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Your Monthly Climate Digest

Clean energy benefits, fair maps, endorsements, and more

Hi John,

If you watched the State of the Union last night, you probably saw Pres. Biden make it clear that he’s investing in our communities, infrastructure, clean energy, environmental justice, and climate solutions across the country.

Thanks to bills he passed as part of his Affordable Clean Energy Plan, homeowners can save money on clean energy home improvements. People like Don Beduhn, who spoke with one of our canvassers, have already taken advantage of these benefits. Watch Don’s story here. 

Thanks to the bills Biden passed, there are tons of opportunities for you to save money and protect the environment. Are you thinking about getting a home energy audit, installing solar, getting an electric car, or installing a heat pump? You can save up to 30 percent on those projects. Find all the resources you need on our website here.

Since last fall, we’ve been talking with homeowners at their doors about how they can take advantage of these federal benefits. Our canvassing efforts have been so successful in spreading the word that I was invited to the White House to meet with John Podesta, the senior advisor to the president for international climate policy, to talk about our work. They are learning from our success so they can repeat these efforts around the country to make more people aware of these benefits. 

This landmark legislation truly gives us the opportunity to protect the environment and build a sustainable future. It’s happening right now and each one of us can take small actions to be part of this movement. 

We have a lot happening right now, scroll down to learn more about the rest of our work:

• Wisconsin has fair maps!

• Our spring endorsements are live!

• Vote NO on extreme ballot measures in April

• The Wisconsin Native Vote team is making a splash

• Celebrating African American pioneers in Milwaukee

Thank you for being a conservation voter,

Kerry Schumann

Executive Director

Wisconsin has fair maps!

After a decade of organizing, lobbying, and advocating for fair maps in our state, we finally did it – we have fair maps! Under the Walker-era gerrymander, we’ve been struggling with contaminated drinking water for years. Our freedom to vote is under constant bombardment. Climate change is having dire effects. 

But now, Wisconsin is turning the page to a new, hopeful chapter. This fall, we will be running major campaigns in newly competitive legislative districts to elect conservation champions. Your generous gifts will help to recruit candidates, educate voters about important opportunities to protect the environment through legislative action, and elect legislators who will take action on our issues. 

This is a moment packed with potential, and you can help unleash it.

Donate today >>>

Our spring endorsements are live!

We endorsed over 70 local candidates around the state whose values intersect with our own: clean water, clean air, accessible public lands, an equitable, safe democracy, and the pursuit of clean energy. Some highlights:

• In Wausau, Mayor Katie Rosenberg is running for a second term to continue her leadership on clean drinking water.
• In Green Bay, we’ve endorsed seven candidates who are running to take back their city council from election conspiracy theorists and climate change deniers, so Green Bay can prioritize climate resilience and the transition to a clean energy future.
• In Columbia County we’ve endorsed seven candidates who are running to flip the county board to a pro-solar, pro-jobs, pro-environment majority that will stand up to fossil fuel industry-funded efforts to undermine renewable energy.
• Voters can flip the Portage County Board to a pro-conservation majority that will work to protect drinking water from pollution caused by factory farms.
• In LaCrosse County, Kelly Liebold’s opponent was one of Donald Trump’s fake electors in the 2020 election. We can’t trust our democracy to someone who doesn’t trust democracy. We need leaders like Kelly.

Give today to support our spring election efforts and help communities across Wisconsin move forward on clean water, clean energy, and protecting democracy. 

See our slate of spring endorsements here and find all the voting info you need to vote on Tuesday, April 2.

Vote no on the constitutional amendments on the April ballot

No matter our race, background, or zip code, Wisconsinites know that voting is a fundamental right. Yet, Republicans in the state legislature placed binding constitutional amendments on the April ballot. If approved, these would limit local government's ability to receive funds from outside organizations or individuals to assist with election administration and restrict who can help with elections.

During the pandemic, some municipalities were able to  provide hand sanitizer and masks and use grant funds to hire more staff to minimize long lines and frustrating waits.

In April, vote NO on both of these extreme ballot measures.

The Wisconsin Native Vote team is making a splash

The Wisconsin Native Vote team, part of our sister organization Wisconsin Conservation Voices, have been hard at work building relationships and encouraging people to vote around the state. 

In February, the team attended the State of the Tribes Address in Madison and spent multiple days meeting with the top tribal officials in Indian Country. These long-time relationships have led to important collaborations with tribal governments that have helped significantly increase voter turnout in these communities. 

On March 1, Native Vote Organizer Anne Egan-Waukau (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) put together a well-attended event in Milwaukee at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, which generated a number of media clips, like this one. The event celebrated the installation of the mural by Chistopher Sweet (Ho-Chunk) and emphasized the importance of healthcare and voting. 

From left to right: staff and friends at the State of the Tribes Address in the State Capitol; community members gathered in Milwaukee for the mural celebration; Anne Egan-Waukau speaking at the mural event

Celebrating African American pioneers in Milwaukee

On Feb. 19, we were honored to sponsor and attend the fifth annual African American Environmental Pioneer Awards in Milwaukee. This event is central to the environmental community in the city and was started as a way to uplift environmental justice and highlight the people paving the way for a just environmental movement. See a list of the awardees here. 

Thanks to our partners at Nearby Nature Milwaukee and Milwaukee Water Commons for all their hard work putting this event together. 

Wisconsin Conservation Voters
133 S. Butler Street Suite 320
Madison, WI 53703
United States

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