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Want to see stronger climate change policies? Elect more women as lawmakers

Joakim Honkasalo/Unsplash, Yale Climate Connections/Twitter

Despite the denial of the misinformed and delayed actions of politicians, climate change is the story of our time. Every reputable scientific organization on the planet agrees. Every signatory to the historic Paris Accord, which is basically every single one of the world's countries, agrees. Even the U.S. government agrees, with official government climate change reports totally contradicting what the president says and tweets. If we fail to address the very real threats climate change poses to life on our planet, it will be to our peril.

So what do we do about the fact that he leaders of the world are failing to address climate change in a meaningful and effective manner? According to a study out of Australia's Curtin University, there is one promising solution—elect more women into office.

RELATED: Look at the photos and videos of thousands of youth demanding climate change action NOW.

The study, which examined the legislatures of 91 countries, found that the more women a country has in lawmaking positions, the more stringent the country's climate change policies are. Conducted by economics professors Astghik Mavisakalyan and Yashar Tarverdi, the study included many different factors, including GDP per capita, education statistics, and the political orientation of each country. According to the study authors, none of these factors could explain the link between greater female leadership and stronger climate policies.

In fact, their findings indicate that "this relationship is likely to be causal." In other words, it appears that placing women in positions of power may lead directly to stricter climate change legislation. And that relationship has real world impact as well. The study shows that "through its effect on the stringency of climate change policies, the representation of females in parliament results in lower carbon dioxide emissions."

“We found that female representation in national parliaments does lead countries to adopt more stringent climate ch… https://t.co/KyzGcxPgvp
— Climate Connections (@Climate Connections) 1568388606

We've seen how women of all ages are leading the charge when it comes to climate change. From the mighty teen Greta Thunberg to the mighty elder Jane Fonda, the health and future of our planet is in strong female hands. But to make a difference in the halls of government, where earth-saving regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuels takes place, we need more women in positions of direct lawmaking influence. It's not enough to have women raising their voices—we also need them taking seats in legislative bodies.

RELATED: Think women don't win elections? They do. And more of them should run.

Considering the fact that women are more directly impacted by the effects of climate change, perhaps the findings of this study are not surprising. Add in the fact that women statistically make better leaders than men, and it makes sense that female lawmakers would be more likely to lead the way on the world's most pressing challenge.

Naturally, battling climate change is not as simple as electing more women, and there is certainly debate to be had on how best to mitigate the climate crisis. But it's not debatable that immediate action is vital for the well-being of our planet and every living thing on it. It's now clear that women take fiercer action on climate change when they are elected, and it's been proven that women win elections when they run. So this seems like a no brainer.

Let's get more women on the ballot and elect more of them to office. The future of our planet might literally depend on it.

Culture

An artist built seesaws into the US-Mexico border and invited kids to play on them

Ronald Rael/Instagram

James Baldwin said, "The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers."

What an apt description of a new art installation at the southern border.

A set of bright pink teeter-totters extend into both the U.S. and Mexico through the barrier between the two countries. Children and adults on both sides of the border can play together, seesawing up and down, their view of one another partially obscured by the vertical steel slats that separate them.

See on Instagram

RELATED: Over two dozen scientists have proposed a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border that we should start building right now

Ronald Rael, professor of architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and Virginia San Fratello, associate professor of design at San José State University, came up with the conceptual drawings for the "Teetertotter Wall" in 2009. With the help of others, the two professors created the scene this week near El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and shared images and video of it on Instagram.

"The wall became a literal fulcrum for U.S.-Mexico relations," Real wrote on Instagram, "and children and adults were connected in meaningful ways on both sides with the recognition that the actions that take place on one side have a direct consequence on the other side."

Raell said the event was "filled with joy, excitement, and togetherness."

The images are beautiful and uplifting, yet heartbreaking and tragic at the same time.

The current administration's answers to immigration questions are to build a bigger wall, to severely limit people's claim to asylum, to stoke the fires of fear and prejudice about immigrants from certain ethnicities, and to deter migration with inhumane detention practices.

RELATED: An actual engineer explains why the wall is 'a disaster of numerous types waiting to happen'

This art installation brings to the surface the deep questions those answers hide.

What is the difference between the children on this side of the wall and the children on the other side?

Does the geography of our birth really determine whether or not we deserve safety and freedom?

How do children playing together—as they do universally—become adults who make desperate journeys, adults who create unjust policies, adults who forget their humanity and steal people's babies from their arms?

Will history view this wall as it does most other walls built throughout history—as relics of a less evolved past when humans insisted on dividing themselves into artificial groups and factions?

Turning the much-debated border wall into a playground, even temporarily, reminds us of the axiom that children are children are children. It reminds us that no matter how complex we think immigration issues are, we cannot ignore the simple truth that we are all human beings.

NASA

When we look at our planet from space, we see no borders. That doesn't mean that borders don't or should never exist in any way, but it does mean that those separations are completely man-made and malleable. Here on the ground, it's easy to forget that. It's easy to start thinking of "us" and "them" as if those lines on a map are of greater importance than our shared humanity.

