work with the progressive movement built by Bernie Sanders. He read Naomi Klein’s book, This Changes Everything, which, as he says, “changed everything for me.”  He learned about  the urgency of the climate crisis and how little he knew about it. “I wanted to know how I could learn and where I could do something about it,” says Bob. “Someone mentioned the Third Act and Bill McKibben to me. I didn’t even know who Bill was—that’s how little I  knew.” 

He started and serves as a coordinator for Third Act Union, He also serves on the steering committee of Third Act Maryland.  Bob is active in the Non-Violent Direct Action Network, a multi-state Third Act group which grew out of connections a number of Third Actors made while participating in the 3/21/23 Day of Action and in non-violent actions in 2024, particularly for Summer of Heat.

He is grateful that the Third Act has provided him with an arena to engage in the climate struggle. Because it’s only in the last several years he has learned what science tells us about the urgency of the climate crisis, he appreciates how the Third Act reaches out to other seniors who may not yet fully appreciate why and how “we have no time to waste.” 

 “That’s our mission at Third Act,” Bob says, “and I feel proud to work on that mission.”

Image courtesy of Gerald Simmons/Flickr.

It’s been widely reported that the EPA will soon announce that it no longer considers carbon dioxide—and other fossil fuels—a danger to human health and welfare. This is a clear attempt to remove the statutory basis for climate concern by the federal government.

That this is the logical outcome of the Trump administration’s insistence that climate change is a hoax does not lessen the disgrace of this moment. American scientists were the first to chart the growth of CO2 in the atmosphere, and the first to announce definitively that it was warming the planet. Those were honorable and important moments of truth-telling, but when they happened, truth-telling was taken for granted. 

If this decision holds, gas and oil companies will profit tremendously while the people of this country will suffer. This administration will demonstrate, as it has done countless times, that profit is more important than irrefutable facts and the health of this planet and all who live here.

In our sad new world, our leaders lie to us about basic physics and chemistry. We will do what we can to resist this remarkable dishonesty.

Below, you can find other organizations devoted to environmental justice, working on the front lines to support those who will be most impacted by this; we encourage you to support them.

Scientist to Environmentalist

Dan grew up in a tight-knit Dutch farming community in northwest Indiana. As a kid he was fascinated by the U. S. space program and science in general. “If anyone had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would have said I wanted to be an astronaut,” says Dan. Science fiction was pretty much all he read. His interest in science led him to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. However, Dan eventually spent his career in computer science, and now also sees himself as someone with an engineering mind. “I like to fix things, to solve problems.” 

When Dan and his wife, Peggy, started raising their three children, one problem that began to interest Dan was consumerism. In addition to supporting their family, they were running a small software development business, which got Dan thinking about the economics of consumption, sustainability, and the possibilities of voluntary simplicity

“My thinking migrated from voluntary simplicity to sustainability, and from sustainability to climate, and eventually to energy,” says Dan.
”As a scientist, energy was something that I could get my hands around because I understood a little bit more about energy and how that fit into the whole scheme. And I felt that energy was something we could do something about and particularly fossil fuels.” In 2012 Dan read Bill McKibben’s Rolling Stone article “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math,” which laid out the case for divestment from fossil fuels and launched 350.org’s divestment movement. 

Becoming an Activist

Dan didn’t start out seeing himself as an activist. “I was a scientist. I was objective. I was disconnected from all that messy people business,” he says. But when he retired, McKibben’s Rolling Stone article was still on his mind so he and a friend went to Washington DC in February 2013 for the Forward on Climate rally on the Capitol Mall. It was a very cold day and by late afternoon all they cared about was getting warm. They ducked into a church where an event was being held to present various ways to carry the work forward. Dan found his way to a session on divestment. “We sat in this big circle and they went around the circle as is so often done, introducing ourselves, and it was what university are you associated with or what faith group or other group that might consider divestment. Going around the room, there were Methodists and there was a Unitarian and there was the whole gamut. And I said I was Presbyterian. And all of a sudden the conversation stopped and they said, we don’t have a Presbyterian.”

I was a scientist. I was objective. I was disconnected from all that messy people business

So Dan returned home and worked with others to bring a proposal to the next General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA to divest from fossil fuels. ”It was the classic thing,” says Dan. “I didn’t step back fast enough when they said, well, who’s gonna lead us? So I ended up being the moderator of the volunteer group that brought that whole issue to the church.” Eight years and several failed attempts later, the church voted to divest its holdings in Exxon, Chevron, Marathon, Valero and Phillips 66. 

Earlier, in 2011 Dan was taking his son to Vanderbilt University in Nashville when he saw a poster that said Bill McKibben was coming there to speak. Dan found an email address for Bill and invited him to speak in Oak Ridge. To his surprise McKibben responded right away, saying he was too busy right then but to contact him again. A year later Dan tried again and got a similar reply. Finally, in late 2012 Dan saw that Bill was going to be speaking at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, not far from Oak Ridge and reached out to Bill with another invitation. This time Bill said he’d come if Dan could get a big enough crowd. “When I asked how big is big enough, Bill just said ‘You’ll know.’ We turned out about a thousand people when Bill came to Oak Ridge,” says Dan. 

The Beginning of Third Act

Dan became involved in Third Act when it was still an idea in Bill McKibben’s head. In late 2021, Bill announced he was stepping back from his weekly New Yorker column to organize older Americans. “In that final column Bill asked anyone interested to get in touch, so I did. A few weeks later Anna Goldstein called me, we talked for about 45 minutes and I’ve been involved in Third Act ever since.” In early December, Dan joined a call with about 20 other people to figure out what this Third Act thing should look like. Dan and Pat Almonrode, another early volunteer, had both organized faith groups for climate in the past so they proposed the idea of a faith based affinity group. Working with B. Fulkerson they defined what a working group would look like and in January 2022 launched Third Act Faith. 

Leadership Journey

The first time Dan saw himself as a leader was when he was asked to join his church’s leadership team. “I had no clue what I was doing but three years later I’d survived it,“ says Dan. Later he became involved with Living Waters for the World, a church affiliated non-profit that trains US teams to assist communities with water treatment systems in Central America and Africa. As part of that project he got involved in a teaching role which allowed him to make connections across the national church community. 

Dan is modest about his entry into leadership, saying that Oak Ridge, home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratories, “has a lot of introverted scientists” so he didn’t have to show much leadership capacity to stand out. He recalled his terror at the undergraduate speech class that was required for graduation and how that terror only gradually eased when he had to make scientific presentations in graduate school. The Living Waters project with his church gave him an opportunity to lead on an issue of moral and ethical significance on a national level and contributed to his feeling of confidence as a leader. 

If I think that something could push the cause forward, I’m willing to do it, but I guess I would classify myself more as an instigator than a leader, more as somebody who can twist arms and get other people excited about something and ready to make things happen.

After learning the ropes in helping to establish the Faith Working Group, Dan was eager to see a Tennessee group, too. “But I was smarter this time,” says Dan. He was facilitating an adult Sunday school class, based on Katherine Hayhoe’s idea of the importance of talking about climate change. So he challenged a member of that class to organize Tennessee’s only 3.21.23 bank protest, which led to the start of Third Act Tennessee. The Tennessee working group launched in late 2023. Dan recently stepped down as one of its Co-Facilitators and continues to manage technology for the group. 

Looking back on his leadership journey, Dan says, “If I think that something could push the cause forward, I’m willing to do it, but I guess I would classify myself more as an instigator than a leader, more as somebody who can twist arms and get other people excited about something and ready to make things happen.”

In any case, Dan retains his scientist’s love of the objective and the measurable. As for hope, Dan finds it not in wishing for something but in figuring out what will make a positive difference and then going and doing it. And getting other people to do it, too. 

Not all of us were parents, but most of us were, and if not parents, we have been caretakers in other ways: aunts and uncles, teachers—we have, cumulatively, millions of years of experience raising children. We know that they thrive when treated with love and acceptance, and that they wither when they are rejected and scorned. The new policies announced by the president are bullying, and they will damage minds and hearts.

If there’s one hope most of us had for our children when they were born, it’s that they would grow up to be kind. That we are now run by an administration that celebrates cruelty is regrettable; we are determined to do what we can to make sure they don’t damage the generations that will follow.

Third Actors will continue to stand up for oppressed families and communities, even if these families and communities are not their own. It’s the right thing to do. Below, you can find some organizations devoted to transgender rights and safety; we encourage you to support them.

Some of us have firsthand memories of World War II’s concentration camps, and the Japanese internment camps in this country; none of us are more than a generation removed from that history. It sends shivers down our spines to hear the president order the construction of a 30,000 bed prison in Guantanamo, and to see endless raids by state agents on the homes of immigrants. It is long past time for leaders in Washington to hammer out a humane immigration policy that recognizes how much of America’s strength comes from its diversity.

It also chills us to see the president’s declaration that schools must now teach only ‘patriotic education’ or lose funding. The curriculum he outlines insists that America’s history is only noble. Some of it—helping liberate those German camps—surely is; some—building those camps for Japanese-Americans—surely isn’t. We believe we need to understand all our history, and as long as we’re alive we’ll share what we know with the next generations. 

Third Actors will continue to stand up for oppressed families and communities, even if these families and communities are not their own. It’s the right thing to do. Below, you can find some organizations devoted to immigrant rights and safety; we encourage you to support them.

We invite you to “share your screen” with Peggy and Alma while they chat about everything from problem-solving technology to delights (and surprises) of having Zoom friends.

Sharing Letters on Zoom

Their coaching began with Zoom. Alma talks about how she put the platform’s share screen feature into use right before delivering a letter to the governor’s office.

Taking the Lead at 81

“At the age of 81, I learn by trial,” says Alma. She practices, instead of simply listening or following. And when she’s had enough tech for the day, they pause and continue next time.

Microsoft Tyrant

Like all of us, Peggy and Alma have experienced their fair share of tech issues. Once, Microsoft Edge insisted on being the default file storage and they couldn’t find any Google files. After some investigation, they figured it out. “The word is tyrant,” Alma says. “Microsoft Tyrant was there and I couldn’t get past it.”

Coaching Model

On why Third Actors can and should increase their digital literacy, Peggy gets to the heart of it: “We can help [Alma] achieve what she wants to be doing, which is not fooling around with technology but working to democratize energy in Connecticut.” It’s a means to the end: protecting our climate and democracy.

Zoom Friends

They each live on opposite coasts, and similar to many geographically-distant Third Actors, have developed a friendship through Zoom. Along the way, they’ve both found several benefits to this arrangement—such as the comfort of wearing whatever you’d like at home.

Alma now says she would like to get her entire team involved in coaching (and in fact, she’s already had several requests). At the end of their conversation for this blog, they thought over whether they had anything more to say. After a moment, Peggy told Alma, “I’m free this Friday. Should we schedule a session?”

Here’s How You Can Sign Up for Coaching with Third Act

All members of Third Act working groups are invited to request a coaching session for any and all skills.

• For Zoom coaching, please use this form.
• For Google coaching, please use this form.

For any questions, contact Lani (lani@thirdact.org).

Here is my experience from last Wednesday, after both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire had broken out.

I was given about 10 minutes to evacuate from the Sunset Fire in Runyon Canyon—less than a mile from my house. Thanks to the quick efforts of the LAFD, I was able to return home the next morning. I am very lucky; many, many others in Los Angeles cannot say the same. Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, and many do not know if their homes will still be standing when the evacuation order ends. There is ash falling from the sky, and many of us are scared to go outside for fear of what we might be inhaling. I am a third-generation Angeleno, and it breaks my heart to see my city go up in such violent, fast-moving flames. At the same time, I am moved by the residents working together and collaboratively to keep as many people safe, housed, and fed as possible.

Climate change, and the climate events that come with it, is not happening tomorrow. It is happening now, very obviously in the populous city of Los Angeles. Without action, it will come for all of us. Without divestment from fossil fuels, investment in clean energy, a commitment to Indigenous land stewardship, and community solidarity, it will be in your backyard as quickly as it has come to mine.

Shannon, a Third Actor, shares some thoughts on experiencing the most recent fires as well as the 2018 Woosley fire:

This tragic round of fires has many Angelenos, like myself, reliving emotionally the losses of the 2018 Woolsey fire, feeling heartbroken for those now in pain similar to and worse than what we experienced.

In the aftermath of my family’s loss, I felt compelled to speak up about the climate crisis. I made a call for change to a packed city council meeting, which led to an article in a local paper. I raised funds for the UCLA Center for Climate Science through a bike tour of the California coast. Now, six moves and as many years later, my permanent—all electric, solar-powered—home may be ready to occupy soon.

All I could think of after Woolsey was the opportunity to change, to rebuild better and more sustainably. The devastation of the most recent blazes opens yet another inroad for us to mitigate the climate crisis by rebuilding intentionally. Every lost structure to be reconstructed–and reimagined–presents a huge opportunity for our environment, for our county, for our families, for the clean energy revolution.

We Angelenos are visionaries with outsized imaginations. If anyone can do it, we can. We can build a sustainable LA. We can rise stronger than ever before. We can turn the call for hope and renewal into something tangible for generations to come. Now is the time to seize opportunity within tragedy and transform the way our beautiful region runs, the way it is built, the priorities it sets.

I am preaching to the choir. Third Actors are some of the most engaged, intelligent, thoughtful climate organizers out there. Thank you for committing your time and energy to this fight. Below, you will find some resources we have compiled from the community. If you are a Southern California-based Third Actor, I hope you are somewhere safe. My heart is with you. This city is as great as the people in it, and you are magnificent.

Resources for those wishing to donate time, money, space, or supplies:

• Volunteering and item donations: 
  • Mutual Aid LA has an excellent, thorough guide of donation needs and volunteer opportunities throughout the city.
  • L.A. Works can connect you with non-profit organizations to volunteer with.
• Donations:
  • Many displaced families have their own personal fundraisers set up; here are a few directories that include some of these
    • Directory of GoFundMe fundraisers to support displaced Black families of Altadena
    • Directory of GoFundMe fundraisers to support displaced Latine families of Altadena
    • Directory of GoFundMe fundraisers to support displaced Filipino families
    • GoFundMe’s landing page for all wildfire-related fundraisers
  • California Community Foundation’s Wildlife Recovery Fund
  • Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
  • The Pasadena Humane Society, which is boarding displaced pets and suppling those in need with pet food and medical care
  • The National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which is supporting the Pasadena Community Job Center
  • California Domestic Workers Coalition, which is collecting donations for day laborers and domestic workers who have lost their homes or their jobs—or both—due to the fires
  • Third Actor Jeff shares: “Many faith communities have disaster and emergency response funds. My Christian denominations (the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) each have funds for emergency response and have issued appeals to specifically respond to the fires. One of the reasons I especially like giving through my church is that the church response is there for the long haul and pays attention for ways to help that the government and big agencies ignore or miss. People will fall through the cracks and the church can help them. The recovery will take years and the church isn’t going away. Even for the local congregations that have lost their buildings, they will still be there offering grassroots , neighborhood assistance. Plus, typically, the overhead for the fundraising is already paid for, so I know that 100% of my giving will help people.”

Resources for those displaced and in need of clothing, food, federal funds, or other items:

• FEMA Assistance: Apply for FEMA assistance here.
• Food/water/masks/other items: Mutual Aid LA has an excellent, thorough guide with locations offering N95 masks, food, water, and more.
• Insurance: LAist has an excellent guide to get you started on insurance claims.
• Childcare: The YMCAs across the greater Los Angeles area are offering childcare as well as temporary shelter, showers, basic amenities, and mental health support.
• Vital records: If you have been directly impacted by the fires, you can request property and vital records (i.e., birth, death, marriage) free of charge by calling 800-201-8999 or emailing recorder@rrcc.lacounty.gov
• Housing: 
  • Hotel listings with availability and discount information and for those who have been evacuated
  • 211LA has partnered with Airbnb to offer free temporary housing to some people; you can apply here.

“[President Carter] declared May 3, 1978, to be Sun Day, and delivered a speech (in a driving rain—he was characteristically unlucky) from a federal solar-research facility in Golden, Colorado. ‘The question is no longer whether solar energy works,’ he said. ‘We know it works. The only question is how to cut costs so that solar power can be used more widely and so that it will set a cap on rising oil prices.’ He continued, ‘Nobody can embargo sunlight. No cartel controls the sun. Its energy will not run out. It will not pollute the air. It will not poison our waters. It’s free from stench and smog. The sun’s power needs only to be collected, stored, and used.’

Carter was correct. Had we embarked on an enormous project of solar research then and there, we could have cut the costs of renewable energy far faster than we did.”

In late October 2024, I joined a small group representing Costco members, shareholders, petition-signers, and campaigners from Third Act, Stop the Money Pipeline, and the Vessel Project in discussion with Costco’s CEO and Senior Vice President. 

This campaign is personal for so many of us—I grew up riding around in the back of Costco’s (then ‘Price Club’s’) enormous shopping carts as a kid while my dad picked up supplies for his pizzeria (he still swears that Costco is the reason small business owners can stay afloat). But the stakes are much higher for others. Roishetta Ozane—who joined the meeting and is the founder of the Vessel Project on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast—relies on Costco to secure emergency supplies for her family and community whenever severe weather and hurricanes, intensified by climate change, threaten her home and the surrounding region.

The irony—and pain—is lost on no one. While Costco provides vital resources for communities like Roishetta’s, its credit card partner, Citibank, is actively financing the fossil fuel projects that exacerbate the climate disasters these communities face. This contradiction stands in stark contrast to Costco’s motto: “Do the right thing.”

Making our case at the meeting

During the meeting, we presented a strong business case for Costco to align its credit card partnership with its values. We outlined how Costco could integrate its banking partners into its Climate Action Plan, as it does with other suppliers and vendors. To support our case, we shared examples of major companies addressing their “financed emissions” and offered actionable steps for Costco to clean up its credit card partnership or consider a greener alternative.

In addition, we delivered over 3,000 handwritten postcards from Costco members, shareholders, and Third Actors like you; some were read aloud to ensure leadership truly heard their community’s concerns and commitment to this campaign.

Costco CEO Ron Vachris seemed genuinely engaged, asking lots of questions, and open to hearing our concerns. We could tell he cares what Costco members and shareholders think. Their VP later acknowledged that the postcards showed that people are deeply invested in this issue. While leadership takes time to consider the resources and recommendations we shared, we agreed to continue the conversation.

This progress is thanks to the sustained, friendly efforts of Third Actors, Third Act Working Groups, and deep collaboration with our partners like Stop the Money Pipeline, Climate Defenders, and Stand.earth. It reflects the power of collective action to influence even the largest corporations. Together, we’re showing that people power can create meaningful change, even with the world’s largest corporations. We’re encouraged by the engagement of Costco’s leadership, but we know the work isn’t done. We’ll continue this fight until we win.

Campaign history and milestones

Looking back, it’s incredible to see how this campaign grew from a simple idea to meaningful dialogue with one of the world’s largest corporations. Guided by Third Act’s campaign strategist Deborah Moore, what began with a small group of Third Act Washington members—organizing in Costco’s home state—has grown into a nationwide movement in just over a year.

Here are some of the major achievements of this monumental campaign:

• 40,000 petitions delivered to Costco before their annual shareholder meeting.
• Thousands of handwritten postcards and emails to Costco leadership.
• Demonstrations across the country, where members have been arrested to draw attention to this critical issue.

Costco’s reputation as a values-driven company is well-earned. From refusing to sell endangered seafood to establishing its own climate goals (like reducing deforestation), and paying fair wages, Costco has shown a willingness to lead on critical issues. We hope they’ll evaluate their credit card partnership and influence Citi to take meaningful action to stop funding fossil fuels and accelerate its clean energy funding. 

If you haven’t already, join us in this action by signing our petition so Costco can hear from you, too.

Matt grew up in a Catholic family in Stowe, Ohio, one of four children. He knew from an early age that he was gay. “I took a lot of bullying as a result,” says Matt, “but I eventually found other people on the fringe who were also bullied and they became my social group.” A gap year Matt took after high school turned into 5 years that he spent living and working near his hometown. When he was ready to go to college he chose Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, an institution non-traditional enough to suit his needs as an “older” student with a creative and rebellious nature. He graduated with a BFA in Painting and Art History.   

In his second act, Matt moved to San Francisco and reinvented himself several times, pursuing careers that included museum curator, lithographer, handyman, bike mechanic, bicycle parking valet and beekeeper. Eventually, he found his way into teaching middle schoolers, mostly math and science. After 22 years, he told his principal he needed a change and wanted to bring “Shop” back into middle school.  Under the rubric of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), he got the go ahead to put together a program. “Parents and kids loved it and with help from an angel donor we bought a room full of tools, 3-D printers and other technology.” Several students Matt has stayed in touch with went on to earn engineering degrees. Others pursued experiences with set design in high school with the ambition of making it a career. 

Matt has always been politically oriented and active to one degree or another. At the height of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco he volunteered in a buyer’s club for AIDS patients as well as in ACT-UP.  An avid cyclist, he was involved with Critical Mass and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition as well as other advocacy groups. Growing up in northeastern Ohio he was aware that every year activists held a candlelight vigil on the Kent State hill where the National Guard shootings took place. Matt was living in Kent in May 1977 when the university provost announced that a huge sports center would be built on the iconic site.  Several of the students injured were still living in the area. They rallied people to take over the administration building and to create a tent city on the site of the shootings.  

“I heard about it and wanted to join,” says Matt. In contrast to his high school experience as an outsider, being a part of the tent city gave him a feeling of being useful and needed. “I joined against my parents’ wishes,” says Matt, “but they eventually visited, took a tour with one of the survivors, and were very supportive after that.  Mom is still a dyed in the wool Republican but they respected me for being active and standing up for what I believed in.” Matt and his fellow protesters were eventually dragged off, put into buses, and processed. The tent city was the longest nonviolent civil disobedience action in U. S. history at the time. 

Matt got his passion for politics from his parents even if his views were mainly in opposition to theirs.  “All my parents’ friends were Democrats and they would get together for every election, drink cocktails, watch the returns roll in, cackle, scream, smoke cigarettes,” says Matt.  “Despite their political differences they were friends and hung out together.”

Matt is in the process of re-fashioning his third act after several significant losses during the last two years. A serious back injury caused him to take early retirement from teaching.  Several months later his husband retired and they prepared for a life of adventures abroad.  However, within a year of his retirement Matt’s husband died suddenly, followed by the couple’s two elderly dogs.  

As Matt began picking up the pieces of his life, a friend from his days at Antioch told him about Third Act.  He attended a meeting and got on a committee. “I saw their newsletter and realized I could re-format it—-actually by using an app one of my sixth-graders taught me how to use during the pandemic,” says Matt with a smile. When the Bay Area working group rolled out its website, Matt took on the job of keeping it updated and coordinating the communications team. “We want as many volunteers as possible so we have reporters for all our campaigns. They bring me the content and I format it and post it.” 

With regard to activism, Matt has always felt that “the least I can do is be a body out there and be counted. That’s always been my stance whenever I’ve participated in a demonstration,” says Matt. “I’m not going to be a speaker, I’m not going to try to create anything other than to add my presence.”  Matt’s Third Act work takes up a fair amount of his week but he’s looking for more volunteer work, perhaps helping refugees. In any case, he intends to keep adding his presence. Long term, Matt finds hope in what he sees in his Gen Z nieces and nephews and their potential to do better than their elders. 

In an email to supporters, Third Act’s CEO, Kafia Ahmed, shared a powerful reminder:

This work is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. To endure, we must not only remain open to discovering our unique gifts and talents but also take care of ourselves and lean on each other. Community is what brought me back from burnout. It’s what allowed me to plug into this fight more meaningfully. And it’s what will sustain us in the years ahead as we confront new and profound challenges.

At Third Act, we’ve taken this lesson to heart. Just last week, our team gathered for a staff retreat to reflect and recharge after the election season. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to this work and started charting a path forward for 2025. It’s clear that this next phase will demand focus, strategy, and a collective endurance.

This was Third Act’s first presidential election cycle. But for our volunteers—elders who’ve lived through decades of history—this moment carries the wisdom of experience. They’ve seen movements thrive, falter, and rise again. That perspective will guide us as we step into the next phase of this fight with clear eyes and renewed resolve.

Together, over the past few months, we achieved extraordinary things:

• We built GrayPAC, a Political Action Committee, from the ground up channeling elder power for climate and democracy
• We sent hundreds of thousands of postcards to low-propensity voters, and registered thousands of new voters, ensuring their voices were a part of this crucial election
• We mobilized phone banks and canvassing teams in communities nationwide, directly reaching tens of thousands of voters
• We equipped dozens of volunteers with skills in nonviolent resistance, practicing them for the fights ahead in summer actions demanding banks stop funding fossil fuel expansion 
• We strengthened coalitions in key states during Silver Wave Tour with Bill McKibben, Rebecca Solnit, and special guests
• We learned together about the pivotal role of public utility commissions and how to hold them accountable––localized work which will be even more crucial in the next years

These accomplishments are the foundation for what comes next. The work we’ve done together has prepared us for the challenges ahead.  And while this preparation may not lessen the grief or anger, it does amplify our resolve. We are committed to a deliberate and steady approach––ensuring that our efforts are sustainable and impactful for the road ahead.

As  Rebecca Solnit wrote in The Guardian following the election:

I want to talk about being resolute and lining up resources, the way people generations ago laid up supplies for winter. Just like the fossil fuel industry loves doomers who give up on defeating it, so authoritarians love fear, surrender, people who’ve decided they’re already defeated, who are already afraid to resist. 

Now is the time to dig deep, share your talents, and ask how you can best serve your conscience by serving your neighbors and the most vulnerable among us. There’s a role for everyone.

Let’s keep moving forward, together.

In a panic, I then went to 2 other international delivery places and finally DHL said that their envelope should arrive by Tuesday morning. So it cost $150 and a quite a bit of effort to be able to cast my vote, but it’s a small price to pay for the privilege of voting in this election.”

Ria Stewart
Mexico City

“Here in western NC a lot of people’s lives have been upended by Hurricane Helene, so another elder friend and I wanted to make sure people without homes and cars could still vote. So for three days my car turned into a VOTER TAXI – we showed up at the downtown bus transfer station and approached people to ask if they had voted. If not, we offered to take them to a nearby early voting site and then on to wherever they were planning to go on the bus.

Over the three days we took 12 people to vote, most of whom I’m pretty sure would not have voted had we not come along. One old fellow voted for the first time! We helped one lady who had recently become “unhoused” for the first time in her life resolve her provisional ballot, another fellow get out to his appointment with FEMA which was beyond the bus line.

Here’s Jonathon, unhoused, struggling with MS, but one of the sharpest most delightful human beings you’d ever want to meet!”

Debbie Genz
Ashville, North Carolina

“Three generations went to the early voting location together, me, my daughter and granddaughter. It was my granddaughter’s 2nd vote, but first for a President.”

Jane Kahan
St Paul, Minnesota

“Exhausted by so many months of angry rants, fearmongering, and vindictiveness from Trump and MAGA Republicans, many of us sensed a subtle change in the national mood, an air of expectancy, after the Democratic convention.

Our next president wore a contagious smile, not a sinister scowl. She promised opportunity for all, not recrimination and discrimination. Rather than abandoning our allies and courting dictators, she aspires to a renewed spirit of international cooperation to peacefully achieve global prosperity. Discerning Americans have been perplexed and frustrated that so many reasonable friends and neighbors have accepted the absurd, false realities concocted by Trump and Vance, and they find it frightening that virtually every Republican member of Congress is unfazed by Trump’s treasonous, criminal and immoral behavior. So they rejoiced in Harris’s fact-based policies of inclusion and her enlightened vision for the future.

Desperate to tune out the constant drumbeat of ridicule and hostility, millions of people welcomed her message of hope, joy, and a brighter tomorrow.”

Dick Wildermann
Seabrook Island, South Carolina

“Third Actor, Jon Gorham, organized 58 volunteers who wrote 6,500 get-out-the-vote postcards to Democrats in Pennsylvania, and 2,500 postcards for Jahana Hayes, Connecticut’s three-term Congresswoman. Jon and his group also made and distributed over 2,000 nesting, origami boxes for Johanna Hayes, who has used these boxes to thank her staff, energize volunteers, and motivate first-time voters.”

Jon Gorham
Woodbridge, Connecticut

“While canvassing in a Merced CA neighborhood for Adam Gray (D) in the CD 13 race, I couldn’t catch these voters. Or maybe they were canvassing. Still, we knocked on hundreds of doors, and got to meet Adam.”

Nancy Tierney
Pacifica, California

Share your voting story with us!

We’d love to hear from you. In a time when only 14% of U.S. adults trust national news for election information, your voices are more crucial than ever. Third Act wants to amplify your voting story this election season to inspire others with your perspective and commitment.

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One of the blessings of growing older is that—if you’re fortunate—you’re also growing less judgmental. With any luck you’ve come to understand that the world can be hard, and so to have some affection for your fellow travelers through it. Which is another way of saying: it was sweet to spend a sunny Tuesday morning in a not-so-good section of Philadelphia, knocking doors to turn out the vote.

I’d gotten to town the night before, coming from Atlanta, where we’d had a wonderful night with the local TA group (and where I’d gotten to spend a memorable afternoon at the Civil Rights Museum, reflecting on our colleague Heather Booth and on older voters in general. You can read my report for the New Yorker here).

Anyway, the visit to Philadelphia began with a big rally at the Arch Street Meeting House in the center of the city. We heard from a dynamic young pastor and city councilor named Nicolas O’Rourke, and from two young women studying at St. Joseph’s, and then I rambled for a while about the stakes of this election—a knife’s edge chance between electing a dangerous authoritarian or choosing our first woman president. The main job was just to psych people up for the real work, which at this late stage is nothing but turn-out.

And so we gathered, fifty or so gray-haired activists, in Clark Park in West Philly the next morning. We stood around a statue of Charles Dickens as we took our marching orders—each team of two had an app called Minivan that gave us our catalog of doors. The morning’s canvass had been organized by the non-partisan Environmental Voters Project, which has a big list of ‘low-propensity’ voters who can be counted on to pull the right lever if they make it to the polls. And so we set off.

Mike Tidwell, the veteran leader of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and I set off through the streets of West Philadelphia. It was morning, so not surprisingly most people weren’t home—the usual routine was to ring the doorbell, wait for a minute, and then print the person’s name on the literature encouraging them to be a “good voter” (apparently, testing shows this kind of ‘social pressure’ actually works) and hang them from the doorknob.

About halfway through, a young woman on our list answered the door. I explained that we just wanted to make sure that she knew how to get to her polling place, at which point she said that was going to be a problem. She pointed to her right foot, where her sock covered a bulge—it was, she explained, an ankle monitor, and she wasn’t actually allowed to go out to the polls because she was awaiting trial.

Now, I imagine that at some point in my younger years, I might have thought: this person could be a criminal, should I be helping her vote? But I’ve lived long enough and attentively enough to understand that just because a young black woman has fallen afoul of our criminal justice system, it doesn’t mean an enormous amount. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in jail (for crimes I’ve been happy to admit) and in the process met a fair number of people who, it struck me, were guilty mainly of being born in the wrong place. I haven’t suspended judgment entirely—I don’t like crime, and I wouldn’t vote for a presidential candidate who had managed to acquire multiple felony convictions. But I sensed that this young woman probably did not have a crack legal team at her command, and anyway she wasn’t running for president—she just wanted to vote for president. So I helped her figure out how to approach the Secretary of State’s office. I hope it works, and not just because it will help Harris—because voting is good. (One thing I deeply admire about older Americans is that for all the opportunities we’ve had to develop real cynicism, we continue to vote.)

A few blocks later we came to one of our addresses and there was actually someone sitting on the porch. “We’re looking for Janis Merton,” I said (though I’ve changed the name.)

“Oh,” he said. “That name is deceased. I wish you would take it off your list.”

Now, for the first two-thirds of my life, I would assume that he meant Janis had died, and I would have offered my condolences and moved on. If I’d somehow understood that this was a person born a woman who had become a man I wouldn’t have known what to say; raised to be polite, I probably wouldn’t have said a thing, but I might have thought: ick.

But again I’ve been lucky. I’ve had the chance to get to know a fair number of people who’ve transitioned from one gender to another, and in every case it’s been a blessing. The idea that we live in a moment when people are able to connect with something deep inside them, and instead of feeling shame and sadness do something about it—that’s a joy. And one of the ugliest parts of this fall’s campaign is the degree to which the GOP has decided to stigmatize and target those people. The cruelty of the radio ads and the tv spots can take your breath away. As Tim Walz would say, none of your damned business—but to the degree it’s of the public interest, it’s awfully nice that you can love who you want, including yourself. I’m pretty sure this guy was never going back, and more power to him.

We finished up our day’s list and returned our clipboards, and then I got on the plane to Phoenix. Again we had a wonderful evening program, thanks to the folks at Third Act Arizona—among other things it featured Candice Fortin, the organizing director at my old stomping ground 350.org. And Rebecca Solnit was there to headline things, thank heaven, since I was getting a little weary. Some native dancers set the mood; a trio of young people brought it home. We ended by telling everyone to show up the next day to canvass, and a lot of them did.

This time the proceedings were organized by Seed the Vote and by La Lucha—the phone app took us across the sprawling Phoenix metro area to the suburb of Avondale, which has almost tripled in population in the first fifth of this century. It’s mostly Hispanic, a pretty solidly middle-class community—we were in a subdivision filled with twisting roads and not-quite-identical houses, each with a gravel front yard (Phoenix has successfully kicked the lawn habit, though there was one unfortunate experiment with astroturf). It was a fairly perfect rendition of the America that’s coming by mid-century, where white people are no longer a majority—the thing that may subliminally drive the MAGA rage. And yet it was so…normal. Pickups, a few of them jacked-up. Fancy doorbells (Ring vs Vivint, with a few SimpliSafe—you notice these things when you’re doorknocking).

The sun beat down—when we’d left the car it had insisted the outside temperature was 100, and it felt like that. The trees weren’t big enough yet to provide much shade, and I was inordinately grateful when the phone app sent us to the shadier side of the street. People were mostly missing—it was midday—and so, conspicuously, were solar panels. If this were California or Texas (or Vermont) you would have found them on many houses, but so far the Arizona utilities have roundly resisted any real efforts to take advantage of the fact that they are the sunniest city in the country, with the sun shining down 88.5 percent of the time. One would think that the record-smashing summer they’ve just endured—at one point 21 straight days set new daily temperature records, a streak with no equal in this country—might have convinced them. But no. We desperately need four more years for the IRA to roll out, and really step up to the task of changing out the 140 million homes in this country, and we desperately need the great advocacy at Public Utility Commissions that so many Third Actors are now engaged in.

It was good to be outside walking the streets, even in the heat, in part because it meant there was no chance to worry about the polls, and all the other craziness. (While we were out there news came that the police had arrested the gun nut who shot up the local Democratic headquarters, and also the nut nut who set a mailbox on fire last night perhaps to burn up some ballots). Politics used to be kind of fun, but not since 2016—everything seems desperate, especially this gut-wrenchingly close election. But while it’s happening, there’s the chance for everyone to take part: to get out and knock doors, and in the process be reminded what kind of tenuous, noble, important lives our fellow Americans are living. To remind ourselves that one goal of all of this to make those lives a little easier.

Reno the next night was like coming home–Third Act’s first big electoral effort had come here in the fall of 2022, when we played a real role in helping save the Senate by picking up Nevada’s seat. Our great national organizer B Fulkerson is also the great local organizer here, and so we had a truly beautiful evening at a packed Unitarian church, which featured Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar. Rebecca spoke with great wisdom, reminding us how much of the arc of change we’d seen in our lives, and that this was our chance to move it on.

As a huge passel of canvassers–from Third Act groups in Nevada, Oregon, and California, and our wonderful Bay Area friends from 1000 Grandmothers–set off the next morning, I told them I’d talked to my wife back home the night before and that she’d reported our 7-month-old grandson had learned to give High Fives this week. So I told them what I’ll tell you: if you find yourself weary as this week goes on, just imagine a chubby-cheeked little Vermont boy slapping you on the hand, in thanks for being out there protecting his future. That’s what it’s about!

Sterling Bobbitt fell in love with the natural world at a young age. “As a kid my mother was desperate to have me do some kind of after school activity—band, chorus or whatever,” says Sterling Bobbitt of Third Act Connecticut. “But all I wanted to do was get back home and play in the woods behind our house.”

Sterling was lucky enough to grow up in Mansfield, CT, where his family’s home sat on the edge of a large forested watershed district. His adventures in the woods motivated him to earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry from West Virginia University. After graduation he landed a job with the National Park Service in its Resource Management Division at Grand Canyon. His assignment was to survey backcountry hikers at the Park about all the aircraft buzzing overhead. In the process of interviewing subjects, he logged 300 miles hiking in the canyon, as well as a rafting trip on the Colorado River. “That was a good gig,” says Sterling. Another fortuitous assignment took him to a training event at Lake Mead where he met a Park Service employee who would later become his wife and with whom he’d move to San Francisco.

