Everyone has to eat, and let’s be honest…it feels even better when eating for a cause! On May 2nd, Soulardarity is raising money to continue the fight for energy democracy! If you dine in, take out, or order online on Thursday, May 2nd at Famous Dave’s in Roseville between 12pm – 8pm and mention the Soulardarity Feast for Funds, Soulardarity will receive 20% of the total sales. Great food, a good cause, and awesome people? What are you waiting for!

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By Georgina Rannard, BBC climate reporter

A group of older Swiss women have won the first ever climate case victory in the European Court of Human Rights.

Michigan has joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general filing a motion to intervene in a lawsuit, Iowa v. SEC (USCOA Docket No. 24-1522), before the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, to defend the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's "final rule" on climate-related disclosures for investors. The rule says certain companies must also disclose direct and indirect greenhouse-gas emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat, or cooling.

Image: Mohamed_hassan via pixabay

FREE family event with over 60 earth-friendly exhibitors and hands-on activities, pertaining to everything from native plants to renewable energy. Also e-waste drop off, cooking demos, e-bike test rides, SVSU Mobile Research Lab, EVs on display, and multiple presentations by representatives from the U.S. EPA and the Sierra Club.

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Join The Cleanup Club and Walking Lightly for a community cleanup, followed by a meditation guided by Sitara Bird! 🌎

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You're invited to join the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition and the Michigan's EJ community at the bi-annual Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition Summit, themed "Rooted in our History, Reclaiming Our Power" for 2024.

Summit attendance is FREE and open to everyone. Comprehensive registration to come in the summer – in the meantime, consider adding your name and email in this Summit 2024 interest form to stay in the loop!

Stay Informed

Solar generation is one of the fastest growing renewable energy industries in the U.S. Last fall, the Michigan legislature passed bills committing the state to produce 50% of its energy by 2030 from renewable sources such as solar energy. Join the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute for Environmental Education for an evening of learning to: get informed about the basics of solar energy and its impact on climate change, discover its potential in diversifying landowners’ income and habitat usage, expose fears and misinformation surrounding solar energy, and listen to personal solar energy stories. This program is intended to provide a safe and welcoming environment to ask questions and get answers about solar energy. The summit will feature multiple speakers and a panel discussion. Speakers include: Denise Keele, Director of Michigan Climate Action Network; M. Charles Gould, Extension Bioenergy Educator with Michigan State University Extension; and Peter Sinclair, videographer and climate change communicator with Yale Climate Connections. 

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Pontiac students to breathe cleaner air thanks to 15 new electric buses

President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Provides the Single Largest Industrial Decarbonization Investment in the Nation’s History, Driving $20+ Billion in Total Investment to Revitalize Manufacturing Communities and Create and Maintain Good-Paying Jobs 

Image: jyrkijnieminen via Pixabay

By Rebecca Halleck and Dionne Searcey

Rebecca Halleck reported from St. Ignace, Mich., and the Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin. Dionne Searcey reported from New York. 

Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, which opposes the pipeline. Cydni Elledge for The New York Times 

The groups, which are springing up across the country, allow people to talk through their emotions around environmental change.

From left, Andre Hirschler, Rosie Mae Turner and Sophia Powless at a climate cafe at Jonathan Kirsch’s apartment in Brooklyn in January.Credit...Roshni Khatri for The New York Times

The Stewardship Network's Spring Challenge (April 10 - June 30, 2024) unites organizations and individuals that care for land and water to raise awareness of our collective impact and "do more together." Last year's program recorded over 50,000 hours of stewardship from over 13,00 participants! From planting to pulling, clean-ups to education, if your efforts support a healthier ecosystem where you live, please join us so together we can inspire others. Learn more and report your hours now at stewardshipnetwork.org/spring.

Psst - The Stewardship Network is providing prizes to participants via a weekly drawing to encourage early reporting!

With generous support from the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition, MiCAN mentors sets of three local storytellers through the Climate Influencer Cohort to become messengers creating climate, culture, and decarbonization content.

Young BIPOC Michiganders are undeniably the group most affected by climate change, yet historically have been left out of the conversation. We're passing the mic to diverse (racial, geographic, economic, etc.) youth (aged 18-25) whose voices will resonate with Millennial, Gen Z, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA2S+ followers, to do our part in changing the face of the climate movement to center the most marginalized.    

Participants in the 12-week, paid program gain close guidance from MiCAN staff, exposure to other members of Michigan's environmental justice movement, and climate communications experience and credibility, all while helping MiCAN reach new audiences by cultivating dialogue within their own communities, informing their peers in Michigan how they can become more climate resilient.