Watching innocent children play is a good reminder that nothing trumps the fact that we are all human beings, all deserving of the same basic human rights, regardless of what side of a border we come from.

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New Zealand will be the first country in the world to offer victims of domestic violence paid leave.

The new bill, which takes effect in 2019, allows those who are leaving abusive relationships 10 days off work (in addition to any paid sick time) in order to find new lodging. The new legislation also lets employees ask employers for flexible work schedules as they adjust to their new lives.

This piece of legislation was seven years in the making, and it's a huge win. In New Zealand, the rates of domestic and family violence are reportedly some of the highest in the world — according to a New Zealand Herald article from 2017, approximately "525,000 people are harmed by family violence on an annual basis."

— (@)

This bill is an important way forward in creating tangible ways to support people living in violent situations.

Jan Logie, a member of New Zealand's House of Representatives and the author of the bill, emphasized that domestic violence isn't just limited to the home.

"It reaches into workplaces all over our country: stalking, constant emails, attacks, or threats in and outside of the workplace making her late or making her miss work altogether, punishing her for being late," she said during the final debate on the bill.

By mitigating the fear of economic insecurity that prevents many people from leaving violent situations, the bill sends a clear message that domestic violence is not the fault of the victim and that leaving an abusive relationship shouldn't come with negative financial repercussions.

— (@)

New Zealand's win is an example of policy done right. Other countries should consider following suit.

Domestic violence is, unfortunately, a global problem. According to the World Health Organization, 30% of women worldwide have experienced physical abuse at the hands of an intimate partner. And, in America, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of domestic violence in their lifetime, according to The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. And as the world fights to end this phenomenon, it's imperative that victims be supported on a wide systemic level.

New Zealand is leading by example. The rest of the world should take immediate notice.

This city might have discovered how to end homelessness. And it's sharing the secret.

Of the nearly 600,000 people who experience homelessness on any given night in the United States, more than 40,000 are veterans.

But in the city of Riverside, California, that number has dropped to something known as "functional zero."

The city has maintained functional zero — meaning the number of people experiencing homelessness is less than the monthly housing placement rate — since 2016.

Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey says that as a veteran himself, he had to try to solve this problem. "Some of my own neighbors have become homeless, and they've been erased from society and ended up dying because of homelessness," he says.

[rebelmouse-image 19476268 dam="1" original_size="465x222" caption="Photo via Chris Murphy/Unsplash." expand=1]Photo via Chris Murphy/Unsplash.

Bailey joined 77 mayors, four governors, and four county officials from across the country in committing to end veteran homelessness.

The movement is a part of former first lady Michelle Obama's program "Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness," an extension of the 2010 program Opening Doors. Opening Doors combined the use of federal resources and local leadership to help communities put a plan in place to ensure homelessness is prevented whenever possible. Or if it can't be prevented, it is a brief, and non-recurring experience.

Bailey attributes Riverside's success to the city's Housing First Policy.

"You can't end homelessness without housing," says Bailey. "Becoming homeless is a vicious cycle our neighbors without homes end up in, and the sooner we can take them out of that cycle the better, the sooner we can place them into housing, the better."

It all starts with the city's Homeless Outreach Team, who first gets to know people who are homeless and help them feel like they are part of the community.

The team assesses health care needs, learns about their family, and builds a relationship of trust with each individual until they are ready to accept help in finding housing.

The policy uses a combination of local, state, and federal resources to create enough affordable housing options to meet the amount of unsheltered persons living within city limits, along with wrap-around support services put in place to help those who battle with substance abuse and mental health issues.

Bailey says the first step is helping homeless veterans take advantage of programs that were already put in place through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This means taking additional steps that often go overlooked, such as helping veterans obtain valid IDs and convincing landlords and accept housing vouchers. Bailey says the city even offers some landlords annual stipends of up to $250 to cover the cost of any repairs housing units may need.

Photo courtesy of Lechenie Narkomanii.

And the policy seems to be working.

Since the city first identified 80 veterans who were homeless in early 2016, Riverside has consistently maintained its veteran homeless population of functional zero.

"Now that we have this model, we can take it to the rest of the population," says Bailey. "They're all human beings, and we're all neighbors here in Riverside."

Now that veteran homelessness has been greatly reduced, the city is focusing on high school and college students without homes.

Riverside is home to thousands of high school and college students, many of whom have no place to live. Bailey says the city is working with schools to determine which students are currently homeless and create housing projects in areas of need, but with the stigma attached, identifying students in need is sometimes a difficult process.

Now that a potential solution to aiding people who are homeless seems to be working in Riverside, city officials are working with other regional leaders to spread their success to neighboring communities. The Western Riverside Council of Governments is made up of 18 cities, and members of WRCOG are optimistic that what works in Riverside can work in their communities as well.

"It's important for us to work on this together," says Bailey. There's no city limits to homelessness.

The Made by Refugee campaign updates products in an important way.

Did you know that Sriracha was the creation of a Vietnamese refugee named David Tran? Neither did art students Jillian Young and Kien Quan.

