What Is The Affected Generation?
The Affected Generation is a group founded by two inspiring youth Charlie Abrams and Jeremy Clark. We started this organization to get other youth voices heard in our fight for the political side of climate change. Based in Oregon our goal is to get a Carbon Cap and Trade on our beautiful state to effectively and efficiently stop only the highest polluters to get them to switch to clean renewable energy and join the Coal to Clean movement.
Our generation is feeling the drastic changes of climate change and that is why we need to step up and act out. We are the Affected Generation and we are making a difference.
Who we are
We are Charlie Abrams and Jeremy Clark and since the fourth grade, we have been passionate about fighting climate change. Our work has changed in the past six years as so has our story. We started out on our local radio station and immediately got the attention of others like the founders of Our Climate. Through speaking and working with them we got introduced to the political side of climate change and grew apart of others like Renew Oregon and Citizens Climate Lobby. CCL showed us what it was like to lobby on the other side of the country in Washington D.C. and through Renew we have lobbied, testified, met with our governor and worked alongside our elected officials. All this action caught the attention of awards like the Children’s Climate Prize in Stockholm Sweden, the Youth Eco Hero Prize, and international youth summits. In just sixth grade Charlie testified in front of his public school board and ended up getting climate change taught as a man-made fact in Portland Public Schools to over 60,000 kids while Jeremy’s video of him testifying later that year went viral and was on Leonardo DiCaprio’s Instagram. Our personal goals now are not just to inspire and educate others but to see our effects in the legislation that our states and country need to implement. We try to capitalize youth voice in such an important issue because the time for action is now.
our mission
In fourth grade education and inspiration were our largest goals, we made a blog to share the science behind climate change from the “Affected Generation’s Perspective”. We've spoke out as much we could from public events to assemblies at our own school. Not long after, we wanted to have more of an impact, so every year of middle school we decided to take real action lobbying, testifying and speaking out. Our 6th 7th and 8th-grade years we worked with climate organizations around Oregon at our state capitol. There has never been a more urgent time to join the carbon pricing movement, every 1 in 5 states in the US alone are using effective carbon pricing legislation and we have seen how well it works. Clean Energy Jobs is the carbon cap and trade bill for Oregon that has been 11 years in the making. To get it to pass this year we need as much youth as possible to get the affected generation's voice heard. We do not have any more time to wait because our future is on the line.
Take action with us
Last year the Oregon Capitol had the largest turnout for an environmental issue in the history of our state. This not only shows how important a carbon price is for Oregon but puts pressure on our politicians. This legislative session we need as much youth as possible, in every meeting we have been in with our state or country’s representatives our voice has stood out because they are not used to hearing a 14-year-old’s view on climate legislation and every single word we say leaves more of an impact. You are alive at a critical time where your voice can change the fate of Oregon and our future. We have seen the effects of climate change on the news below the “Record Breaking” title and we know this has not occurred in history because this is creating history. Our generation, the Affected Generation has the opportunity to advocate for action in Oregon to be an environmental leader again. We need the largest youth voice Oregon has seen to show how much this matters to us. We need you to join us this year to demand a sustainable climate for all.
OUR VOICE IN THE 2018 session
Carbon cap and trade program
In most states with cap and trade, and for the Clean Energy Jobs bill the biggest polluters in the state must emit over 25,000 million tons of carbon annually to be eligible for the program. Companies who are members of the program must buy licenses from the state to emit carbon dioxide. The state only sells a certain amount of licenses, which creates the “cap” element. If a company exceeds the amount of carbon they are permitted to produce, they are penalized. If a company does not meet their cap, they can sell the remaining licenses to other companies through a state auction. This is the “trade element”. All the revenue from the program gets reinvested into the state. It can be used for carbon sequestration, training citizens for renewable energy careers, preparing communities for the effects of climate change, making homes and businesses more energy efficient, improving irrigation systems for farmers, and giving economically disadvantaged communities a financial boost. These are all examples of investments that a bill in my state called “Clean Energy Jobs” will make. Experts predict it will generate 700 million dollars of revenue annually, and will grow the economy.
WILL A CARBON CAP INCREASE ENERGY PRICES?
Opposers of Carbon Cap and Trade legislation like Clean Energy Jobs in Oregon say the bill will cripple Oregon businesses by increasing gas prices by 16 cents per gallon. Because cap and trade is more adaptable than taxation, this estimate makes no sense for a bill like CEJ. "16 cents" has no scientific proof and isn't based on records on any type. In fact, some of the the states and provinces that have implemented a cap and trade program or similar legislation, gas prices have actually fallen. As for electricity, every state in America (which is over 1 in 5 ) that has implemented cap and trade, electricity prices have fallen. That’s because 35 percent of the revenue generated (about 245 million dollars) will be given to utilities to reduce the electricity prices of “economically disadvantaged communities”. Inaction will only lead to trillions of dollars in damage, millions of lives lost, and a future unfit for life.
WHAT ABOUT FARMERS?
Numerous farms in Oregon would be eligible for the program, but most would actually benefit from Clean Energy Jobs. Clean Energy Jobs sets aside 20% of its funds for rural communities, which will be some of the hardest hit by climate change. Rural communities are most often the ones with the most farmers. Even for the short term, Clean Energy Jobs benefits farmers. If Oregon and other states do their part, farmers won’t suffer from severe droughts devastating their crops and destroying their businesses. Consequently, citizens of Oregon won’t have to worry about skyrocketing grocery prices. It’s really a win-win for everyone.
JOBS WILL NOT LEAVE
Along with the “16 cents” estimate, the opposers of Clean Energy Jobs argue that extra fees will allow give businesses from other states like Idaho an unfair price advantage, which will prompt them to import cheaper goods into Oregon, thus hurting Oregon's or other state's economy. Lawmakers took these legitimate concerns into consideration while making amendments, and created a 90% license discount for industries concerned about Clean Energy Jobs like cement and paper manufacturers. Ontario, Canada proves that the local economy can still prosper with a cap and trade policy. Businesses are actually investing in Ontario’s economy, which has resulted in growth since the policy was implemented. The manufacturing industry in California has also grown since their cap and trade policy was implemented, proving that cap and trade does not damage the economy.
RENEW OREGON
Below is a short clip of one of last years lobby days for the Clean Energy Jobs bill having the largest turnout for an environmental issue in the history of Oregon, presented by Renew Oregon.
citizens climate lobby
Below is an animation by Citizens Climate Lobby projecting simply what a carbon cap and trade program is and their view on a carbon price.
Our climate
Below shows some of the effects of climate change as seen by small businesses and how a carbon price is necessary and would benefit them.
JOIN us
We need as much youth voice as possible for a movement this necessary. Join us to be on the front lines of climate legislation in Oregon, this is the most important session yet so join our mailing list to learn more about us or contact us to ask any questions and leave comments.
Credits:
Created with images by JuergenPM - "tree field cornfield nature landscape sky clouds" • Boyan Lepoev - "Deep Ice on the Perito Moreno glacier" • Austin Neill - "untitled image" • Jeremy Bishop - "Lost in Hawaii" • Jeremy Bishop - "Yosemite Valley" • SD-Pictures - "industry sunrise air" • Andy Feliciotti (@someguy) - "United States Capitol on Sunny Day"