Sterling’s career eventually shifted to Information Technology, mainly focused on learning systems for federal employees. This work required that he spend a lot of time in Washington, D.C. but he still managed to find time to be outdoors, often with his two sons. Both boys were Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and Sterling was actively involved in scouting activities with them, including camping in northern New Mexico and canoeing in the Boundary Waters. His lifelong experience cross country skiing and winter camping allowed him to train adult scout leaders in Winter Survival Skills in the High Sierras. Family vacations were spent snorkeling in the Hawaiian islands.

Sterling’s first activist experience was in defense of the earth, marching with friends on what he thinks was the very first Earth Day in 1970. A summer internship with the National Parks and Conservation Association in Washington D.C opened his eyes to the politics of environmental activism and the role activist groups can play in defining options for government action.

In his second act, Sterling spent six years as volunteer webmaster for Citizens for a Better Environment (now Communities for a Better Environment). When he learned of Greta Thunberg’s Skolstrejk för Klimatet (School Strike for Climate), he began standing on a public corner weekly with signage identifying him as striking for climate and wearing the old gas mask he wore to Earth Day as a teenager. During this time, he also started his weekly Strike for Climate in California and has continued it in Storrs, Connecticut, where he now lives with his wife and younger son.

Sterling first learned of Third Act when he heard Jane Fonda talk about it on a news show. “Third Act fit my demographic and my desire to volunteer and it has been a real blessing,” he says. He initially joined Third Act California but is now active with Third Act Connecticut.  During the year he’s been back in Connecticut he’s written 100 postcards to voters, canvassed for the Harris campaign, and joined several protests, including 2024 Summer of Heat actions in New York City and one in Hartford, CT aimed at curtailing public utilities’ use of fossil fuels during hours of peak demand.

Sterling makes his considerable I.T. skills available to the climate movement by volunteering to support Third Act web editors in Third Act Working Groups around the country. As a member of the Third Act Digital Communications team he provides one on one coaching, writes help articles, and assists with devising solutions for the various I.T. dilemmas that arise in the growing Third Act network.  

On the Digi-Comms team Sterling is known not only for his I.T. expertise but also for his gentle good humor and relaxed vibe, always appearing in Zoom meetings reclining in one of his prized Mayan hammocks.  Sterling discovered colorful, woven Mayan hammocks when he was a teenager and admits to being “obsessed with them.” To occupy himself during the pandemic he even wrote an ebook about them. “If I have a sweet spot in life,” says Sterling, “it’s in a hammock down by the river that runs behind my house.”

Sterling is inspired and heartened by the huge potential he sees in Third Act. “There are millions of people over the age of 60—an army of people—who care deeply, have lots of life experience and have the potential to add huge intellect and drive to the environmental movement,” says Sterling. “We have a great big beautiful biome but if we don’t take care of it that’s not what we’ll be passing on to our children. I love my boys and I want to give them the healthiest planet possible.”

As explained by The Brennan Center, “the results that you see on election night coverage are not final and official results. They are instead a combination of unofficial results reported by election officials and news organization projections.” Counting votes actually involves a series of steps, including multiple checkpoints and safeguards, to ensure the accuracy of results and protection of voting rights.  Election results only become official once certified. We’ll get into how this happens below.

Because there are a variety of ways that people can vote—in-person at the polls on Election Day; early in-person voting; vote-by-mail; and absentee ballots—there are also a variety of ways that votes can be counted and tabulated. And different states have different laws about when and how votes can begin to be counted. For example, Michigan now allows local officials to process and tabulate mail ballots before Election Day, allowing officials to count and report these vote totals faster than they previously could. In North Carolina, however, election officials must now wait until polls close on Election Day to begin tabulating ballots cast during the early voting period. Some states require that mail-in ballots must arrive by Election Day, while others ask that mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day even if received after Election Day. 

There are also provisional ballots that must be adjudicated and counted. And 30 states allow for a “ballot curing” process whereby small errors in a ballot can be fixed within a certain time period (such as a mail-in ballot’s envelope missing a signature). The Brennan Center’s blog clearly lays out the roadmap to the official vote count and the administrative procedures that are followed at every step in the vote counting process. 

Election results: Expect delays and shifts

There are several legitimate reasons why it may take time to know the official results of this year’s election. Firstly, the aforementioned  variety of ways in which people can now vote and the administrative processes involved with tabulating and cross-checking different types of  ballots, all take time. Another factor is the different state rules about when certain types of ballots can start to be counted. And everyone already anticipates that challenges to vote counting and election practices will be brought up by candidates, further delaying the process. 

Even if the election goes smoothly, there will likely still be a known and anticipated “red mirage” on Election Night where election results can initially appear to be favoring Republicans because it is known that Republican voters prefer in-person voting at the polls on Election Day and those ballots are counted and reported faster, whereas more Democrats prefer mail-in ballots, which are counted more slowly. So, a “blue shift” can appear as time goes on and more mail-in ballots are counted. These “mirages” and “shifts” are not an indication of election fraud or manipulation; rather, they are an expected phenomenon that has been observed, studied, and understood in earlier elections.  

Republican voters prefer in-person voting at the polls on Election Day, and those ballots are counted and reported faster. In contrast, more Democrats prefer mail-in ballots, which are counted more slowly. Hence the terms “red mirage” and “blue shift.”

Understanding the presidential vote certification process and timeline

As described by the Campaign Legal Center (CLC), a nonpartisan legal organization advancing democracy through law, election certification is “a ministerial task that confirms the election process has concluded. At that stage, every vote has been counted and the results of the various races on the ballot have been determined.” Certification includes a series of deadlines at the local and state level that must be met before the results are officially finalized.

November 5, 2024—Election Day this year—marks the final day on which voters can cast a ballot in this year’s election, but the electoral system for choosing and inaugurating our president extends well beyond November 5. Notably, the Electoral Count Reform Act, enacted in late 2022, updated certain dates and procedures in the electoral vote counting process.

The 2024 election will be the first presidential election utilizing the ECRA’s updated rules and timeline. 

Here is an outline of the timeline for the presidential vote certification:

• Appointment of state electors no later than December 11, 2024
• Meeting and Vote of Electors in their States: Tuesday, December 17, 2024
• Deadline for Electoral Votes to be Received by officials in Washington, DC: December 25, 2024
• 119th Congress Convenes: January 3, 2025
• Congress Counts Electoral Votes: January 6, 2025
• Inauguration Day: January 20, 2025

The ECRA clarifies the process for appointing electors; provides an expedited process for federal courts to resolve disputes about a state’s certification of electors; clarifies the vice president’s role in the process when Congress meets to count electoral votes; and raises the threshold for embers of Congress to object to a state’s certified election results. 

Election certification is “a ministerial task that confirms the election process has concluded. At that stage, every vote has been counted and the results of the various races on the ballot have been determined.”

Republicans are already setting the stage to challenge the election results. They are trying to purge voter rolls (pushing actions that are illegal within 90 days of Election Day). And they will try, again, to challenge the certification process at local, state, and federal levels. However, the ECRA reforms make it impossible for states to submit alternate electors. As mentioned above, certifying the election results is a ministerial, not a political act, and it is illegal for local officials to refuse to certify election results. Constant vigilance will be required and numerous government officials in both parties and watchdog organizations are working to ensure that the rules are followed..

Election protection efforts

Third Act is a member of the 300-member strong Election Protection Coalition. Organizations in the coalition are involved with a variety of nonpartisan efforts to uphold the integrity of our elections, including Common Cause, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, ACLU, League of Women Voters, and many others.

You can do your part as a voter by knowing the voting rules in your state by checking here. You can use these Voter Tools to: register to vote, confirm your registration status, find your polling place, request an absentee ballot, and more. If you face problems in casting your vote, you can get help via the voter hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE.

You can also sign-up to be a Protect the Vote volunteer, help monitor the polls, fight misinformation, and support voters.

Many Third Act Working Groups are getting involved with election protection efforts, including ballot curing, and other efforts. We are also following Lawyers Defending American Democracy and the Democracy Docket, organizations bringing suits to uphold election integrity and the rule of law. You can check GrayPAC’s website and Third Act’s Elections page for various events and volunteer activities. 

(GA, PA, AZ, NV) Beginning October 19, older Americans will rally for “Get Out the Vote” events and door-to-door canvassing across Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada. This is part of the Silver Wave Tour: Elders Rising for Climate and Democracy, organized by Third Act, a movement with nearly 100,000 supporters nationwide, co-founded by environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, and supported by GrayPAC, a new political action committee launched by Third Act’s founders.

McKibben adds, “Mobilizing older Americans is one of the key parts of winning this election––maybe the key part, given the size of our cohort and their willingness to get out and vote!” He continues, “At a time when our democracy and climate are both on the line, elders have a critical role to play, bringing their experience and determination to the forefront. And when an elderly lady is on your doorstep to share her thoughts on political candidates, you’re more inclined to open the door and respectfully listen to what she has to say!”

As climate disasters like hurricanes and wildfires intensify, the Silver Wave Tour will highlight the urgency of collective action, reminding voters that this election is not just about candidates, but about the future of our planet and democracy. The Silver Wave is rallying older Americans to be the decisive force in the fight for both.

Where & When

• Atlanta, Georgia

Local representative contact: Bill Millkey, bmillkey@gmail.com 

Saturday, October 19, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friends Meeting House, 701 West Howard Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 30030

Join Third Act Georgia for an evening featuring  Bill McKibben and Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Bill Sapp in dialogue about elders, climate change and the upcoming elections. RSVP here.

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Local representative contact: Jo Alyson Parker, joalysonparker@gmail.com

Monday, October 21, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
320 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

Join Third Act Pennsylvania  for discussion about our crucial role in the election, featuring Bill McKibben, and Philadelphia Councilmember Nic O’Rourke. RSVP here.

Tuesday, October 22, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Clark Park, Chester Ave & S 43rd St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

Canvass to turn out climate voters, southwest side of Clark Park, with Environmental Voters Project, POWER Interfaith, and Dayenu. RSVP here.

• Phoenix, Arizona 

Local representative contact: Chris Wass, chris@wormlab.co

Wednesday, October 23, 5:30 p.m.
Bulpitt Auditorium at Phoenix College, 1202 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85013

Join Third Act Arizona for discussion about the crucial role of older Americans in the election, featuring Bill McKibben and Rebecca Solnit. RSVP here.

Thursday, October 24, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Lucha Office, 5716 N 19th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85015

Canvass to mobilize voters for Harris. RSVP here.

• Reno, Nevada 

Local representative contact: Cathy Fulkerson, cathy.fulkerson@gmail.com ‭

Friday, October 25, 6:00 p.m.
780 Del Monte Lane, Reno, Nevada 89511

Join Third Act Nevada and Indivisible Northern Nevada for discussion about our crucial role in the election, featuring Bill McKibben; Rebecca Solnit; Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar; Jan Gardipe from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, and Katia Escobar from Seed the Vote. RSVP here. 

Saturday, October 26: 10:00 a.m.
The River School Farm, 777 White Fir Street, Reno, Nevada 89523

Canvass to mobilize voters for Harris, with UNITE HERE, Seed the Vote, and Indivisible. RSVP here.

Summary 

The Silver Wave Tour mobilizes thousands of older Americans in critical states to protect the future of our climate and democracy. Formed in 2024, GrayPAC is the political action committee powered by Third Act, for Americans over 60, to elect leaders who support a vibrant future for our democracy and climate. Third Act works with many thousands of supporters year round on initiatives that help safeguard democracy and protect the climate. In addition to the featured events, GrayPAC is mobilizing older Americans in dozens of other districts like these.

“When is it not Climate Week for Third Actors? But the week of September 23rd was especially filled with events. On Monday I headed to Citi’s headquarters to support the Gulf South and Global South event, a follow-up from the Summer of Heat. The two groups had been writing requesting a meeting with CEO Jane Fraser. The reply: after summer.  

On September 23, a group of us assembled in the plaza. To no one’s surprise, Citi executives hadn’t slotted a meeting on their calendars. But the morning’s organizers were well-prepared. They brought out a table and kept calling for Citi to join them. There were signs, speakers, and chants. A woman dressed in a beautiful sari led chanting and then sat down next to me, shaking, worried she hadn’t been forceful enough and that someone might spot her and find ways to harm her. Yet she was here. We all were. 

The group eventually moved to Citi’s doors and it didn’t take long for the police to begin their warnings. Summer of Heat had prepared us. We committed to our roles: move and keep supporting, or stay and get arrested. Thirty-one chose arrest. The police, too, knew their role. The arrests were simply executed, plastic strips replacing handcuffs, and the protesters walked to the corrections buses waiting for them. The chants continued.

I was part of the jail support team, making sure to keep the count, get everyone’s name and ensuring they were treated with respect. Once the buses were loaded and off to the precinct, my fellow Third Actor, Siu Li, and I headed to a gallery and then Chinatown before ending up at Luna Pizza, a wonderful place near the 1st precinct that had welcomed us all summer, opening a tab that allowed us to keep the pizzas coming and protesters hydrated. Jail support greeted those arrested upon release, cheered and thanked them, and made sure the summons went to a lawyer.

We waited. The first arrestee came out at 2pm, and the last at 5:30. Best outfit? The big round globe worn by a young woman, her top of the northern hemisphere and pants of the southern hemisphere. The benefit of doing jail support for me was the time spent with others—all ages, and while mainly New Yorkers, numbers from across the country—so committed to addressing climate change. It gives you hope.”

– Deborah Popper

Tuesday: TIAA-Divest! Rally & Action 

“On Tuesday I went to TIAA headquarters for a TIAA divest protest. There were familiar faces as well as new people with whom to connect. To me, it seems preposterous that TIAA has not made divestment a main priority. Retirement funds should be forward oriented. Moreover, its clients—and I’m one of them—have spent our lives in professions like teaching. We want a decent return on our money, but not at the expense of the planet and our fellow humans.

The event organizer spoke and then turned to a contingent from Phillips County, Arkansas, who were feeling the impacts of TIAA’s investment in nearby agricultural land where practices featured heavy drifts of pesticides and whose water budget depleted their own. These speakers were followed by three from Brazil’s cerrado where TIAA’s investments were also threatening people’s health and livelihoods. I’ve been to both areas. Life was never easy in either, but now it’s harder.”

– Deborah Popper

Tuesday: Petition Delivery at Gov. Hochul’s Office

“At 11 am we joined the protest at Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. A two storey large banner reading “Gov. Hochul Sign or Sink! Make Polluters Pay!” was dropped off a building across from her office. It demanded that she sign the Climate Change Superfund Act still sitting on her desk. Local youth activists whose communities have been affected by superstorms and hurricanes spoke eloquently about the need to make the fossil fuel companies pay for the damage they have caused, not NY tax payers. Bill McKibben spoke, and the activists then presented symbolic boxes containing the 182,000 petition signatures collected.”

– Siu Li GoGwilt

Wednesday: The Language of Climate Politics in the 2024 Election

“Dr. Genevieve Gunther’s panel at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, TheLanguage of Climate Politics in the 2024 Election, was illuminating and educational. Her presentation was based on her recently published book, The Language of Climate Politics, published by Oxford University Press. 

She was introduced by NYSEC leader, Monica Weiss, who briefly discussed the history of the organization. The other panelists included Kendra Pierre-Louis, climate reporter at Bloomberg, Amy Westervelt, Editor-in- Chief, Drilled Media and author and environmentalist, founder of 350.org and Third Act, Bill McKibben.

Dr. Gunther spoke first reading from the introduction to her book. She approached the panel from the viewpoint of the use of language as a form of misinformation about the climate crisis which prevents civic action. Five words – Alarmist, Cost, Growth, India and China, Innovation and Resilience–form the core of a strategy of disinformation which can deflect the urgency of the climate crisis. Do the oil, gas and coal industries pursue money at the expense of a livable planet? 

Bill McKibben reminded us that our summer saw the hottest temperature in 125,000 years. He asked: ‘How will we re-freeze the Arctic? We must drive down emissions by half by 2030 in order to try to stay under 1.5 degrees. The question is, will we?'”

– Marcia Annenberg and Rachel Makleff

In addition to the above, volunteers attended Debt for Climate at Blackrock, listened to Bill McKibben in conversation with Alex Honnold at the MoMa, sailed on Pete Seeger’s Sloop, Clearwater, on the Hudson, sang and chanted, and joined the Mindful Rebels for their weekly meditation at the JPMorgan Chase Headquarters. It was a week full of actions, community gatherings, and joyous energy. 

“I’m an attorney and a lot of my career I spent enforcing the law, getting people to follow the rules.” says Carolyn. “I’m mostly retired now and much more willing to publicly challenge authority and even break the rules.  I agree with Bill McKibben that we older folks need to be the ones putting ourselves on the line. I keep my Old and Bold button nearby to inspire me.”

Carolyn, a co-facilitator of Third Act Minnesota and chair of their Fossil Free Finance committee, has always considered herself an activist.  She grew up in Madison, Wisconsin where there were huge protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960’s.  When she was 9 years old her mother, fearing her son would be sent to fight, took Carolyn to the march for the Moratorium to End the War.  She recalls being aware of social and political issues from a young age, especially the civil rights movement. She was very influenced by a speaker who came to her third grade class to teach students about racism and stereotypes. At Carlton College and in law school at the University of California at Berkeley, she was involved in the anti-apartheid movement, advocating for divestment from South Africa, an early echo of her Third Act divestment work. 

When it came time to choose a career, Carolyn says, “public service was an easy choice.” She remembers being in a powerless situation as a young person and wishing someone with power could have helped her.  She was also influenced by her mother’s example, a homemaker who “was always thinking of others and how to help.”  Carolyn’s first job was in the office of the Minnesota Attorney General, going after folks who were defrauding the public. Throughout her career she held various public interest positions, including as a district attorney, a trainer of law enforcement officers for a battered women’s justice project, representing kids in foster care, and acting as Inspector General for fraud and abuse in Minnesota’s Aging and Adult Services programs.  “Working for a large corporation so I could earn a big salary was never a goal that motivated me,” says Carolyn. 

Climate activism became something that did motivate her. “When I learned about the climate crisis, my feeling was that it trumped everything. It impacts every living creature on earth and people are ignoring it,” says Carolyn. “I realized I need to shift to this.”  When Bill McKibben’s “Do the Math” tour came through Minneapolis, Carolyn signed up for 350.org Minnesota and helped fight a tar sands pipeline coming through Minnesota. Once she retired, she heard about Third Act and said “This is it. This is where I need to be.”  

Carolyn is buoyed by the results she sees being achieved through collective action in Third Act.   She keeps in mind that she has just a little piece of what needs to be done to address the climate crisis and that it’s impossible to know the impact her one little piece might have.  “Knowing I’m part of a larger movement gives me hope,” says Carolyn. “Being with others who are concerned feels so good, especially since we all came together right after the isolation of the COVID pandemic.” 

She tries to keep in mind the positive news, like the amazing and rapid transformation of energy systems around the world. “I like to start with what we can do about the climate crisis rather than starting with a focus on the crisis,” says Carolyn.  She makes sure to regularly do things that lift her spirits.  She volunteers weekly with kindergartners and first graders at a local school and also makes space in her life for a lifelong passion: dance. As a young person she did ballet and modern. In her second act, she did swing dance and some ballroom. There were times in her life when she didn’t dance but she always came back to it, wondering why she’d ever stopped. Now she regularly joins a unique group in Minneapolis that provides a DJ and a space for people of all ages, gender identities, income levels, and dance backgrounds to freely dance in whichever way they want. “It’s so freeing and a real source of joy for me,” says Carolyn. 

“I’ve always been a fairly optimist person and able to access the joy that life offers alongside the struggles,” says Carolyn.  “We need to find the joy in this work. Otherwise we won’t want to keep going.”

Read the latest in our In My Third Act series

• • Lawrence MacDonald on What Boomers Owe to Future Generations
  • Kathy Lindquist on Feeling Liberated in Retirement
  • Jeremy Kagan on the Artist’s Responsibility

Third Act works to persuade big banks, like Citibank, to stop funding the expansion of fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change. Older Americans hold more than 70% of the wealth in the US, so Third Act supporters have a powerful voice in calling on financial institutions to not use their retirement savings and investments to rob coming generations of a healthy future. As part of our Banking on our Future campaign, Third Act, with leadership from its Working Groups, was a core partner for the Summer of Heat on Wall Street campaign to escalate pressure and “turn up the heat” on Citibank through 12 weeks of sustained non-violent direct action in New York City and across the country.

The goals of Summer of Heat were to disrupt business at Citibank headquarters in New York City, grow our climate movement and the number of people willing to risk arrest for climate action, develop new leaders able to organize disruptive actions, and host at least 3 direct actions per week throughout the summer to increase visibility and pressure on Citi.

Third Actors organized 25 actions across the country in protest of fossil fuel funding by big banks

Throughout the summer there were “themed” weeks of protest elevating the climate concerns and demands for Citi to act. These demands came from youth, elders, frontline environmental justice communities, scientists, and more. There were 45 actions organized in and around New York City across the 12 weeks, 32 of which were focused on Citi headquarters and executives. Third Act and our Working Groups led and organized 5 actions in New York City during the summer, plus another 20 actions organized across the country during “Elders Rise Up” week in July. This was a disruptive action at Citi HQ roughly every 2.7 days – something Citi executives and employees had to face day after day, week after week.

The actions that Third Act led included: the Rocking Chair Rebellion rising up to stop funding climate chaos; a funeral procession and die-in honoring people and nature who have died as a result of climate extremes worsened by Citibank’s funding; a family-friendly read-a-thon and sing-along, resulting in a book delivered to Citi with childrens’ and elders’ wishes for the future; an action focused on Citi’s big credit card client Costco; and numerous events and actions at bank branches across the country during which grandparents shared why they were protesting. For many, the motivation was the same: to protect their grandchildren’s future.

More than 5,000 people in total participated in the actions in NYC and 700 arrests were made. About 200 of the 700 arrested were Third Actors, including many who were emboldened to take arrest for the first time. Third Actors from all over the Northeast, Midwest, and even the West and Southwest came to New York City to protest, as well as thousands who participated in distributed actions across the country.  At the July 8, 2024 action in NYC, Third Act launched “Elders Week” with a “sidewalk sermon” featuring Bill McKibben; Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. President of Hip Hop Caucus; Gus Speth, former dean of Yale School of the Environment and former Administrator for the UN Development Program; youth speaker Liv Senghor from Summer of Heat; Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, special advisor on climate justice to the United Church of Christ; and Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, an Episcopal priest, author, and climate activist.  After the sermon, hundreds of people staged a funeral procession led by a bagpiper around Citi’s headquarters, ending with a die-in blocking the entrance to Citi. Police arrested Bill and 46 other elders at the July 8 die-in, and on August 27, the day with the highest number of arrests, 68 elders were arrested.

We generated more than 250 pieces of media coverage and reached 5.1 million people

Thanks to our collective efforts, we generated more than 270 pieces of media coverage across online, offline, and social platforms, including posts from Third Act Central and coverage from top outlets like The New York Times, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, and Democracy Now! This attention forced Citi to respond to reporter inquiries.Influencers like Dan Savage, scientist Sandra Steingraber, and rock star Michael Stipe (frontman for R.E.M.) also highlighted key actions, including Elders Day and Elders Week, and helped expand our reach.

Our communication push reached 5.1 million people, with 52,500 people engaging with our digital efforts and 392,000 people viewing our campaign in some way, shape or form across various platforms. You can check out some of the action videos here, here, and here. And read more about all the amazing actions via this collection of all the blogs published by Third Act Working Groups throughout the summer.

We are seeing the fruits of our labor

Our pressure is working. On July 9, Citi released its latest environmental and social risk management report that includes an updated policy that will restrict the bank from directly financing new projects involving Amazon oil and gas expansion. This policy update followed years of pressure from investors and Indigenous peoples, as well as the first few opening weeks of Summer of Heat protests. While a welcome change, this is a tiny fraction of Citi’s fossil fuel financing, the vast majority of which funds and under-writes oil and gas companies, rather than the projects themselves. So this announcement does not change our demand that Citi broadly stop funding fossil fuel expansion.

Throughout the summer, Citi executives were forced to send memos to all staff at the global HQ about the protests and what was happening, prompting numerous staff conversations in meetings and “around the water cooler.” Protestors leafletted passersby and Citi employees, both at Citi HQ protests and at our distributed actions around the country. There were a range of reactions from Citi employees, from interested and sympathetic to disaffected to aggressive. Passersby were most often curious and had, for the most part, been unaware of banks’ roles in funding climate chaos. 

For Third Actors, Summer of Heat helped strengthen and build our growing community of action-takers, especially training up elders, many of whom were arrested for their first time, in how to organize and participate in non-violent direct action.. The CT Mirror published this piece by Third Act Connecticut members, 5 of whom had not been arrested before Summer of Heat.

But we are not done yet

We will not let up on Citi, and other big US banks, until they stop funding fossil fuel expansion and accelerate a transition to clean energy and climate solutions. Just this week, our partner Stand.earth released a new report documenting Citi’s environmental racism. It details deaths, asthma, and climate pollution linked to Citi’s funding of gas terminals.

In solidarity with Gulf South communities being poisoned by Citi’s funding of oil and gas projects, you can take action to push Citi to end its financing and instead invest in just, sustainable, community-led solutions to the harms it has caused these frontline communities. Together, we can collectively hold the dirty bank accountable. 

You can expect continued actions and protests during Climate Week in NYC (September 22-29, 2024) and beyond. We look forward to making more good trouble with you and invite you to join a Third Act Working Group and our ongoing Banking on our Future campaign.

We’ve seen firsthand the incredible power of grassroots activism, and postcarding has emerged as one of the most impactful tools in our toolkit. Across the country, our working groups are harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers to mobilize voters, protect our democracy, and raise awareness around critical issues like climate justice. Whether it’s flipping key districts or empowering new voters, Third Act volunteers are leading the charge with a pen and paper in hand.

In a step-by-step video, Bay Area Third Actors Clara Greisman and Shalom Bruhn walk you through how to host a postcard party, from inception to execution, while Third Act Tennessee offers numbered tips and tricks, using what they’ve learned. As Emily Cathcart says, “keep it fun,” which they do with pins, cardboard cutouts, and of course, food. Tennessee has also found it to be an effective way to recruit new Third Actors. 

Michigan has also published a helpful checklist to support those hosting postcard parties. Be sure to check out your local working group for tailored suggestions (and to find out how to get involved). 

New Hampshire recently wrote about the effectiveness of postcard writing, which we highlighted in our August newsletter. The post references a DemCast newsletter that speaks to the effects of handwritten mail on voter turnout. From their post:

A handwritten postcard arriving in the mail makes it through the messaging clutter and is noticed. The resulting increase to voter turnout may be small but still significant, especially in tight races or elections. Results showed that the postcards increased turnout by 0.4 percent (a typical get-out-the-vote, or GOTV, canvass increases turnout by 0.3 percent) and concluded that the postcards had as good or better effect on voter turnout than going door to door.

And don’t they have a good time doing it!

Across every region, from coast to coast, Third Act volunteers are showing up and getting it done. Let’s keep the momentum going and reach our new goal of 300,000 postcards by Election Day.  

I had had enough after hours of meetings and talking that didn’t lead to significant change. I wanted different legislators.

That’s why I ran for city council and, later, the South Carolina State House.  My efforts in local organizations, such as Transition US, Sierra Club, 350.org, Third Act, and Citizens Climate Lobby, to make humans more responsive to climate change had made a difference, but we needed more.

I ran as a Democrat in a state not known for embracing change related to climate change. And I lost. Twice. Did it make a difference?  It certainly did. By entering the political race, I could make climate change a subject of conversation.

And because I won 40% of the vote in the most conservative county in South Carolina, my voice made a difference when speaking to my conservative Republican representatives who knew I spoke for a significant percentage of their voters.

I live in Clemson, SC, a university town where many residents live because they are scientists, engineers, and other academically focused people who understand that humans need to radically change to protect the earth.  My husband is a physics professor, and I work as a social worker and psychotherapist. In our 22 years of being voters in Clemson, most races only had Republican candidates, and not a single candidate on my ballot wanted to address climate change.

I’m glad my efforts volunteering in green organizations sent children on green field trips and helped neighbors realize sustainable homes existed nearby. But I’m even more grateful that when I ran for office in 2016, current conservative legislators learned they had many voters who cared about green issues. Moreover, the hours spent on my campaigns gave me valuable experience. I have since used to help other female green candidates, one of whom now serves as a county council member in Pickens County.

Evangelicals, business owners, and gun lobbies have worked together for many years to elect legislators who support their causes.  Third Actors must also find people to run for office to represent our interests. Third Actors are beginning to understand that policy change comes quicker when we change our legislators. 

So, what can you do to elect more green candidates?

1. Consider running for office next year or another year after that.
2. Ask people you know to run for office and ask again. Research suggests that before a woman will consider running for office, she needs to be asked several times.
3. Donate early in their campaign if you know a green candidate running. Even if you can only give $5. Besides the funds, a donation to your candidate will show an increase in supporters, a critical ask of larger organizations (i.e., the Democratic Party), some of which decide who to fund based on number of donors.
4. Help green candidates get campaign training from organizations like Emerge, the Democratic Party, or Women In Leadership. If the training costs money, offer to pay a portion.
5. Connect the candidate to former candidates who previously ran for office or to the local green organizations. Invite them to your Third Act group to discuss their campaign and recruit volunteers.
6. Assist with fundraising by donating yourself, asking your friends to donate, and suggesting that they ask their local Democratic Party, Third Act group, Sierra Club, or other green group to provide a donation.
7. Offer in-kind donations to candidates such as offering to post for them to a social media account, providing graphic design, copy editing, canvassing, phone banking, babysitting, writing, delivering yard signs or door knob hangers, volunteer management, video filming or editing, canvassing, phone banking or text banking.
8. If you’re known for being informed about green issues, be sure to tell your friends that you know which candidates support green strategies that you endorse. Encourage friends to tell their friends to ask you about the upcoming race for your opinions.
9. Attend candidate forums or debates and submit questions about the environment for candidates to answer. Keep questions short and focused on public interest issues (e.g., what policies do you recommend to lower utility prices?). Consider providing green candidates with the questions you will submit in advance so they are prepared with relevant data and information.
10. Engage in relational voting:  encourage your friends to register and to vote, have them tell their friends who is a green candidate and why, and go to your neighbors and tell them about the candidate.

“The climate emergency eliminates time for politeness.”

Increasingly, voters live in states where they must choose between either two liberal or two conservative candidates.  Where I live, practically speaking, the election for state and county offices occurs in June during the Republican primary (South Carolina Congress is 69% Republican) since most districts are gerrymandered to favor Republicans.  In bluer states, voters need to differentiate between two candidates who both support action to help the environment.  

We have all been taught not to talk about politics (or sex or religion, for that matter) in social settings. But the climate emergency eliminates time for politeness. In a country where single-issue voters were able to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Third Actors must utilize the ballot box as a way to change policies. Like pro-life voters pre-2021, we must encourage our friends and family to vote for the earth by talking about the candidates’ stances on environmental questions (and not just some of the time, from now until November 5!).

Although most of our attention in presidential year elections is on national races, a substantial number of significant environmental decisions are made by county and city councils.  Inform yourself about local candidates and their positions on green issues (i.e., do they support buying green city/county vehicles, solar installations on government buildings and schools, building and waste regulations, incentives for green building and local farming, etc.).  

County and city council people are more likely than national candidates to answer their phone when you call them, so contact them or even set up a meeting to discuss green issues that affect your area.  Or invite them to your local Third Act chapter meeting.  Or better still, host a public forum for voters on green issues, which allows candidates to talk directly to voters.  Prepare questions ahead of the forum to help votes differentiate between candidates (e.g., How will you help businesses implement more sustainable practices?)

Third Act volunteers have been correctly focused on getting their legislators to change policies to help the earth.  But we MUST also focus on changing our legislators.  More sustainably focused legislators can have long-term effects. I now spend less time talking to conservative legislators and more time asking people to run or helping good candidates with their campaigns.

I’m running again for South Carolina State House on November 5th.

Run for something.  Or help someone run for something.  Even if you lose, you will emerge a winner.

As a Third Act staffperson in my own Third Act of life, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with so many of our amazing Third Act volunteers and have admired and learned from so many of you about your “grandparent journey” and wonderful grandparenting tips (“be quietly indispensable,” “don’t give advice; just give your love and time,” “savor the smiles,” “do the dishes and laundry”).  

The experience of becoming a grandparent is making me reflect on time in new ways. How is it that I can remember so vividly the day my daughter was born (nearly 3 decades ago) and here she is now a mother herself?! In the early days of parenting, each day is long, but the years somehow fly by. 

And I’m now reflecting on future times differently. Will I be alive long enough to see my grandson graduate from high school or find true love? What will my grandson’s future be like with growing climate extremes, especially if we do not meet the climate pollution reduction targets that scientists have established?

As a scientist and climate advocate myself, I am very familiar with our global emissions targets and timetables, such as the urgent need to reduce global carbon emissions by 43% from 2019 levels by 2030 and to reach “net zero emissions” by 2050 if we are to maintain a livable planet and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The year 2030 now feels very different when I can imagine my grandson being 6 years old. 

And I’m heartbroken to think about what the world may be like in 2050 when he is 26, that this sweet, innocent being will not come to know and love the natural world that I and his parents experienced: with fewer coral reefs, fewer fireflies, summers filled with wildfire smoke and heat waves, and less snow in winters. The year 2050 doesn’t sound so far off when I think about him. Of course I want to protect him and all of our children and keep them safe.

So, I’m taking to heart the sage wisdom of Third Act’s advisors like Akaya Windwood and Robin Wall Kimmerer about being a good ancestor and am channeling my grandmotherly love into re-doubling my efforts here at Third Act – in community and collaboration with thousands of other parents, grandparents, and grandfriends – to make the world as beautiful, healthy, livable, resilient, and communal as I can. We are doing something grand together here at Third Act: accelerating clean energy, stopping big banks from funding climate destruction, and electing climate and democracy champions. 

When my daughter was little, one of our favorite books was Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, about a young woman whose father’s life principles were that one should explore the world and one must do something to “make the world more beautiful.” The fictional Miss Rumphius, inspired by the real-life “Lupine Lady,” Hilda Hamlin, spread lupine seeds along the Maine coast as she walked and hiked and did, indeed, make the world more beautiful. 

I want my legacy to my grandson to be that I loved him, learned with him, and organized and mobilized with all my heart to leave him a livable, still-beautiful planet so that he may chart his own path to “make the world more beautiful.” 

What do we owe those who come after us? What torch are we passing to future generations? Lawrence MacDonald’s third act is an eloquent reply to these questions. He is a co-facilitator of Third Act Virginia and DMV (DC, Maryland, & Virginia), and active in Third Act Faith and the Third Act NVDA (Non-Violent Direct Action) Network. In late 2023 he published a book, Am I Too Old to Save the Planet? A Boomer’s Guide to the Climate Crisis, which the Financial Times named one of the five best new books on climate change.

“I’ve long thought that those of us in the boomer generation have a unique responsibility to get in the fight for a livable planet,” says MacDonald.  “We knew about the consequences of burning fossil fuels decades ago and yet our generation supported U.S. policies that have been one step forward and two steps back, never really addressing the problem. In retirement, I’m trying to make up for that in my small way.”

I think it’s very important for us to show up for young people when they organize actions, and to be respectful, to listen.

MacDonald’s activism was shaped by being born midway in the boomer generation. The hippies and activists of the civil rights and anti-war movements, his older peers, inspired him.  Born in Chicago and raised in California by politically progressive parents, MacDonald says he “got a chip on my shoulder” towards the rich and powerful from his father’s working-class background and an appreciation for education and a desire to help people from his mother’s upbringing as the daughter of YMCA missionaries in China.

He majored in Chinese and Asian Studies at the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara. Then he spent 15 years living and working as a journalist in Asia, including 2 years in Beijing just as China was opening to the world. He also worked in the Philippines, Hong Kong and South Korea, reporting on social, economic and political crises. He later returned to the U.S. and held senior policy communications positions at the World Bank and two D.C.-based international think tanks.

“My experiences in Asia gave me a strong sense of the disproportionate costs and burdens the climate crisis imposes on the poor of the world,” says MacDonald. “Our country is the largest cumulative emitter and largest per capita emitter of greenhouse gasses in the world, so we bear a large share of the responsibility for remedying the situation.”  

MacDonald first participated in climate-related civil disobedience in August 2011, when he was one of more than 1,200 people arrested in front of the White House in a two-week campaign that Bill McKibben helped organize calling on President Obama to stop Keystone XL, a 2,030-mile-long oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast. (Almost a decade later, the project was finally canceled.) 

