Climate Action Families has long participated in legislative climate work, from supporting initiatives that promote a healthy environment to blocking initiatives that harm it. Now, CAF sees another opportunity to rally around a particular legislative avenue toward a healthier environment. It’s called a Green Amendment!
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The Green Amendment movement is an effort to add environmental protections to state constitutions, similar to protections already commonly found in constitutions—such as freedom of speech or religion. The Green Amendment would make clean air, pure water and a healthy environment your constitutional right. This offers profound potential for climate activists of upcoming generations, who could use the Green Amendment as an avenue of redress when their rights to a clean environment are violated.
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The movement has already had immense success. Three states have achieved a Green Amendment— Pennsylvania, New York and Montana—and there have been many cases demonstrating the power of the Green Amendment to secure major victories against fracking, water contaminations, greenhouse gas emissions, and more. The founder of the movement, Maya K Van Rossum, is an environmental lawyer and leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network for over 30 years, and it is very exciting to announce that she is coming to Washington on a Green Amendment talking tour!
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For the Green Amendment to be possible in Washington, there needs to be significant support from youth, families, and all residents before legislators will consider bringing the amendment to the floor in the upcoming 2026 legislative session. This fall, Maya be visiting Washington state to discuss the Green Amendment with local communities and legislators. This is a great opportunity for youth and families to find out more about this giant step to securing our environmental rights. We believe we can make Washington the fourth state to secure constitutional environmental protections!
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Maya’s Seattle tour stop will be at Old Stove Brewing in Ballard on September 14, so save the date!
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We know there will be more and more climate refugees seeking to make a home in Washington in the coming years. If Washington is to be equipped for the inevitable changes of a shifting climate, then we need to be prepared on many fronts, including taking legislative action to protect our environment. As young people start to take over the climate activism of former generations, the Green Amendment offers a profound opportunity to be the kind of ancestors we they want to be while they come face to face with a fast-moving tidal wave of new climate challenges. We invite CAF’s network as well as any new connections to show up to Old Stove Brewery on September 14 and learn more!
