There’s no denying 2016 was a thorny year for women and the environment. But in the days following the election, we’ve seen a renewed interest in collective action across our network and in the larger society. In our 2016 Annual Report, you’ll learn how Rachel’s Network fills a vital role in the movement for a better world.
Across the country, in spite of being more than half the population, women consistently hover around 20 percent of elected office at all levels. Sierra Club’s Gender, Equity & Environment Program Director A. Tianna Scozzaro decided to run for office last year and encourages other women environmentalists to run too.
What does it take to be resilient in challenging times? That’s the question we posed on our trip to South Florida for our Annual Meeting in March. The region has a fraught past when it comes to environmental protection, but advocates and conservationists are making progress, and Rachel’s Network was there to learn about and celebrate their efforts.
To harness the incredible energy of climate activists since the election, a coalition of environmental and women’s groups will offer a free training to pro-environment women who want to run for office on April 30, the day after the People’s Climate March in Washington, DC.
Using 2006-2015 data from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Environmental Scorecard, Rachel’s Network found that women federal legislators vote for environmental protections more often than their male counterparts in both the House and Senate.
From Washington to communities all across the country, we are continuing her fight to protect the health of American families, says Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. NRDC’s recent report on water safety documents and maps the disturbing prevalence of lead in drinking water all across America, as well as the lack of official response to numerous violations of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule.