He has since participated in and helped to organize dozens of NVDA climate actions, including Third Act’s prominent role in this year’s Summer of Heat campaign in New York City,  in which scores of elders have been arrested for blocking the doors at Citibank, the largest funder of new coal, oil and gas projects.  

In addition to joining in elder-focused actions, MacDonald actively supports youth climate justice groups engaged in non-violent direct action. “I think it’s very important for us to show up for young people when they organize actions, and to be respectful, to listen,” says MacDonald.

Aside from a few very close friends of longstanding, the people in the climate movement are my closest friends. It’s rewarding to be connected with people who are also connected through shared values and a shared struggle.

“Support youth on their own terms, ask them what they need. Don’t assume you have answers, just be present.” Following Third Act’s 2023 Rocking Chair Rebellion in Washington DC, youth climate groups in and around the national capital began inviting Third Act DMV to organize elders in rocking chairs to show up for their actions. MacDonald and other TA DMV members keep brightly painted rocking chairs at home to respond to these requests.   

For MacDonald, religion is closely linked to the struggle for climate justice. His parents were skeptics but encouraged his participation in the Congregational Church. As an adult, he retained his parents’ skepticism but appreciated the church’s emphasis on social action. When he met the woman who is now his wife and was exposed to Judaism, he found a faith that suited him better and became a Jew. He now volunteers with Dayenu, a Jewish climate advocacy organization. He recently wrote an essay for Third Act Faith titled Faith-Based Advocacy as a Path to Power. 

As a boy, MacDonald spent a lot of time outdoors in California’s mountains, deserts and beaches, including on camping trips with his grandparents. He finds hope in the natural world that is left to us and in the camaraderie of the movement. Young climate activists and Third Act elders provide him with a friend group he believes is stronger and more meaningful than he would have had otherwise. 

“Aside from a few very close friends of longstanding, the people in the climate movement are my closest friends,” says MacDonald. “It’s rewarding to be connected with people who are also connected through shared values and a shared struggle.”

Read the latest in our In My Third Act series

• Kathy Lindquist on Feeling Liberated in Retirement
• Jeremy Kagan on the Artist’s Responsibility
• Liz Evans on Her Road to Climate Activism

In the fall of 1987 I was ready for something bigger so I packed up my car and moved  to Minnesota hoping to find work in Jesse Jackson’s campaign for President.  I was drawn to the idea of the Rainbow Coalition where groups shared a common purpose and the intent to collaborate. Well, they weren’t hiring! So, while volunteering for the campaign, I helped found a multi-issue, multi-constituency coalition that would live beyond a presidential campaign. (Paul Wellstone was a founding board member.)  The coalition was grounded in a set of principles that groups had to sign on to and we were deliberate about using those principles to decide what campaigns, among the many opportunities, we would work on.  We did experience some wins that demonstrated the power of having an infrastructure that brought and held us together, along with the power of organized people.

I began to realize that challenging public narratives and offering a different way to understand what is possible was another form of power.

Yet as in my small Pennsylvania town, after 13 years I was seeing the limits of this model of organizing. I was hungry to learn more about how to build on all that I had learned and experienced-  how to create greater change. I turned to the Civil Rights movement and noticed that while they organized people power and built infrastructure, they also had a story, a values-based narrative and vision that guided them – the Beloved Community. I began to realize that challenging public narratives and offering a different way to understand what is possible was another form of power. For the next 15 years I worked with organizations, mostly in Minnesota, developing strategies that moved beyond simple wins to making even bigger ones possible. This included the integration of the three forms of power described above: organized people, built infrastructure, and a values-based narrative.  

In 2004-2005 my work with ISAIAH helped launch their work in a new direction where they connected the multiple issue campaigns with values that offered a contrast with those then dominating the public discourse. They offered hope vs fear, community vs isolation and abundance vs scarcity. The lobbying training was very different in 2005. Instead of training people on the specifics of legislation, ISAIAH invited them to tell their own story, grounded in hope, community and abundance – focusing on the “why” rather than the specifics of policy – and asking legislators what values guided their decisions making. It launched an evolution of their work that eventually engaged other organizations.  

In 2018 progressive groups came together with two major themes – Politics of Joy and Greater than Fear – that contributed to the election of Tim Walz as Governor by  counteracting the fear-mongering of the Republicans. These organizations were also a huge factor in electing the Minnesota trifecta that everyone is talking about and in setting the agenda for 2023-2024. Now we see some of these themes playing out at the national level.  Many people have contributed to the framing of last week’s Democratic National Convention, but some of it certainly has its origins in Minnesota grassroots organizations.

COVID set in soon after I stopped working for pay and, like for many, my life was put on hold.  It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to next contribute.  I care deeply about the effects of the climate crisis and what is happening to our earth home. And it was becoming hard to look my 26-year old son in the eye while not acting in some way.

Experience has taught me that learning to write from a broader set of values requires not only learning new skills but also unlearning old ones – like the desire to respond to every lie or misstatement.

I was glad to find my way to Third Act Minnesota last spring. I was drawn by the focus on a set of principles and collaborative work.  When I was asked to develop a plan for Minnesota Third Actors during the election this fall I saw an opportunity to bring my experiences into the work of the Keyboard Warriors, a set of members who write letters on a regular basis to shape a larger story around this election, told from the perspective of elders.  As it turns out, our mission matches up well with the Harris-Walz key themes.

Experience has taught me that learning to write from a broader set of values requires not only learning new skills but also unlearning old ones – like the desire to respond to every lie or misstatement.  But that just keeps us stuck in their story so pivoting to the anecdote is very powerful. The writing guide I developed is a tool to help people change their natural inclinations when writing publicly, especially in the context of an election.  

Hopefully, my fellow Third Actors reading this will also find it useful.

I’ve been spending this beautiful summer week with my three grandchildren, paddling on a wild Adirondack river and thinking about my responsibilities to their future. And when I find myself growing into elderhood, the question I think a lot about is, what does it mean to become a good ancestor? It seems to me that part of that is to lift up new leaders to support them in defending our values and what we love, and contributing our gifts to the flourishing of the next generations. 

And as I watched my kids fall in love with the wild river, it brought tears to my eyes because there’s nothing I want more than a world which is whole and healthy and green for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for the grandchildren of pine trees. And with the ascendance of Kamala Harris, I’m so excited to be for something, to be inspired by the affirmative energy, not just recoiling in disgust from the specter of a Trump presidency, but energized to help create a positive future for all of our grandchildren. And in this time of hyperpolarization, we’re all looking for common ground to bring people together for a common purpose.

And Kamala Harris represents that. If we’re looking for common ground, we need look no further than the ground itself. Regardless of the party, we all need clean air and pure water and healthy soils and the nourishment that comes from wild places. After all, a river doesn’t ask for your party affiliation before offering you a drink.

And the truth is that without a livable climate, everything else falls away. The Biden-Harris administration stands behind the strongest U.S. climate policies to date. We need to unite behind Kamala Harris’s ongoing climate leadership in the transition to a new, green economy. And we have seen this wonderful recent outpouring of support for her candidacy, reflecting the excitement that we all feel tonight. I’ve loved to tune in to Teachers for Kamala, Farm Workers for Kamala, Black Women for Kamala, White Women for Kamala, White Dudes for Kamala, Cat Ladies for Kamala, and tonight, we join as Elders for Kamala. 

And I think we could imagine a similar enthusiasm from our more than human relatives too as she works on their behalf. If anybody bothered to pull them, I suspect we’d see Pollinators for Kamala, Rivers for Kamala, Forests for Kamala, Climate for Kamala. And I will stand with them. And as I travel around the country, I am inspired by folks sitting at the edge of their seats just waiting to be asked to make a difference. And the actions that are proposed here by Third Act tonight are wonderful invitations to do exactly that.

And Kamala Harris’ candidacy ignites that in people. It’s exciting to imagine how she is rallying the forces to defeat the monstrosity of the MAGA extremists and ushering in a new political climate that reaches for just and verdant future. She will restore and protect reproductive rights, restore voting rights, and surround herself with other visionary leaders. I’m thinking about the hope for continuity for Secretary of the Interior Deb Holland and her revolutionary work for indigenous land rights. 

And in my culture, we speak of a warrior. A warrior is someone who puts the good of the people ahead of themselves who inspires others to do the same. And it is time. It is time for a fierce woman leader, compassionate and smart, who believes in the rule of law, who uses science, who uses evidence and reason, who can speak a sentence that is not only coherent and complete but send shivers down your spine, who puts principle ahead of power country ahead of corporations and who will be fiercely protective of justice for all in reciprocity for the gifts of freedom and democracy, of wild rivers, of living in this beautiful homeland.

I want to offer my gifts in return in financial support in advocacy and energy in postcard and phone banking on behalf of this warrior woman, Kamala Harris and on behalf of our country. I hope you will too. 

Paid for by GrayPAC. Not authorized by any candidates or candidates’ committees.

I was on a lot of conference calls when I worked at Accenture. During these calls, I dug a pond in my front yard and then filled it. And now, around the pond are some of the very first flowers sold by Garden for Wildlife. 

Native plants are really good for the environment. They sequester carbon. Their roots go as far as 15 feet deep. When you pull up grass turf, it’s only this deep and then it’s solid dirt. So when it rains, the water doesn’t get absorbed; it runs down the grass and into the storm drains and up to the Chesapeake, which gets polluted. Montgomery County, where I live, has a program called Rainscape. It gives homeowners $7,500 to put in a native plant garden to help absorb runoff.

And every year, the plants come back. I don’t have to do anything. Nature doesn’t need a lot of help. A little nudge in the right direction. 

On growing native plants in cities

If you don’t have a gigantic garden, that’s fine. Get some big pots, put them on your balcony at your apartment. It still works. 

A friend of mine in Chicago got a loft in the city and he’s like, why would I put plants here? There’s nothing in the city. And I’m like, trust me on this one, I’ll even buy the plants for you. And then, if I’m right, you can pay me for that. So he put three plants in and got a planter little window box on his balcony a month later. He texted me, saying, dude, I have a monarch on my balcony. 

Wildlife knows where to go. The highline, right in New York City, was an abandoned railroad track. Now it’s a massive native garden and all kinds of species go there that haven’t been seen in the city in forever. They’re back. 

On how Ali got involved with Garden for Wildlife

I’ve actually been a supporter of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) since 1994. I just found my old membership card and feel like this is a little bit of proof that we live in a simulation because too many things seem to be coming together to make this happen. 

The organization sent out an email to check out the book, Nature’s Best Hope, by advisor Doug Tallamy. And after reading the book, I realized I couldn’t find native plants anywhere. I spent three hours at Lowe’s Googling every single plant there only to find out that every single one was an invasive species. I had no idea. 

On creating a business model

The problem is that there are 100 million gardeners out there who don’t know about native plants and when they do learn about them, they can’t find them. I reached out to the head of innovation and marketing at NWF and said, it’s not enough to educate people because there are still too many people who don’t have access to it. 

The net result of our work with them was a business plan and e-commerce site built on this really cool database they already had. It contained every single native plant, free shrub, and flower at the zip code level in the US. We used that power in the system. We took that asset and created an ecommerce site. Our team at Accenture ended up building it for them using Salesforce and Shopify.

When people go to the site, it starts by asking for your zip code. Then it only shows you what’s native to where you live. You click buy, just like any other ecommerce business, and they show up on your doorstep. 

On getting college students to appreciate the tangible impact of gardens

Generation Z calls themselves Generation Dread because everything they hear is how bad the world is. Like, we have dumped plastic in the Pacific. We’ve put carbon in the atmosphere. We have polluted the rivers. We have created massive droughts from a combination of climate change and too many people living in the wrong places. We now have fires that are destroying towns. The list never ends, right? 

I totally get that. Of course I do. I grew up in the shadow of a nuclear weapon. So for me, it was a different awful, but it wasn’t as tangible as it is today. Because now you’re seeing it around you. That was just this kind of existential threat. 

For most of the issues I mentioned, you can’t see your impact. You can use a recyclable shopping bag, but you won’t see a difference in the Pacific Ocean. You can drive a Tesla, but you won’t see the climate changing because of your choice. You just know it’s the right thing to do. 

What the students really liked about this was you can just go and get a few native plants. Take one, stick it in your yard, and within a year, you’re guaranteed to see a difference. You will start to see things coming to your yard that weren’t there before. It’s easy to see your impact. 

On intergenerational action through gardening 

Gardening is a great way to create connections between generations, which goes back to why Garden for Wildlife works with Third Act. Grandparents gardening with grandkids or older parents gardening with their kids. 

Wild Vision is one of the things I think would be really good to find a way to get Third Act to work with college students to create the gardens. But then also help maintain them because the way to keep the creation between them, which is always good for lots of reasons. It creates that kind of ongoing gardening activity. 

On joy in gardening and climate activism

There’s a book called The Nature Fix that came out in 2017. Florence Williams went out and documented different research projects going on around the world that are putting the science behind what people have known anecdotally: the connection between exposure to nature and mental and physical wellness. They found that the Japanese tradition of forest bathing lowers blood pressure and cortisol. It doesn’t just lower it for a day or a month; it remains low. 

An experiment in Colorado last year played birdsong for some hikers, but not for others. And this showed a measure difference in their happiness levels. Birdsong is really good for you. There’s actually a Swedish word, Gökotta, that literally means waking up, going out, and listening to birdsong.

When we first moved here, we had crows, doves, house finches, cardinals, and all the usuals. Now I go on my back porch and we have 15 different species of birds, some of which I’ve never seen in my life. It’s just like a symphony. It’s incredible. 

On the bringing home the eastern bluebird

Here’s a bird called the eastern Bluebird. It is beautiful. It’s a certain shade of blue I’ve never seen anywhere else. And then it’s got like a reddish rusty underside, almost like a robin. Then it’s brilliant blue on the outside. And that first year we put the native plants, I saw one. Then my daughter and I were like, we want to get more of these. 

So we built a birdhouse specific to Eastern Bluebirds because they don’t use perches. They actually use the claws like they grab you on the bark. So you cut grooves in the front of the birdhouse instead and they can grab that and then go in. We built eight of them. 

On the very first day, we had eight pairs of bluebirds move in one pair into each house that first day because they realized there was a food source here and that there was a place that they could raise their young. And now we have bluebirds every year. 

The Unique Superpowers of Elderhood

DBS: What unique perspectives, experiences or superpowers do older adults bring to the table when it comes to addressing climate change? And how does Third Act make use of these?

SS: I love how you framed this question because older adults really do have superpowers. For one, it’s the sheer amount of [older adults]. There are more than 70 million Americans over the age of 60, and that number grows by 10,000 people each day. They also hold two-thirds of the nation’s wealth, as opposed to the 5% millennials hold. Collectively, this gives them huge leverage as a block of consumers, to hold politicians and financial institutions accountable for their fossil fuel investments. And they always vote. They are such reliable voters. 

Aging is a privilege. Not everyone gets to do it and they want to put that privilege to work.

What I’ve observed in my work at Third Act is that they’re also extremely patient and persistent and this really is a secret weapon, especially in some of our more intricate, hard-to-explain work, like strengthening energy policies by influencing public utilities commissions. I will tell you just like a year ago when I was joining Third Act, I didn’t know what that meant. And in this age of collectivism, older people just have the stamina to untangle the spaghetti bowl of jargon. They are showing up in droves to our trainings, learning about Public Utility Commission regulatory proceedings, and using that knowledge to then make comments on dockets and give testimony as interveners. 

On the more visual, public-facing side, it creates a spectacle to arrest older folks who are peacefully protesting. So many in this demographic are particularly willing to take bold steps because they feel a deep responsibility to future generations and frankly, they have less to lose. Aging is a privilege. Not everyone gets to do it and they want to put that privilege to work.

A Community-Led Model

DBS: What role do personal connections and community engagement play in mobilizing older adults to take action on climate issues.

SS: It’s the most important role. Our relational organizing model is based on building trusting relationships between people. These are the same ideas that were at the heart of the civil rights and feminism and voting rights movements in the sixties and where a lot of Third Actors actually got their start.

We take this peer-to-peer and relational approach that both imparts skills and nurtures creativity so that third actors can lead themselves. The idea of our volunteer-led model is to have them take charge of their fellow Third Actors.

Fears and Hopes

DBS: What are the major concerns and drivers of this audience? And where do those concerns and drivers intersect with climate change?

SS: Third Actors have major concerns about the presidential election and the state of our democracy, and these are deeply intertwined with climate change. Actually, we have a Third Actor, Lis, who is interviewing other Third Actors from across the country. 

We always ask, what if we did this work joyfully? So when Third Actors talk about their fears, they also talk about their hopes.

Shalom in California wants her daughter to inherit fundamental rights, like voting, loving freely, and making decisions about her own body which are all dependent on a healthy and thriving earth. Kathryn from Wisconsin is concerned about current laws protecting our air, water, food and medicine, being corrupted for corporate profits. And from a retirement community in Michigan, Barry fears the undermining of democracy and worries that a win for climate change deniers is going to roll back progress and exacerbate the current suffering.

We always ask, what if we did this work joyfully? So when Third Actors talk about their fears, they also talk about their hopes. Barry, who I just mentioned, has five kids, elevent grandkids, and one new great-grandkid, Duke, who he calls “The Duke” and is motivated by a vision for the future where all world citizens, including baby Duke, are seen and treated with respect and knowing that they belong.

It all comes down to legacy. We see how climate change is so interconnected with these other struggles for democracy, which are really biting at our heels here at the moment.

The Nuts and Bolts of Communication Infrastructure

DBS: What challenges have you encountered in communicating climate change to older audiences and how have you overcome them?

SS: I’m going to flip this question because the biggest challenge that I’ve encountered is not actually communicating climate change to older adults; it’s figuring out how older adults communicate with each other, especially in these highly-distributed, remote, and digital landscapes.

The nuts and bolts of communications infrastructure is not what made me get into this work. It’s not sexy and it’s not the headline story, but figuring out the common denominator of how people in their sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond can collaborate is essential.

We have over thirty working groups based in particular states or rooted in affinity. Just a couple of months ago, my team launched a network of websites all connected under the Third Act domain, which gives each working group its own blog and events calendar that they maintain so that they can keep their own working group members, outside audiences, and each other informed of what they’re doing. And then these feeds are also all aggregated together. So we have made visible hundreds of event listings and campaign updates that were previously just not anywhere or siloed. There are a lot of big numbers and flashing metrics. But my favorite is that we have about 100 Third Actors trained and working in WordPress for the first time ever and it’s growing every day.

We’ve also developed a visual brand identity that extends to the working group. It gives each working group sort of a unique logo mark that distinguishes them and also fits visually under the Third Act brand. Together, these kinds of efforts make visible the power of this collective. 

The nuts and bolts of communications infrastructure is not what made me get into this work. It’s not sexy and it’s not the headline story, but figuring out the common denominator of how people in their sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond can collaborate is essential. We have a volunteer. She’s amazing. Her name’s Lani and she came into activism at 76 years old. She was a teacher for over 40 years and she’s used that experience to help us develop a cohort of volunteer coaches. They provide support directly to Third Actors on things like how to crop an image or how to upload a document to the cloud. And this peer-to-peer approach matches perfectly with our relational organizing model. It also uses our greatest assets which are experienced people to address our greatest challenge, which is older people being left behind by technology.

Not many of our working group members are comfortable with social media and fewer of them enjoy it. On the other side, we have volunteers who have spent a whole career in software development and marketing. We encourage people to play to their strengths, but also create this space where people are learning and trying new things for the first time.

Don’t Make Assumptions, Keep it Accessible, and Listen

DBS: What advice would you give to other climate communicators who are seeking to better engage older or more mature demographics in their work?

SS: Thank you for asking this. Older folks are often stereotyped and left out of progressive conversations, but this is a huge mistake and source of untapped power. My number one [piece of advice] is don’t presume that people get more conservative as they age or that they lose their sense of humor.

And like we’ve been talking about, don’t discount their potential. Liz, one of our national volunteers put this really well so I’m just going to use what she said, which is that, it’s not that older folks are completely untechnical; you just can’t expect it to be automatic. And so make your content accessible and pay attention to how they use their platform.

This is really basic, but keep that contrast high, keep that tech size large, and those buttons obvious. Don’t forsake the iPad. Also, leverage the relative amount of free time that retired people have. Recently, I needed help on a project and I asked a Third Actor, how much time do you have? He was like, I don’t know, as much time as my wife will allow. 

Most of all, listen. Not only do older people want to back up the youth who are driving the climate movement, but they also have the real structural power to make a major impact. And it’s actually just purely impractical. Our founder, Bill McKibben, talks about this all the time, just impractical to leave this problem to the next generation because we really do need as many people as possible to be engaged if we want to make change at the scale we need in the time that we have left. 

As we’ve talked about, so many older folks were active in the most defining social movements of our country. And, in fact, they’ve always played a special role and can make a lasting visual impression. I’m thinking of this iconic image of Dorothy Day on the United Farm Workers picket line where she’s facing off for the sheriff from a seated position on a portable golf stool. That’s so much the DNA of Third Act, they actually call themselves the Rocking Chair Rebellion. We’ve really taken hold of this icon of the rocking chair to sit down comfortably in our power.

We are going to prove together that older Americans are eager for the future that Kamala Harris represents. When Akaya Windwood shared her story of integrating her public school in the 1960s, it reminded us of how far we’ve come in our lifetimes. But as we face the sneering and divisive figure of Donald Trump, we know how far we still have to go—and how much we could backslide as a nation.

Preventing that means working hard these next weeks, and having lots and lots of conversations with friends and neighbors. Third Act will give you the resources to make those conversations easier: snippets from last night, videos we’re busily producing, analysis, and statistics. But the secret ingredient will be your connections, your relationships, your courage––and above all else––your time and sweat.

Thousands of you already signed up for volunteer shifts and events over the next 90 days. You also helped us surpass our fundraising goal for GrayPAC, Third Act’s newly launched political action committee. All in, we’re closing in on a quarter of a million dollars, with funds from last night being split with the Harris campaign. You can continue to contribute here. Every dollar we raise will help us secure and advance climate protections and justice in our communities.

On the call, Robin Wall Kimmerer asked, “What does it mean to become a good ancestor?” And then answered, “part of it is to lift up new leaders.” We intend to do just that.

Let’s get to work.

Paid for by GrayPAC. Not authorized by any candidates or candidates’ committees.

Third Act allows elders who’ve gained understanding of the wrongs they see to take action to address them. Kathy fills important roles not only with the Educators and  Massachusetts (MA) working group but also the Welcome Call Team. 

I’m not a joiner. I like to march to my own drum. But I got on some early Third Act calls and was astonished at the distinguished, accomplished people on the calls and the caliber of the conversations. 

Kathy grew up near a former mill town in New Hampshire, the youngest of seven. The local high schools were underfunded, and only a small percentage of students went on to college. However, a nearby boy’s boarding school wanted to go co-ed, and she earned a scholarship to become one of 11 girls in a school of 250. “It was challenging,” says Kathy, “but I learned a lot,” and questioning the disparity of the rules for male and female students was a small step toward activism.

Kathy’s political awareness was also fed by Vietnam, the “television war,” that came into America’s living rooms every night.  One of her brothers saw combat duty and came back with PTSD. 

Her early career was in publications management for consulting organizations related to training. As her family grew to three children, she transitioned to teaching English at the high school level. Teaching seminal texts of American literature, she discovered how little her students understood about their government. 

She received training from a national civics education group and began to offer her students project-based learning opportunities that engaged them in taking their own “disgruntlement” and using it to advocate for policy change.  “Never, ever be afraid to question,” she would tell her students.   

After retirement, Kathy sought ways to use her teaching experience to effect change.  “I’m not a joiner,” she says. “I like to march to my own drum. But I got on some early Third Act calls and was astonished at the distinguished, accomplished people on the calls and the caliber of the conversations.”  

Kathy appreciates Third Act’s focus on written advocacy. She writes Letters to the Editor to newspapers for a team Fred Hewett created that started in Massachusetts and now extends to key swing states. It’s an opportunity to learn and to be heard on crucial issues.

I noticed inequities, things that rubbed me the wrong way.  Looking back, I think my activism is like a seed pearl. The things I noticed that weren’t right were the grit, the irritants, that eventually turned me into an activist.

Kathy recently created a mobile voter registration toolkit which she’s happy to share with any Working Group in states that allow online voter registration. Though Third Act MA uses it at community colleges it can also be used anywhere for youth or community-focused voter registration. The kit includes a template for a Voter Registration QR code name tag lanyard for volunteers to wear and posters to use for event tables or on pedestal signs. 

Learning, planning and strategizing are activities Kathy has always enjoyed. She’s still doing these with Third Act, but in contrast to earlier times in her life, she now feels freer to fully engage in effecting change. As a teacher, while she’d encourage her students to act, she herself felt constrained. In retirement, she finally feels free to say what she wants and to take direct action.

“I feel liberated!” Kathy says. “Old and Bold!” 

And that new generation, represented by Kamala Harris, is fascinating. She’s not old enough to join our Third Act ranks, which is for the best: the world spins on, and it’s important to get new perspectives. Consider: as a Black woman married to a white man, she would have been committing a crime in much of the country when we were born. America’s greatness lies in its ability to change, to move, to progress—the things that she embodies, and that Donald Trump (perhaps the most backward-looking politician in the world) simply can’t abide.

Of course it’s going to be an uphill battle—if it’s indeed Harris, she begins by needing to create momentum with barely a hundred days till the election, and has to overcome the sexism and racism that mars our country. But this means that we’ve never been needed more: to phone bank, to write postcards, to knock on doors, to make the case in every conversation we have.

We are beautifully positioned to help move our fellow Americans over 60 towards Harris and in doing so bend the arc of our country towards justice and a deeper democracy.

In cities where there are no Citibanks, activists turned to the other big banks funding fossil fuels. In North Carolina, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, Third Actors chanted outside of Wells Fargo.

Third Act North Carolina 

Citizen Times reported on the rally in Ashville, citing the particularly hot conditions that day and the accompanying radical marching band Brass Your Heart, as well as the songs, chants, and marches.

“What are we leaving for my grandchildren?” organizer Cheryl Orengo, 71, asked. With one grandchild only six-years-old and the other a toddler, “What are they going to be dealing with? I can’t even think about it because it worries me so much.”‘

Third Act Minnesota

On their blog, “Bringing the HEAT to Wells Fargo,” Third Act Minnesota writes:

“On July 10, at our largest protest yet, over 50 Third Actors and other allies demonstrated at the Wells Fargo Minneapolis corporate office towers demanding the bank stop financing fossil fuel projects. A few Third Act Wisconsin members even joined us. As we announced our intention to occupy the lobby, Wells Fargo locked down both towers, forcing employees to find alternate ways to enter the building. The bank notified all employees in the building about the protest, so we successfully reached hundreds of them—some who supported our efforts. We greatly expanded the reach of our protest when two witnesses with sizable social media followings posted favorably about the action. We received at least 30,000 views on X (formerly Twitter).”

Not only did Minnesota make a significant impact on social media, the group also made it into the MinnPost. David Mann and Carolyn Ham shared their opinions with the publication, highlighting their motivation for doing this work:

“I have a 26-year-old son who has his own anxiety about where we’re headed,” Mann said. “I didn’t feel like I could keep looking him in the eye if I wasn’t doing something.”

As for motivations of the group’s other members, Ham said they ranged from frustration that writing and calling their politicians never yielded results, to wanting to make up for a lifetime of not doing much organizing at all. But the nearly universal answer among the activists was “it’s my grandkids, it’s for the future of my kids and grandkids,” she said.

Third Act Pennsylvania

Third Act Pennsylvania caught the attention of the PhillyVoice:

“Though it is centered on Wall Street, the movement has spread to cities across the United States in recent days. It’s also, notably, full of elder voices. Many of the protesters on Market Street were affiliated with Third Act, a progressive organization led by Americans over 60, or the like-minded Elders Action Network. Some sat in rocking chairs while singing protest songs and cheering on speakers like City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke. Several carried signs referencing their grandkids.”

Third Act Massachusetts

Third Actors showed up outside Bank of America in Bedford, MA. The Bedford Times writes: “Many lined up alongside the street holding signs, a few with walkers, some seated in outdoor folding chairs. Among them was Peggy McKibben of Carleton-Willard Village, whose son Bill McKibben, a writer and environmental activist, founded Third Act.”

Third Act Maine

In Maine, activists changed outside MainePERS, the Maine Public Employee Retirement System, during a board meeting. According to a law passed in 2021, MainePERS is required to divest from fossil fuels by 2026. However, the organization has been slow to act and insists that divestment will impact returns for its pensioners.  

From Maine Public:

Charles Spanger, with Third Act Maine, pointed to a recent analysis showing that a fossil fuel-free portfolio would have outperformed MainePERS over the past decade.

“They will do better if they purchase fossil free portfolios,” Spanger said.

Read more in the Maine Morning Star, WABI Channel 5, and Third Act Maine’s blog.

Third Act Bay Area

In San Francisco’s Embarcadero, hundreds marched to two Citibank locations. They carried their rocking chairs, chanted, petitioned, wrote postcards, and spoke their truth for future generations to come.

From the SF Bay Area blog:

Artist David Solnit was on hand to draw the mural, activists jumped in to paint. His work was also evident on clothing panels, banners and posters. Chants and songs filled the air, accompanied by five amazing Golden Bell Music musicians. Aside from the fun, the message to Citibank never wavered: Stop profiteering from our children’s future.

Check out Mike Freeman’s interviews with Third Actors below:

Third Act Florida

Meanwhile, in Gainesville, Florida, volunteers gathered at a speaker’s panel and social. In solidarity with their fellow activists protesting outside Wall Street, Florida took a different approach in support of Summer of Heat. Read more about it on the Third Act Florida blog. 

You can read all about working group efforts on their blogs. We’ll continue to update this page, covering the rest of our volunteer actions. Onward!

At that hearing, election deniers turned out in full force, spreading more disinformation about widespread voter fraud and using other incendiary rhetoric to undermine confidence in the electoral system. But pro-democracy groups like Indivisible, Climateers, and Third Act also mobilized, determined to counter these extreme falsities. 

We called out the absurdity of claiming that any election not resulting in a Republican victory was rigged or stolen through voter fraud. We firmly denounced the drumbeat of election denialism, emphasizing that it has profound and deleterious implications for the survival of our democracy. 

After several hours of impassioned public testimony, our efforts bore fruit. We succeeded in flipping two votes on the Commission, resulting in a 4-1 vote in favor of certifying the election results. So, for now, Democracy is safe in Washoe County!

Many thanks to our Secretary of State, Cisco Aguilar (pictured below with Bill McKibben, Rebecca Solnit, and Elvira Diaz from Third Act Nevada in 2022), whose  strong and principled stand helped ensure the will of the people and the sanctity of our elections were upheld.

Democratized energy and a healthy democracy go hand in hand. Unfortunately, both are at risk right now. Our voices and our bodies are sorely needed to help create change.

Overhauling our current system of regulating electric utilities is a good place to start. After food, water and shelter, we need electricity. And finally, after thousands of years of burning stuff to cook or stay warm or run our gadgets, we no longer have to do that. We have solar, wind, energy efficiency, geothermal and even humble window film. We just need to put these great solutions to work. As Bill McKibben says repeatedly, we just have to point a sheet of glass at the sun to generate electricity. 

So how does Edison Electric Institute (EEI) fit in here? As one of the most politically powerful trade groups in D.C., EEI influences national, state and even local electricity decisions. Why? Because nearly every investor owned electric utility in the U.S. is a member, and each member utility pays dues every year. EEI’s ~$100 million per year budget buys a lot of favors, ads, reports, expert witnesses, fancy dinners, boat rides, travel, and nice hotel rooms.

And who ultimately sends that $100 million per year to EEI? Why, it’s captive ratepayers like us, who else? 

However, we have solutions, so don’t despair! Four states – CO, CT, ME and MI – have outlawed utility political contributions, and eleven (AZ, CA, IL, MD, MN, NY, OH, PA, RI, UT, and VA) have introduced legislation. 

The Electric Utility Cabal: EEI, Utilities and Regulators

EEI often does the dirty work for utilities. Captive customers of Florida’s utilities were forced to pay for attacks on rooftop solar.  Utilities in sunny states have some of the most anti-solar policies in the U.S. An EEI gathering described the risks posed by net metering solar as well as climate activists. Why else would utilities in sunny states push fossil gas and kill solar electricity? Because utilities make more profit burning coal, they don’t pay the stunning damages from burning fossil fuels, and they are keen to kill competition from solar, wind and anything that reduces sales and profits. 

Utilities really only have one customer: the regulators.

All too often, the enablers of this bad behavior are the utility regulators. As one expert put it, utilities really only have one customer: the regulators. Utilities wine and dine the regulators and give them high-level jobs with fat paychecks after they’ve done their “public service.” The number of examples could fill a book. Perhaps that’s another reason utilities have been so under-the-radar.: utility regulation tends to be inherently boring.

The final irony is that we customers pay utility executives between $10 and $20 million per year to give us dirty energy we don’t want that is destroying our future. Utility PR departments tell us that coal is clean, coal ash is edible, climate change isn’t real, and that toxic pollution is not a problem. 

Too many regulators allow corporate cash to crush competition, shut out honest people who want to participate in decision-making or run for office, and buy politicians who then set utility-friendly policies.

It is often youth who feel thrown under the bus by these terrible decisions, and as they see it, the government is to blame. However, the real issue is our unfair rules and lack of oversight. Too many regulators allow corporate cash to crush competition, shut out honest people who want to participate in decision-making or run for office, and buy politicians who then set utility-friendly policies. And remember utilities have plenty of money, because it all comes from our electric bills. 

So what can we do?

• Get Trained! Listen in on recordings from the three-part PUC Leadership Training Series (LINK: Resources section of PUC landing page) in which we first walk you through the basics and then more advanced concepts and tools, so you can understand how this system works. Right now, Third Actors are affecting policies across the U.S., helping to bring about the transformation we need.
  • ABCs of PUCs
  • What’s Up, Docket?
  • Stand and Deliver: the Nuts and Bolts of PUC Intervention

• Sign up for your local Third Act Working Group. Across the country, local TA groups are organizing and taking action with support from allies, to engage with their state’s Public Utility Commission, to intervene and give comments in regulatory hearings, to hold utility companies accountable, and to take direct action to fight injustice in the system!

• Take Action Nationwide! We’re powerful when we work together. The Edison Electric Institute, the fossil fuel companies and for-profit utilities have a lot of money, but we have people power. As part of Power Up Communities!, we’ll ask you to help leverage key moments where we can harness political will to make change. Currently, that means write the Senate EPW Committee: Vet and Approve Board Members for the Tennessee Valley Authority Committed to Affordability and Climate Leadership!

Third Actors are speaking truth to (political) power – about (electrical) power! Considering only the last two months: volunteers in nearly a dozen states  gave testimony and submitted public comments inside these regulatory hearings, and when regulators don’t listen, you are engaging in nonviolent protest, taking action outside the halls of power too!

From Texas to Pennsylvania to North Carolina to New York to Vermont, Third Actors are making a difference. Let’s go!

As part of the Summer of Heat on Wall Street and our Costco campaign to pressure Citi to stop funding fossil fuels, Costco members, Third Actors, youth, and other climate activists dressed in hot dog costumes and red aprons – representing Costco’s iconic $1.50 hot dogs and samples staff – blocked 1000+ Citi employees from getting into work for well over an hour.

We blockaded all 12 doors, sang chants like “Hot Dogs Hate the Dirty Cash,” and spoke to hundreds of employees that were stuck, sweating in the plaza of Citibank’s headquarters. Citi’s employees were feeling the heat, literally. In addition to the action at Citi HQ, we called the direct phone lines of Citi executives who are in charge of Costco’s credit card partnership, commented on their linkedin posts, and flooded their email inboxes (and you can still take those online actions too!). 

The Summer of Heat on Wall Street is a sustained campaign all summer long to escalate pressure on Wall Street financiers that are bankrolling climate extremes like this summer’s deadly heat waves, floods, and hurricanes, and this action was the largest disruption of Citi’s operations at HQ we’ve pulled off yet.

Why the hot dogs and red aprons? To represent an iconic retailer, Costco.

Why Costco? Because Costco has a credit card partnership with dirty Citibank. And because Costco is the third largest retailer in the US, where 1 out of 3 Americans shop, and has a lot of sway as a large client of Citi’s. Citibank is the #1 funder of fossil fuel expansion and the #1 funder of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the world. The fossil fuel industry is polluting and destroying our communities and the places that we love. If Costco considers itself an “ethical” company, it should not do business with unethical ones like Citibank which is financing an industry that is literally killing us and our planet. 

