As you get ready to enjoy the end of the cool days, here are some April Notables –some events and good reads that you might find useful.
Arizona History Happy Hour. So, I’ll be a special guest on Marshall Shore’s Arizona History Happy Hour, this Thursday at 7pm. I’ll be sharing trivia about Arizona’s political history. I’m no historian, but I do have some great stories to share from tank commanders-turned politicians to notable firsts in Arizona politics. So, sign up, pour a drink and join us!
Fight for our Future Rally at the Capitol. To mark Earth Day this year, The Climate Action Campaign is joining a nationwide mobilization to crank up the pressure on our elected leaders to get bold climate and clean energy investments done. On Saturday, April 23, Arizonans are rallying for Climate, Care, Jobs, Justice here in Phoenix because now is the time to give it everything we’ve got. Join on Saturday, April 23 to send lawmakers at all levels a message they can’t ignore – Climate, Care, Jobs, Justice.
This event is co-sponsored by Arizona Interfaith Power & Light, Arizona Working Families Party, Climate Action Campaign, EcoMadres, EDF Action (Advocacy Partner of The Environmental Defense Fund), Green New Deal Network, Moms Clean Air Force, Poder Latinx, & Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter
Maricopa County Solar Co-Op forming Now. A group called Solar United Neighbors, or SUN, organizes home owners to buy solar panels and batteries at lower prices. By organizing a critical mass of home owners, they are able to work with solar and battery installers to get better prices. So, if you want panels but never did it because you either thought they were too expensive, or did not trust some of the companies that sell solar panels door-to-door, SUN can help you get what you are looking for –from trusted installers at a better price.
Right to Repair. Have you heard of the movement to force companies to make it easier (like it used to be) to repair products we purchase, rather than being forced to toss them in landfills? It’s called Right to Repair. The most famous example, I think, is that John Deere installed locks on tractors so that their technicians have to repair them at greater cost to the farmer. Personally, I’ve had to throw things away, or recycle them the best I can, that had one small defect, which I could have repaired with the right piece or tool. There are efforts to pass an act in the US, as they have been passed in Europe, to give some power back to consumers. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund compiled repairability rankings for 186 phones and laptops, grading manufacturers on whether they are Failing the Fix.
Earth Day Celebrations. There are a bunch of things you can do to activate and entertain on Earth Day, or the days around them this month. A few are notable, and close by. Check out Keep Phoenix Beautiful’s 10th Anniversary Earth Day Celebration at Cesar Chavez Park. Chispa Arizona is also hosting an event in El Oso Park in the west valley where a number of organizations are coming together for one event.
Turning Golf Courses in to Nature Preserves. You may have seen my video about why the City of Phoenix should not be in the business of owning golf courses. They own about 9 of them. But it is notable that there are about 160 golf courses in the greater valley, which use the same amount of water annually as 130,000 homes. Let that sink in. In any case, it was heartening to see this story in AZ Central about the community that worked to purchase a failed golf course and turned it in to a conservation area. This provides green space, habitat, water conservation, aquifer replenishment and sustainability to a very unsustainable valley.
Buildings — the Biggest Carbon Contributor. Did you know that nationally, buildings use 75% of the amount of energy produced overall and account for 40% of carbon emissions? I was surprised to hear that, but it makes sense. We use a ton of energy just to heat and cool them. There is an incredible amount of value in energy efficiency that needs to be prioritized by lawmakers. You can learn more here: The elephant in the room.
