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Scared About Climate Change? Then Check Out These Twitter Accounts

by Rebecca Schuh

As Trump and his cabinet attempt to reverse the progress that the Obama administration made on climate change, it's more vital than ever to keep up with environmental news. In the past month alone, the administration has rewritten rules that curbed U.S. emissions standards, removed protocol that required federal officials to take climate change into consideration during decision-making processes, and re-opened federal lands to coal mining; additionally, many Trump officials (including Trump himself) wish to pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change — but all this information is easily overshadowed by the non-stop flow of disturbing news and scandals coming out of the Trump White House. If we let news about the climate and other environmental concerns get lost in the media churn of "wire tapping" accusations, Sean Spicer flubs, and the miasma of terror that is Trump's Twitter account, we lose hope of fighting back against the harmful deregulation that the administration hopes to engage in.

Luckily, there are people and organizations working tirelessly to make sure that the general public stays on top of climate news. If you care about fighting back against climate change, make some of these authors, journalists, activists and leaders of the nation's top climate organizations part of your daily news intake. It will not only keep you informed on the climate crisis — it will also help you know when to call your senators, participate in marches and protests, and engage in other actions to let the government know that you care about the future of our planet.

350.org

350.org is working to build a grassroots sustainable climate movement across the globe via campaigns, direct action, and bottom-up organizing; they're also at the helm of organizing the People's Climate March on April 29th. Through these tactics, 350.org hopes to lessen the world's reliance on carbon, work towards a more sustainable economy, and protest the government to limit emissions. If you sign up at their website, you'll be in the loop on their projects and how you can get involved.

Naomi Klein

Naomi Klein has been tracking the questionable actions of governments long before Trump came into office. Her book The Shock Doctrine tracked how governments benefit from disasters by implementing profit-driven policies when societies are recovering from trauma. Her most recent work, This Changes Everything, took her analysis into the realm of big oil, the economy, and the environment. Since its publication, Klein has utilized her journalism for environmental advocacy attempting to transition the world away from fossil fuels.

On her Twitter account, Klein shares the most gripping and relevant climate journalism, retweets activists and climate organizers, and writes with realist wit about the dire circumstances of the human race and the planet. You can also sign up for her newsletter if you want more in-depth dispatches.

Eric Holthaus

Rolling Stone called Eric Holthaus the "rebel nerd of meteorology," but these days, he's up to even more than that moniker would imply — Holthaus, a meteorologist-cum-journalist, is on the front lines of the climate movement. If you want to keep up daily with what exactly is happening to our environment, don't just follow him on Twitter — consider signing up for his newsletter, "Today in Weather and Climate," or subscribing to his podcast, Warm Regards, which is about, you guessed it, global warming.

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

As it's name says, the NRDC works to defend the earth's natural resources, which the human race is already depleting at terrifying rates. They work to lessen the dependence on "dirty" energy sources like coal, and move towards "clean" renewable energy sources — priorities the Trump administration has already made clear they're not interested by.

Keep up with the NRDC on Twitter, where they tweet about their efforts to utilize the law to fight back against anti-environment regulations — including, most recently, a suit against Scott Pruitt's loosening of regulations on pesticides. Their website is also full of ways individuals can get involved in the climate movement, from specific questions you can ask representatives to information on how to make your home more sustainable. They also offer methods of getting involved with the organization itself, and provide up-to-date climate news with Trump Watch, the organization's official record of the president's anti-climate policy.

Ben Cushing

Ben Cushing works as an online organizer for environmental group the Sierra Club, and can be found live-tweeting the front line protests of the climate movement. His Twitter is helpful for figuring out which reps are fighting Trump's anti-climate policy and how best to get in touch with them. He also knows how to bring a touch of humor to the disastrous state of the world, so his tweets will definitely help you maintain a facade of normalcy in the ongoing crisis.

Go Fossil Free

This organization leads the march to get the world's powers to divest from fossil fuels. Sign up for their email list to get involved in their work, read their articles on global divestment, and check out their site for information on how to find or start a local campaign.

Mark Lynas

Lynas is an author and environmental activist — he's written several environmental books, most notably about nuclear energy and how to save the planet from the impact of human actions. These days, he works on getting the news about the climate crisis out to the general public via his website, articles, and Twitter feed. He retweets the best climate journalism around, including his own pieces for CNN.

"No Place Like Home" Podcast

Podcasts can be a low-pressure way to keep up with the news—although "low pressure" is perhaps not quite the appropriate phrase when you're hearing about climate disaster. Regardless, the No Place Like Home podcast is a vital source of climate information, conveyed in a conversational manner. Hosts Mary Ann Hitt and Anna Jane Joyner interview guests, like Joel Bach, co-creator of the series Years of Living Dangerously, and social media strategist Renee Miller, to connect listeners with not just hard news but personal stories about the impact of climate change on human lives. In the most recent episode, they discuss the initiatives involved in the Women4Climate movement.