The Aftermath of the Presidential Election

We don’t often talk about Presidential politics at Stand.earth, but the events of the last few days can’t be ignored.

We don’t often talk about Presidential politics at Stand.earth, but the events of the last few days can’t be ignored. There is a great deal of pain in the United States and it exists on all levels with the election of Trump. Apparently climate change is a hoax and  our neighbors are to be feared, and hated, if they have brown skin. On women’s issues, it seems like we’ve landed somewhere back in the seventeenth century.

This election, more than any other in my lifetime, felt like a body blow. Part of that is because we have elected someone who lies on a nearly continuous basis, treats women like objects, and promotes hate and division. This was not much of a secret – but millions of Americans, including people I know and love (but no longer understand), decided that character didn’t matter. I think it also felt especially like a gut-punch because so much is at stake right now in our country on issues of equity and racial equality, on LGBT rights, on climate change and on the top 1% consuming nearly all the wealth our country produces. The list goes on. We have no time to lose – yet we face the prospect of losing far more than time.

And while the day after the election was a time to feel, to mourn, to seethe, and to cry, today and every day hereafter is a time to take action. We have much to do and despite Trump, we will do it.

At Stand.earth, our approach doesn’t depend on playing the inside-the-Beltway game. We do need to win there – but for the next four years making progress elsewhere has never been more important. It’s our specialty. Our work helps mobilize and empower community activists all over North America to stand up to fossil fuel projects like oil train terminals and pipelines than endanger people and damage our planet. We don’t need Washington, DC for that.

We also hold the largest brands accountable for their impacts on our climate, on forests, and on people. By motivating some of the largest companies in the world and helping them direct millions of dollars in purchasing power away from destructive logging and energy projects, we have protected millions of acres of forest and wildlands. We need to protect millions of additional acres in the coming years and challenge fossil fuel projects. We don’t need Washington, DC for that either.

But we do need you. When you are ready, when you absorb the body blow of this election, we will be here. And we need you to do even more in the coming weeks, months and years to help us make change happen wherever we can. And we certainly don’t need Washington, DC for that.

From everyone here at Stand.earth: we love you and look forward, even in these trying times – no, wait – especially in these trying times, to make real change happen no matter who occupies the White House.