Empowered mothers unite to take action against the problem of climate change

Climate change is an emerging problem that governments worldwide should be more concerned about. With emissions increasing daily, from factories to cars, it's no secret that the air we breathe is getting more polluted every second. Dominique Browning, an editor by profession and a mother who is very conscious about the problem of climate change, decided to take action by forming the Moms Clean Air Force organization. It all began a decade ago when she began talking with other mothers in fields related to climate policy about the problem of climate change. It was out of these interactions that the organization was formed. 

The organization has expanded over time to become a national organization with over a million members and a dozen state chapters. Speaking to PEOPLE, Browning said, "There is no new normal. Normal is gone. We have to get rid of this idea that things are going to be normal and stable. We have to work with what we have and understand the consequences of not doing anything." She also expressed frustration when she realized how people did not take the problem of climate change seriously. She says, "People didn't understand what climate change was, why it mattered to them and why they should care. So, that's why we started Moms."

Another aspect of climate change is the intense, long-term effects that will affect future generations. Even though her two sons are adults, Browning feels a certain "maternal instinct" to protect them and future generations. Browning also talked about how getting a message to the people in charge is essential to make the right decisions and pass laws that favor less environmental harm. 

Celerah Hewes, a 44-year-old mother, joined the organization in 2017 when her daughter was only five years old. Her role in the organization involves working with oil and gas counties like New Mexico, as well as national legislation to ensure protection for families from pollution and climate change. She talked about how she took a group of children to meet with the United States Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, to raise concerns regarding plastic pollution. Reflecting on the interaction, she says it was great seeing the next generation taking responsibility and feeling empowered to make change.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, New Mexico is the second-highest crude oil producer after Texas. For Hewes, the problem of climate change stood out when she moved back to her hometown from San Francisco and noticed that temperatures had risen. Seeing this spurred concerning thoughts about what kind of world her daughter would live in and prompted her to make a difference. 

Cities across the U.S. are experiencing high temperatures. Cities in the South and Southwest such as Phoenix have been experiencing the highest climb in temperature. According to the Arizona State Climate Office, the city logged its hottest month on record in July, which also happened to be the hottest month ever observed in a U.S. city. Browning does not believe in sudden change but rather perseveres to make steady changes over time. She says, "I think that there's a lot of misunderstanding about deadlines and trigger points and what's going to happen. It is true that, as we're seeing this summer, things are unfolding more rapidly than scientists had predicted. But there is a lot that we can do and a lot that we are doing to try to get emissions down and under control."