According to a Sierra Club press release, clean energy in the United States hit a major milestone. Now more than 100 million people are living in places committed to clean energy nationwide.
As the majority of Americans support the need to invest in cleaner energy, the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis predicts that “renewables could power more of the grid than coal on an annual basis by the end of this year—for the first time in history.”
“This milestone is a victory for everyone who has been forced to breathe polluted air or drink unclean water because they lived near a dirty power plant,” Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club,” wrote. “Thanks to the dedication of local organizers across the country, fewer children will grow up with asthma. Fewer loved ones will suffer heart attacks or endure respiratory problems. It’s also an important victory in our quest for a stable climate: These clean energy commitments are the equivalent of eliminating the emissions from 66 million cars or retiring 79 coal plants.”
A recent poll conducted by Navigator revealed that 76 percent of Americans—66 percent of which were Republicans, want a future with clean energy.
With a current administration that is working in accordance with fossil fuel interests, Brune said the power of local, grassroots organizing is evident in this most recent climate action initiative. Currently “almost one in three people in this country, representing 163 cities, 13 counties, eight states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico” will live in a place committed to 100 percent clean energy, a press release stated.
“I’m excited to see what these powerful campaigns win next for their families, communities, and the planet we call home,” Brune said.
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