Why show up at Citi HQ? We showed up at Citibank’s headquarters dressed as Costco hot dogs to show Citi that thousands of Costco members are demanding that Costco use its leverage as a large credit card partner of Citibank and push Citibank to stop funding fossil fuel expansion, starting with an end to new or future liquified natural gas (LNG) projects. And if Citi doesn’t stop funding fossil fuels, Costco should drop Citi as a credit card partner all together. We want Citi to do that because it may be at risk of losing one of its largest clients due to Citi’s fossil fuel financing. 

We’ve been turning up the heat on Citibank all summer long. Just this week, in addition to the Costco Hot Dog Rebellion, there were three other actions in NYC: on Monday July 8th, Third Act Elders held a memorial for all we have already lost to climate change with a bag-pipe procession, a die-in, and 46 arrests, including renowned climate activist and Third Act founder Bill Mckibben. On Tuesday July 9th, the Costco Hot Dog Rebellion blocked 1000+ employees from getting into work for over an hour. And then on Wednesday, July 10th, kids, parents, and grandparents gathered for a storytime and sing-along about the climate crisis. On Thursday, July 11th, lamenters representing heat waves, biodiversity loss, and other climate-related disasters staggered themselves in Citi’s plaza as employees walked into work. And there were more protests across the country.

Our pressure is working. Bloomberg recently reported that our campaign “is beginning to wear on Citibank employees and executives alike”; the New York Times just released a piece about our campaign, pointing out that “Citi’s investment portfolio is at odds with global goals to limit global temperature increases” ― and just last week, thanks to powerful Indigenous leadership, Citi came out with some updates to its climate policies, excluding 18% of its oil and gas financing in the Amazon. 

While this is an important step, Citi’s new policy not only leaves out 82% of Citi’s financing in the Amazon, but also the rest of its fossil fuel expansion financing in the rest of the world. So, we are going to continue to turn up the heat on Citibank – and on Costco – all summer long. 

You can help by signing the “Costco: Clean Up Your Citi Credit Card” petition, and join the Summer of Heat on Wall Street campaign. 

Video: Breanna Perez / @perezbrenna
Images: Luis Yanez / @luigiwmorris

Stacey Abrams In Conversation with Akaya Windwood and Bill McKibben

Below are excerpts from the conversation, edited for clarity and brevity.

Akaya: People are scared. They’re hopeful. They’re scared to be hopeful. They’re despairing. They’re wary. A lot of people’s hair is on fire right now. I’m going to ask you to help us make sense of this political moment. I’m asking for your wisdom more than your strategy. What would you say to folks who are trying to navigate these very turbulent waters over the next four months?

Stacey: I grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi. I’m the daughter of two people who were civil rights activists as children. My dad was arrested when he was 14 for registering black people to vote. We like to tease him that my mom was doing the same work on the other side of town. She just managed not to get caught. I grew up with people who lived in some of the darkest moments in our recent history. And they are not the darkest. Part of what I am constantly reminded about is not that we do comparative misery, but that we have proof of success. We make it through. It is hard, it is arduous, it is frustrating. It is often profoundly stupid, but it is survivable. Third Act, by its very nature, proves that we can make it through you. You exist because thousands of people have made it through despite how tough, hard, impenetrable and inexorable the moment felt.

In terms of our current moment, I like to remind people that there’s punditry about voters and then there’s the reality. Voters are people. They get a title around election time, but they’re people the whole time and people make decisions based on self-interest, community, and zeitgeist. But zeitgeist has the least effect. We amplify it and like to pretend that it changes everything, but they’re typically structural realities that motivate, block, or call us to question. 

Regardless of what you think the answer should be, let me tell you what the reality is: there is not a human who watched that debate and thought, that man is old and feeble. I prefer the bombastic fascist liar, because anyone who decided to watch the debate already came to the debate with what they wanted to see. Debates are not about changing minds. Debates are confirmation bias in action. What we think we want is what we go to see and then we judge the outcome based on what we thought we would get. If winning a debate made you a victor, we’d have a whole different slew of people who held office and a whole lot of folks who never got the job. We cannot underestimate what we’re navigating, but we also can’t give it so much credence that it blinds us to everything else. 

It’s the connectivity of voting that draws me. It is the connection point of organizing that animates me.

Number two: Swing voters are not quite a myth, but they are not as potent as we’d like them to be. This goes back to the issue of self-interest. There’s an alchemy to a swing voter, to someone whose political values shift so dramatically that they can go from one set of principles and values to another. If you can figure out that kind of pendulum swing, God bless you because almost no one else has. And so, to the extent to which we focus our attention and put all of our hopes into someone whose own internal compass is sitting over a magnetic pole, we are going to be in trouble. Our responsibility is to not worry about the things we can’t fix, but to focus on the things we can.  

Our challenge is not those for whom there is no decision or those who refuse to make a decision. Our challenge is those who don’t think they have the right to a decision. Those are typically low-to-mid propensity voters and they exist because it’s kind of a pox on both your houses or my life is so hard that I don’t have time to think about this far off idea that could change things. Our responsibility and it is the core I think of what you do is to connect the dots to say that the current misery, worry, and harm can be solved with this person with this action. Don’t do it for anybody but yourself. And if you do it for yourself, you help other people. 

It’s the connectivity of voting that draws me. It is the connection point of organizing that animates me. I can’t fix stupid. I can’t fix self-interest. What I can do though is make sure you have sufficient information and that it is not a lecture. It is information that helps you make a decision and that decision is often not, do I vote for this guy or that guy? It’s, do I vote or not? We can solve the question, do I vote or not? It is not a question of changing fundamental core belief systems. 

When we tell people what’s in it for them, it helps them relax enough to see what they can do for everyone else.

I’ll wrap with this: My parents are pastors now. My mom was a librarian. My dad was a shipyard worker, but they eventually were called into the ministry. My parents’ job is to fix people’s souls. I don’t have that kind of time, energy, or capacity. So I work on behavior. Behavior can change and people change their behavior when the new action makes their lives better. So our job is to explain why the act of voting will make their lives better, not in the esoteric and not in the abstract, but in the concrete way of here’s what tomorrow can look like and here’s what’s gonna happen if you don’t take action.

Akaya: I’m going to push back on you, Stacey, because actually you a minister. You bring a medicine to the world that it needs. I’ve watched you for many years. So thank you for that. 

Bill: Amen, amen. As a Sunday school teacher. I concur. I want to talk for a moment not about getting people to vote, but about getting people to change what’s in their house. You’ve taken on this work at Rewiring America, whose goal is nothing less than taking 140 million homes in America and transforming what’s in the basement, kitchen, garage. And that may be the most important work that there ever was given the temperatures around the world. I’m curious about how the conversations that you’ve learned to have over the years about motivating people to vote play into your strategy for how to motivate people to change out their appliances.

Stacey: For some it seems bit jarring that I would go from voting rights to climate. To me, it’s all of a piece and it’s actually been a part of who I am. As I said earlier, I grew up in Mississippi, near Cancer Alley in Louisiana. I used to have to drive through it to go and debate in high school. In college, I did my undergrad thesis on environmental justice. I interned for the EPA two summers, one for the Environmental Criteria assessment office in North Carolina and then for the newly created Office of Environmental Justice under Bill Clinton in 1995. Climate is a democracy issue. The reason we have democracy is because people want their lives to be better and we know that we’ve got to work together to make it so.

What we breathe and how we live is absolutely a question of the kind of government we have. As with any other issue, I think of voting not as an abstract construct, but as an activity into which I pour my efforts and about which I have to be concerned. If I don’t vote for the right person, the things that happen to me and my community are directly connected to whether I took that step. I can’t guarantee that they will do what I need them to do, but I’m pretty certain they won’t if I don’t speak up. And so when I talk about the connectivity between electrification and democracy, you don’t have to divide it up. It’s the same thing.

Climate is a democracy issue. The reason we have democracy is because people want their lives to be better and we know that we’ve got to work together to make it so.

If you think that your community is getting the short end of the stick, we know that 42% of all energy related emissions come from decisions made around the kitchen table. If you want your community to be cooler or to have access to lower bills, you’ve got to solve for what’s in your house. 58% is happening outside, but 42% is within your control. If you want your bill to go down or the temperature to go down or your kids to be able to breathe easier, then this is a moment where the government’s going to give you money to make your life better. Not only are they going to give you money, but they’re actually targeting the people they’ve ignored for so very long. There’s 65 million who would benefit for roughly $2,600 to $2,900 in annual savings and 36 million of those people are low to moderate income. 

Part of the way you tell the story is not to say there’s this abstract construct of carbon emissions. You say, here’s the reality: when you turn off your stove if you have an induction stove, it’s unlikely your kid’s gonna burn their hand. If your HVAC system isn’t cool enough and you upgrade to this new one, you’ll save money and be cooler. If your heat pump takes too long to heat your water in the winter, get this, save money and it’ll be better.

I lean into the selfishness. I think it is a selfish act that just happens to have community benefit and I don’t shy away from it. When we tell people what’s in it for them, it helps them relax enough to see what they can do for everyone else.

Akaya: Girl, bring it. So I noticed that in your spare time you write romance novels and you can imagine there are a lot of other things and I found myself the other day, saying, wait a minute, let’s connect the dots. How do romance and climate fit together? 

Stacey: I write a lot of different things. The reason I put it out there is that when people find I write, they know my Selena Montgomery, but my editors want people to know that there’s also a whole legal thriller universe I’ve created too. But coming back to my very first romance novel, Rules of Engagement. It got published in 2000. Its premise came from my ex-boyfriend’s dissertation. We’re friends now, but at the time, we were still in an awkward place. He wrote about micro zeolites. They are  chemicals that can absorb other chemicals without reacting. At the time I was doing work and thinking about environmental justice issues on the global scale, particularly developing countries that were being rushed through the industrialization stage, because we finally realized it was going to kill us all. The idea behind this book was what if you could use micro zeolite technology to clean the environment.

Even my first novel was about environmental justice. It was about how we clean the climate. It was also a romance novel that uses my ex-boyfriend’s dissertation. We were still a little testy at the time so he’s in prison in the book, but that’s a whole other story. It was a bad breakup. We’re friends now. For me, romance is about understanding that the fairy tale ending is gonna take a lot of dragons and they’re going to be misunderstandings and miscommunication. You’re not always going to like the person you love and you’ve got to find a way to navigate, but also to reconcile your differences. 

When you think about what we have to do in this climate conversation, people have hardened beliefs and they’ve got backstories. We don’t get to know the whole back story. When you read a romance novel, when you read a novel, you come into the middle of the story, but you’ve got to bring all of that baggage with you. And as a writer, part of my job is to give you enough information that you can empathize with both that you cheer for their success, but that you also feel the tension of their trial and that’s what we’re in right now. 

We’re in the tension of trial. People know what we want, but they don’t necessarily believe it’s going to happen. You’ve got to give them a reason to keep hoping and you got to give them a reason to keep trying. Romance is one of the hardest genres I write because if people already know the ending, how do you keep them reading? By making sure that at every moment they feel compassion, interest, and a little bit of mystery about what can happen next.

In our monthly installment of In My Third Act, Jane Fleishman writes about her conversation with Jeremy Kagan, co-facilitator of Third Act Creatives and renowned filmmaker.

He may be of retirement age, but Jeremy Kagan says “I’m a working guy.”

This is an understatement considering what currently occupies Jeremy’s time: teaching as a tenured professor in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC), leading the Change Making Media Center, directing a play on freedom of speech, pitching a TV series as well as a feature film, and preparing for the publication of a book of his drawings. He also manages to fit in acting as co-facilitator of the Third Act Creatives Working Group and contributing to Third Act’s future. 

Why are we here and what are we meant to do? As someone fortunate enough to be an artist, what is my responsibility?

When asked about his long career, mainly as a director of feature films and many of them political in nature, Jeremy speaks of his gratitude. You can read more about his work on The Near Death and Life of Jeremy Kagan, which also includes a story of his near-death experience. Politics and activism have always been a part of his life, beginning with childhood when he watched his father, a rabbi in New York, go south to march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His father’s example and the anti-war and civil rights movements of the 1960s launched Jeremy into activism. His involvement in environmental issues, however, came somewhat later when he attended a Bioneers conference and connected with innovative activists there, among them Third Act’s founder, Bill McKibben.

Teaching film at USC and directing the Change Making Media Center keeps Jeremy at the intersection of art and activism, where he is inspired by a belief that “facts inform, but stories transform.” His own and his father’s persistent questions guide him: why are we here and what are we meant to do? As someone fortunate enough to be an artist, what is my responsibility? 

In his third act, Jeremy understands activism somewhat differently than he did as a younger man. He has a greater appreciation for the power of so-called “small” actions to make a difference, just as a small rudder can cause a big ship to turn in the water. His film students often express discouragement at the enormity of the climate crisis and are reluctant to create art that addresses it. Jeremy reassures them they can start with the mundane realities in their own lives and build a powerful creative response from there. He tells them that while they can’t solve the problem, they can make small contributions to the solution of the problem. He has also come to believe that love, simple human connection, and kindness are fundamental to collective action. Third Act’s Working Principles, with their focus on relationships and values of the heart, are spot on for this moment in time. 

Even with so many pursuits, Jeremy still finds time to ride his bike and put on his wetsuit to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Ocean near his home in Los Angeles. “It’s important to reflect on what you love about the world,” he says. A certain enthusiasm he has encountered in the elders he has met in Third Act gives him hope for the future and affirms his essentially optimistic nature.

Like many elders, he has seen things change, and so he knows change is possible. 

Our seasoned generation holds unparalleled power to ensure a safe and stable planet for generations to come.To solve the climate crisis we need to stop digging up and burning dirty fossil fuels to produce energy, when our needs can be supplied by affordable, reliable, abundant solar and wind power and other clean energy alternatives. 

One third of the United States landmass is federal public lands that belong to all of us, and should be managed for the public good. These lands also contain huge deposits of coal, oil, gas, tar sands and oil shale. Extracting these dirty fossil fuels and lighting them on fire is what drives the climate crisis spinning out of control for life on earth as we know it.  But we have a choice: we can decide to leave most of this dirty energy in the ground and start restoring the earth and the stability of the climate now. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees most of the public lands (245 million acres) that hold large reserves of dirty fossil fuels. Historically, nearly all of these BLM lands were open to top priority use by energy companies, loggers and miners. At long last, the Biden Administration has reformed this public land giveaway and issued a new Public Lands Rule, which provides tools for the BLM to improve the health and resilience of public lands in the face of a changing climate; conserve important wildlife habitat and intact landscapes; facilitate responsible development; and better recognize unique cultural and natural resources on public lands.

This new rule elevates managing public lands for conservation, wildlife protection, watershed protection, and climate restoration. 

Biden’s new, final Public Lands Rule will put conservation on equal footing with fossil fuel development for the first time. In parallel, other Biden initiatives encourage the deployment of clean renewable energy on our public lands, and reform antiquated oil and gas leasing rules. This is the proven and necessary path to solve our climate and biodiversity crisis.

Unfortunately, the Public Lands Rule is under attack by the dirty energy industries and their political allies. Already, a bill has passed in the MAGA Republican controlled House to overturn the rule. To make sure it withstands the assault and is fully implemented we need the public – that’s all of us – to voice our strong support for the Public Lands Rule.

Third Act members submitted hundreds of comments last year to the Biden Administration so that this new rule would be drafted. Our work continues.

To demonstrate strong public support, we ask that you sign on to an online letter of support to counter the pressure campaign of the coal, oil and gas companies.

Together we can secure a huge victory. President Biden has taken this bold step to put the public interest back in public lands and tackle the climate crisis. We need to have his back and help bring this monumental change across the finish line. 

B Fulkerson and other Third Actors who were there share their reflections

Video by Brenna Perez. Music by Andrew Scott Bell. 

Unless otherwise stated, photos are by Robert S Johnson.

Third Actors turned up the heat against Citibank at its world headquarters in New York City, as part of Summer of Heat’s sustained direct actions that began in early June. Citibank is the largest investor in fossil fuel expansion since the signing of the Paris Accords in 2015, and climate activists are disrupting its business as usual.

The largest action during Summer of Heat’s kick-off week featured 200 elders converging on Citibank Plaza with uplifting songs and banners for Elders Day. Sixty Third Actors were arrested, most for the first time and some in our rocking chairs, for blocking bank entrances and briefly shutting down operations in an effort to give our grandkids and future generations a shot at a livable planet. While we were processed and released later that day, ten of our rocking chairs were confiscated and remain behind bars. (Free our rockers!)

Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA) is not the pinnacle of activism. Nor is it any more noble than knocking on doors, writing letters to the editor, phone banking, donating to organizations, speaking at public meetings, or other organizing tactics that build the power of the people.

But as someone who has been arrested 12 times since 1985, and as a student of how movements spread like a contagion from the periphery to the rest of society, I believe NVDA a tool that the many can use to defeat the mighty and the few.

Bill McKibben and Rev Lennox Yearwood will be among the featured speakers at a rally beginning at 10 am on July 8. Here is information on these events and how you can get involved either in NYC or in your area. Because not everyone can go to New York City for Summer of Heat, Third Act working groups are organizing a series of events across the country during Elders Week, July 8-14.

You don’t have to take my word for it that Third Act elders rocked it at Summer of heat.

Read testimonials from those who were there:

The energy and camaraderie in the room (pre-action night), in the park (action meet-up) and in Citi plaza (action!) were just amazing.  We were from so many different states and working groups, and with a range of back-stories that could – and should! – fill a book — but we were there together to do one thing: tell Citi that their continued funding of planet-killing fossil fuels is unconscionable and must stop. 

– Jess Grimm, Third Act Ohio

Yes, it was a great action against Citi where 60 elders got arrested as part of weeks 1 of Summer of Heat, but it went deeper than that. People stepped up and got out of their comfort zone, learned new skills, and had a great time together.

– Lisa Finn, Third Act Virginia

People often assume that protesters are people who are not like them, who’ve gone mad or are wild hippies. I’ve found that not to be the case. In addition to my new librarian friend, there were former journalists, nurses, school teachers, lawyers, scientists–people probably much like your parents and grandparents. People who worked hard to provide a safe, healthy home for their kids, just like many of you are doing now.

– Rob Wald, Third Act Maryland

Remember to check out our Summer of Heat page for Elders Week events in your area.

All images courtesy of Liz Sanders.

I signed on to be part of the Summer of Heat, a campaign against the banks and insurance companies that are supporting and profiting from climate destruction. This meant I was fortunate enough to participate in the two-day Non-Violent Direct-Action (NVDA) training in NYC hosted by Third Act. NVDA is defined as nonviolent resistance to injustice. There are hundreds of forms of nonviolent direct action including marches, boycotts, picketing, sit-ins and prayer vigils.

It wasn’t my first training, but one of the most insightful. I went to the training thinking that this would be nuts and bolts on the how to’s of NVDA: how to hold the line, what to expect from police. Maybe we’d learn a couple songs and chants. Cover a little history and participate in role play. 

And that was all there. The excellent training team of Cathy Hoffman, Marla Marcum, and Leif Taranta was smart, honest, and so grounded in this work. It was inspiring. I learned there is both an art and craft to NVDA.   

What I didn’t anticipate was that we’d also build and nurture our Elders movement for change– to be thoughtful, strategic, and intentional in our work, to the powerful potential of our Third Act community. Bill McKibben spoke of our unique role in the movement, and how NVDA is an important tool in our work. His advice was to also find joy in our activism. 

I am awed by all those willing to put their bodies on the line for change, at Greensboro, Stonewall, Act UP, Standing Rock and so many others. During the training oversized images of brave activists hung around the room. The iconic image of Dorothy Day – writer, activist, person of faith – standing up for farmers workers against the police, stood out to me. She emboded authority and grace, and inspires me to continue the struggle for justice and a better world.

After the first day, I lay in bed energized, yet questioning my role How far I was willing to go? Did I understand the risks? Was I willing to be arrested? Where was my place in this movement? 

The next day one of the many exercises was an exploration of our personal “comfort/stretch/panic” zones. It’s easy to get attached to our comforts and be risk averse, but ease doesn’t lead to growth. When we take risks and stretch, that’s when we thrive and learn. It’s also important to know your boundaries and limitations.

With these tools and community support, I am ready to stretch.

 I was recently asked the Colbert Questionert, a parlor game that the late-night host asks celebrities. The first of the 15 questions is, What’s your favorite sandwich? The last, Describe the rest of your life in 5 words. I immediately thought of the connection, joy, and purpose I experience making good trouble with our Third Act community. 

My answer: be present, be of service. 

Just recently landslides tragically smothered thousands in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Midwest storms devastated communities and left hundreds of thousands without power from Texas to Montana, and New Delhi just recorded all time high temperatures of 127.22 F degrees. 

Our collective call to action gets louder every day.

Which is why we’re bringing some heat of our own, to the big banks that are the main funders of the fossil fuel industry.

Summer of Heat is centered in New York City—indeed, it’s centered outside Citibank, which has lent 400 billion dollars to Big Oil since the Paris climate accords were signed in 2016. This is venal—the International Energy Agency said in 2021 that all new investment in fossil fuel infrastructure needed to end right then. But it’s also predictable, because the banks (remember Mary Poppins?) care a great deal about money. As we learned from leaked documents a few weeks ago, Citibank told the Federal Reserve last summer that if the planet reached net zero by 2050 it would cost them $3 billion in loan losses to their fossil fuel clients.

Meanwhile, a recent peer-reviewed article in the journal Nature projected that the world economy will see an income reduction of 19% and global annual damages estimated to be about 38 trillion dollars by 2050. So, you’d think if the banks cared about money in the longer term, then they’d care about climate-related financial risks and transitioning their portfolios out of fossil fuels and into a clean energy economy, thereby reducing projected future losses and damages.

But the banks aren’t acting anywhere near fast enough. That’s why the Summer of Heat coalition—including Indigenous groups and frontline communities, environmental justice organizations, youth movements, and yes, us elders—is planning to “turn up the heat” on Citibank and other fossil fuel funders via 12 weeks of sustained disruption in New York City. The first week features an Elders Day on June 13th in NYC, along with a Scientists Day and other themed days. And this will be followed by themed weeks, including Elders Week July 8-13 (in New York City and other locations – more info coming soon!), Youth Week, Frontline Fighters Week, and more.

So, why should you all join in for this effort?

Because we older Americans, taken together, have powerful financial resources. Because we’ve been saving our whole lives, we have something like 2/3 of the country’s wealth—enough that banks and asset managers have to pay attention to us. We are elders—retired union members, teachers, health care professionals, lawyers, as well as parents, grandparents, great aunts and uncles and now activists with decades of life experiences—who are backing up youth fighting for a peaceful, just, and healthy world.

This “Rocking Chair Rebellion” will rise up during Elders Week to demand that Wall Street banks and financiers stop using our savings to bankroll the climate crisis. We are “Fossils Against Fossil Fuels.”

Join us and lots and lots of other people and groups outside these banks this summer to disrupt business as usual.

We’re not going to change these banks overnight. But we have to keep putting them on notice—that began with the actions you pulled off last spring in 100 cities; it continues this summer. Because if the weather is going to be sizzling, then we need to be on fire!

To begin, we spoke to Liz Evans, formerly of Third Act Pennsylvania, and now part of Third Act Upstate NY. She is also one of our lead national volunteers, assisting the Digital Communications team.

She spent the early part of her career in research biology and in the early 2000s, switched to educational technology, a developing field at the time. Her years teaching new tools and technologies have been useful during her time at Third Act. We talked about all she has learned and observed as she moves deeper into climate activism, organizing, and growing a community that works to protect its planet.  

On the connections between education technology and Third Act

For over twenty years, I worked in higher education. My role was in learning management system support for the use of digital materials in courses or, as it later developed, online learning. I helped with the technology, but also, the development and training of faculty and students on using these new tools. There was a consortium of colleges sharing these systems and engaging in different kinds of collaborative learning programs. 

How can you create a structure that allows people to work well together? 

The challenge I faced earlier in my career which I’m also finding at Third Act is that you’re bringing a bunch of people together who have some common interests and tools, but also come from different places with different levels of engagement and capability. How can you create a structure that allows them to work well together? 

On taking the lead

When I joined the group, I had the digital communication skills to offer. And at the time, I thought of it as a support role rather than a leadership one. But as with any early organization, there is a need for people to wear different hats. I ended up taking the lead on a few events and eventually, became the co-liaison for Advanced Fossil Free Finance. Now I’m also a national volunteer and joining Upstate NY. 

You know, in the beginning, I didn’t even know the terminology. I was like, what exactly is a campaign? I’m used to thinking of it as a political campaign, but in the activism space, a campaign means a particular thing. I’m still curious about organizing. We have a group for organizing – what does it mean to organize people?

It was all really unfamiliar to me, but as time goes on, I learn more and more. 

On campaign strategies 

There are different points of leverage that you could think of trying to influence: elected officials, individual consumer behavior, demonstrations in the street, putting pressure on the banks, All of these are strategies the movement collectively has experimented with.

I remember Deborah Moore once said, people say: well, why are we working with the banks? They’ll never do what we want them to do. She replied: if it was easy to do, we would have already done it. 

We’re trying to do something really hard and it is frustrating because change is so slow and you don’t know what’s going to work until something does work. You do just have to try a mix of different strategies and efforts and then over time, you see some of them break through. 

On teaching elders to use new tools

People are used to working with certain tools or some things are simply outside their experience. If you’re trying to introduce something new, you have to provide a pathway to enter an area that may be really unfamiliar. It’s not that older folks are completely untechnical; you just can’t expect it to be automatic. 

A lot of people are used to working with Microsoft Word and you might tell them there are reasons a collaborative organization like Third Act would want to use Google Docs instead. You can give them all the advantages and offer the resources, but some people are just never going to want to do that. You must have the willingness to embrace the range in the desire to change, but also nudge people to see the advantages of using the recommended tools and reminding them that we can help them get there. 

You can have video tutorials, tip sheets, the whole works. But, sometimes, sitting down one-on-one with somebody and hearing their particular questions, is what does the trick.

That’s the fun of coaching to me: figuring out where somebody is stuck and how you can put things into terms that are going to unlock it for them. Then you start to see their motivation to want to figure out how to use this tool. 

On creating opportunities for well-defined, purposeful contributions

The big challenge is to develop enough meaningful activities that people can take on in different bite-sized levels. If you say, we have this thing that needs to be done and we’ll hand you a premade packet, people seem very willing and happy. But if you ask, could you be on this committee and help us organize? It’s too open ended and people feel uncertain if they would be a good fit for it or what it really is they’re being asked to do. There is a drop-off there. 

It’s really about figuring out work for volunteers that both contributes and meets different kinds of personalities and availability. 

On bringing something different in your third act

I now bring the time, but also the maturity to offer what I have and be open to thinking in a new way or trying to tackle such a thorny problem to which there is no easy answer. Being able to live with that and be patient and just keep trying things. That’s something that I can do now, at my age, that I was not very good at in my earlier acts. 

On asking yourself what you did for your grandchildren  

When you retire, you have this question of filling up your time. There are all the things you know you’ll engage in, like family and travel and hobbies. But there’s certainly a motivation we all share of contributing to something greater.  

Back to the classic phrase from Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth: “Future generations may well have occasion to ask themselves, ‘What were our parents thinking? Why didn’t they wake up when they had a chance?’”

Like it or not, we’re faced with this devastating collapse of our planet. And ours is the generation that has to say: this is how we stepped up when we knew we had to act.

And this time, they’ve designed the concert-going experience with a unique twist. Inside each concert venue, a village is constructed where organizations known for their commitment to communities, eco-justice, and reversing climate change have been invited to set up tables to engage with concert-goers for 90 minutes before each show.

Third Act was invited to take part in ten of the seventeen concerts, beginning on April 24 and concluding at the end of May. Third Act leaders have mobilized teams of volunteers and are working their magic at tables designed by Third Actors. While tabling, they have the opportunity to highlight work underway regionally and invite interested folks to get involved. 

These sold-out concerts provide a unique opportunity to amplify the work of Third Act, its commitment to constructive and systemic eco-action, and its welcoming, appreciative culture. Charris Ford, the Director of The Village for the Love Earth tour has been a stellar partner to Third Act, providing volunteers with a buffet dinner at the concert venue, two tickets to the concert, and same-day logistics instructions to ensure that Third Actors could make the most of their time to engage with the audience. He’s even packed our banners & taken them from show to show!

Although every show will be distinctive, Young’s repertoire includes a number of legendary eco-themed songs, which trace the recent history of threats to the planet from the 1970s to present-day and capture the urgency of this moment for all living beings. 

Stay tuned as we join forces to advance climate justice in America!

Remaining Tour Dates with Third Act:

• May 8 – Franklin, TN
• May 11 – Bristow, VA
• May 12 – Camden, NJ
• May 14 – NYC
• May 17 – Mansfield, MA
• May 22 – Clarkson, MI

Authored by Sara Lundquist and Sharon Lobert, Third Act National Volunteers.
National Volunteers support Third Act across multiple projects to expand the impact of our mission to eliminate fossil fuels, advance climate justice, and strengthen democracy.

Tyler Norman, writes on the histories of both events for the Just Transition Alliance:

“Spurred by the warnings of Silent Spring and 1969 catastrophes such as the Santa Barbara offshore oil spill and the Cuyahoga River catching fire, the young environmental movement organized a national day of campus teach-ins, mass demonstrations, and public school activities such as tree planting and beach cleanup.  An estimated 20 million people participated.

May Day was a signal of the beginning of the planting season, and therefore it is inherently ‘green.’ In the 1880’s it gained its ‘red’ aspect after May 1st was declared an international day of demonstration for all workers to demand respect and dignity, and it became firmly entrenched in the early labor movement as a commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs.”

Within these histories a shared path to justice has always existed, highlighted in the “Teamsters and Turtles” alliance of labor and climate advocacy. Spurred by a necessary acknowledgment that community issues like safe air and drinkable water align with the need for safety and dignity for workers, many of whom are on the frontline of our growing climate emergency, there is a growing discourse around these linked movements.

In discussing Earth Day to May Day 2024, the Western Massachusetts Labor/Climate Movement asks:

How can addressing the climate crisis move our workers’ movements forward, and vice versa? Can we prioritize a transition away from fossil fuels that improves working conditions and labor rights? Ensure that a “green transition” doesn’t happen on the backs on the working class and bust unions?

What does this mean for Third Act? Both May Day and the start of Older Americans Month coincide on May 1st every year. What is the impact of older generations and their contribution to the labor movement and environmental justice? What can we learn about how these efforts for justice and progress contribute to our shared quality of life, and what can we take from them as we look forward in the broader labor movement as one generation of leaders gives way to a new one?

We interviewed folks about the intersection of labor, climate, and collaboration between youth and elders. Here’s what they had to say.

Ben Manski, an Assistant Professor of Public Sociology at George Mason University, is a fourth-generation labor activist and took part in the first organized Earth Day to May Day events in 1995. 

We had about 1,000 people at the Capitol, and over 120 organizations signed on; importantly, the AFL CIO was part of that, the Sierra Club was part of that, and Wisconsin’s environmental decade was part of it. And it continued in Wisconsin for a good 9 to 10 years. 

So Earth Day to May Day came out of very broad movement alliances that were not just the environmental movement and labor, but also farmers and students and youth and communities and indigenous communities all coming together. And then in 2005 and 2006, you had the mass mobilizations and general strike of immigrant workers in the United States, particularly Mexican Americans, Chicanos, and many others out in the streets on May Day. 

For him, the intersection of labor and climate came from family members and mentors, such as late environmental leaders Richard Grossman and Judi Bari.

Judi was a carpenter and union member when she moved to Northern California and became involved with the Earth First movement. She was the most prominent organizer for Redwood Summer in 1990 during which tens of thousands of people went to Northern California to protect the redwoods. 

Richard was somebody who, by the 1970s, was working to build an alliance between unions and the environmental movement, what people now call blue/green alliances. These alliances were about working people at the front lines of environmental harm. The whole movement for occupational safety and health was tied into the broader environmental movement.

Kate Daligga, a Michigander, Third Actor, and long-time union member with the National Lawyers Guild and NewsGuild, echoed these thoughts in a more contemporary context.

I think raising what jobs are taking out of the workers is legitimate. They wind up all these fossil fuel-extracting industries polluting the areas where people work, and they are harmful to the workers’ families and the residents of those communities.

You know, sometimes it’s just dirty, awful, difficult stuff. And when that doesn’t get properly acknowledged and appreciated, the toll it takes, the risks people go through when others are not subject to those.

To feel confident and secure enough in expressing one’s beliefs and politics in a work environment takes courage. This is where veterans can play a huge role. Hunter Pagiuana, a staff representative with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, who in the labor movement as a journalist mentored by more seasoned reporters. He found guidance from older workers helped him grow further.  

My experience came from working at the newspaper in Omaha, where we formed a union, and that was my entry into the labor movement. Before that, I had no knowledge or experience of it. But we had two individuals. Their names were Tony Mulligan and Darren Carroll. You spend a lot of time talking about things. So, I learned a lot from their experiences in the labor movement for 40 years, particularly Tony Mulligan. His dad was a big labor organizer in Colorado. He would take his kids to the picket lines. 

People like Tony and Darren gave me a window into the past and then connected it to the present, which is what got me into this.

For Hunter and others rising in the labor movement, the ultimate goal is to find ways to bridge older workers’ knowledge and lessons, allowing for continued growth and progress.

You have people at both ends of the spectrum: people just now starting out and doing it for six months, and people who have been doing it for 40 years, and when it comes to organizing, especially, you know, that creates a challenge to some degree, because not necessarily like hostility toward organizing, just like a lack of basic common ground.

These people devoted their lives to this. And eventually, they will move on because they can’t do this forever. How do we, the younger generation, carry on that torch and then download all their information and experiences so that we aren’t going blank? And it’s all just about, you know, keeping us all together, whether we’re 30 years old, 80 years old, or somewhere in between. We’re all workers. We’re all pushing the same way.

 

Kate, who works closely with Hunter in the labor movement, shared similar thoughts about the importance of working with future leaders and activists and how it powers older workers, like herself, in the third act of their lives.

I’m 66. I’m not the same as I was when I was 33. And that’s for good and ill.

But what’s really fun about doing this is not only the chance to associate with other older folks and to realize there’s still a lot of capacity and fun to be had, but it’s also really fun to do the intergenerational stuff. And I’ve learned so much from  working with younger folks that I’ve encountered in workplace situations and in union situations. And I’m hoping now through the climate activism, there’s just so much sparking that can be done in these ways.

So how do we move forward? The more workers of all ages can learn from each other, the more progress we will make toward a more sustainable and equal quality of life for all working people, their families, and their communities.

Happy May Day and Older Americans Month! Make sure to spend a moment appreciating the work of the generations of activists who have come before us. Let us continue to work together.

Citi is the world’s second largest fossil fuel funder, having contributed over $332 billion to the industry since the Paris Accords in 2016. 

At the “People vs. Citi: Confronting Citi Group’s Environmental Racism” public hearing we heard powerful testimony from people on the frontlines of climate change, from Peru to Canada, from Louisiana to the Bronx in NY and how their communities are suffering from pollution, wildfire smoke, losing their homes to floods, and struggling to survive amidst air pollution and sweltering heat waves. Building on this hearing, a series of protests at Citi headquarters and branches, as well as other big US banks, erupted across the country this week, igniting more actions planned to “turn up the heat” on the banks through this spring and summer, culminating in the Summer of Heat, twelve full weeks of targeting the financiers of climate chaos, including Citi. 

The hearing was chaired by environmental justice activist and founder of the Vessel Project of Louisiana, Roishetta Sibley Ozane. Ozane is deeply involved in the Gulf Coast fight against liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities that are devastating local communities in the South. Distinguished speakers joined from around the country to speak about the environmental destruction they have witnessed and dedicated their lives to fighting against. These included Goldman Environmental Prize winner, TIME100 honoree, and Laetare Medal recipient Sharon Lavigne, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief, Chief Na’Moks, and actor and climate activist Jane Fonda, among others.

Fonda opened the hearing by describing the privilege of living far away from what companies call “sacrifice zones”:

I thought that I understood the problem. I’ve researched. I’ve read. But until I went to Texas and Louisiana and visited Cancer Alley and the communities around the Gulf, I didn’t really understand the extent to which these companies, these global giants who make trillion dollars in profit, don’t care at all about the lives and the health of people who live in these front line communities. 

It is shocking to see what the pollution from these plants does to these communities. Entire communities disappear. 

Speaker after speaker from affected communities called upon Citi to cut funding for new and expanded LNG projects and use their resources to invest in clean energy alternatives and donate to Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities and those disproportionately affected by decisions made by those at the top, conveniently shielded from the consequences of polluting facilities. 

Several of Citi’s large clients, like Costco – which has a co-branded credit card partnership with Citi – were invited to attend or watch this public hearing to learn about the community impacts that they are affiliated with via their banking partnerships; but Costco did not attend or watch the hearing.

