Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 10. And as a mother, I always think of my daughters’ births — one in San Diego and one in Charleston, S.C. (Naturally, my husband Larry was deployed for both births.)
Once you hold that tiny baby in your arms, your perspective changes. Being a mother makes you feel very protective. And that is what has motivated me to act on the climate. I want to make our world better for my children and grandchildren through my daily environmental choices and how I vote!
Data from the Yale Program for Climate Change Communication (which surveys registered voters on domestic climate and energy policies) and from climate educator Katherine Hayhoe shows that, as a mother, I am not alone in feeling as I do.
In the U.S., 81% of mothers surveyed were worried about climate change, and 93% agreed with this statement: “We have a moral responsibility to create a safe and healthy climate for our children.” Women in general are more likely to list climate and environmental issues as a top voting priority.
Rising temperatures and air pollution take their toll on pregnant mothers. Mental health also suffers. Postpartum depression is more common among mothers who are exposed to greater heat and air pollution and who don’t have access to green spaces.
One of the best climate actions you can take is to join a group that amplifies your voice. In addition to the one I work with, Citizens’ Climate Education, Hayhoe recommends Science Moms, a nonpartisan group of climate scientists and moms working to demystify climate change, talk honestly about its effects and protect our kids’ futures. Locate Citizens’ Climate Education, Science Moms and Yale Climate Change Communications by searching Google or YouTube.
What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by supporting everyone who is helping ensure that every child has clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, and a future filled with hope and possibilities?
Christine Kramer is a resident of SJC since 2001, a former librarian and a member of the Orange County South Chapter of Citizens Climate Education. Join us at https://citizensclimatelobby.org/join-citizens-climate-lobby/.