January - March 2024 Cohort

Mickkayla Callahan

Mickkayla is a passionate climate activist with an education in digital marketing. She has found that her marketing interests and education can make a significant impact on climate change. Weekly, she uses graphics, literature, and other visual aids to spread awareness of climate change and encourage others to take action, via her climate action council and personal endeavors. Mickkayla is a Steering Committee member of White Lake Area Climate Action Council (WLACAC) and does most of her climate work with the council. With WLACAC since its inception, she has helped it successfully encourage climate declarations, host climate scientist education series, give back to the community, and more. The council's goal is to reach net zero by 2040. Mickkayla believes her work with MICAN will enable her to use and enhance her marketing skills to guide herself and others toward net zero.

Kam Gardner

As a Community Engagement Program Manager specializing in recycling, Kam merges her passion for digital climate communications with a focus on fostering sustainable lifestyles. In her role, she intertwines her enthusiasm for recycling with a love for fashion and art to advocate for a circular economy, transforming the perception of "trash." She has a passion for educating youth through recognizable items, particularly in fashion, which allows her to present sustainability in a fresh perspective! Kam earned a Bachelor's in Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Michigan State University, and is dedicated to enhancing Detroit's environmental health. She looks for ways to support sustainable initiatives that align with her commitment to the city's well-being. Creatively expressing herself through painting, drawing, and upcycling clothing, Kam believes in preserving nature's beauty for future generations, urging conscious steps to protect our environment.

Lyla Hollis

Lyla is passionate about digital climate communications because she loves using her photography to capture and share nature around her. Not only does photography exemplify the beauty of our planet, but also the importance of maintaining and protecting Earth’s many ecosystems. With social media being so prevalent in today’s society, it is important that there is a message behind each media post. Working with MiCAN allows Lyla to inform her platforms of the various ways they can positively impact their Michigan community, while exhibiting her own creative pieces to provide motivation. Lyla's goal during her time as a climate influencer is to showcase the beauty of Michigan through social media, while encouraging change and perseverance for a better future.

MiCAN Steering Committee

MiCAN's grassroots steering committee offers a microcosm of MiCAN membership meant to promote collaboration, connection, and shared investments of time, energy, and resources to build power for the climate movement overall. Steering committee members' expectations for insight, direction, and contributions to MiCAN's operating model and grassroots mobilization objectives are outlined in the position description adopted in August 2023. See our current steering committee member organizations >

Climate Culture Club

In accordance with our mission to inspire durable cultural shifts that make climate and sustainability solutions the “right thing to do” in Michigan, MiCAN dedicates a portion of our digital community space for climate activists to connect and find joy and meaning through the discussion of climate-related media such as books, film, music, and art.

MiCAN aims to offer recommendations and resources to anyone interested in climate change, regardless of their experience or expertise. Whether you're a seasoned activist or just starting to learn about climate change, MiCAN’s Climate Culture Club on Mighty Network is a great place to connect with others, learn new things, and find inspiration. Contact Digital Community Manager Serena Amdur to get involved.

Michigan Climate Communications Network

The Michigan Climate Communications Network, founded by MiCAN at the start of 2023, is a monthly convening of communications personnel from climate-oriented organizations across Michigan and a support system that can always be contacted by email chain for rapid response in the interim. The MCCN fosters camaraderie among climate communicators and offers an open space where members can seek advice, share best practices, and contribute content for collaboration and collective promotion. If you find yourself working in a creative capacity for your organization, this group is an opportunity to get to know your colleagues, talk shop, and feel completely comfortable calling on the folks who can answer your questions and offer peer review. Contact Communications Manager Colleen Otte to join.

Climate Education Action Team

Primarily focused on informal educators and K-12, the Climate Education Action Team strives to support Michigan educators in delivering the highest quality interdisciplinary climate change education to develop informed and engaged citizens.

Higher Education for Climate Action in Michigan

Higher Education for Climate Action in Michigan (HECAM) connects higher ed faculty and students toward a shared goal of building the muscle for collaboration across colleges and universities, leveraging institutions' power to contribute to campus actions and statewide climate planning, and preparing students for a 21st century climate-literate workforce through development of a multifaceted climate change curriculum. If you are involved at the university level, learn more about the group on Mighty Network.

MiCAN is a collaborative network of more than 130 groups and 40,000+ individuals committed to taking action on climate in Michigan. MiCAN plays an important role as the statewide climate hub in forging connections between our members and coalition partners, encouraging climate conversation and awareness across local communities, and mobilizing Michigan's movement.

Quick Links:

• Become a MiCAN Member
• Join a MiCAN Community

This September, MiCAN will host the 2024 Michigan Climate Summit at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Content development is underway, and we are excited to coalesce around this year's theme, Climate Civics. Programming will explore the intersections between civic engagement, social justice, and climate action.

Goals of this year's gathering include depicting the interlocking crises of democracy and climate justice, educating the populace and empowering lifelong climate voters, and departing with tangible ways to perform our civic duty to our communities.

Please fill out the form below to add yourself to our contact list to keep informed as the event approaches.