More than 26,000 people watched some portion of the livestreamed hearing. Watch the recording here and Jane Fonda’s introduction here.

Citi’s Role in Environmental Racism and Health Inequality 

In the wake of George Floyd’s death and Black Lives Matters protests, Citi pledged to introduce more transparency into its racial equity efforts, committing $1 billion to help close the racial wealth gap through initiatives such as improving credit access in communities of color and increasing investment in Black-owned businesses. The irony, as Russell Armstrong of the Hip Hop Caucus stated, is that Citi is publicly announcing investments in the very communities they are also extracting from. They simply don’t advertise the extractions and exploitation. That’s our job. Armstrong expanded:

In Citi’s Corporate Social Responsibility statements they say they “feel responsible for the community in which it operates” and we couldn’t agree more. That is why we are calling on Citibank to come meet with the frontline communities in the Gulf South and bear witness to how the additional billions in financing for fossil fuels since the 2016 Paris Agreements is not helping “build more sustainable, diverse and equitable communities” that they proudly stay they are “playing a leading role to drive the banking industry into a more sustainable future. 

The US is currently the largest exporter of LNG and is perpetually building new terminals, which produce extremely harmful toxins and are disproportionately located in the Gulf South amongst Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. To date, Citi has provided $1.7 billion in direct financing to four LNG terminals in the South. Not only that, Johanna Hiro Torres of the Sierra Club revealed that the bank has continued to hand money to the Cheniere company, owners of Corpus Christi LNG, a terminal that has violated its emissions limits hundreds of times. Citi has consistently funded and advised terminals that have documented histories of failing to meet federal requirements, including Cameron, Port Arthur, and Delfin LNG terminals. Projects like these are still seeking funding, and Citi is still advising them. 

Banks try to cover their tracks, but the evidence is clear: pollution from these facilities is highly correlated with high asthma rates in surrounding communities. And these facilities are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, heart disease, reproductive ailments, and mental health issues, emphasizing the stress and worry caused by living in polluted environments. 

During a panel with Indigenous leaders and activists, executive director of the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of South Texas Christa Mancius, President of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Chapra Nation in Perú Olivia Bisa, and Wet’suwet’en hereditary Chief Na’Moks, spoke about Citi’s lack of concern for Indigenous rights. Mancius left us with words her dad has instilled in her for many years: 

Five hundred plus years ago, people came from overseas to do one thing: to take the resources out of these lands and ship them back overseas. Five hundred plus years later, they’re still doing the same thing: continuing a genocide in erasure of Indigenous peoples across the Americas. 

They have continued to erase and kill our people on the resources of the lands that were given to us by our Creator. We came out of Creation from Mother Earth and we were placed here for a reason: to protect her and the identity of our people, and to live in peace with Mother Earth.

What We Are Demanding 

The hearing resulted in a list of demands for Citigroup: 

1. Immediately stop financing new and expanding coal, oil, and gas projects and any companies expanding fossil fuels.
2. Rapidly phase out all fossil fuel financing and demonstrate year-on-year reductions in fossil financing in line with minimizing climate harms and limiting global warming to well below 1.5°C.
3. Ensure that clients fully respect all rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) as articulated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
4. End financing for any projects or companies that demonstrate a pattern of violating human rights and self-determination, especially for Indigenous, Black, low-income and communities of color.
5. Adopt or strengthen sectoral and regional exclusion policies, including for coal, LNG, Arctic, Gulf South and offshore/ultra-deep drilling.
6. Scale up investments in renewables and proven climate energy solutions in line with a just transition and the needs outlined by the International Energy Agency, beyond the inadequate goals currently set by the bank.

Read Stop the Money Pipeline’s press release for more.

Heading into Spring and Summer as a United Front 

While the big banks like Citi have still not heeded scientists’ and communities’ calls to stop funding fossil fuel expansion, the hearing’s speakers did highlight the progress we’ve made: the number of terminals that haven’t been built, President Biden Administration’s pause on new LNG terminals , the support we’ve received from Citi’s shareholders on resolutions on Indigenous rights, and the unity we see right here in this movement. 

In fact, these past few days Third Actors have been united in their Spring Spark actions against the financing of fossil fuels. From Florida to the San Francisco Bay Area, from Washington, DC to Ohio, and in New York City, supporters gathered to protest outside bank branches and Citi headquarters. 

To keep up to date with our activities, check out the Working Group Events page. Stay tuned for a recap blog on the April 24th and 25th Spring Spark actions against fossil fuel financing.

My name is Nancy LaPlaca, and I’m excited to be part of Third Act’s Power Up! Communities project. I’ve been working in the obscure and complex world of public utilities commissions (PUCs) and the utilities they regulate for nearly two decades. I’ve served as congressional staff for two congresspersons, and policy advisor to an elected PUC commissioner in AZ from 2009-2013. I’ve worked on many issues, from so-called “clean” coal to fracked gas to pipelines, and great solutions like solar, wind and batteries, in many states.

Like all of us at Third Act, I’m dedicated to the concept of public service. We need democratized energy systems, with transparency and due process to make future-proof, equitable decisions about how we generate electricity – and that we must optimize outcomes for people, not corporate profits.

Why are utilities slowing down the clean energy transition? 

This is where we are:

Utilities are slowing and even stopping the growth of clean energy, while far too many regulators are captured by the industries they are supposed to watch over. Far too many regulators are lapdogs, not watchdogs, and the revolving door between the fossil fuel industry and the regulators who are supposed to serve us is all too real.

The reason is simple: utilities make more money when they build large, centralized fossil-fueled power plants and expensive long-range pipelines and transmission lines. While some new transmission lines are needed, utilities want to gold-plate transmission spending, slowing down or stopping the growth of people-powered, locally-owned and -produced clean energy. Full stop. 

Electric utilities are enormously powerful, selling nearly $500 billion worth of electricity annually. Adding to the problem, regulators allow utilities to use customer funds to promote fossil fuels, not the clean energy we want. 

Case Studies: Nevada and Arizona

Why else would utilities like Nevada’s NV Energy, owned by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Corporation, push new fossil gas (aka “natural” gas) power plants and pipelines in one of the sunniest, driest areas in the world, and one that’s at great risk of losing 90% of its water from the declining CO River? NV Energy’s 600 mile Greenlink project, whose cost just jumped from $2.5 to $2.9 billion, will be paid off over a stunning 70 years. NV Energy can collect money from customers before the line is built, and is guaranteed cost recovery even if the project is canceled. 

Nice work if you can get it.

The same thing is happening in Arizona, where regulators recently eliminated AZ’s already-low solar goal of only 15% by 2025? Massachussetts has reached nearly 25% solar, while sunny Arizona is a sad 10%. 

And oh yes: NV Energy and Southwest Gas are spending lots of money to grease the wheels for more fossil gas, despite the fact that surveys show that the vast majority of Nevadans and Arizonans want clean energy, not imported fossil gas. 

I lived and worked in energy, law and politics for 27 years in sunny Arizona, and can hardly believe the foolishness of investing billions of dollars in fossil gas power plants, pipelines, and compression stations that run 24/7/365 to keep the fossil gas flowing. 

Taking Action

So what are we going to do about this? We are going to act, because we are Third Actors. We are going to push back against these ill-advised policies because we want a livable planet for our kids and grandkids, and because no matter what the future brings, we will need electricity.

You are the backbone of this campaign to Power Up Communities! – through advocacy in public utility commissions and beyond, to other elements of the energy system. Third Actors include retired PUC staff, retired and practicing attorneys with deep experience in the regulatory world, economists, engineers, fighters for civil rights, grandmas and grandpas, just like me. 

In 1913, future US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote in Harper’s magazine that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” He was speaking about the power of transparency, calling upon businesses to “shed light on” their finances in duty to the public.

Brandeis was particularly concerned with the hidden fees and commissions collected by J. P. Morgan and other banks on publicly traded stock purchases. His phrase holds a double meaning for us here at Third Act. Sunlight really is the best disinfectant, for both cleaning up our politics and the energy that powers our lives.  

We’ll be continuing this series regularly, shining light on the hidden world of regulators, utility companies, nonprofits, and our communities. Together we will change the current fossil-fueled electricity system to one that serves people, not giant corporations and multi-millionaire utility executives.

In our next post, we’ll discuss what influences are stopping our progress on clean energy. Hint: powerful utility trade groups, utilities’ political and financial muscle, lack of transparency, and gaming the rules.

Here’s how you can contribute to Power Up Communities:

• Watch PUC Leadership Training #1: ABCs of PUCs! 
• Continue with PUC Leadership Training #2: What’s Up, Docket? Key Issues and Topics at PUCs on May 22, 2024
• Write a Letter to the Editor Using Our Online Tool: Clean Elections & Clean Energy!
• Get involved in a Third Act Working Group to Power Up Communities locally

The Congressional subpoena claims that asking a company to reduce carbon pollution infringes on the freedom of all Americans. As You Sow’s CEO Andrew Behar has met with staff from Congressperson Glenn Ivey (MD) to Hank Johnson (GA) and several more, reporting that the volume and personal tenor of the letters has made a huge impact:

I want to send huge amounts of gratitude to our partners like Third Act and to the folks who signed each letter. This is what democracy looks like when people engage in the process and to know that there are Congresspeople who are truly responsive.

Staffers were impressed by the numbers of constituents who took the time to write and these letters will be entered into the official House record at the Committee level. Here’s to the power of letter writing!

And this year, Third Act was in the house! 

The end of March saw some Third Act staff gathered in Berkeley, CA to support a panel hosted by Third Act called Collaboration, Conflict, and Community: A Cross-Generational Conversation. Third Act Lead Advisor Akaya Windwood convened five multigenerational leaders, including Maddie Flood, of the The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights; sujatha baliga, restorative justice facilitator; Charlotte Lenore Michaluk, 17, award-winning, multi-disciplinary eco engineer and scientist; plus author and essayist (and Third Act Board Member) Rebecca Solnit. 

Akaya’s panel included women from 17 to 67 looking to lift up Third Act’s focus on supporting youth and thinking across categories. She posed various questions to the panelists and invited everyone in the audience to think of their own responses as well. She reminded us that thinking about hard questions can help us grow. 

What wisdom, skills and capacity are we going to need to navigate these next years? 

Akaya invited us into a space open to some dreaming and some ambiguity. One particularly memorable reminder was that “false certainty is killing us”. We think we know the categories and the answers. We think things are destined to play out one way or another and we need to create more spaciousness for diversity and interdependence. We need to become more comfortable with uncertainty. We can’t be obsessed with putting people into boxes or categories or being attached to outcomes. 

Some other takeaways that especially resonated with Third Act’s message and way of operating included: Hold each other with reverence and respect. Give ourselves a lot of grace. Remember our relatedness; we are all cousins. Find new ways to love each other. Ideas are seeds; maybe what we are planting now will only bloom in 5 years. Unconditional love is a skill, not just a capacity. 

It was great to introduce Third Act to new folks and continue to build relationships and situate ourselves with the movement of movements. Plus, it was super fun to run into strangers wearing their Third Act swag!

It’s an easy way to share my love for where I live, and to elicit stories. Folks love talking about their thumbs, whether brown, green, or a kind of early-spring color somewhere in between. And so I know there are lots of you out there brushing off your broadforks this time of year. Like me, you might be feeling a deep connection between our work here at Third Act and the utter joy—and importance—of growing a garden.

If that sounds like you, I have good news: this spring we’ve partnered up with the folks at Garden for Wildlife. They let you fill in your zip code to find perennial bulbs, plants, and shrubs native to your neck of the woods. And if you decide to add any to your garden a portion of that sale will go toward supporting Third Act’s work. 

Native plants turn patches of soil into places of belonging. They thrive alongside the critters that live near us, they’re low maintenance, and they improve our soil—and our soil’s ability to draw and store carbon safely underground. And there’s just a special quality they have; they’re so alive, right where they’re meant to be.

You can check out what’s on offer near you at Third Act’s Gardening for Wildlife page. There are native plants available in most states–some western states are still forthcoming–but beyond plants you might also consider sending a gift card to celebrate the spring, for Mother or Father’s Day, a birthday, an anniversary, or a wedding gift.

As I’ve learned about our movements for justice, I’ve come to understand why the great Ella Baker, key leader in the civil rights era, called community organizing spadework. It’s the daily commitment to understand who’s around you. It’s the commitment to listening, to having skin in the game, to patience, and to the wending non-linearity of progress so obvious in a garden plot, and so crucial to our work of building power together.

Now I grew up reading Miss Rumphius, so when I moved into my home a few years ago, the first seeds I planted were sundial lupines. Not much digging required there. But I hold on to my garden spade with reverence all year long—this spring in my garden, where I’ll plant some sky-blue asters in honor of Ella—and in our work here at Third Act, where it’s an honor to build this movement together with you.

Third Act has partnered with Garden for Wildlife by National Wildlife Federation to provide more wildlife support by installing native plants in gardens. Built on National Wildlife Federation’s 50 years of research, Garden for Wildlife sells native plants that can thrive in your community’s gardens.

Third Act will receive 15% of the total sales from your purchases with them through the next 12 months. Using this link will assure the sale is credited to us. Please remember to use the same email address each time you shop there.

Vicky Shapiro from The Civics Center writes about why this time is particularly important and how you can help. 

Graduation season is voter registration season!

Almost every American graduating from high school this spring is old enough to register to vote, regardless of what state they live in, and the vast majority will be 18 by Election Day. That makes spring the best time to get high school seniors registered to vote, particularly the 40% of them who will not go on to college in the fall. Only 30% of 18-year-olds are registered nationwide. For context, 75% of Americans over age 45 are registered to vote. 

Will young people who are registered turn out to vote?

Yes! Registration increases the likelihood of turnout: In 2020, a whopping 86% of registered 18- to 24-year-olds turned out to vote. And 2020 wasn’t an anomaly. Over 75% of registered young people have turned out in every presidential election going back to 2004. Voter registration is a major barrier to youth voter participation. 

Why is it so important to register young people to vote?

Young people who are not registered to vote are politically invisible. Because they don’t appear on voter rolls, campaigns, politicians, and issue-oriented groups have a harder time reaching young people to inform them about upcoming elections and how and when to vote. Politicians pay less attention to the issues young people care about, like the environment and gun safety, because young people consistently vote at lower rates than older Americans. As a result, the cycle of low turnout and less attention to the issues young people care most about continues. 

What can I do to help? 

Third Act’s Senior-to-Senior intergenerational voter registration initiative has teamed up with The Civics Center to help you encourage High School seniors to register to vote during the annual Cap, Gown & Ballot initiative, a spring campaign to give every graduating senior an opportunity to register to vote. 

During Cap, Gown & Ballot, The Civics Center is hosting nonpartisan, online workshops to help students and educators learn how to organize student-led voter registration drives in their schools. The Civics Center sends drive organizers free “Democracy in a Box” supply kits that include everything students need to run and promote their drives. 

Help Get the Word Out

You can help get the word out by tapping into your networks and neighborhoods to encourage students and educators you might know to attend a free, online workshop to get started. 

Just follow these three easy steps:

1. Who do you know? Maybe your grandchild is in high school or your neighbor is a high school teacher or administrator? Perhaps someone at your book club, gym, or house of worship is the PTA president or a social studies teacher? Maybe your swim instructor is also the swim coach at your local high school?
2. Email, text, post, or call them! 
   1. Scroll down on The Civics Center’s Volunteer webpage for email templates you can use to let people in your community and network know about The Civics Center’s free, online workshops. Simply copy and paste the email template into a new message, customize it, and send! 
   2. The new Cap, Gown & Ballot toolkit provides all the information you need to text someone or post on Instagram about high school voter registration. 
3. Print this flyer with a QR code linked to The Civics Center’s “Run-a-Drive” Workshop and post it at your local library or ask a high school counselor to post it at school. Whether you know someone connected to a high school or not, you can help spread the word. 

Want to learn more about Cap, Gown & Ballot or high school voter registration? 

To learn more about Cap, Gown & Ballot, visit The Civics Center’s website, which provides a wealth of information about high school voter registration and resources for students, educators, and community members who want to know more. To learn more about high school voter registration you can also check out our founder Laura Brill’s substack.

Donald Trump pulled America out of the Paris climate accords; Joe Biden not only put us back into the international talks but instructed every agency to consider the climate in its work, passed the Inflation Reduction Act to build clean energy across the nation, and just weeks ago ignored the shrieks from Big Oil and paused the granting of new permits for liquefied natural gas, as big a blow as any president has ever delivered to dirty energy. On the democracy front, Donald Trump attempted a coup to overturn the results of the 2020 election; Joe Biden has tried throughout his career to expand voting rights and to protect the civil rights of every American. 

A vote is not a valentine, it’s a chess move.
– Rebecca Solnit

Even in the places where we want Biden to pursue different policies––Gaza, Mountain Valley Pipeline, Willow project––we think his opponent would be far worse. And our members find dozens of other places—from a woman’s right to control her own body to a teacher’s right to pick books for his classroom—where we favor Biden’s leadership. We bear constantly in mind our board member Rebecca Solnit’s advice that “a vote is not a valentine, it’s a chess move.” And in 2024 that move for us is obvious: four more years for Joe Biden, to advance the work he’s already done to heal our planet, our economy, and our polity. So we’ll not just vote for Joe; we’ll work hard to see that Trumpism is defeated. 

But if our support is predictable, we feel nonetheless that we have a particular role to play in this election. Every member of Third Act is in their 60s, 70s, 80s,  90s, or 100s, and so we find that we have something useful to say on what is emerging as a central question in this contest: the role of age in American politics. And in this week, when the Trump adherent who has called him an ”elderly man with a poor memory” testified before Congress, we wish to say that we consider Biden not just competent but wise—more seasoned than eroded by age. 

Age does not disqualify anyone from serving. Obviously one’s body is not as nimble as once it was, but the president does not have to carry sofas up the White House stairs; instead he has to carry the heavy responsibility of governing the country, and the last four years have shown Biden is entirely capable of that job.

We do not support candidates because they are older. In fact, one of our founding principles is to back up the leadership of younger people. Some of us can remember the thrill when John F. Kennedy announced that the torch had been passed to a new generation of Americans: all things being equal, we think it makes sense for those who have long lives ahead of them to set the course for the future. But that’s not the choice this time around—we have two men to choose from, one 77 and the other 81.

And so let us state unequivocally: age does not disqualify anyone from serving. Obviously one’s body is not as nimble as once it was, but the president does not have to carry sofas up the White House stairs; instead he has to carry the heavy responsibility of governing the country, and the last four years have shown Biden is entirely capable of that job. He has, by wide consensus, gotten more done than his younger predecessors, passing sweeping and important legislation despite slender or non-existent Congressional majorities and despite constant obstruction by the GOP. Surely that’s in some part because age brings it with some real advantages, persistence chief among them. Biden has had long decades to understand the governing process; he’s seen what works and what doesn’t. This amounts to what we call wisdom, a trait that societies have always associated with age. It’s not Biden’s gift alone. Consider, say, Nancy Pelosi, who in her 80s was the oldest Speaker of the House—and who, despite or more likely because of her years, managed to hold together her thin majority, pass the COVID relief bill, keep Congress together during the January 6 attacks, and pass critical infrastructure legislation. Compare that to her much younger successors, who are unable even to rein in their own members. 

If you’re an older person try to recall, say, the calendar year your father died. Maybe you can, maybe you can’t—but the deeper question is, can you recall what your father taught you?

Let us also state something else that should be obvious. A president is not president by him or herself. The commander in chief brings along five thousand or so political appointees to do the actual job of running the government. Biden’s choices—many of them young—have been competent and honest. Trump’s cabinet was not filled with people like Pete Buttigieg or Deb Haaland or Jennifer Granholm; instead, he chose cronies to regulate industries they came from, and one after another flamed out in scandal. Under Biden, the U.S. economy weathered the COVID economic whiplash better than any other on earth, precisely because the administration was filled with honest and expert people of all ages who offered good counsel; even by the standards that Trump used (how high the stock market, say), Biden’s team delivered, and there is no reason to think that will change going forward. 

That said, however, we are all too well aware that ageism is real; indeed, it’s perhaps the last permissible prejudice (it’s unlikely, thank heaven, that you’d find late night comics making endless jokes about a candidate’s skin color or gender). The current debate about Biden’s age centers on his memory. The Trump appointee serving as special counsel in the documents case cleared him of wrongdoing but asserted that during a five-hour interview he couldn’t immediately recall the calendar year his son Beau died. Aside from its obvious cruelty, this is a dumb test: if you’re an older person try to recall, say, the calendar year your father died. Maybe you can, maybe you can’t—but the deeper question is, can you recall what your father taught you? 

And it is precisely here that we want to make an affirmative case for Biden’s age—to understand why in some ways it is a remarkable asset. Because Biden remembers, in his bones, the lessons of his life. Joe Biden came of age in a particular America. The first presidential election in which he was eligible to vote featured Lyndon Johnson beating Barry Goldwater. History remembers LBJ’s presidency as chaotic because of his tragic adventuring in Vietnam, but in other respects it was a remarkable moment. The federal government took ambitious steps to advance civil rights, to rein in poverty, attack disease, beautify human landscapes and conserve wild ones, and to back science—these were the Apollo years. Not every project worked, but lots of them did: Medicare and Medicaid and food stamps, for instance. Biden was socialized in a world where governments took on big causes—and you can see this in his first-term commitment to rebuilding infrastructure and boosting everything from solar panels to battery factories. 

Joe Biden not only put us back into the international talks but instructed every agency to consider the climate in its work, passed the Inflation Reduction Act to build clean energy across the nation, and just weeks ago ignored the shrieks from Big Oil and paused the granting of new permits for liquefied natural gas, as big a blow as any president has ever delivered to dirty energy.

His record is quite distinct even from his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, who cast his first vote for president in the 1980 election, and who therefore came of age amidst the Reagan revolution with its rejection of government. That experience left an imprint. Obama—wonderfully reflective as always—said as he stepped down that “when I first came into office, I think there was a residual willingness to accept the political constraints that we’d inherited from the post-Reagan era. Probably there was an embrace of market solutions to a whole host of problems that wasn’t entirely justified.”

Joe Biden simply doesn’t have that residual Reaganism; his political makeup had been formed before the Reagan revolution, and it connects clearly back to FDR, the man who was president when he was born. Where LBJ oversaw a booming economy that narrowed the gaps between poor and rich, Reagan made sure that his economic boom benefited the rich, and that those gaps began to widen. Now Biden is back in LBJ mode, and those gaps have—for the first time in decades—begun to narrow again. 

This commitment to the principles of the New Deal—to the idea of America as a group project, not as a series of isolated and individual efforts at personal advancement—has worked well in his first term, and it can work even better in his second. The particular flow of American history makes Joe Biden’s age an extraordinary asset. No one recognizes this as plainly as those of us who share his formative experiences. 

We think most of the critique of Biden is superficial. Even his opponents—Kevin McCarthy, for instance—have testified to his sharpness in discussion and debate. But he looks old: always a stutterer, he’s sometimes soft-spoken, though his State of the Union address demonstrates that he can bring the noise when it is required. Still, the contrast with the ever-bellowing Trump is obvious, because all of what Trump announces with such fervor is nonsense: he will be a “dictator;” Putin should invade our allies; windmills give you cancer. Trump is not just a threat to those around them (he is, remember, an adjudicated rapist); he is a threat to everything that we believe about our democracy, and everything that we love about our country and our planet. 

We trust Joe Biden will make good use of the bully pulpit that is the presidency, speaking with honesty and good humor. But we—and many other Americans—will also speak for him in the months ahead, as loudly and clearly as we know how. Even as we press him for more action on everything from Gaza to global warming, we will back him with all that we’ve got. He has begun to restore confidence in an America that had turned on itself.

We will do all that we can to insure he has another term to restore the country, and the planet, to a place of reason, balance, and decency. A place where all are welcomed and all belong. 

Al Gore In Conversation with Akaya Windwood and Bill McKibben

Below are excerpts from the call, edited for clarity and brevity.

Akaya: You’ve called yourself a recovering politician. And as you know, the political arena right now is very toxic. Young people are saying, I don’t want to sign up for this leadership because it looks so demoralizing and toxic. There’s a real reluctance and I’m concerned about that.

Given your history, what would you say to a brilliant, committed young leader who says, I’m not sure I want to lead right now?

Al: Well, first of all, may I begin by thanking you, Akaya, and Bill, and all of the leadership of Third Act for what you’re doing. It’s amazing. And thank you for inviting me to be a part of this. Before I turn to your question, I also want to add my enthusiastic endorsement to what you said earlier about Bill’s leadership on the press the pause button on the LNG terminals. Bill, you did a great job on that. Many people were a part of it, as you frequently say, but you were the real leader.

Akaya, to your question, I was in that situation myself, absent the brilliant and visionary adjectives you used, when I came back from Vietnam. Initially, I wanted nothing to do with politics. I was a journalist for five years and went to Divinity and law school. I’m a double dropout by the way. But I got involved in investigative journalism and I got pulled back into the idea of running for public office. When the congressman in my home district unexpectedly retired. I jumped into it. But in a more general way, the antidote for political cynicism and despair is political activism.

“The antidote to climate despair is climate activism.”

And you could say the same about climate despair. In fact, many of us have said that the antidote to climate despair is climate activism. In the years I was in political office I saw that more often than not, change comes from the bottom up. It comes from activists at the local level who got their act together and gathered others to make their case and keep at it until people listened and responded.

People often ask: what’s the one thing people can do? There are a lot of things, but more important than changing the light bulbs is changing the laws and the policies. The most important thing you can do is to get involved politically. Use your voice and use your vote. Don’t give up this climate movement. It is the latest in a series of morally-based movements. It’s useful to look back at the movement to abolish slavery, give women the right to vote, recognize the rights of gays and lesbians, anti-apartheid in South Africa, and the civil rights movement here. They all have a lot in common. There were times when the advocates felt despair and felt the kind of emotions that you framed in your question, Akaya, but they kept going. And once the underbrush was cleared away, the central question was revealed as a choice between what’s right and what’s wrong.

Bill: You’ve been in politics for a very long time. We talk a lot about the role of youth, which is important. But what are some of the distinctive qualities that older Americans bring to this?

“When [Roger Revelle] was a college student, the age I was when I took his course, he had a professor that inspired him and changed the direction of his life. Think about how many chains of inspiration stretch back in time and lead to changes in the present day.”

Al: Older people bring a lifetime of experience and some wisdom with them having gone through that lifetime of experience. A tendency to sort out the trivial from the important and focus on the latter. And if they’ve played their cards right, respect from younger people who know them and who have learned from them throughout the years.

When I was an undergraduate in college in the 1960s, I had no idea what the climate was all about. My inspirational mentor was a scientist named Roger Revelle. I walked into his course and he opened my mind. He really inspired me. Everything we’ve seen in the 50 odd years since then, he foretold. Years later, I went out to the Scripps Institute in La Jolla to honor his legacy on the 100th anniversary of his birth. I thought I knew all about him, but while I was researching for my speech, I found out that when he was a college student, the age I was when I took his course, he had a professor that inspired him and changed the direction of his life. And I thought about how many chains of inspiration stretch back in time and lead to changes in the present day.

I think that’s something that all of us who are of an old enough age to join Third Act ought to keep in mind. It’s a really important function and you cannot imagine how long into the future that inspiration might linger. In the case of Roger Revelle and the person who inspired him 100 years ago, it continues to have an impact.

Bill: Just so people know, it was Roger Revelle who led us to the establishment of monitoring up on Mauna Loa that started measuring CO2 in the atmosphere. That’s the most important scientific instrument in the history of science.

Al: David Keeling did it faithfully and now his son does. The Keeling Curve is the bedrock of all modern climate science.

Akaya: I’m appreciating all your optimism because this is a hard time for a lot of folks and it is not the time to camp out in the land of despair.

Take us out 30 years. Let’s imagine that it’s 2054. I call that the recent future. When you listen to your deepest inner wisdom and intuition, what do you imagine for us collectively?

Al: That future will be shaped by us and depending on what we do. It will be one way or another. But I would say this as a word of encouragement for those who are tempted to despair. You know the old saying denial is just a river in Egypt? You could, if you’re going to be corny, say despair ain’t just a tire in the trunk. It is a real problem that we have to deal with. But there’s a big wheel turning in the right direction and little wheels turning in the wrong direction.

If you ask people to guess how much of the new electricity generated worldwide built and installed last year came from solar and wind, most would be surprised to hear the answer is 86%. If you asked how many of the new car sales last year were electric vehicles, most would be surprised that it’s gone all the way up to 20%. For the two wheelers, it’s about 50%. We’re seeing the building of a new hydrogen-based steel plant in Northern Sweden and the industry is on notice. It’s one of many signs that circular manufacturing, green hydrogen, sustainable forestry, and regenerative agriculture are really moving quickly.

Yes, we hear the discouraging little wheels moving in the wrong direction with some of the bankers giving up on their pledges, but some of them are just changing their language a little bit. We’re still putting way too much money into fossil fuels and that needs to stop. But people are ready for change. Don’t get discouraged by the little wheels moving in the wrong direction. Look at that big wheel. We are going to solve this. We need to accelerate the change and I’m not going to be guilty of toxic positivity, as some of my kids say, but I’m very excited about it.

I’m very optimistic and encouraged, but it’s all premised on the people in Third Act and the Climate Reality Project and other organizations. We’ve got to make it real and we can.

The Climate Reality Project is hosting a training with former Vice President Al Gore and an all-star lineup on April 12-14 in New York City.  You’ll learn what climate change means for you and get the know-how and tools to make a real difference. The training is free to attend. Sign up here.

Robert Wald shares his experience below.

Peace of Mind

I was in sixth grade the last time I had a fistfight. Our teacher, who believed students could learn better without actually being taught (this was the 1970s), stepped out of the classroom. Soon a classmate began poking kids with a pushpin, and when my turn arrived, I exploded in rage.

At one point, I had pinned my classmate against the teacher’s desk. I grabbed a pair of scissors and attempted to stab him. I missed, and the scissors embedded harmlessly in the desktop. Our teacher returned before much else happened, and I spent the rest of the morning in the principal’s office. 

I’ve avoided violent confrontations since then, and most people today view me as a laid-back person. Occasionally, though, I fantasize about throwing a brick through the window of a Bank of America or blowing up Exxon’s headquarters. You know, something for the good of humanity.  

So when Third Act offered training in nonviolent direct action, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to learn how to fight nonviolently against the carbon barons, who wage industrial-scale violence on us and the planet. 

The training took place in a large room on the ground floor of The Festival Center in Washington, D.C. Upon entering the room, I sat in one of the 50-odd chairs arranged in a circle. There were a few conversations among those Third Actors who knew each other, but the room was mostly quiet, the way rooms are when filled with strangers. 

Being a member of the Maryland working group, I knew a handful of people there. As the day progressed, however, I came to know many more of my Third Act brothers and sisters. And that’s exactly how I came to think of them over the course of the training. 

Some of the attendees had participated in nonviolent direct actions before, but others had never joined a movement, let alone risked arrest. They’re the ones I admired most, because they were just then embarking on a journey. 

Over the next one-and-a-half days, we learned and talked about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles of nonviolence and those of the War Resisters’ League. We also learned about the history and power of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience. We learned how to plan and execute such actions, the right way to get arrested, and how to deescalate tense situations. The training also included a role-playing scenario based on Third Act’s nonviolent actions targeting dirty banks. 

I’d never gone to therapy or expressed inner thoughts and feelings in a group, but sharing my stories and hearing the stories of my fellow Third Actors turned out to be the most gratifying part of the training. It just may have been the most important, too, because it helped us get to know and trust one another. I know that if I am arrested for engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience, there will be caring, deeply committed Third Act brothers and sisters by my side, backing me up. And I, of course, would do the same for them. 

After the training, I hung around and chatted with other Third Actors. My head and my heart were buzzing. I wanted more, as if I had just read a great novel that I never wanted to end.

The first thing was the outraged shrieks from Big Oil, and their squads of politicians. This industry is not used to losing big public fights very often, and their trade associations and so on scurried off to Congress, where obedient Congresspeople held hearings, introduced legislation, and so on; they’re terrified because for the first time there’s a de facto ‘climate test’ for new projects. As Biden himself said, “This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is – the existential threat of our time.” Those are fighting words for the hydrocarbon barons, and so a resolution condemning the pause passed the GOP-controlled House, but only by 9 votes, which was viewed by the environmental lobbyists in DC as a good showing. So far nothing similar in the Senate (though a shout-out to those Third Actors who showed up to protest a hearing led by Joe Manchin).

There’s lots of legal skirmishing and political dealing underway, but as of now the best guess is that it will take the administration ten to fourteen months to come up with new criteria for deciding if and when to grant permits. Lots of groups, from the Sierra Club to Public Citizen, are using the time to commission studies and marshall arguments; as the process accelerates there will be ample opportunity for us to make our voices heard again.

But of course all of this will be instantly upended if Biden loses the presidential election–Donald Trump (and for that matter Nikki Haley) have both promised to end the pause and resume permitting any project anyone proposes. As our “super excited and ecstatic” (and truly wonderful) Gulf colleague Roishetta Ozana explained on the morning of Biden’s decision, “we know that if this administration is not re-elected, then everything he’s done on climate is going out the window.”

We’ll do our best to monitor the ups and downs in this battle over the next months, but it’s pretty clear that the most important thing we can do to preserve this win is make sure that Biden has the wholehearted backing of the climate community heading into November.

Maybe you want to lean into a skill you already have or maybe you’d like to try something new! We hope you will decide to volunteer in ways that both utilizes your abilities and also brings you joy and fulfillment. Your contributions will be appreciated!

You’d be working with a wonderful group of people, some of whom have already been involved at the national level. We asked them how they feel about being a national volunteer and here’s what they had to say. 

Lani on the unique joy of being a national volunteer: 

The true friendships and deep relationships that come from collaborations, especially on teams, with other Third Act volunteers bubble up first for me because of a recent experience. In addition, there is the joy that constantly fills my soul as I meet so many experienced Americans from across the country who bring their own gifts and talents to this work, often in ways they had not originally imagined. And there are the incredible opportunities to learn with and from other volunteers and Third Act staff.

Join us and experience a new-found or renewed sense of purpose as we work together for a fair and stable planet.

Be willing to move out of your comfort zone if becoming a national volunteer feels like a stretch to you. Anna Goldstein said this gently to me and I am gently passing it onto you. I would encourage you to lean into this unique blending of joy, fierce determination, humility, boldness, kindness, sharing and elderhood that is Third Act which in reciprocity may continuously renew your hope and fill your spirit as it has for me as a national volunteer. 

Bruce on advising national staff on policies, procedures, and campaign strategy:

I partner with the Organizing Team, primarily to establish and mentor new working groups. I also advise the national staff on policies, procedures, positions, and campaign strategies. Having been an organizer and manager of a grassroots based national organization with state level chapters, my perspective can help Third Act set up its own unique systems and policies. I also have decades of experience in lobbying, organizing, media messaging, fundraising, non-violent direct action and other skills and tactics that can inform Third Act. 

If you have the capacity for and an interest in national action, this is a way to magnify your effectiveness and to help Third Act empower many more volunteers.

Laurie on making connections from a new home:

Not knowing that many people in my new hometown, national work for Third Act felt like a great fit.

Connecting with people with common concerns and experiences and contributing to something important are the most rewarding parts of being a national volunteer. 

I have helped on several teams—the Welcome Call team, the Zoom Coaching team, and the Google Docs Coaching team. I feel happy knowing I am helping others find where they want to contribute and helping them be successful and efficient with their Third Act roles.

Peggy on bridging the technology gap for elders:

This work has become my favorite part of my own third act. 

I see the national welcome calls as a way to share Third Act’s philosophy and Working Principles, and I feel juiced up after every call. It never gets old. As an educator, I am always eager to help others learn. In my work as a Third Act technology coach, I find it gratifying to help elders bridge the technology gap and connect meaningfully with others using tools that can feel very intimidating. It makes me sad that technology can be a barrier to Third Actors who feel the urgency of addressing the climate catastrophe and the frightening threats to our democracy.  

These roles help facilitate engagement of new Third Actors with the working groups, and educate them about the work of the organization and its mission. Coaching helps members of the CCs to more effectively and confidently communicate with like-minded souls and allows them to focus their energies on TA actions instead of email.

To prospective national volunteers: Say yes! Embrace your new role for a few months and assess how you feel about your contribution to this dynamic organization and its mission.  

My guess is that you’ll find it gratifying.

Join Us 

We are seeking volunteers with various skills (facilitation, coaching, mentoring, digital) to support the 3 teams: organizing, campaigns, and digicomms in accomplishing their goals. Time commitment will vary. You will be expected to attend monthly team meetings. And we request an initial 6 month commitment.

