My Experience with Voting and Environmental Activism in San Francisco

Since I live in the very blue San Francisco, everyone always jokes by asking, "What's it like to live somewhere where your vote doesn't count?" Honestly, I've never felt like I had so much choice and power with my vote. 

Instead of being stuck between no climate action or roll-back climate action candidates, I get to choose between candidates who represent policy choices, not political parties. I know that these candidates will make decisions that can stand as examples for the rest of the country and the world. Voting is just the beginning of this unique and engaging opportunity.

Voting is an important step to elect candidates who will listen to your causes, it needs to be followed upon by interacting with those candidates while they are in office to get things done.

Take, for example, the recent passing of the Good Food Purchasing Program in San Francisco. I called in to support the Good Food Purchasing Program and its goal of sourcing from more socially and environmentally responsible vendors. Much of the conversation focused on where to put the purchasing goals, rather than if organic food and worker safety are worthwhile goals. My participation in this city meeting actually felt more like a conversation.

Now, how did I know about what was happening in San Francisco, and what are some ways you can get involved? I joined meetings and newsletters of local environmental and climate organizations. It's rare to have time and resources to follow every piece of legislation and new idea, so we need to combine these efforts with others. I heard about Good Food, for example, during a 350 Bay Area meeting from other attendees during an open discussion agenda item. I then researched the progress with similar Good Food programs in other cities like Boston.

As a sustainability professional, I wish I could say I have always been politically aware and active in creating a cleaner and more just world for business and the public, but it's still new to me. The Black Live Matter Protests are to thank for really pushing me to be more vocal in local policy making. Since June 2020, I've written two letters to each of my federal representatives, two to city officials, and one to a state official. I also called in to support two measures during supervisor meetings. The issues included public housing, racial and climate justice, public transportation, clean buildings, clean transportation, and sustainable food purchasing. Additionally, I completed the Climate Reality Project Leadership training leading me to start climate conversations with 45 friends, family and coworkers, and create local and professional action groups.

What has your experience been where you are? What groups do you follow? How do you match your professional expertise and public action? If you don't have the most receptive city, state, or federal officials, how do you meet them where they are?

If you are interested, here is an annotated list of a few of the local environmental and climate related organizations I've joined or started following since June, 2020. 

• 350 Bay Area and their Transportation Committee https://350bayarea.org/ 350 Bay Area has been my primary source for key opportunities to get involved. "We are building a grassroots climate movement in the Bay Area & beyond that eliminates carbon pollution and presses for socially equitable solutions and a just transition to clean energy."
• Climate Reality Project Bay Area and the Climate Reality Project Bay Area Climate Justice arm https://www.climaterealitybayarea.org/ Inspired me to write in for clean and equitable housing. "The Climate Reality Project’s mission is to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society. The Bay Area Chapter takes this mission to the local level, catalyzing local solutions to the climate crisis in every corner of the Bay Area. We enable hundreds of trained climate leaders and the public to work together as a tight-knit team to spark urgent action and rapid adoption of solutions to the climate crisis. Our goal is for the Bay Area and California to continue to be a leader and compelling model of success for the rest of the United States and world."
• Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force https://cemtf.org/ Holds monthly workshops where I get to hear from experts in different industries, government and non-governmental organizations on the issues and developing legislation. They offer some recordings. "[The] Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force (CEMTF) [is] a Bay Area coalition of elected officials, city & county staff, youth, environmental activists, social activists, and front line communities addressing the inequities and causes of the climate emergency."
• Bike East Bay https://bikeeastbay.org/ They notified me of the opportunity to join movements to request more federal funding for public transportation. "Bike East Bay promotes healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, fun and accessible."
• SF Bicycle Coalition https://sfbike.org/ "[They] are one of the largest and most effective bicycle advocacy groups in the country. Through our day-to-day advocacy, education and working partnerships with City and community agencies, the SF Bicycle Coalition creates safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans."

Here is a list of a few of the national environmental and climate related organizations I follow as well. 

• Natural Resources Defense Council https://www.nrdc.org/ They regularly send me notifications about opportunities to make public comments and learn about new research on issues like climate justice. I'm told they have the best lawyers.  "[The NRDC] combine[s] the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild."
• Climate Justice Alliance https://climatejusticealliance.org/ "[The] Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) formed in 2013 to create a new center of gravity in the climate movement by uniting frontline communities and organizations into a formidable force. Our translocal organizing strategy and mobilizing capacity is building a Just Transition away from extractive systems of production, consumption and political oppression, and towards resilient, regenerative and equitable economies. We believe that the process of transition must place race, gender and class at the center of the solutions equation in order to make it a truly Just Transition."
• Citizens' Climate Lobby https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ "[The] Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change."