News
Going the Extra Mile on Car Free Day with Abigail Rome
Member Abigail Rome believes Car Free Day can do even more for those of us ready to aspire to loftier goals. Taking a car-free pledge offers an opportunity to consider not only how and when we use our automobiles, but also how we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change on a much larger scale.
Top 10 Water Documentaries
Humanity is at a crossroads when it comes to water. More severe droughts and floods as well as growing demands on our water supply are forcing us to rethink how we manage this vital resource. Much of this soul searching has been spawned by thoughtful documentaries like those listed below. As Rachel’s Network champions solutions to water challenges in Milwaukee for our Fall Retreat , watch these great films and get inspired to act.
Fracking’s Water Impact
Sucking oil and gas from dense shale formations involves drilling, explosions, toxic chemicals, and millions of gallons of water pumped at crushing pressures. Drillers maintain that these processes are well understood and tightly controlled and take place far below groundwater supplies. But ultimately the safety and quality of a well is dependent on the operator, the particularities of each site, local regulations and politics, and many other details. As water constitutes the largest component of fracking fluid by far, it is not surprising that questions about the quantity and quality of water used by drillers have been contentious.
Getting Smart About Water and Energy
Until recently, water has been one of the ignored components of power generation, but that’s changing. In 2013, the World Bank launched its Thirsty Energy program to develop solutions to electricity demands on global water supplies. The U.S. Department of Energy followed suit by releasing a similar initiative in 2014. Now that we see the connections between water and energy, let’s work with utilities and governments to build an integrated, resilient, and sustainable system that safeguards our resources.
Expert Q&A with Julia Hamm, Solar Industry Leader
What will it take to drive the large-scale transition to solar power? Rachel’s Network explores this question with Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and one of the world’s foremost experts on the nexus between utilities and solar energy. In this Q&A, Julia shares how SEPA helps utilities integrate solar energy into their portfolios, her successes, and inspiration.
Water is Life: Supporting the Clean Water Act
2014 has been a year of water-related disasters, forcing us to think about the resources most of us take for granted every day. Our waterways are critically important to our health and our way of life, and it’s clear we have to do more, not less, to protect the rivers, lakes and bays we love and depend on. Fortunately, we have a law designed to protect our waterways: the Clean Water Act.
2013 Annual Report
There’s no doubt about it: our members have achieved a lot as individuals. It takes a determined and passionate person to run a foundation or start a nonprofit. But when these women join Rachel’s Network to connect with like-minded peers, they find that their work can go further in helping advance a sustainable world. Whether it’s a connection that puts a member on the board of an important environmental organization they admire, or room to grow a nonprofit that gets funders talking about sustainable investing, we are committed to opening doors for our members and helping them access the leadership positions that fulfill their values and potential.
Expert Q&A with Janelle Orsi, Sharing Economy Lawyer
Janelle Orsi, an Ashoka Fellow sponsored by Rachel’s Network is developing legal infrastructure that supports the sharing economy through her nonprofit, the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC). Janelle took some time to tell us about her work, her accomplishments and the promise of an economy based on sharing.
Women Key to a Greener Global Economy
More women financial advisors than men report being interested in sustainable investing. According to a key 2012 study, Gateways to Impact spearheaded by the Rockefeller Foundation, Deutsche Bank Asset Management and other investment enterprises, 59 percent of women advisors surveyed expressed strong interest in advising their clients on sustainable investment strategies, compared to 34 percent of their male peers. If this trend continues, women will be key to moving sustainable investment from the margins to the mainstream.
Women Landowners and the Future of Agriculture
We’re witnessing a major demographic shift in agriculture. Over the next two decades, as aging farmers retire or leave their land to the next generation, 70 percent of the nation’s private farm and ranch land will likely change hands. One report predicts that women may own 75 percent of this transferred farmland. Rachel’s Network is working with American Farmland Trust to learn about and support these landowners.