As this is a pilot cohort, we are mindful of Third Act Lead Advisor Akaya Windwood’s words:

The good news is that we are all learning and growing. The challenging news is that we are all learning and growing, and that means we will make mistakes, fall down and occasionally mess things up… each “mistake” becomes a learning/growing step which is essential on a joyful path.

With that, we will work in good faith and to the best of our abilities to match people and roles.  And we appreciate your grace as we figure this out.

Lani, Bruce, Laurie, Peggy, and the rest of the cohort can’t wait to meet you.

Update: Please note we have reached capacity for our initial cohort of national volunteers. We are thrilled with the response. We will relink to the interest form when we are ready to start accepting national volunteers again.  

Film developed in partnership with Make My Money Matter, a UK campaign aiming to ensure the money in our banks and pensions builds a better world. Learn more here.

In the past two years, the Big 4 Wall Street banks—Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and Wells Fargo—have provided $349 billion to fossil fuel companies, fueling the climate crisis. We don’t want our money and savings to be used to bankroll the climate crisis. Seventy percent of the country’s financial assets belong to Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation. If we stop these four Big Banks from investing, we help shut down the industry. Together with the youth fighting for their future, we can influence the banks to change. 

We are asking customers and non-customers alike to sign the Banking on our Future Pledge and provide a personal comment. We started delivering these pledges to bank CEOs in March 2023 and will continue delivering them in waves through 2024.

After you sign the pledge, we’ve got lots of resources to help you make good on your pledge and switch to better banks and credit cards. And don’t forget to tell your bank or credit card company why you’re leaving. 

Your bank is being unfaithful. This Valentine’s Day it’s your turn to boss up and say enough is enough. 

It’s time to break up with your bank.

Love,
Third Act

About the Video

We are thrilled to partner with Make My Money Matter, a UK campaign founded by filmmaker and activist Richard Curtis (“Love Actually”) aiming to ensure the money in our banks and pensions builds a better world. They originally developed this video to focus on the top 5 UK High Street banks––Barclays, HSBC, Santander, NatWest and Lloyds––and the $37 billion they provided in one year to fossil fuel companies. Make My Money Matter generously partnered with Third Act to adapt the video, featuring the Game of Thrones actors and real-life couple Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie, for a US audience and the US banks that have provided $349 billion in two years to fossil fuel companies.

Visit Make My Money Matter to learn more about what they are doing to persuade banks and pensions in the UK to stop funding fossil fuel expansion. 

Third Act is a non-profit educational, organizing, and advocacy organization. We are not investment advisors and are legally prohibited from providing investment or financial advice. The information Third Act provides is for educational purposes. Third Act does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. Financial risk assessments and choices are your personal decisions

Privilege allows me to sleepwalk through my life: not feeling what others have to feel, not remembering traumas that others cannot forget, and most disappointingly, being profoundly unaware of who I really am.

My smaller self hates this.  It wants to fix it all right now and put it behind me.  It fiercely believes that if I say the right words, don’t use the wrong words and read all the prescribed books then I can get past this problem.  This small self cherishes concrete solutions and can’t stand anguish.  It needs to fix it “now”.  If it can’t fix it now,  it goes into the corner in a major pout and refuses to engage.  It doesn’t understand that the problem is both greater than it and greater than its understanding.  It sees awareness training as the wonder drug that will heal all instead of a program helping us begin a lifelong journey to understand and heal a lives long disease. 

I began the program with huge hope. Hope not for a wonder drug but rather for a process that would help us learn to walk together to better carry problems unique to each yet common to all.  Off the bat I was impressed with the care with which it was crafted and the courage and enthusiasm with which others participated.   It was like some of the canoe teachings from my home area where we must learn first learn how to paddle and then how to paddle together.  Much of Third Act for me  is learning how to paddle together.  Paddling requires profound respect and attention and quick forgiveness when paddles cross.   This paddling is the challenging journey from  “me” to “we”.

One purpose of this paddling was succinctly stated by Grandmother Mary Lyons, an Anishinaabe elder,  when I chatted with her privately after she spoke at a Line 4 pipeline demonstration.  I asked her frankly “What can White people do that will really help?”  She looked down for a moment and then looked back at me with caring yet piercing gaze and said  “You’ve forgotten who you are and where you came from.  This keeps you from seeing and understanding.  We cannot teach this to you.  You must find it”.  

In my bones I knew she was right.  I’d forgotten the part of me that was rooted in ancestral lands,  enduring community and gratitude for the gift of being part of a people.  As an immigrant, most of these roots were boiled away in the great American melting pot and the replaced with painful propagandas of manifest destiny, white supremacy and “Progress”.

I came into this program knowing I was living lies and hoping to get closer to truth.  The program delivered.  Not simply with the skillful staff but most movingly with the courageous story telling by participants.  Initially these were shared awkwardly but, with time and trust, they became moving and profound,  helping me to see many things in myself.  We began to paddle together.  

This is vital work here but also vital globally.  Structural racism was an important issue at COP 28 in Dubai as was moving away from colonized thought forms.  Many people at COP spoke to me of the global importance of the US standing up and facing its issues.  Funny thing about paddling: I began thinking we’re just paddling us but soon the waves whispered “thanks” for helping paddle the world.  

While I honestly feel off balance, awkward and ungainly, I no longer feel alone. This is like learning to walk again.  I’m a toddler trying to stand. This training gave me new hope that I can learn to walk with a new generation  My work is stumbling towards new ways of sharing and listening in vulnerability and humility.  The passion I felt when I first learned to walk has returned.  Nothing can stop it.  

May we stumble together to walk anew?

Making the Campaign Visible to Costco

As part of coalition efforts to escalate pressure on Wall Street banks to stop funding dirty fossil fuels, we are working to leverage the power of big bank clients like Costco to influence their banking partners on climate. Third Act and Third Act Working Groups, Stop the Money Pipeline, Stand.earth, Climate Organizing Hub, the Sunrise Project, New York Communities for Change, Hip Hop Caucus, and several other partners together launched the “Costco: Clean Up Your Credit Card” campaign in September 2023 and gathered petition signatures in-person and online throughout the Fall (if you haven’t signed it, you still can!).

Our tone has been consistently friendly and encouraging towards Costco, as our primary request is that Costco push Citibank to stop funding dirty fossil fuels. We have written to Costco’s executive leadership multiple times requesting a meeting and offering to be a resource to assist Costco in addressing the company’s emissions associated with its banking relationships. But we did not receive a substantive reply other than “we plan to honor our contract with Citibank.”

To make sure that Mr. Vachris, Costco leadership, and board members heard and saw the growing chorus of voices calling on Costco to “do the right thing,” as its corporate motto proclaims, we planned a series of activities to make this petition delivery visible.

Check out this round-up of our creative and collective efforts on full display over several days and watch the video below:

• Delivered to Mr. Vachris’ office at headquarters a card and booklet with the 40,000 signatures, including 18,000 Costco members;
• The “welcome party” at Costco headquarters on January 17, complete with a sheet cake, a giant card congratulating Ron, party hats, Costco members in red aprons, and giant scissors cutting up a Citibank credit card. We  even had a dancing hotdog!! (Costco is famous for its $1.50 hotdogs);
• Sang a reworked “Celebration” song by Kool and the Gang with lyrics like “Citibank, Good Bye, Farewell!” (watch this video by Alex Garland);
• A mobile billboard that circled Costco headquarters, an adjacent warehouse, and the Seattle Costco warehouse on January 18, the day of its virtual shareholder meeting, with graphics calling on Costco to drop dirty Citi (see video, photos);
• Costco shareholders published a blog expressing their concerns and submitted written questions during the shareholder meeting asking what steps Costco is planning to take to address these concerns regarding its relationship with Citi; 
• Costco members delivered the petition memo and card to at least 10 Costco stores in 6 states (and counting!), and engaged in sincere conversations with Costco store managers. Many store managers shared that they are concerned about climate change, they did not know about Citibank’s role in funding the climate crisis, and agreed to share the petition information with their regional managers and leadership;
• Published updated analysis by Topo Finance estimating Costco’s carbon footprint from its cash deposits – where banks get to use its money to fund oil, gas, and coal – is equivalent to 85.3% of Costco’s total operational carbon emission (all the energy and gas used for its warehouses, deliveries, capital goods, employee travel and commuting, and more). Costco’s carbon cash footprint is equivalent to 10.1 gas-fired power plants operating for one year; and
• Garnered publicity via an in-depth article by Keerti Gopal at Inside Climate News, coverage by Progressive Grocer (a trade association publication), a media statement, and Bill McKibben’s Substack “Sheet Cake As Ammunition.”

Costco CEO Responds at the Shareholder Meeting

As a result of all this creative campaigning and visibility, and in response to a group of Costco shareholders asking questions about Costco’s relationship with Citi during the virtual annual shareholder meeting, Costco’s new CEO, Ron Vachris, responded:

“Citi is indeed a key partner for Costco Wholesale, and we are aware of those petitions that were signed. We are going to continue moving forward with our climate action plan, and have been in discussions with Citi about their carbon reduction plans in the future. We’re going to focus on our efforts, and we’ll stay close to Citi and their efforts as well.”

We got the CEO of the 3rd largest retailer in the US to publicly acknowledge our campaign and the issue of Citibank’s climate pollution! While this is definitely not enough, this indicates significant progress for our campaign. We are hearing directly from the new CEO for the first time on this issue, Costco leadership has seen and acknowledged this issue, and we now know that Costco is having “discussions” with Citi about their carbon reductions. 

Bill McKibben remarked on the CEO’s response: “Costco has taken a good first step: it has acknowledged the concerns there are with Citi as its credit card issuer. The next step should be robust discussions with Citi over the billions it continues to pour into harmful projects and companies that are contributing to climate change. We eagerly await the outcome of these discussions.”

Stop the Money Pipeline is a core leader of the Costco campaign coalition, and Sarah Lasoff  STMP’s Special Projects Manager expressed her excitement about this progress and what’s next. “I am immensely grateful for and proud of all the organizing that has led to this moment. Our campaign and coalition are making progress and it’s because of people just like you. From sending an email to showing up to Costco’s HQ to petitioning at Costco warehouses and farmers markets, all of our collective pressure resulted in Costco CEO’s public response. While his response indicates progress, it is not enough. We are going to need as many folks involved as possible, especially Costco members, shareholders, employees, and board members, to continue our pressure urging Costco to turn acknowledgement into serious action.”

We look forward to hearing directly from Costco’s leadership about their own efforts as part of Costco’s climate action plan, how they will address Costco’s financed emissions associated with their banking relationships, and how Citi is responding.

Citi Are You Listening? Stop Funding Fossil Fuel Expansion!

Anne Shields, a member of Third Act Washington and a Costco shopper, notes, “We are pleased that new Costco CEO Ron Vachris is prepared to listen to 18,000 of Costco’s own members like me and to discuss with Citi about getting serious on climate. But Costco should know that talk isn’t enough, we want to see action. We want Costco to make it clear that they will take their business to another bank if Citi doesn’t get serious on climate. I am doing this for the future of my sons and I won’t be giving up.”

About a year ago, Chris Goelz, a Third Act supporter in Seattle, had just signed Third Act’s Banking on our Future Pledge and realized his Costco credit card was issued by Citibank. So, he reached out to Costco staff that managed the Citi credit card partnership to express his concerns, which were politely deflected and passed on to Citibank. Chris is also a Costco shareholder and says, “Our call remains the same:  Unless Citi significantly curtails its funding of fossil fuel expansion, Costco must find a new credit card partner.” 

Our efforts are not stopping with the petition delivery. No way! Already since last Friday, more than 100 people have submitted Letters to the Editor to their local papers (you can too! Use our online tool), and the Press Herald in Maine has already published one. More than 3,600 people wrote to the top four Costco executives asking them to heed the call of petition signers and reevaluate its relationship with Citibank. And there’s even a new song “Hey, Citi–Hey, Costco” by a Third Actor from Texas, Purly Rae Gates , who is a talented musician and songwriter. Purly Rae sings:

“Hey Costco, quit the Citi
For the country, the planet, for the future we will see.
Be a leader, do the right thing
Help us move the world to clean energy.
Clean up the card!
It’s a choice.
Mother Earth has given warning
It’s time to raise your voice.”

We are raising our collective voices! And we continue to urge Costco to raise its voice and call for Citi to stop funding fossil fuels and accelerate its investments in clean energy and climate solutions. 

(Watch for the imminent release of Purly Rae Gates’ digital, 6-song EP “Songs for a Fossil Fuel Funeral” on the usual platforms). 

Media contacts:

Judith Crosbie: 929-584-3344

[January 19, 2024] New Costco CEO Ron Vachris has told shareholders he will discuss climate action with its credit card issuer Citi, after delivery of a petition signed by 40,000 people calling on Costco to drop Citi because of the bank’s poor climate record.

Mr Vachris on Thursday was responding to questions during the annual shareholders meeting following delivery of the petition the day before by Costco shoppers, shareholders and climate activists. The petition signatories include 18,000 Costco members.

Mr Vachris told shareholders: “we are aware of those petitions that were signed” and that Costco is “going to continue moving forward with our climate action plan and have been in discussions with Citi about their carbon reduction plans in the future”. He added: “We’re going to focus on our efforts that we’re going to take forward, and we’re going to stay very close to Citi and their efforts that they’re going to take forward as well.”

The petition was delivered in a giant card on Wednesday along with a cake at Costco headquarters in Issaquah, with a party, speeches, and songs held afterwards welcoming Mr Vachris to his new role as CEO but telling him not to “let Citi ruin the party… or the climate.” On Thursday as the annual shareholders meeting was taking place, a mobile billboard drove around Costco headquarters and nearby neighborhoods with a message for Mr. Vachris and Costco to “clean up your credit card.”

Photos and video of the action and mobile billboard at Costco HQ are available here.

The push for Costco to drop Citi is being supported by 12 organizations across the US including Third Act, Stop the Money Pipeline, Hip Hop Caucus and Stand.Earth.

The pressure on Costco comes as new data shows the retailer’s carbon footprint from its cash deposits – where banks get to use its money to fund oil, gas, and coal – is equivalent to 85.3% of Costco’s total operational carbon emission (all the energy and gas used for its warehouses, deliveries, capital goods, employee travel and commuting, and more). Costco’s carbon cash footprint is equivalent to 10.1 gas-fired power plants operating for one year.*

Costco’s board has been forced to bend on climate previously. In 2022, almost 70% of shareholders backed a proposal to curb greenhouse gas emissions with Costco agreeing later that year to a plan.

Citi has a dismal record on climate. It is the second biggest funder of fossil fuels in the world and is a major backer of oil, gas and coal companies in the Amazon and Africa. Its biggest fossil fuel client is Exxon Mobil, receiving over $15 billion from the bank, and Citi was lead advisor on the Exxon-Pioneer merger in October, which will see the company double down on oil production. Citi has angered its own shareholders over its funding of oil and gas companies and projects opposed by Indigenous land owners. Despite the global consensus to transition away from fossil fuels, Citi continues to fund new projects.

The petition was launched in September and quickly attracted thousands of signatures. Signatures were also gathered at more than 40 Costco stores around the country, local farmers markets and libraries. Thousands have written to Costco’s customer service raising concerns about the link with Citi.

Bill McKibben co-founder of Third Act, a group for older activists, said:

“Costco has taken a good first step: it has acknowledged the concerns there are with Citi as its credit card issuer. The next step should be robust discussions with Citi over the billions it continues to pour into harmful projects and companies that are contributing to climate change. We eagerly await the outcome of these discussions.”

Chris Goelz, who owns shares in Costco and attended the petition delivery and shareholder meeting, said:

“As a Costco shareholder, I’ll be watching closely to see what emerges in the coming months from Costco’s discussions with Citi on the bank’s funding of oil, gas and coal. Our call remains the same:  Unless Citi significantly curtails its funding of fossil fuel expansion, Costco must find a new credit card partner.”

Anne Shields, a Costco shopper and member of Third Act:

“We are pleased that new Costco CEO Ron Vachris is prepared to listen to 18,000 of his customers like me and to discuss with Citi about getting serious on climate. But Costco should know that talk isn’t enough, we want to see action. We want Costco to make it clear that they will take their business to another bank if Citi doesn’t get serious on climate. I am doing this for the future of my sons and I won’t be giving up.”

Other organizations supporting the push for Costco to drop Citi include Climate Defenders, New York Communities for Change, Green America, Oil & Gas Action Network, Friends of the Earth Action and Climate Action California.

*Data analysis done by Topo Finance, which co-authored the Carbon Bankroll report.

Costco to receive climate petition over links to Citi as new data shows spike in Costco’s carbon cash footprint

Costco shoppers, shareholders and climate activists will today (January 17) deliver a petition signed by 40,000 people to Costco’s CEO ahead of its annual shareholders meeting, calling on the retailer to drop Citi as its credit card issuer because of the bank’s poor climate record.

The petition, whose signatories includes 18,000 Costco members, will be delivered in a giant card along with a cake to new CEO Ron Vachris with a party held outside Costco headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. The push to pressure Costco to drop Citi is being supported by 12 organizations across the US including Third Act, Stop the Money Pipeline, Hip Hop Caucus and Stand.Earth.

The event will be livestreamed here and photos and video will be available afterwards here.

The event in Issaquah comes as new data shows Costco’s carbon footprint from its cash deposits – where banks get to use its money to fund oil, gas, and coal – is equivalent to 85.3% of Costco’s total operational carbon emission (all the energy and gas used for its warehouses, deliveries, capital goods, employee travel and commuting, and more). Costco’s carbon cash footprint is equivalent to 10.1 gas-fired power plants operating for one year.*

Costco management has refused to meet the groups pushing for Costco to drop Citi and stated in an email that the retailer “plans to honor” its contract with Citi, despite the bank’s $332 billion funding of oil, gas and coal since 2016.

Costco’s board has been forced to bend on climate previously. In 2022, almost 70% of shareholders backed a proposal to curb greenhouse gas emissions with Costco agreeing later that year to a plan.

Citi has a dismal record on climate. It is the second biggest funder of fossil fuels in the world and is a major backer of oil, gas and coal companies in the Amazon and Africa. Its biggest fossil fuel client is Exxon Mobil, receiving over $15 billion from the bank, and Citi was lead advisor on the Exxon-Pioneer merger in October, which will see the company double down on oil production. Citi has angered its own shareholders over its funding of companies and projects opposed by Indigenous land owners. Despite the global consensus to transition away from fossil fuels, Citi continues to fund new projects. 

The petition was launched in September and quickly attracted thousands of signatures. Signatures were also gathered at more than 40 Costco stores around the country, local farmers markets, libraries, and elsewhere. Thousands have also written to Costco’s customer service raising concerns about the link with Citi.

Bill McKibben co-founder of Third Act, a group for older activists, said:

“Costco is that rarest of things, a brand that people trust and admire, for a bevy of good reasons. But its partnership with Citi endangers that, since as the temperature soars more and more people are making the link to the bank that’s one of the biggest fossil fuel funders on earth.”

Chris Goelz, who owns shares in Costco and will attend the petition delivery, said:

“I bought Costco shares because I thought it was a good investment and that Costco was trying to ‘do the right thing’ for the climate.  But its relationship with Citi, which is funding the continued build-out of the oil industry’s fossil fuel infrastructure, is antithetical to Costco’s climate commitments. The Board needs to take immediate steps to end its relationship with Citi.”

Anne Shields, a Costco shopper and member of Third Act, said:

“I’ve been a Costco shopper for many years but I don’t use their co-branded Citi card because I don’t want my money going to a bank that funds so many oil and gas projects. I want to do everything I can to help my sons and my grandchildren inherit a livable planet. That’s why I’m here today and call upon the CEO and board to drop Citi and find a better banking partner.”  

Rev Lennox Yearwood Jr., President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, said: 

“Communities are coming together to fight climate change because it is already destroying their homes, livelihoods and their lives. Costco’s highly-engaged customer base is not only impacted but has a core demographic that is known to care about climate change. Costco can do the right thing and support these communities by saying no to a bank like Citi, which is a major funder of oil, gas and coal, and which forces these industries on regions where there are predominantly people of color.” 

Other organizations supporting the push for Costco to drop Citi include Climate Defenders, New York Communities for Change, Green America, Oil & Gas Action Network, Friends of the Earth Action and Climate Action California.

*Data analysis done by Topo Finance, which co-authored the Carbon Bankroll report.  

Third Actors have been leading a significant fight against banks behaving badly against our climate, and have added a new strategy: working to encourage the big clients of big banks – like Costco – to push banks to end their relationships with the fossil fuel industry or risk damaging their own brands. Costco is very popular: it’s the third biggest retailer in the U.S. and 1 in 3 Americans shops at Costco, including thousands of Third Actors. But Costco’s co-branded store credit card is issued by Citibank, the #1 US funder of coal and the 2nd biggest funder globally of fossil fuels. That’s why, as part of the Costco: Clean Up Your Credit Card campaign, Third Actors have been hosting petition drives – more than 45 events in 14 states – and engaging Costco shoppers in their communities to raise awareness about Costco’s relationships with dirty Citibank and how Citi’s egregious bankrolling of oil, coal, and gas expansion is undermining Costco’s own climate commitments.

In addition, in advance of Costco’s virtual annual shareholder meeting on January 18, 2024, Third Actors who are Costco shareholders are expressing concern about Costco’s banking relationships, in particular its credit card partnership with Citibank, and asking the new Costco CEO, Ron Vachris, and Costco’s board what their plans are for addressing Citi’s poor record on climate change and their continued investments in expanding fossil fuel production that is causing the climate crisis.

Many Third Act supporters are Costco members and shareholders and they have shared their concerns with us.

Chris Goelz is a member of Third Act Washington, and has shopped at Costco for 30 years, is a shareholder, and knows people who work there. “As I came to understand how the big banks are enabling the fossil fuel industry, I decided to sever all relationships with them. When I went through my credit cards, I was disappointed to find that the Costco card was cobranded with Citibank, one of the worst of the worst,” Chris shared. “So, I reached out to Costco directly, and although I emailed with several lovely people, Costco refused to even discuss the issue. The message was that whatever Citi does with the money it makes from Costco is not Costco’s concern. That doesn’t work for me.” Chris continues, “finding a responsible banking partner is something Costco can do — other big retailers have. Costco is in a strong financial position and I am certain that it can find a way to operate without poisoning the planet for all of us. As a shareholder, I want Costco to engage with customers and shareholders around issues of climate and to align its credit card relationship with its values and its climate goals.”

Massachusetts Third Actor Bruce Watson added, “Though there are not many Costco stores in Western Massachusetts, where I live, I have been a Costco shareholder for twenty years. I was drawn to the company not for its prices but for the respect it gives its workers. That’s why I was surprised to learn that Costco is resisting efforts to go green by pressuring Citibank to divest in fossil fuels.” Bruce continues, “I am puzzled why Costco would approve a green future for its own operations yet remain tied to Citibank. I join with Third Act and with Costco shareholders in challenging company directors to be more consistent in their efforts to fight global warming.“

Shareholders appreciate Costco’s growth, mission, values, and commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. However, shareholders are concerned about Citibank’s terrible record of funding clients like ExxonMobil and expanding oil and gas production in the Amazon rainforest, across the African continent, and in majority Black communities in the Gulf Coast.

Third Actors believe this record does not align with Costco’s values, ethical standards, or climate policies.

You can hear directly from Third Actor and Costco shareholder Chris Cantwell from New York, who really believes in Costco, share about why Costco should find a better credit card as part of our Costco: Clean Up Your Credit Card campaign.]

As one of Citi’s largest credit card clients, Costco has a huge opportunity to use its power as a retail leader to push Citi to stop funding new fossil fuel projects and urge Costco’s executive leadership and board to address these concerns.

Costco shareholder Chris Goelz said it more bluntly, “Cheap roasted chicken isn’t worth jeopardizing our planet’s future.” 

When it comes to addressing the crisis of democracy as well as the climate emergency, what we need to do is reach the human heart. That’s exactly what congregations, clergy and people of faith are good at. Throughout history, driven by a desire to be faithful to God, people of faith have called upon their gifts, their abilities and their soul-force to address many of the failures of our public life. Engaging public life is as important as any purpose of the church, the synagogue or the mosque.

God-faring (yes, God-faring, not God-fearing) people of faith can no longer stand idly by as the stability of our democracy, the authority of our Constitution and the rule of law come under attack. We can no longer be bystanders as Christian Nationalists prepare to transition our government from a democracy to a theocracy. Similarly, God-faring people of faith can no longer be silent as the climate crisis unjustly destroys the lives of the most vulnerable on Earth — those who did the least to cause it — those we are called to love and care for. We can no longer ignore the disinformation and lies perpetrated by corporate profiteers who focus only on maximizing quarterly profits as they wreck the Earth for all future generations. We (in the developed world) can no longer carry on our normal lives as if living our lives was not the cause of the sixth great extinction.

Third Act was formed to engage people of a certain age in the urgent task of addressing both the crisis of democracy and the climate emergency. Since Third Act was born in December 2021, both threats have gotten much, much worse.

Third Act Faith encourages people of faith and houses of worship to call upon their spiritual, moral and community-minded values as they muster their gifts, energy, time, skills, networks and assets in an organized effort to do what urgently needs to be done to preserve democracy and restore our common home.

In 2024, public life in the United States will be dominated by the run-up to the election. A little-known fact of American history is that for 250 years (1634-1884), one of the ways congregations engaged public life was to hear an election sermon. As an election approached, houses of worship would fill with citizens eager to reflect on the moral qualifications of those running for office. Today, though, it is likely that little to nothing will be said about the election in many, perhaps the majority, of our houses of worship.

It’s time to reawaken this moral witness. Doing so will require many — perhaps most — people of faith, houses of worship and their clergy to overcome their longstanding aversion, and their congregation’s resistance, to mixing politics and religion.

I did my best to address this challenge when, from 2006-2018, I served as leader of more than 350 United Church of Christ churches in Massachusetts. In the months prior to most elections, I offered a workshop for clergy that focused on the history and importance of preaching an election sermon and the general concern about politics and the church.

My understanding of the relationship between politics and the church was nurtured in the mid-1980s when I was a member of Riverside Church in New York City. There, I learned of Riverside’s founding pastor Harry Emerson Fosdick’s repeated endorsement of Jesus’ exhortation from the book of Acts, “You shall be my witnesses.” He told the people in the pews that if they were to be faithful, it was up to them to stand for high principles; to act in such a way that people would see in them something greater than themselves. Again and again, Fosdick would remind his congregation that even the least of us can stand for the greatest things. Each of us can bring to the voting booth a sense of moral responsibility. I also benefited enormously from the wisdom and moral resolve of Riverside’s senior minister, my mentor and friend, William Sloane Coffin.

During my 20 years serving as a local pastor in two congregations, I preached many election sermons. Two months before the election, I often asked my congregation to share with me materials that they thought might be helpful as I shaped my election sermon. One year, a member shared a quote from our denomination’s former executive minister for Justice and Witness Ministries, Bernice Powell Jackson: “Politics is about the values we honor, the dollars we allocate and the process we follow so that we can live together with some measure of justice, order and peace.” This provided a nice counterpoint to the quotations that others had suggested from Machiavelli and Clausewitz.

While the many election sermons I delivered were obviously political, they were never partisan. I never endorsed a candidate, and rarely mentioned them. Instead, I did my best to provide my congregation with what I discerned to be timeless moral principles that should guide our political decision-making — principles that are not only rooted in our faith tradition but are also supported by every faith tradition I know of.

The first principle concerns each candidate’s past record and current promises about how society and government must care for the least of these among us. In God’s eyes, each person is of equal worth. Our duty is to establish a form of government and elect representatives who will uphold the worth of each person.

The second principle involves discerning which candidate is most likely to preserve and advance justice while promoting the common good. This principle can be found in every religious tradition. God urges us to enlarge our unit of care and concern beyond self-interest and promote the common good.

The third principle assesses which candidate’s proposed policies and past practices take into consideration the integrity of creation — the care for our common home — for all of humanity and for future generations. Which candidate will offer the courageous leadership needed to expand the relevant unit of survival from the boundaries of our nation to the Earth as a whole, and extend the relevant time frame from the quarterly reports of corporations to the ancient measure of the seventh generation?

The fourth principle affirms Gandhi’s assertion that the means are the ends in the making. Which candidate’s advertising, endorsements and other means of campaigning reveal someone who tells and adheres to the truth? Someone who can be trusted to use the proper moral, legal and constitutional means once the full power of their office is conferred?

These moral principles are no less relevant today than when I preached them decades ago. With very little editing, clergy from any faith tradition could make these principles the core of their election sermon and support each principle with scripture from their tradition.

In addition to providing these timeless moral principles, I would emphasize our sacred responsibility to vote. Voting is the means by which we elect leaders and advance laws that can and should underwrite the principles I have listed.

As the ideological divide in our country — and in many of our congregations — becomes more and more apparent, clergy are often reluctant to speak about the importance of voting or to lift up the principles that should inform people of faith as they consider their choices on Election Day. Many clergy worry that if they enter this discussion, they will be disregarded and accused of being political.

While that may be a risk, the upcoming election presents every congregation and every clergy leader with an opportunity to identify the values and principles that guide us, as people of faith, when we consider our “life together” as residents of our state or country.

Let’s be clear: we are not called to be bystanders. We are called to be engaged in our communities in truthful ways that amplify love and expand justice.  And a crucial way to demonstrate our engagement is to vote.

Houses of worship and people of faith need to examine how our community, our state and our nation address the needs of the least of these among us;how we assure and advance justice; how we promote the common good; how we tell and adhere to the truth; and how we preserve and restore God’s creation. These are core values of the church, the synagogue and the mosque — and politics are the means by which all of these values are upheld.

Christians recognize that in almost every chapter of each of the four Gospels, we see Jesus urging the community to address the needs of the least of these among us. We hear Jesus passionately advocating for justice and promoting the common good. His commitment to truth is unwavering. In these ways and more, he is amplifying the message of the Hebrew prophets. It’s long past time that people of every faith tradition recognize that their God, by whatever name, calls them to preserve and restore creation.

All of these activities are political because they involve how people relate to each other, how people govern their lives together. Jesus, like the prophets in every tradition, tells the truth as he seeks to amplify love and expand justice in families, in towns and throughout the empire.

Soon, we will have the opportunity to faithfully exercise our sacred right to vote. I pray that every congregation and every person of faith will look to these principles as we examine our choices at the ballot box in the coming election.

Thank you for all the ways you are already addressing both the crisis of democracy and the climate emergency, and may the God of many names strengthen your resolve to amplify your witness.

Footnote

[1] Excerpt from “New Consciousness” by James Gustave Speth, featured in Speth’s recent Orion article,  “You Say You Want a Revolution.”  Here is the complete poem:

Decades of discourse
led by lawyers,
scientists, economists,
and we are stuck.
They can’t do what must be done:
reach the human heart.
The deep problems are
avarice, arrogance and apathy,
our dominant values gone astray.
We need not more analysis
but a spiritual awakening,
a new consciousness.
So bring on the preachers and prophets!
the poets and philosophers!
the psychologists and psychiatrists!
Bring on the writers, musicians, actors, artists!
Bring on the dreamers!
Call them to strike the chords
of our shared humanity,
of our close kin to wild things!
Call them to help find a new world!

See you on the other side!

Bill McKibben, for Third Act

Flash forward to the present, and now I’m one of those Third Act staffers listening to and learning from hundreds of amazing volunteers each week. As the Network Campaigns Lead, I interact with our working groups every day, so I know that these volunteer-led groups are the heart and soul of Third Act.

Most working groups are geographically based, but some are nationwide affinity groups, based on passion or past professional experience. All of us believe that elder power can be harnessed to fundamentally transform our culture and our politics. Taking on the financial and political forces that threaten our climate and our democracy is a daunting task. But Third Actors are committed to  sustained, collective action to tip the balance of power away from fossil fuels and fascist tendencies and towards clean energy and a healthy democracy.

We embrace a relational model of organizing where we build trust and confidence in each other over time. Our tiny yet dedicated staff trains and organizes groups which then make it a priority to reach out and engage an ever-growing number of Third Actors, finding a place for everybody to make a difference. Volunteers research local issues, write postcards, and lobby decision makers. They attend outreach events, work with local media, register voters, and organize public protests with Third Act staff supporting them as needed.

All of this takes time, dedication, and a lot of resources! In addition to our thirty existing working groups, the Third Act staff is committed to establishing a vibrant group in every state as soon as possible. This is no time to think small! We know we have no time to waste.

Which brings up another Third Act working principle: “Be generous, but not to a fault.” We all want our generation to leave a legacy to be proud of, so we give generously of our time, talent, and treasure. In just two years, we have grown to 70,000 strong. But we need at least twice that number to meet the urgency of the challenges we face in 2024 and beyond! To meet that goal, we have set up a new fundraising campaign called the  No Time to Waste  fund, with a goal of raising $500,000 in 2023.

Third Act is the nation’s home for activists over sixty working to protect our climate and our democracy. Won’t you join me in supporting this urgent  No Time to Waste  campaign so we can start off strong in 2024?

Happy Holidays!

In Solidarity,
Melanie L. Griffin

Third Act co-founder Bill McKibben tells us that the best thing an individual can do to address the climate crisis and attacks on democracy is to stop acting like an individual.  That is why we all joined Third Act.  With fellow Third Actors, we will be more powerful and able to take action collectively.

It has been so satisfying to work with local Third Act volunteers who are eager to join and make a difference with the most vital issues of our time. So many fellow elders have been searching for this home to fulfill their commitment to making a difference for our families and our future.

One of the best ways to make this happen is to get active in a Third Act state or affinity working group.  But in over half of the country, our members still do not have a local working group to join.  We have made amazing progress in organizing working groups over the past two years, but much more needs to be done. All of our members need access to state working groups to plan and implement dynamic and effective local and state campaign actions.

Third Act needs additional resources urgently so that we can recruit, train and empower volunteers to establish working groups in every state and Puerto Rico.  Right now we are organizing as quickly as we can, but we are at capacity.

Your donation to the No Time to Waste Fund can help us reach our $500 thousand goal and then we expect to:

• Add two additional organizers to our team to expand the support we can provide, and start Working Groups where we don’t yet have them, 
• Increase the direct support we can offer to Working Groups for their own trainings, actions, and materials,
• Add digital support for Working Group leaders building a web-presence, coordinating events online, and for maintaining our CRM, data, and privacy work;   
• Support two (out of five) in-person regional convenings

Your support can build Third Act communities ready to fight for a better future. Working together we can get much more done than we can as individuals. Can you chip in now to help resource Third Actors to respond quickly—as needed, when needed, where needed?

Your fellow Third Actor,

Bruce Hamilton, National Volunteer

It has been an exciting time for Third Actors in the “DMV’ region – our DC, Maryland, and Virginia Working Groups – as they once again pressured numerous big banks to end their entanglements with fossil fuels.

Recently, The Third Act DMV cohort took their Rocking Chair Rebellion to Citibank, Chase, and Wells Fargo to protest these large banks’ continued funding of fossil fuels and the damaging impact on our climate created by these misguided investments. These actions are especially critical in light of Wells Fargo’s significant financing of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, one of the most essential projects threatening our climate, a 330-mile fracked gas pipeline that runs through the heart of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian regions of Virginia and West Virginia.

“We are continuing to target the banks because it is a great and easy way to bring Third Actors and others together,” noted Lisa Finn, Co-Facilitator of Third Act Virginia Working Group. “Instead of meeting for coffee, we protest a bank and then have coffee or lunch. Each action brings new people together.”

Through these actions, including flyering and conversing with bank managers, Third Actors can communicate with the community about these fossil fuel issues in an engaging way. Indeed, these rallies and actions attract first-timers and experienced folks, and the DMV Working Groups are building a great community of action-takers. The next bank action is on December 20 in Baltimore!

Finn added, “We hope that by continuing to target the banks funding fossil fuel fight, the conversation stays in the news and might, just might make those CEOs think about our planet instead of money.“

Third Actors in New England are also taking a stand against banks banking badly on the issue of fossil fuels, as Third Actors from the New Hampshire Working Group are regularly at the front lines to challenge banks to clean up their act on climate, with weekly actions.

Deborah Mahar, Co-Facilitator of Third Act New Hampshire, shared, “During our weekly presence outside the Bank of America in Concord we enjoy the camaraderie of gathering together in solidarity.”

Third Actors experienced a tremendous moment when an employee of a nearby local bank that invests in local agriculture projects (i.e., NO FOSSIL FUELS!) came over to talk to NH Third Actors about the bank action.

Mahar added, “We’ve created enough of a stir that the bank’s armed guard has started to appear outside the bank whenever we are there. We’ve had cars honk in support and trucks pull up alongside to tell us how wrong we are. We’ve had a few people stop and take photos and ask questions. Being together in protest always renews and strengthens our passion and commitment to this cause.”

To join in on actions like these and more, please check out our Working Groups page. You can check out the New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC Working Group pages, find other ones near you, and/or find an affinity group.

‘For more ways to get involved with the DMV activities, contact Lisa Finn at elizabethcf4@gmail.com and Deborah Mahar for Third Act NH thirdactnh@gmail.com.’

Stay tuned for more actions in the New Year. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone here at Third Act! See you in 2024!

At Third Act, we’ve been looking towards one of the most important climate fights–the rapid buildout of LNG export terminals along the Gulf of Mexico. We need your help to convince Jennifer Granholm, the Secretary of Energy, to halt new export licenses for these terminals via the Department of Energy. On February 6-8, join in-to the #StopLNG Sit-In in Washington D.C. 

In January, we are gearing up for a significant initiative at Costco, a major client of dirty Citibank. Working collectively, we’ll present tens of thousands of petition signatures urging Costco to leverage its influence as a valuable client and transition away from Citibank. We need your voice: There’s still time for you to sign the petition!

 You can also get more involved and stay updated about local initiatives by joining a working group today!

As we watch what is unfolding in Gaza, Israel, in the West Bank, in Sudan, Ukraine, Armenia and the Congo, in Pakistan, Tigray, Ethiopia and elsewhere––we are reminded of the way human beings are capable of so much harm amid so much life. We join the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International and so many more in asking for a ceasefire in Gaza.

As I sit in the relative comfort of my home, I’m asking myself ‘what are the depths and limits of my humanity?, should not all suffering be an offense to my conscience?’ Indeed it is offensive to my conscience, to my heart that works and to my firmly held belief that a better world is possible for all of us.

This time is harsh and painful, and so it demands of us to activate our better angels; to educate ourselves on the ways in which we are complicit in harm; and the ways we can do and be better. I’m comforted by how many Third Actors have reached out on behalf of humanity. What a gift to generations to come. In the words of our very own advisor Rebecca Solnit, “Hope is a gift you don’t have to surrender, a power you don’t have to throw away.”

If you, like many others, feel daunted by the enormity of what’s happening, one place to start is by educating ourselves. Knowledge breeds empathy, it’s difficult to remain apathetic when we know one another. Knowledge, like action, is an antidote to despair. Below you’ll find a series of articles, books, and readings to help you be better informed on the state of the world. This knowledge will crack open your heart, but in the words of the great poet Rumi ‘The wound is where the light enters you.’

I said: what about my eyes?
He said: Keep them on the road.

I said: What about my passion?
He said: Keep it burning.

I said: What about my heart?
He said: Tell me what you hold inside it?

I said: Pain and sorrow.
He said: Stay with it. The wound is the place where the Light enters you.

–Rumi

Resources

• Information on Tigray conflict
• Information on Sudan Conflict
• Information on Armenia Conflict
• How the Israel-Hamas War Imperils Action Against Global Warming

Books

• Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
• The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
• King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild
• Maus by Art Spiegelman
• On Antisemitism: Solidarity and the Struggle for Justice in Palestine by Jewish Voice for Peace
• Peace, Justice, and Jews: Reclaiming Our Tradition by Murray Polner and Stefan Merken
• Free book resources from Verso Book
• Free ebook resources from Haymarket Books

Films

• Ghost Hunting (2017) dir, Raed Andoni
• A World Not Ours (2012) dir, Mahdi Fleifel
• They Do Not Exist (1974) dir, Mustafa Abu Ali

Where the playing field was a tiny bit more level, you got it done! From Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia to Kentucky and New Jersey, the letters you wrote and the doors you knocked pay off with wins over the forces of election denial. People stood up for women’s rights, for climate action, for local representation and for a real democracy. But don’t take it from me; some Third Actors from across the nation sent us their experiences.

“Working as an election officer on Election Day was long hours (5 am–9 pm), but you really get an understanding just how safe our voting system is.” Lisa Finn

“I canvassed for local and regional candidates who support democracy and saving the planet (including our new State Delegate Amy Laufer, pictured on the right). Happy to report that everyone I worked for won! ” Donna Shaunesey

“I think our canvassing and help at the polls made a difference…the defeat of Dominion’s deadly, gas-powered Reliability Center is now within our reach.” Bill Muth

“I did work the Democratic tables at the polls this election day.  We had an impressive 43% turnout… much more than normal for a judicial and municipal election.” Tammis Dowling

“I am a poll worker and one big takeaway for me was the number of elderly voters who commented that there was too much at stake to stay home.” JoAnn Karsh

We know what the polls say about next year, and we also know that when we put in the effort we can win. But only if we put in the effort. So you’re allowed to bask a tiny bit this week–and then it’s back to writing letters, making calls, registering voters. Because it matters, and because no one can do it like we can. I’d say no rest for the weary, but in fact I feel energized. We’re ready to push on.

The troubles aren’t over for many of America’s indigenous peoples. For instance, NPR featured a story this year in Minnesota where many more Native American children are put into foster care relative to being only a small percentage of the population. Social workers doing family welfare checks don’t understand the dynamics and culture of some native families as they’re different from the area’s white middle class. This is very traumatic for Natives who were constantly told growing up about the generations who were taken away to boarding schools. Those children were forced to speak English only and adopt the “civilized” ways of the dominant culture. Later generations were warned to prevent their children being taken away at all costs. Now current generations share in that pain and trauma.

The erasure of Native people has resulted in almost 100% of Native youth feeling invisible in their classrooms, a factor directly linked to the devastating rate in which we are losing Native youth to death by suicide. (Redbud Resource Group)

Recently I attended a workshop by this nonprofit, Redbud Resource Group (Redbud). Entitled “Going Beyond Land Acknowledgements,” these California natives recounted the history of some of their tribes. When gold was discovered in their lands there were attempts to totally exterminate them so as to have unfettered access to the riches of their land. Although they tried to hide in the caves of their hills, 90 percent of them were killed. Now a regional nonprofit is helping Native peoples to increase tribal visibility, sovereignty, economic outlook, and to find new ways to preserve and strengthen cultural ties.

Redbud showed an old photo of what their land looked like when managed by their ancestors, an interim picture filled with pine trees, and what the charred remains look like now having been swept by wildfires. Their ancestors had known to remove the pines which so easily caught fire in the dry California landscape.

Yet there’s bright spots too. Redbud shared a case study of a state park in the Sonoma Valley where the staff has developed a working relationship with the Wappo community. Now the park staff grants unlimited free passes to these original inhabitants, allows them to gather traditional plants on the land for their medicinal needs, includes Wappo language and perspectives in their educational materials, and incorporates their knowledge in sustainably maintaining the land. They plan to share the stewardship of the land with the Wappo people.

There are other examples of government entities sharing forestry fire fighting work with local natives, and philanthropic endeavors that are helping local tribes to buy back and sustainably preserve their lands and culture. However many more Natives have struggles of which we’re often unaware.

Despite living in Virginia for 30 years, I only recently connected with a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing tribal cultural knowledge and advocating for fair and equal conditions for indigenous people. Eastern Woodlands Revitalization alerted me to one of their fights –  to maintain the purity of Virginia’s waterways upon which local tribes have depended for centuries. Apparently there is a plan to dump waste products into their river from a nearby water processing plant. Why have I never heard of this? Why aren’t more people involved with helping them in this fight to preserve the life blood of our world?

Although Natives are all around us, most are invisible to us. Few are in positions of power. Their stories, their needs, and their ability to help in our mutual goals of preserving Turtle Island are unknown to many.

As Third Actors, we advocate for racial justice and preserving the environment. We should go beyond land acknowledgements. It’s incumbent on us to seek out and find the Indians around us, to form relationships wherein we can work together on creating a just and sustainable future. We need to humbly ask them, “How can we help?”

Nevadans saw first-hand the power of Third Act in the last election—CNN highlighted your powerful work to knock on doors and rally voters to protect Sen. Cortez Masto’s Senate seat in northern Nevada. Third Actors were ambassadors at over 800 schools in the U.S. to set up voter registration drives for high school seniors, which reached 100,000+ new voters. You’ve sent over 46,000 postcards to voters to help raise turnout. This commitment to free and fair elections is crucial, and it’s inspiring. 

If you haven’t already done so, I hope you will donate to support Third Act’s No Time to Waste Campaign to build an even stronger movement going into 2024. To build communities and a society that we can believe in, it will require everyone’s participation. We’re counting on you!

This election week, and each week between now and November 2024, we need to defend every eligible American’s right to vote, remove barriers to voter participation, and make our elections as transparent as possible to maintain the public trust. Third Act can be an invaluable help. I’m glad to be on side with you all in the fight to protect our precious democracy.

Yours in service,
Cisco Aguilar
Nevada Secretary of State

And along the way it will hurt not only the people who have to live and breathe near these monstrosities, but also all American consumers—because exporting gas abroad drives up the price at home.

If you want a short primer, here is something I wrote this week, and another piece I wrote for the New Yorker.

Happily, we have a realistic chance at stopping this. Which is why I hope you’ll break out your stationery box and roll of stamps. The final decision will be made by the Department of Energy, which can grant or deny export licenses to these companies depending on whether they’re in the public interest. Please please please write a letter this week to:

The Honorable Jennifer Granholm
Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave. SW
Washington DC 20585

Here are some key points you can include in your letter:

1. These plants are carbon and methane bombs. In the hottest year of human history it’s obscene to be putting up more of them
2. We’re already the biggest gas exporter on earth, and have more than enough capacity to meet the needs of the Europeans in the wake of the Ukrainian war
3. When we export all this gas, we drive up the price for those Americans who still rely on it for cooking and heating. Rejecting this project will fight inflation, which will help get the president re-elected.
4. It’s an environmental justice travesty—as usual, these projects are set for poor communities of color
5. They’re planned for smack in the middle of the worst hurricane belt in the hemisphere
6. So rewrite the criteria (they’re currently using a Trump-era formula) for figuring out if such plans are in the national interest.

If you thought you were getting off without one high-tech task, though, you’re wrong. Could you also take a picture of the letter on your smartphone and email it to takingaction@thirdact.org, so we can keep track of what’s happening.

Remember, the penmanship you learned long ago is a secret weapon. Bureaucrats are used to getting email petitions; they’re not used to getting old-school letters. They know it takes effort, and they pay attention.

I think we can win this fight, and if we do it will be the biggest win on the climate front since we sunk the Keystone pipeline. But we can only do it if we act right now.

Thank you,

Bill McKibben

Founder, Third Act

P.S. As I was writing this, the first snow of the season started to fall in Vermont. That’s got to be a good sign!

That’s why building a strong organizing program based on the members’ connections with each other and with Third Act’s strategies is essential to our success.

Our Third Act model is based entirely on volunteers running their operations in their state-based or affinity working groups. It’s a huge responsibility. We’re darn lucky to have so many capable volunteer leaders running our working groups. Yet we have tens of thousands of people who want to be activated and connected to our groups, and we can’t help them all fast enough.

Our organizing staff team consists of myself and one other person. We can’t amply tend to our existing groups or start new ones with such limited capacity. We also know that if we are to have any chance of succeeding against the fossil fuel giants, or beating back the rising tide of authoritarianism, we are going to have to grow our numbers and power greatly. That’s why we’re asking you to help support the No Time To Waste Fund.

“This is the most important work of my lifetime.”
– B Fulkerson

We’re hard at work to raise $500,000 by the end of this year to supercharge our organizing work and bring on a few more staff to help hold it all together. Even though we know that solid organizing is critical to the success of our movement, it is by far the hardest thing to raise money for. People like to see immediate wins—and those can be important—but we know that to land truly transformative change we need to change the story of a moment, of a culture. That’s what this movement-building work does.

We’re excited about the No Time to Waste Fund because it will help us to hold in-person convenings in multiple regions in the U.S., providing a wonderful opportunity for training, networking and for Third Actors to share their challenges and victories. With these funds, we expect to be able to provide more resources to everyone, and more financial support to those groups giving their all to plan more extensive campaigns and actions.

I’m honored to know so many wonderful Third Actors and excited to see what more we can all do in 2024. Many people have already given and we thank you! After launching this fundraising campaign last week, folks like you have already helped us reach a big milestone toward our goal—we’re already a fifth of the way there!

If you haven’t yet, will you chip in to make next year as powerful and impactful as possible? Please give generously to the No Time To Waste Fund!

After leading an organizing workshop, Third Act’s Field Director B Fulkerson switched hats and led a healing yoga session for the 60 attendees. Network Campaigns Lead Melanie Griffin moderated the camp experience, interspersing contemplative practices and rituals designed to help people integrate and accept their emotional responses to the climate crisis.

Before we left the campground, the festival producers invited us back to the main stage in 2024, and our group was already discussing how we might step it up and engage more people next year.

But if you wanted to get involved with Third Act Faith’s work, they are inviting people to their general meeting to help “Bridge the Divide”. On November 7th at 8pm ET, Third Actors will have a chance to hear from Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, the chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a world renowned atmospheric scientist who has been the lead author of three National Climate Assessments. Dr. Hayhoe is also a best-selling author and a popular speaker, known for her ability to reach across the political divide and make climate science easily accessible to everyone. RSVP below to attend

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is polling ahead of Joe Biden a year out from the 2024 elections. That’s terrifying too, but if we fight like heck we can win this contest, and in the process push back authoritarianism for a generation.

Third Act is going to be key. We’ve identified a new, massive, and under-organized demographic: Americans over 60 who care about the future but need a vehicle to get involved. We’ve provided that vehicle, and it’s working powerfully in place after place.

Which is why we’ve launched this No Time to Waste fund. We’re hard at work to raise $500,000 by the end of this year to supercharge our organizing work and bring on a few more staff to help hold it all together. If you can pitch in, this is the time. Donate Today.

At the moment we’ve got more than 65,000 members, and a staff of about ten to tend to them. That’s one staffer per 6,500 volunteers, which is not good enough. We volunteers can accomplish a huge amount, but we need people pointing us in the right direction, coordinating our actions for maximum effect, and linking us up with other progressive groups.

We’ve been consciously putting the brakes on new recruitment because we lack the staffing to deal with the volunteers who come flooding in whenever we put the word out. But if we can raise some money before the year ends, then my guess is we’ll have 100,000 volunteers hard at work by the spring of next year—as the northern hemisphere heats up, and the election too.

But here’s the rub. Costco partners with Citibank for its co-branded credit cards. And Citibank is the definition of uncaring and heedless. It’s one of the four biggest lenders on earth to the fossil fuel industry, and they hand out the cash indiscriminately. This funding is making it possible for big oil, gas, and coal companies to keep expanding dirty, polluting projects that are contributing to the climate disasters we’ve all experienced this summer: deadly wildfires, smoky, unhealthy air, floods, hurricanes, and extreme heat waves. Citi is the number one biggest US  funder of coal; it is the second-biggest lender for oil and gas development in the Amazon rainforest (a climate crisis two-fer), and it has forked over billions for building out the LNG (liquid natural gas) terminals we’re opposing together with local communities in the Gulf Coast. Citi has lent billions to Conoco Phillips, the developer of the vast new Willow oil complex in Alaska.

What does this mean for Costco? The analysts at a think tank called TOPO have estimated that Costco’s cash in banks is the retailing giant’s biggest source of operational carbon emissions: if the retailing giant considered its emissions associated with its banking providers as part of its operational carbon footprint they would represent more than a third of the carbon it produces from its own operations. Costco has done a credible job of starting to clean up its stores and trucks.  As the company says on its website:

“we understand that we impact the environment through operating our 850 locations worldwide — and we are committed to running these in an energy-efficient and environmentally responsible manner. These efforts support our mission to remain a low-cost operator, while serving our communities, promoting environmental stewardship and reducing our carbon footprint.”

We take Costco at face value; and indeed it’s only in the last two years that we’ve really begun to realize how much carbon pollution is produced by corporate cash in banks that they then use to finance dirty fossil fuel projects. (Here’s a piece I wrote for the New Yorker that lays out the problem in detail). We hope that now that we’re raising the issue, Costco’s execs will get on it. They’re a big enough client that they can probably sway Citi to change its policies and stop lending to companies still expanding their fossil fuel operations. If Costco can’t, they should find a bank that operates as responsibly in the world of finance as Costco does in the world of retailing.

I confess I feel this one a little personally. Costco is headquartered in Kirkland, Washington (hence the name of their store brands). It’s now a big and wealthy Seattle suburb, filled with Microsoft engineers. But once upon a time it was a small ship-building town connected to Seattle by a ferry. And in those days my grandfather was the only doctor in town; somewhere I have a picture of hundreds of locals wearing shirts saying “I Was a Dr. McKibben Baby.” My Dad grew up there during the Depression, playing for the local baseball team. So when I reach for a bottle of Kirkland olive oil, it always brings a little burst of nostalgia, which is a lot better than a little burst of carbon.

Bottom line: people like Costco, and with good reason. But Costco has a problem that can be fixed fairly easily: by persuading Citi to strengthen its climate commitments or else switching to a better credit card company that isn’t wrecking the planet. These other choices exist—Sam’s Club (a Costco competitor) uses Synchrony, which does not invest in fossil fuels.

We’re asking Costco—together—to fix this problem.

You can join Third Actors, Costco members, and climate-concerned people and sign the petition urging Costco to call on Citi to step up on climate or else Costco will drop Citi. You don’t need to be a Costco member or Citi Visa card holder to join the petition. And if you are a Costco member, you can use a different Visa card at Costco stores (and find better Visa cards here and here).

Costco’s motto is “do the right thing.” Let’s remind them to do the right thing and call on Costco to shop for a better credit card.

Climate-driven catastrophes are wreaking havoc worldwide with devastating consequences for communities. Even Costco’s own stores have had to evacuate due to wildfires and severe flooding. From dangerous heat waves to destructive hurricanes, climate extremes are worsening.

We all deserve a future worth living, free from climate chaos and the pollution caused by dirty fossil fuels. The giant oil, coal, and gas corporations––bankrolled by institutions like Citi––are obstructing our transition to clean, renewable energy. Big box retailers like Costco are uniquely positioned to hold the banks to account.

Costco is a beloved brand. It strives to keep prices low and recently adopted na decent climate policy. Its motto is simple but powerful, “do the right thing.”

Since our founding, Costco has operated under the guiding principle of doing the right thing – for our members, our employees, our suppliers, our communities, and the environment. We understand that when we do the right thing, good things happen.

We want Costco to do the right thing here and demand change from Citi. That’s why we’re launching the Costco: Clean Up Your Credit Card campaign, spearheaded by Third Act, Stop the Money Pipeline, Stand.earth, Climate Organizing Hub, New York Communities for Change, and other dedicated partners.

The Climate Problem with Costco’s Banking & Credit Card

We’ve got the receipts on Citi: Citi is the second biggest funder in the world of dirty fossil fuels, providing more than $330 billion in financing to fossil fuel companies and projects since 2016, and is the largest US funder of coal. This funding is making it possible for big oil, gas, and coal companies to keep expanding dirty, polluting projects that are contributing to relentless climate disasters. The Wall Street banks are growing even bigger from corporate cash, retail customers, and credit card profits. From credit card partners to the cash it keeps in the banks, large retailers like Costco need to take the climate impacts of its financial relationships into account and compel its banking partners to stop undermining its own climate progress..

To demonstrate the need for Costco to take into account the climate impacts of its banking, Third Act and Stop the Money Pipeline commissioned analysis of Costco’s “financial carbon footprint” by TOPO, a “think and do” tank known for its work on The Carbon Bankroll report in 2022, which revealed the hidden and substantial climate impacts of corporate finance. TOPO’s analysis estimated that the pollution stemming from Costco’s cash in the banks it uses is more than one-third of Costco’s greenhouse gas pollution from its own operations. TOPO’s analysis is based on an average across US banks and is not Citi-specific, since Costco does not disclose publicly which banks it uses, separate from its credit card partnership.

If Costco considered the emissions generated by its banking as part of its operational carbon footprint, these estimated “cash emissions”—a total of 1.53 million metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide—are its biggest single source of carbon pollution, even more than the emissions from all the energy used in Costco’s warehouse stores for lights, heating, refrigeration, and deliveries. This amount is equivalent to more than 340,500 gasoline-powered vehicles driven for one year, or 1.7 billion pounds of coal burned, or 3.8 gas-fired power plants operating for one year (using EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Calculator). That’s a lot of pollution!

The Solution: Costco, Push Citi on Climate or Else Drop Citi

Costco is one of Citi’s largest credit card clients. Citi makes a lot of money from its relationship with Costco, and you know what banks care about? Money. That’s why Costco has the power to  persuade Citi to stop financing fossil fuel expansion or else to switch to a better credit card bank partner that isn’t wrecking the planet. By pushing Citi on climate or ending its credit card relationship with Citi, Costco can step up, keep its own climate promises, and compel Citi to stop funding fossil fuels.

In keeping with Costco’s existing climate policy and commitments, Costco should include the financed emissions associated with the banks it uses in its own annual reporting on its carbon footprint, just as it will report on the emissions associated with the suppliers of the products it sells. This will reflect Costco’s true carbon footprint. Lastly, Costco should include climate-friendly criteria in its requirements for how it selects its bank service providers, including credit cards.

Costco has the opportunity to be a leader among large retailers by addressing the climate impacts of its banking relationships. There are other credit card company options, and reporting a company’s complete carbon footprint will soon be required by a new law passed in California

What You Can Do

We know that Costco cares about its reputation. Costco listens to its members, and Citi listens to Costco.

You can join us by signing this petition urging Costco to drop Citi as its credit card issuer if Citi doesn’t stop financing fossil fuels.  While Costco members have a special voice, anyone concerned about climate can sign the petition. To win this campaign, we will need lots and lots of people to sign. So, let’s make sure Costco hears from members and non-members alike!

There are other ways you can help too, as described in the FAQs below. Many of us like shopping at Costco—free samples, infamous cakes, bulk buys, $1.50 hot dogs—and we’d like it even more if Costco shopped for a better, cleaner, climate-friendly credit card.

Want to know more? Check out the FAQs linked below.

That’s where The Civics Center comes in. The Civics Center is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that wants to make voter registration a part of every student’s high school experience.

We host two annual events that promote high school voter registration: Cap, Gown & Ballot in the spring to ensure every graduating senior has an opportunity to register to vote; and High School Voter Registration Week in the fall. This year High School Voter Registration Week will be October 2-6, 2023.

High School Voter Registration Week is a week of action aligning the school calendar with the election cycle to establish a dedicated time for students, educators, parents, and others to team up, share resources, and organize student-led voter registration drives at schools. The start of a new school year is an ideal time to encourage teens to register to vote and to build awareness for registration efforts later in the school year.

During High School Voter Registration Week the Civics Center will be holding free workshops for parents (and grandparents!), educators, and teens on October 2, 3, and 4 so anyone can attend and learn about the importance of welcoming our newest voters with a smooth on-ramp to democracy. Participants will walk away with tools specific to their cohort that will help bring voter registration to their high schools on a permanent basis.

On October 2 at 4pm (PT) / 7pm (ET), parents, grandparents and other adult friends and family members will learn about the importance of high school voter registration and its role in strengthening our democracy. We’ll help identify important resources teens can use to organize a drive in their schools. Click here to register.

In addition to training workshops, The Civics Center provides free supplies and resources to high school students and educators at any school in the country. Our “Democracy in a Box” toolkit includes everything students need to organize successful voter registration drives, like pens, clipboards, stickers, tote bags, promotional posters, and candy (a must-have for every drive!).

Third Act volunteers in Southern California and Arizona are actively promoting High School Voter Registration Week by contacting schools in their communities to help recruit educators and students. Over 35 volunteers from those Third Act Working Groups attended a one-hour training session, before getting a list of schools to call to identify educators and administrators best positioned to be liaisons for student-led voter registration efforts at each school.

This outreach is key to The Civics Center’s ability to get the word out about High School Voter Registration Week. Most schools have no current plans to help their students register to vote, and the best contact person at each school varies tremendously. We are extremely grateful to Third Act and its wonderful members for helping to make High School Voter Registration Week a success!

If you would like to contact schools in your own community to encourage educators and students to participate in High School Voter Registration Week, please visit Third Act’s “Senior to Senior” Page (linked below), which has more info about how to use TCC’s Volunteer Toolkit, including email templates you can copy and paste into a message to send to educators, students, principals, and superintendents. Just scroll through the Toolkit to find your target audience and click on the pink oval to access the desired template.

If you have high school students in your family I hope you will join me at the workshop on October 2. If not, you can still help recruit schools in your community to participate in High School Voter Registration Week using our Volunteer Toolkit and Third Act’s resources or help raise awareness of the potential for high school voter registration in your community. Thank you!

The Arctic Refuge is also vital to the land-based Indigenous Gwich’in people, who depend on the caribou for their subsistence and cultural survival.  The migratory Porcupine Caribou herd concentrate and give birth to their young each year in the Arctic Refuge coastal plain – right where the oil companies want to drill and develop.  

“With climate change warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as the rest of the planet, we must do everything within our control to meet the highest standards of care to protect this fragile ecosystem,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in announcing the lease cancellations. “President Biden is delivering on the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in history. The steps we are taking today further that commitment, based on the best available science and in recognition of the Indigenous Knowledge of the original stewards of this area, to safeguard our public lands for future generations.”

In addition to canceling the leases in the Arctic Refuge the Biden Administration proposed new regulations for the Western Arctic that would ensure maximum protection for the more than 13 million acres, while supporting subsistence activities for Alaska Native communities. These bold initiatives add to Biden’s actions to protect millions of acres of lands and waters in the Arctic, including withdrawing approximately 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea, ensuring the entire United States Arctic Ocean is off limits to new oil and gas leasing.

Biden’s move is politically bold as well as scientifically essential. His predecessor, Donald Trump, working with the Republican-controlled Congress during his first two years, added a provision requiring the leasing of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to their massive 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy legislation. The theory was that the falsely projected giant oil leasing revenues would help offset the cost of the tax breaks for billionaires. This never panned out. Gwich’in and environmental groups lobbied banks and oil companies not to fund or bid on Arctic Refuge leases when they were offered. This paid off because banks pledged not to fund the development and no major oil companies bid on the leases when they were offered. In the end only an Alaska state corporation took up the leases, while other existing leaseholders forfeited their leases realizing drilling in the Arctic was bad business. The state corporation is now rushing to challenge the lease cancellation in court.  

This epic struggle is far from over. Ultimately, we need Congress to designate the Arctic Refuge and other key parts of the Western Arctic as wilderness and permanently withdraw them from any future industrial development. But that will take a much more favorable Congress so this immediate administrative action is an essential interim reprieve. 

President Biden made pledges during his campaign to end new fossil fuel development on federal lands to address the climate crisis, but he has abandoned this pledge and disappointed climate justice advocates by approving some major new leases, most noticeable the Willow Project in the Arctic. Still, it must be noted that he has successfully championed more climate justice actions than any prior administration.  

Biden’s historic conservation and climate agenda, which already includes protecting more than 21 million acres of public lands and waters across the nation, and securing the Inflation Reduction Act, is the largest investment in climate action in history. This latest action to protect the Arctic adds to that legacy and demonstrates to the world that the United States is serious about setting an example and leading on addressing the climate crisis. 

Much more must be done, and, as the International Energy Agency notes, most of the existing dirty fossil fuel leases on public and private lands need to be left undeveloped to have any hope of keeping global temperatures from rising to intolerable and life threatening levels. We need all decision makers at all levels of government and private industry to finish the job by rapidly transitioning us to a clean energy economy, before it is too late.  Do it, for our families, for our future, and for all the special and fragile natural areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

I’d gotten an email notice about the class a few weeks before, but because I hadn’t picked up a watercolor brush since I was a kid, many, many years ago, and even then displayed no skill, I didn’t plan to attend. The fire in Lāhainā changed my mind. I thought I’d join the class with my Zoom gallery screen off, and watch the others paint while I packed for a short trip traveling a few hours from my home in Saint Paul. 

When the class began, I changed my mind again and started my Zoom video screen, wanting to be part of this group, to make my face visible in the gallery, quietly. Fifty or so students, older and younger folks, many of them in Hawai`i, listened to the instructions, the teacher—or kumu in the Hawaiian language—telling us to make brush strokes starting with a dot, a circle, shade in the shapes, then draw some curved lines for petals.

After the class, I packed for the trip my husband and I would take the next day, driving to the small town of Grand Marais. Of course, the town isn’t as remote as Hawai`i, but it’s not an easy place to get to. A four-lane freeway stops two hours short of the harbor village. Canada is less than an hour up the shore. Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, sometimes called an inland ocean, is on one side of town, and the Sawtooth mountains, remnants of long ago volcanic activity, on the other side. The flowers that grow in Grand Marais are rugged ones, dogbane, goldenrod, and the showy pink wildflower called fireweed that thrives in wildfire recovery areas. 

I travel with paper. I use it to note things down or for a morning’s writing practice. On my bookshelves at home I have a pile of abandoned, mostly empty, notebooks in which I may have written a few thoughts and then torn out those pages and saved them in files or thrown them out, the empty notebooks I then toss into the stack in one corner of a shelf. I packed one of those mostly blank notebooks to write in during this trip. 

As we started to settle into our short-term rental, while unpacking my suitcase, I pulled out the notebook, opened it, and noticed it had a few words written on the first couple pages. In the otherwise empty notebook, I’d written vocabulary my kumu had taught me. Puke Mo’omana’o —“book reflection” or “journal,”“Nani ku’u ola, “Beautiful My Life!” I had written. 

It’s been hard to think straight since the Lāhainā fire. The first morning of our vacation, as I put on my jacket for a walk across the town’s stony beach, and locked the door behind me, I thought, well, what if Grand Marais, in a flash, burned down? Could the emergency crews find me? Would the brave souls doing grim, essential, solemn work to identify bodies see the root canal or the dental implant in my jaw bones? These thoughts did go through my head, as I walked out the door. 

The August Lāhainā fire is now among the deadliest wildfires according to a list compiled by the National Fire Protection Association. On one day last June, the air quality where I live in Saint Paul, thick from Canadian wildfire smoke, was reported to be the worst in the United States.

There’ve been small fires in Grand Marais in recent years, four buildings burned down in two fires. Last spring, a casual eatery selling pizza, gyros, and frozen custard burned to the ground. Three years before that a more formal restaurant, and two gift stores on either side of it, burned. The pizza place has re-emerged this summer serving customers from a metal shipping container on a lot facing the main street’s sidewalk. The more formal restaurant now operates from a food truck on the land where its building had been. There are flower pots and picnic tables nearby. 

Another food truck, on the corner of the town’s only stop light, is run by a young woman who told me, when I stopped by there, that she used to live in Maui. I bought a cup of coffee from her along with a candle in a coconut shell she was selling, a sign near the food truck window said the business was giving 10 percent of its profits to the fire victims in Lahaina. 

I spend hours on most days walking back and forth from the cobblestone beach where I watch kids skip rocks, or take a walk to a book store, or to some place to grab a sandwich, or maybe I take a short hike in order to find a place to sit and write near the jagged rock formations at what’s known as Artist’s Point. 

A week after the Lāhainā fire, a whiff of smoke or a fragrance alive in my imagination, I decided to stop by the Ben Franklin store on the main street, strolling through the aisles displaying first aid kits, hiking boots, and souvenirs. In the middle of one aisle I found and bought what I was looking for—a watercolor kit, in it yellow, red, and blue paints nestled into a plastic tray along with tiny cups for water, pencils too, and a small pad of thick paper. I walked back to where we were staying. 

I want a heavier sweater and more coffee, I think, as I take a seat at the table by the window with a view of the lake. I pick up the brush from my kit, dip it in the water, and then the paint. I start with a dot on the paper, make a circle, shade it in, and then use my pencil to draw petals. Then I do that again, and again. Flowers for Lāhainā.

I learned that college students are generally very polite and would spend time talking with me. I learned about their interests and what they were studying. I also learned how some thought voting didn’t make a difference, while others couldn’t wait to vote in their first election. And many had little knowledge of how our party system works. None of them knew that in their District 13, the Republican Congressman won by less than 600 votes.

You might not think there are competitive congressional districts in your state, but even in California, we have several districts that are targeted to be flipped in 2024 so that climate champions can win. Northern California is specifically looking at Congressional Districts 13 and 22.

Yet, what struck me most about this action isn’t just the number of people we’ve registered, but the astonishing diversity of volunteers working together. Four of us did the long 2-3 hour drive to Modesto together. During the drive, we shared our life stories. Many of us have fought for decades in civil rights and anti-war movements. Others are new to activism. Many have parents and grandparents who fought in labor movements. Among our community of volunteers, there is an incredible array of life experiences. We looked at one another and realized that with all our differences, we were doing the same work together and were united in our passion for fighting to protect our planet.

As we approached home and were talking about our shared concerns for our planet, we got on to a birding conversation.  I mentioned how I love sandhill cranes and that I always see the same pair of cranes by the Boulder River when I visit Montana and it makes me so joyful. One of the Third Actors responded how she had been a docent at an Ecological Reserve visited by sandhill cranes not far from where we live. She is going to take me there this fall to see hundreds and sometimes even thousands of sandhills cranes arrive at dusk. I can’t wait.

The most important election in the U. S. this year occurred on May 12 in Fort Valley, Georgia, where workers at the Blue Bird school bus company voted 697-435 in a National Labor Relations Board election to join the Steelworkers Union. (Badgers may disagree.)

At Third Act, we fight to save democracy and our planet; at the intersection of these two existential issues are workers and unions.  We can’t have democracy unless workers have their own organized voice to counter the organized voice of employers, and we can’t save this planet unless workers are involved in that struggle.

That’s why the union election in Fort Valley is so important.

We can be proud that Third Act  got the September 17  NYC Climate March coalition to include in its three demands that we must “provide a just transition to a sustainable clean energy economy that supports workers and community rights, job security, and employment equity.”

But using the words “just transition” isn’t enough. Creating millions of jobs in the new sustainable economy isn’t good enough. Even creating good jobs isn’t enough.  We have to make sure workers get the chance to make them good union jobs.

That’s what happened in Fort Valley.  Blue Bird, Peach county’s largest employer, didn’t engage in union busting, so workers actually had a fair election. Why?  Because Blue Bird gets tens of millions of dollars in federal funds from both the infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Acts to build electric school buses.  Those funds come with a requirement that the recipient “have committed to remain neutral in any organizing campaign ….”  In other words, no union busting.

If workers can actually organize and grow unions in the new economy, they will both help to save democracy and support the climate justice movement.

So, as Third Actors this Labor Day, let’s honor “labor” by continuing to make workers’ rights to organize central to our fight to save democracy and the planet.

It’s difficult to envision a world that could be better for all of us, especially when there are marginalized people who have never experienced that part of the world. But for better or worse, we cannot lose sight of our expansive imagination that leads us to believe in what we can create when we organize and build together. We have the luxury of learning from our movement elders, their tactics, writings, sermons, and words of hope ring as true today as they did 60 years ago. 

They asked themselves, as we do now, ‘how do we live in the reality of this moment, as difficult and gut wrenching as it can be, and still hold on to the hope of what’s possible?’ I often look at Dr. King, Bayard Rustin, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker and so many others that did exactly that. They lived in the reality of a racist nation, determined to quell their demands for dignity and humanity—they kept the faith, not in spite of that pushback, but often because of it. With every new hardship, they were demanding more, adjusting tactics, and being in constant communication with those closest to the communities they wished to serve. They weren’t perfect—as we all know women, who were at the center of that work, were excluded from speaking at the March—or without their own hardships, pain and humanity. They brought all of that along in everything they did. Fannie Lou Hamer’s now often repeated phrase, “nobody’s free until everybody’s free” rings true for Third Act and what we’re doing in the world; we’re making a livable planet for ALL. We share this home, and we all deserve to live, breathe, and hope freely on it! 

We have no choice but to continue the work of making this world worthy of our efforts. We’re human and that work will feel daunting and often painful, which makes our emphasis on joyfulness and community both necessary and important. But it’s also imperative in a historic moment where joy and community are in short supply. We’re building a new world, where the needs of our planet and the people on it take center stage—while that work is always vital, doing it with joy and in commitment to one another makes it lasting and wondrous beyond our current limited imagination.

We are always learning from our movement elders, and we are so incredibly grateful for all they did to get us to this once unimaginable moment. We honor their legacy by continuing the work, striving for better, and doing so in collaboration with one another! 

Mary Ann Holtz of Florida brought the urgency home, quoting a previous newspaper article: 

“Of the 20 counties in the United States that will see the largest increase in the number of days when the heat index will reach or exceed 100 degrees, 18 are in Florida.” And ending with a plea: “In the Sunshine State we really can shift to renewable energy. Let’s insist on it!”

The effects of our climate action neglect were shown by Janet Kossing of Illinois, speaking to a need as basic as breathing: 

“…we’ve had the new experience of unbreathable air–in large part from wildfire smoke and the climate emergency upon us here and now. As a resident of Australia in 2019, I encountered even worse, including vacationing families driven into the ocean to escape the flames…”

This especially hits the hearts of Americans everywhere, who watched the Native Hawaiians in Lahaina, Kīhei and Upcountry Maui dive into the ocean to escape the flames.

In her letter, Kay Reibold spoke directly to the North Carolina Utilities Commission: 

“We need your advocacy, a vision for a clean energy future, and action, NOT rubber stamping of Duke Energy’s destructive proposals and facilitating regulatory permits that are promoting dirty industries in the state.”

Andy Hinz of Maryland pointedly asked if the Governor’s latest appointment to the Public Service Commission would push his fellow commissioners in a clean direction: 

“Will he allow them to waste money on hydrogen produced by burning fracked methane? Will he allow our broken Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS—the rules by which Maryland incentivizes the transition to clean energy) to remain broken by incentivizing dirty energies like burning trash, methane from factory farms, and wood harvested from our forests? Will he allow Exelon and others to keep expanding our obsolete fracked methane infrastructure rather than begin shutting it down now in a well-managed phase-out?”

And Pete Ness from Pennsylvania reminds us of one of the main reasons we are undertaking this PUC campaign: 

“…we as citizens must use another kind of “solar power” — shining sunlight on important agency decisions that can otherwise be obscure, mysterious and hidden behind closed doors.”

Indeed, Pete, the more folks who understand the power of the PUC’s, the more we will be able to influence their decision-making.

This Letter to the Editor Action is ongoing, alongside many other ways to get involved in PUC advocacy – especially through Third Act’s Working Groups.

Washington DC protest Manchin's Dirty Deal (September 2022).

I understand that producing more oil is a bad idea. I know that region in Virginia is considered the most impoverished and disadvantaged in the state. So, I could sympathize with these people and their inability to stop this invasion onto their lands. Yet, I wasn’t especially distressed since I didn’t know them. It’s not a problem for my home.

Then I learned that women leaders from the Ojibwe and Ottawa tribes, among many others, had recently submitted an emergency request to President Biden. They asked him to decommission the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline which traverses Ojibwe territory. The Line 5 pipeline is 70 years old — 20 years past its engineered lifespan — and transports 22 million gallons of crude oil each day through Wisconsin, Michigan, and under the Straits of Mackinac.

The Ojibwe territory riverbanks are eroding at an ever-faster pace due to recent floods. The next rainfall event could cause a vertical break, wherein oil would gush from both sides of the outdated pipeline. An oil spill in the Great Lakes region would poison sacred wild rice beds, threaten Indigenous communities, and harm all people in the region who depend on the local fisheries for food and work. The Great Lakes contain one-fifth of the world’s freshwater and provides drinking water for 40 million people in North America.

Now — now the idea of climate justice was very personal to me.

Elders hold up signs of deceased friends to protest the MVP.

Among other ethnicities, I am Native American. My people, the Potawatomi, were originally one people with the Ojibwe and Ottawa.  As the story was passed down to me, it was in our Council of Three Fires, many centuries ago, that we committed to each other that we each would remain faithful to the others in supporting our way of life. That we would come to help the other tribes should it ever be needed. That pledge we made so long ago still burns in our hearts today. Now this issue was personal to me.

These lands around the Great Lakes were our lands too. Most of the Potawatomi were forcibly removed decades ago but Potawatomi officials have signed the letter asking for Biden’s protection of our ancestral lands.

This is also about racial justice. The pipeline traverses Ojibwe territory against their will. All tribes lost much of their power and resources when they signed treaties with the federal government. However, in exchange, we were all guaranteed sovereignty over the smaller territories our tribes now occupy. And that promise has not been kept.

Activists hold up signs/umbrellas that read "KABOOM!" in DC.

The Bad River Band (one of six Ojibwe bands), has been trying to get Enbridge to cease operating the pipelines crossing their land. In September 2022, a federal court found Enbridge had been trespassing on Bad River Band of Lake Superior lands since 2013, and profiting from Line 5 at the Tribe’s expense. Nothing more happened. Finally on June 16th, 2023, courts ruled that Enbridge had to remove the portion of the pipeline that crosses through tribal territory within three years.

But remember, this pipeline has already been there illegally for 10 years! It is immoral that these people must fight for justice in this issue  — to fight for control over their home lands.

This fight is about racial justice and climate justice, the right for all peoples to have self-determination and to live in a healthy environment. The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline has already spilled over 30 times, dumping more than a million gallons of oil. Yet they were allowed to continue operating on land in which they were trespassing.

Similarly, “Numerous studies have found that the Mountain Valley Pipeline would pose serious risks to endangered species and surrounding ecosystems. The 303-mile long pipeline and accompanying Southgate extension would cut across almost 1,146 streams, creeks, rivers, and wetlands. The MVP would transport over 2 billion cubic feet of fracked gas each day, crossing over steep mountain slopes that are susceptible to landslides and an increased risk of pipeline explosions.” (Evergreen Action) 

A court recently put some of the MVP construction on hold while they consider the environmental impacts and the fact that the exterior coating of the pipeline has been exposed to the elements far longer than is considered safe. The potential for explosions from weakened areas has been enhanced by the exposure. 

A gas pipeline further north in Virginia exploded into a long-lasting ball of fire a few weeks ago. In the Corrective Action Order, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) says the following: “The cause of the failure is currently unknown, but based on initial observations of the failed pipe, environmental cracking is the suspected cause of the Incident.” (Northern Virginia Daily)

News Headline of a gas line exploding in Strasburg, Virginia. 

Despite this and other known issues with pipelines, opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline still have to fight their way through the courts and they may not ultimately win.

It can be hard for us to be equally concerned about issues to which we don’t have a personal connection. Until we’ve walked a mile in another’s moccasins, we don’t really understand. Yet it’s good to remember––we’re all downstream or downwind from communities that are struggling to survive injustice––environmental or racial. In the future, we could be too.

My research work brought me to the United States in 1987 for postdoctoral studies at Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA). My entire career was in the field of water treatment, our most precious resource.

In 2013, I became a US citizen and voted for the first time in 2016. The results sickened me to my stomach. In the years that followed, I became more and more appalled by the Trump administration.  I struggled mightily with his daily attacks on our democracy and our environment; for example, the countless EPA deregulations and the exit from the Paris Agreement.

In 2019, I left Corporate America with the intention of giving back and making a difference. I volunteered for the Biden Presidential Campaign in Philadelphia which turned out to be decisive in Joe Biden’s win.

I looked at several nonprofit organizations sharing my values related to the environment and democracy. None of them felt “right” until I attended a Third Act All-In Call in late 2021. When the call ended, I ran downstairs with a huge smile on my face and told my wife “I found the right fit.”  

And it hit home literally on Monday, when epic rain—the kind you can only get on a globally warmed planet—did epic damage to my beloved home state of Vermont. Our capital city is underwater, our bridges are out, too many neighbors have been forced from their homes.

One option is despair, and there are moments, especially at night, when that gets the better of me. But the real option is to fight—not to stop global warming (too late for that) but to stop it short of the place where it cuts our civilization off at the knees.

And that’s what we’re doing at Third Act, so mostly I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you to the Third Actors in Ohio, who are fighting to protect direct democracy rights in an upcoming special election; and in North Carolina, who are lobbying the Public Utility Commission to hold dirty Duke Energy accountable; and in California and Vermont, who are pushing the legislature to divest from fossil fuels. Thank you to everyone who’s taking on the banks that fund the fossil fuel industry, and to everyone who’s helping build a democracy that can’t be so easily dominated by oil companies and private utilities.

The next 18 months are going to be key. The El Nino now in its infancy will continue to warm the planet; we’ll see new records and new havoc. Which will give us nightmares, but also openings: openings we must exploit. Stay tuned for an unfolding series of actions that we’ll be launching in the months ahead. And keep as cool as you can amidst the heatwaves. We are gearing up to do everything—absolutely everything—that we can.

Thank you so much,

Bill McKibben

Bill McKibben is a founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 to work on climate and racial justice. He founded the first global grassroots climate campaign, 350.org, and serves as the Schumann Distinguished Professor in Residence at Middlebury College in Vermont. In 2014 he was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, sometimes called the ‘alternative Nobel,’ in the Swedish Parliament. He’s also won the Gandhi Peace Award, and honorary degrees from 19 colleges and universities. He has written over a dozen books about the environment, including his first, The End of Nature, published in 1989, and the forthcoming The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at his Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened.

I first voted, in 1968, when Frances Farenthold ran for Governor in Texas. She ran against Dolphe Briscoe and only lost by a narrow margin.  At the time, I was a student at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas). We walked through neighborhoods, helping folks to register to vote and actually get to the polls to vote. I have never forgotten the day I knocked on the door of an elderly woman who said that she’d never voted, but that her husband always did that for her. This statement stunned me! Not only did I vote for the first time, but she did as well. We women haven’t had the franchise for long, and in these deplorable times it may not be available much longer. 

Susan | Denton, Texas

I was raised long ago in a multigenerational household that included my maternal grandfather, my parents, my twin brother and sister, and I living in a downstairs flat. My Aunt, Uncle, and 2 cousins lived upstairs. After dinner each evening, we would all get together for coffee and talk about the day. Politics were always up for discussion. It didn’t matter if it was a local, state or a federal election, the pros and cons of each candidate or policy was dissected and discussed. This taught me that elections—all elections—are important and that I needed to understand all that I could about the candidates and what they stood for. I remember how powerful I felt the first time that I stepped into a voting booth and pulled the handle that closed the curtain behind me. Seeing the ballot for the first time in the voting machine was a powerful moment. I pushed the metal levers on my choices, pulled the handle, and the curtain opened. I could hear my vote being counted. Since then, I have always had a keen interest in politics. Although, when I was 8 years old, I wrote to leaders of countries who were killing baby seals and strongly stated that this needed to stop. So, perhaps I was really much younger when I started to find my voice. I volunteered with a few campaigns over the years, and I marched against the Vietnam war, and for Civil Rights in the 60’s and 70’s. I remember Black and White doctor’s waiting rooms, where 2 separate doors led to the same room, but a wide aisle divided the people between two areas. Without fear, I dragged my chair to the middle of that wide aisle. You could hear a pin drop. No one approached me, no one said anything. But, they all looked at me. I was young and way too brave for my own good sometimes. These are some of the small pieces of my life that do indeed impact my vote. When my son was born, I took him into the voting booth with me for every election. When he got to vote for the first time, I was giggling and a bit emotional and so was he. I told the election worker that he was a voting virgin and that watching him vote for the first time made me proud. It also made me think of my family all around a huge, oval dark oak table laughing, loving and talking politics.

Linda | Poughkeepsie, NY

Pretty much every time I vote, I get teary eyed; when I get my “I voted” sticker, I am literally moved to tears by the privilege. But the election and vote that has meant the most to me was in 2008 when I voted for Barack Obama. We stood in line in Alexandria, VA, for almost 2 hours (unheard of at our precinct), and I felt surrounded by joy. It was joyful to imagine ending the Bush / Cheney presidency of torture. Joyful to be voting for a young black man that had moved me to truly hope that America could actually rise to our promise for equal opportunity for all. I am a white woman who knows I have lived with tremendous privilege. But no privilege has mattered more to me than the day I stood with millions on the Capitol’s West Front Mall watching President Obama deliver his inauguration speech.

Elizabeth | Alexandria, VA & Washington DC

My first presidential election was in 1980. I was a poll worker for my first election. I was paid $50. I was the youngest poll worker that day, and I continued to be a poll worker for local elections for several years after. I no longer have to go to the polls because I live in Washington, but my kids remember going to the polls with me to vote. Now they are adults, making sure that their kids see them fill out their ballots and discuss voting. My 5 year old was so happy to have a new president that he danced on the dining room table! It normally wouldn’t be allowed, but this time we couldn’t bring ourselves to curtail his enthusiasm. I hope he is always excited about voting.

Sally | Oak Harbor, Washington

19 year old Sergeant Shoup (left) and Reserve Officer Shoup (right)

I was in an Army hospital in 1968 after returning from Vietnam and voted for Hubert Humphrey for President. I was only 19, but as a resident of Alaska, I could legally vote. I remember that an Army nurse helped me vote from my hospital bed, and I was so proud to have been able to cast my ballot. This is one of the many reasons we Democrats and Independents have to fight so hard to protect this precious right for all voters in our country.  A right that the Republican-run states and members of the Congress are trying so hard to take away from us! This is a party whose policies are so unpopular with the majority of the country that they must literally cheat to win elections.

Rick | Concord,  MA

For a number of years, I had used a wheelchair. There were two times the “wheelchair” access to the voting location was so difficult to find and navigate that it actually blocked my ability to cast a ballot. Barriers to voting go beyond manipulating districts to weaken voting access to people of color. Even today, I am not able to stand in line for hours if that would be my only way to cast my vote. I’m blessed to live and vote in Oregon where ‘kitchen table’ voting is the standard. Mail-in ballots need to be an option for all voters in our country.

PEG | Salem & Boring, Oregon

The first time I heard about voting was when I was 5 years old, I thought my parents said boating—or rather that we were going boating! But it made a big impression on me. It was an important event. Several decades later, I still feel that every time I vote, it is an important event. The most important of all was in 2016.

Julie | Oregon

I am 65 years old and have voted in every election since I became eligible to vote. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, the positions of the main party candidates didn’t always seem too different. I voted, but I didn’t always feel strongly about my choice. That has changed in recent years as I have seen the extremes to which Republicans are willing to go to win elections and stop the passage of laws they oppose. In my life, the vote that meant the most to me was in 2020. I voted for Joe Biden AND against Donald Trump. I also voted for Julie Oliver for Congress. The personal significance was that, for the first time in my life, I donated to both Biden and Oliver’s campaigns (and others) and worked numerous hours in support. I feel strongly that our country needs to up our game in the matters of social equity, climate change, health care, and more. The first step will always be to elect good leaders, and protecting voting rights is key to that. I want to contribute to bettering the performance of our elected officials and the behavior of our citizens, starting with me.

Todd | Lakeway, Texas

I did not vote in 1964. I was working with CORE, a sponsored voter education project in Gadsden County Florida. There was resistance against Black people registering to vote that led to arrests, beatings, kidnappings, and even drive-by shootings. Despite the intimidation, hundreds, and then thousands, of folks registered. One lady, Miss Pearl, explained she was between 108 and 113 years old. She had been born enslaved. She registered to vote and voted in the November election, proudly declaring Johnson was “her man”. Today, I am not sure she would be able to register and vote under the proposed changes to voting access by Republicans. I have voted in every election and primary since 1967. If I ever feel reluctant to vote I remember Miss Pearl, and I am energized. Only in the last election, at 78,  did I take advantage of mail-in ballots. I enjoy the thrill of standing in line with other voters on Election Day.

Stuart | Gadsden County Florida

I voted for Jimmy Carter in my first Presidential election. Little did I know that, as a young kid fresh out of college, I would shortly join his administration to work for disarmament! I also worked for Obama! Two amazing Presidents.

Beth | New York

In 2020, my son was in college at NYU. As a politics major, he cared deeply about the outcome of the election, and so he requested an absentee ballot from Georgia. As the deadline for submitting ballots approached, he had not received one — so I called the county. The woman I spoke with told me it was “probably too late” for him to receive it and return it via USPS regular mail. She said that was okay because “as a college student, he’s probably got other things on his mind… like exams.” When I asked if she could send a replacement ballot, she said he might not be able to tell the original from the replacement — and might, therefore, submit the wrong one. When I asked if he could FedEx it back if he received it in time, she said the county wouldn’t accept a FedEx’d ballot. I asked if the only option was to fly him home and she laughed, incredulous that we would consider the expense. I was outraged that she was so profoundly unhelpful and so casually dismissive of my son’s right to make his voice heard. A day later, my son called to say his ballot had finally arrived — at 4pm, the day before ballots were due at the county elections office. I told him to find the nearest USPS office and send the ballot overnight; I would cover the cost. As it turned out, the nearest USPS office offering that service and open past 4pm was 25+ minutes across town. He’d have to take a train, then navigate through a totally unfamiliar part of New York. I told my son to hurry — that I would cover any cost he needed to incur to get to the USPS office, overnight his ballot, and get back to campus. He was uneasy about traveling so far from familiar territory on his own after dark in NYC, but he did it. I tracked him on “Find Friends” in case he got lost. He prevailed (at a significant expense). The county received his ballot, and his vote counted, but it should never have been this hard to vote. What if we hadn’t had the resources for me to say, “do whatever it takes and spend whatever it costs”? I decided to start working as a county poll worker, to do anything I could to improve voter services from the inside. I used to watch Rachel Maddow and think “Why doesn’t somebody do something?!” Then, I realized, “I am somebody.” I have progressed from poll worker to poll manager, worked advance voting, the Senate runoff, and the GA 2020 recount, field tested a plan to expand absentee ballot drop-offs (after the GA Legislature voted to remove drop boxes), and been offered new county-wide opportunities to: 1) oversee expansion of the library drop-off program, and 2) revamp poll worker training. I say YES to every opportunity I get to serve my fellow voters, and I am happy to support this effort any way I can.

Susan | Georgia

Vickie’s daughter, Rachel, voting for the first time in 2012.

It was not the first time that I voted that mattered the most to me. I’m 68 and I’ve voted in every election except 1986, where I was in the hospital early giving birth to my first child. The most meaningful time I voted was in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president. I was thrilled that this good-hearted, brilliant African-American man was running for president (I’m white). I believed that people in the US were learning better and would do better, so much so that I registered voters and canvassed for the first time in my life. I was watching the results on TV and literally cried when he was declared the winner. I went to DC and stood in the crowd for his inauguration—on maybe the coldest day I’ve ever stood outside—with my 18 year old daughter (who was later treated for hypothermia). But our hearts were warm with the camaraderie of all those happy people, of all races, who believed that hope and real change were on the way for the country.

Vickie | Durham, NC

Fifty years ago, I cast my first vote in Wayzata, MN on November 2, 1972 for George McGovern in a booth next to my mother. That afternoon, I flew to Sioux Falls SD with my father and step-mother, Joyce. Joyce was McGovern’s campaign manager in his hometown, so I got to stand at the foot of the stage, front row, looking up at the brave man I had just cast my first vote for. A man who took on Richard Nixon and lost so disastrously. I was thrilled to at last be part of our great democratic process, even if I was on the losing side. Back then, at age 18, I knew I had to keep on fighting for a peaceful and just America. The loss did not dampen my spirits; instead it made me realize that creating a country for all of us meant I had to work at building my dream every day. I have remained a politically active and engaged citizen ever since. I walked the halls of Congress for many years as a human rights advocate. Now I make phone calls to people all over the country to get out the vote and support voting rights organizations with my dollars. For the first time in my life, I now wonder if I have made a difference, and if there is hope for my grandchildren to grow up in a participatory democracy as I did. All I can do is keep going—keep voting. I am 68 now, and 50 years have gone by since I cheered for a man who stood up to the anti-democratic impulses of that time. I think about him whenever I feel it doesn’t matter. I still have hope. 

Susan | Sioux Falls, SD

I first voted in 1960 at age 18. I voted for Jack Kennedy, which was kind of radical because my parents—my whole family—had been Republican forever. When I saw my boyfriend that night, I told him who I had voted for and he replied, with a very stern expression on his face, that I had canceled out his and to not do it again. That was the first lesson in gender inequality that really stuck with me. I’m still flabbergasted when I think about it.

Linda | Winnetka, Illinois

I cut school to register to vote, which may have been my first act of civil disobedience. Our town hall was down the block from my high school and voters could register there. It was my eighteenth birthday, and I wanted a say in what was going on in this country. 2 years earlier, the 26th amendment to the Constitution had lowered the voting age to 18 years old, in recognition that people that age were fighting (and dying) in Vietnam, working, paying taxes, and participating in our democracy in every way, except by voting. I was angry about a pointless war and a range of social justice issues. I had hoped we could move in a positive direction (the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Clean Water Act of 1972, and Clean Air Act of 1970 had fueled that optimism). My mother had suggested to me that progress is not linear; it works more like a pendulum swinging back and forth. Today, that still appears to be the case. Civil rights, environmental rights, wage equity and more seem to have swung backwards in recent years, urged by divisive social media and histrionic commentary that masquerades as news. Now more than ever we need to awaken from apathetic despair and fight back, through voting and activism. The sure hands of social justice need to swing that pendulum back!

Nancy | Boontown, New Jersey

Coming of age in the 1960’s, I marched against the Vietnam War and for Civil Rights. I resented being a criminal because I enjoyed a joint with friends. We used to say, “You can’t trust anyone over 30” because we young people were the driving energy behind progressive views. But by the late 1970’s, I looked out at my students and thought, “I can’t trust anyone UNDER 30!” Youth’s world view had shifted; society became more interested in individual material success, instead of in one’s community or country’s welfare. My generation and my country lost their bearings. But bright lights of reason and humanity appeared amidst the dark skies of apathy and greed, and they spread. Until one day I could gleefully exclaim, “I lived long enough to vote for the legalization of marijuana and for a Black president!” The optimistic road is long and bumpy . . . but it’s the one worth taking.

Sharon | Southern California

I am 72 years old and a lifelong Democrat. I was a poll watcher and voted for the first time when I was 18 years old. As a young person, I watched the Civil Rights Movement on TV, and witnessed the African-American community struggle for the right to vote. They sacrificed blood and tears for that right, and now it’s being suppressed. My last vote in the general election was the vote of a lifetime, and despite the unfair obstacles put in our way, my husband and I were able to cast our votes with a drop-in ballot. Biden won but we’re still in very precarious times because of Trump and the right wing GOP that has their boot on our necks. Climate change, income inequality, racism, and the loss of democracy in this country, and throughout the world, leaves us wide open for right wing governments to soar. We need to open our eyes to what the future holds for us, if we do not hang onto this sacred right to vote.

Providence | North Carolina

But I have to admit, it has been hard for me to talk to other older people about being trans/nonbinary. The language and terms are somewhat new and always evolving, which is daunting for us oldsters. I keep handy and share resources to help people understand the basics of trans/nonbinary identity and how to support your queer/trans/nonbinary loved ones.

As my friend and mentor George Goehl wrote recently, while we organizers must meet people where they’re at, we also need to remember that it’s a starting point, not an end. While we must never shame anyone for inadvertently saying the wrong thing or using incorrect pronouns, if my six-year-old grandson gets it, why can’t we Boomers?

And though I am far more comfortable expressing myself and embracing a nonbinary, queer identity today (thanks to the young ’uns), my gender journey is still very much in progress. Until just a few years ago, my thinking about gender and sexuality was centered on being gay and male.

In 1988, just after coming out, I mustered enough courage to go to my first Pride event. It took place in an obscure park along the Truckee River just a stone’s throw from where I’ve been living for more than 60 years.

When I say I mustered courage, let me set the scene for you: local officials and townspeople were getting news coverage for successfully chasing out the Reno Gay Rodeo. A county sheriff even threatened to arrest anyone attending the Gay Rodeo for “being a homosexual” and violating Nevada’s sodomy law. Wondering why they had to greenlight another gay pride event at all, the (democratic) mayor said, “the council and I have never condoned the gay pride festival or that lifestyle, but the law says there must be tolerance.”

Whether straight or gay, fitting into maleness was the dominant priority my whole life. Growing up camping, hunting, fishing, spending summers on our family’s working cattle ranch, drinking Coors from age 13––it came easy.

B with their brother and father. Smoke Creek Desert, 1982.

When I was seven, as my dad was leaving for his first ‘tour’ of Vietnam, he got down on one knee to look me straight in the eye. He said “Bobby, you’re the man of the house.” I had no idea what he meant and although we were close, we never had a conversation about it again.

Jake, Dad, Cathay, and B. Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, 1965.

I was ridiculed quite a bit in sixth grade as a “fem,” mostly for wearing my favorite embroidered flowery shirts; because I was so bad at sports (dyslexia); and because I sang in the Sierra Boys Choir. I joined Pop Warner football in 7th grade, and still hear the refrain, “Fulkerson, you pussy!” for not hitting hard enough.

B as an Eagle Scout (1976) & for Pop Warner Football (1972).

Later on, my mom got me some dumbbells and while I kicked ass as a Freshman offensive guard and defensive tackle, I remember being relieved when a knee injury took me out for the season and I could focus on theater instead.

I was also active in the Boy Scouts, where Lord Baden Powell’s legacy of masculinity-as-morality only grew stronger. Thanks to my parents and scout leaders who cared, I made it to Eagle in a relatively short time, hoping to be “the best little boy in the world,” (to steal a phrase from a book by Andrew Tobias of the same title.)Whether it was acting straight or “being a man,” my aim was to be the person others wanted me to be. To my everlasting shame, I learned to join in the laughter at the effeminate boys and the “ugly” girls. Much like later on, as a liberated gay man, I’d snicker when people used “they/them,” pronouns, asking if there were more than one and saying as that, as an English major, such pronouns made no grammatical sense. Turns out I was wrong about that, too.

At George Washington University, I joined a southern fraternity and became immensely popular as a whisky-drinking, Laxalt/Reagan loving “Nevahda Bob,” conforming with ease to rigid, straight, western manliness. When I shook hands with someone in the Capitol on my first week as an intern with Senator Paul Laxalt, I’ll never forget him complimenting my “working man’s hands.” I didn’t tell him my callouses were from working out, not working.

Staff of Senator Paul Laxalt, with Sen. Strom Thurman and Ronald Reagan, 1979. B is to the right in the back row by the Nevada flag.

I gave up trying to be straight and shot out of the closet after a long drive home from Idaho on October 11, 1987, coincidentally the same day as the March on Washington. It was either steer the truck into the Owyhee River canyon, or tell my friends and family the truth I’d been running from.

My friend and Third Act advisor Rebeca Solnit, whom our founder Bill McKibben calls “the greatest essayist writing today in the English language,” has written her whole career about her hope and change coming from the margins:

“One of the joys of being a tortoise is watching the slow journey of ideas from the margins to the center, seeing what is invisible, then deemed impossible, become widely accepted.”

Over the pandemic––nearly three decades since I’d first come out––I was forced to retreat inward to my own tortoise shell. I took long walks along our gorgeous Truckee River, reflecting daily on my own existential existence along with that of all of humanity. I realized I was living in someone else’s imagination, a stifling binary framework in which I only had two gender choices: be a man or be a woman.

I remembered the words of my Rockwood sister adrienne maree brown:  “I often feel I am trapped inside someone else’s capability. I often feel I am trapped inside someone else’s imagination, and I must engage my own imagination in order to break free.”

I consumed all the media I could find about gender analysis, from Alok Vaid-Melon (nephew of my dear friend and mentor, the late Urvashi Vaid, my first teacher on queer organizing and intersectionality), and listening to new podcasts like Gender Reveal. I discovered Jewish trans icon Ezra Furman and devoured her lyrics and music, holding on to her life-saving wisdom that I can learn to trust myself so much that I am willing/able to assert independence from the entire unsatisfactory framework I’ve inherited.

I started seeing a gender coach and joined a trans support group. I slowly came out as trans/nonbinary to my coworkers, my family, and close friends.

As Third Actors, we come to this work with a life’s worth of experience; we see through the long lens of our personal and collective evolution.

The right is using trans issues as a central organizing theme to build power, divide America, and destroy democracy, by once again instilling fear that gays/trans are hurting our children just as Anita Bryant did on her Orange Juice crusade 50 years ago.

We’re living in a paradigm, not of our own making, that we bolster by our participation. Trans and nonbinary people have been gaslit into believing our experience is not real by the political debates over whether we deserve access to healthcare, bathrooms, sports teams, affirming queer education, or personal preferred pronouns, and we are losing our minds trying to combat the misinformation that puts our community in harm’s way. When we trust the prompts that come from our deepest selves, more than what is being fed by a machine whose sole purpose is to stay in power,  it becomes easier to see other truths: that we are all just human beings trying to laugh, love, and become ourselves whilst trying to mitigate the amount of pain, suffering, and heartache experienced on this burning world.

Whether that is because of late governmental intervention during the AIDS epidemic, rampant homophobia and transphobia, the lack of resources and protected spaces/communities for queer and trans people, or something else, many of us don’t make it to our third act. Today, 40% of all homeless youth are LGBTQIA+ and 45% of trans and nonbinary youth have considered suicide in the last year. So when we talk about pride, it is important to note that the first pride was a riot, not a parade, that birthed the Queer Liberation Movement.

Thanks to a growing community, some survive and question what we can do if we come together to create a safer world, despite what is going around us. We build new muscles of wonder, resistance and possibility. After all, those who automatically fit into society do not have to care whether it works for others or not. But it’d be so much easier if they did, and helped find ways to support a solution.

Yesterday on my ritual morning walk, I counted four pride flags, trans and nonbinary inclusive, in my Reno neighborhood––ok, one of them was ours, but still!

Thirty five years ago, the possibility of outward, visible, community love for queers was simply not in my field of imagination. I didn’t dare to dream that I’d ever meet and marry the man I loved, be with him for 16 years, and become gay grandparents together. And I’m also pretty sure nobody was thinking 30 years ago that in 2023, Nevada would be the first state in the US to protect both marriage equality and trans/nonbinary rights in our state constitution.

B and their partner Mike. Carson River, 2019.

At Third Act, our motto is No Time to Waste. As one of our precious members from Texas said, “we just want to go out right.” Working here for two years this August has given me entirely new perspectives on organizing and on life itself. We’re creating a new pond as our Lead Advisor, Akaya Windwood likes to say, “where the waters are healing”.

I hope you’ll jump in.

If we organize, we can change this world. We have to put this into action to protect our freedom and to save lives, a call to action in the face of the June 24 one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

For 50 years Roe protected the most intimate decision of a person’s life—when or whether or with whom we have a child.  

20 states have banned abortions completely or have such restrictive laws that it is inaccessible for most who need it, and to those who need it most.  

Yet, 59% of all people who have an abortion are mothers. They know exactly what it takes to raise a child.  

I started an underground abortion service in 1965, eight years before Roe became the law of the land. I started this as a good deed for a friend who was nearly suicidal and not prepared to have a child. Word spread and more people asked for the same kind of help. Bear in mind that at this time, three people merely discussing the provision of an abortion constituted a conspiracy to commit a felony. So, we named the service JANE. We would publicize it with notices saying, “Pregnant? don’t want to be? Call Jane.” I recruited others to be part of the service. Within a few years, the women in the service learned how to perform the procedures. By the time Roe became the law of the land, the women of JANE themselves had performed 11,000 abortions.

This transformative grassroots organizing experience remains foundational to my work across issues as an activist and political strategist.

Now is always the time to organize. Recruit others, spread the word, raise the funds, show up and drive our concern into the elections at all levels.

IF we organize, it is possible that we can win a national trifecta—a pro-reproductive freedom majority and advocates in the Presidency, the Senate and the House.

In the House there are 18 seats where Biden won and yet a MAGA supporting Republican now holds the seat—opposing reproductive freedom and action to address climate or freedom to vote and more. If we gain four more seats in the Congress we will have a pro-freedom majority. We can do this, if we organize.

Over 70% of the country supports Roe and believe that no politician should come between a woman and her physician on abortion. The same statistic is true for Americans who want to see action on climate change. These are powerful numbers and powerful issues, but we need to drive them into the elections.

Our rights have become partisan battlegrounds. There are more Democrats than there are Republicans in the country––we just need to ensure they register and vote. And we need to engage those who are part of the pro-reproductive freedom majority, but might have voted for a MAGA candidate. We need to both mobilize and persuade.

Yes, there are strong challenges. Nothing is guaranteed. Last year’s Supreme Court decision is evidence enough. But the way to win to expand our freedoms is to join with others, take action, and organize. That is what Third Act was set up to do. When we organize, we can change the world.

Heather Booth, Third Act Advisor, is one of the country’s leading strategists about progressive issue campaigns and driving issues in elections. She started organizing in the civil rights, anti-Vietnam war and women’s movements of the 1960s. Heather started JANE, an underground abortion service in 1965, before Roe. In 2000, she was the Director of the NAACP National Voter Fund, helping increase African American election turnout. She helped found the Campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2005. She directed Progressive and Seniors Outreach for the Biden/Harris campaign. Heather was the founding Director and is now President of the Midwest Academy, training social change leaders and organizers. There is a film about her life in organizing, “Heather Booth: Changing the World.”

An important but overlooked regulatory body exists that can address this problem: public utilities commissions, or PUCs. Each state has one—although some states’ go by other names, such as public service commissions. PUCs consist of anywhere from three to seven commissioners, whose terms typically last between four and six years. Most commissioners are appointed while some are elected.

PUCs play a critical role in utility regulation.

They have power to determine how much people pay for their energy bills, how much utilities invest in clean energy versus fossil fuels, where energy projects are sited, and how federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are implemented. 

Take the coal fleet in operation today. A recent study from Energy Innovation shows that 99% of U.S. coal plants are more expensive to run than if they were replaced by new solar, wind, or storage projects. In addition, building new gas plants is not only incompatible with our climate goals, but will also prove a costly mistake as these projects will need to be retired before the end of their useful life. Whenever PUCs continue to approve these increasingly uneconomic, climate unfriendly investments, they are slowing down the clean energy transition and costing consumers money.

Utilities are key to climate action.

Together, clean electricity and electrification of buildings, transportation, and parts of heavy industry can cut current carbon pollution by about 75 percent. Hence utilities, and by extension their regulators, are critical to making progress on climate change.

Very few people know about PUCs.  

Terms like PUCs or utility regulatory reform might induce yawns or blank stares. PUCs can seem obscure and boring, hidden from the public’s view. But this lack of salience and transparency is exactly what has enabled utilities to escape public scrutiny.

This has led to regulatory capture, where utilities influence their regulators and promote decisions in their self-interest at the expense of the public. Utilities have denied climate science and opposed distributed energy resources like rooftop solar. Bad actors in the sector have used ratepayer funds to bribe regulators and lobby for funding to bail out uneconomic coal and gas power plants. If there is one industry in the U.S. that should be held accountable through robust regulation, it is the monopoly electric utility industry.

Utilities have significant financial, political, and technological capital to move the needle on climate action. But insufficient regulation, combined with misaligned incentives, have made utilities barriers to an equitable clean energy transition. In fact, as Sierra Club’s The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges illustrates, the vast majority of utilities receive a failing or near-failing grade based on their plans to retire coal plants this decade, stop building new gas plants, and build clean energy at the necessary pace.

If you want to learn more about these issues, you can read or listen to the book Short Circuiting Policy, which gives a background on PUCs and explains how utilities have slowed down the clean energy transition. 

PUCs and utilities can do better.

Activists have long been the driving force behind improving clean energy policy, passing laws like Clean Energy Standards (CES) at the state level. Working together, we can ensure that PUCs center climate and equity, allowing them to be enablers rather than barriers to clean energy and electrification.

• Use existing statutory authority. Through Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) processes, PUCs can require utilities to retire coal plants, build more clean energy, and prevent the building of new gas plants. PUCs can also adjust rates to make electrification more affordable, pursue innovative regulatory models including performance-based regulation, and bar utilities from using ratepayer money for political activities. To help this happen, advocates can testify in support of clean energy and environmental justice during PUC proceedings, and provide people power and communications resources to state and local groups engaged on PUC issues.
• Appoint and elect climate and equity leaders. Advocates can push for climate and environmental justice champions to be appointed and elected to PUCs.
• Pass model legislation. State legislatures can pass laws that explicitly require PUCs to consider climate and environmental justice impacts in their regulation, mandate utilities align their integrated resource plans (IRPs) with climate and clean energy goals, and establish programs that pay advocates to participate in PUC proceedings through intervenor compensation. Advocates can help make these laws a reality.

There are countless examples and case studies of success stories to build upon. Colorado recently passed legislation that bars utilities from using ratepayer money for political lobbying. Illinois established a consumer intervenor compensation fund to provide advocates with financial resources to participate in the state’s regulatory proceedings. Connecticut has proposed a bill that would require utilities to fund intervenor compensation and regulate utility executive compensation. And earlier this year, Louisiana elected Davante Lewis, a clean energy and equity champion, as a member of its Public Service Commission.

We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us to rapidly accelerate an equitable clean energy transition through utility regulatory reform. Let’s seize it. 

Charles Hua (Twitter: @charleschurros, LinkedIn: charles-hua) is a Policy Analyst at Rewiring America and a recent Harvard College graduate who has been recognized by the White House as a U.S. Presidential Scholar and by the Aspen Institute as a Future Climate Leader.

Leah C. Stokes (Twitter: @leahstokes; Instagram: @leahcstokes) is the Anton Vonk Associate Professor at UC Santa Barbara, Senior Policy Counsel at Rewiring America, and Co-Host of the podcast “A Matter of Degrees.”