The Miami Ad School students were reading up on the refugee crisis and how refugees have so often been treated as unwelcome through history when they came to a realization: Refugees have probably contributed a lot to society in ways many of us don't even know about.

After stumbling upon the fascinating refugee history of Sriracha, they set out to find other refugee-created products that exist in the world around us.

David Tran's Sriracha. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

With a little research, the pair learned that not only have refugees created some iconic products, but it's almost unimaginable to think of a world without their contributions to art, literature, science, and technology.

Refugees are not "takers" or some sort of net-negative drain on whatever country takes them in. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Here are just 30 things refugees have made or done that you should know about:

German refugee(1) Albert Einstein helped shape the modern understanding of physics with his body of scientific work such as the theory of relativity and his role in developing quantum theory. Austrian-born refugee (2) Carl Djerassi helped invent the birth control pill. In 1922, (3) Alec Issigonis, fled Turkey before going on to design the iconic Mini Cooper.

#3: Carl Djerassi revolutionized family planning. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

(4) Enrico Fermi was instrumental in the development of the atomic bomb, (5) Sergey Brin co-founded Google, and (6) Max Born won the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on quantum mechanics. Millions of people around the world have read (7) Anne Frank's diary. Unfortunately, Frank and her family were turned away when they sought asylum in the U.S., just like (8) Felix Salten, the author of "Bambi," who fled Austria for Switzerland in 1936.

(9) Victor Hugo, author of works such as "Les Misérables" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," fled France. "Heart of Darkness" author (10) Joseph Conrad, 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature winner (11) Thomas Mann, and "The House of the Spirits" author (12) Isabel Allende were also refugees.

#7: Anne Frank's diary gave the world an inside look at wartime persecution. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

At 24 years old, (13)the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet. A human rights advocate, the Dalai Lama won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. Philosopher (14) Karl Marx fled Germany for London, philosopher and "The Open Society and Its Enemies" author (15) Karl Popper fled Austria as a child, and famed psychoanalyst (16) Sigmund Freud fled Austria to escape Nazi persecution.

#13: The Dalai Lama's reputation as a humanitarian is well-earned. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

Queen singer (17) Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar but fled with his parents to London amid a violent revolution. Composer (18) Bela Bartók sought refuge in the United States during World War II. Singer (19) K'nann was a refugee from Somalia, musician (20) Regina Spektor's family fled Russia for the United States when she was a child, and singer (21) Gloria Estafan was a Cuban refugee. Sri Lankan artist (22) M.I.A., Haitian (23) Wyclef Jean, Yugoslavian (24) Rita Ora, and Jamaican (25) Bob Marley all have histories as refugees as well.

#17: Freddie Mercury went from refugee to rock and roll legend. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

The world of politics has its own share of refugees, including South African President (26) Thabo Mbeki, U.S. Secretaries of State (27) Madeleine Albright and (28) Henry Kissinger, and Canadian politicians (29) Maryam Monsef and (30) Adrienne Louise Clarkson were all refugees before entering public service.

Is this the face of the next great scientist? Will he one day create art beloved around the world? Maybe. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

So how are you to know if a refugee is responsible for helping create something you love?

After all, it's not like every bottle of Sriracha or every Regina Spektor album comes with a handy label. Until now, that is.

Yong and Quan used their design skills to create exactly that — launching the label as part of their Made by Refugee campaign, a "product hijacking" operation. Using the orange and black refugee flag from the 2016 Olympics, the pair designed some simple stickers with a powerful message of recognition.

This easy awareness campaign has the power to change the world for the better. Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

The sticker template is available for anyone to print out and place on refugee-made products to help spread awareness on their own.

In doing so, Quan and Young hope the stickers are able to shift how people see refugees as a group.

"People cast [refugees] as beggars, unassimilated foreigners, or burdens on a society’s resources," writes Quan in an e-mail. "[Refugees] are rarely emphasized for their individual talents or potential. We wanted to challenge the stereotype by highlighting the contributions they have made to our everyday lives."

Photo via Jillian Young and Kien Quan, used with permission.

For more about the campaign, check out their Facebook page and watch the product hijacking in action in their video below:

'For many people around the globe, [St. Patrick] is ... the patron of immigrants.'

In his final St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House as Ireland's leader, Enda Kenny, offered some timely thoughts on immigration.

GIFs via The White House/YouTube.

In a bit of advice to the U.S. — an old friend of Ireland — the Irish prime minister recounted how immigration helped mold a strong relationship between the two countries, making a subtle plea to the new president to look for the value in those who wish to come to the U.S.

Kenny urged Trump to find a compassionate solution to undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

"There are millions out there who want to play their part for America — if you like, who want to make America great. Heard it before?" Kenny joked, offering up a simple, friendly, and clear message:

Whether Trump takes Kenny up on his advice is anyone's guess, but it's certainly a message worth spreading.

Check out the full address below, beginning about 10 minutes in:

Trump won. Now what?

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

President-elect Trump ran a campaign of exclusion and fear. So until he shows us otherwise, it's smart to hope for the best but expect the worst when it comes to his governing style.

But there is some ... good news. There are 70 full days between noon Eastern time today, Nov. 10, 2016, and noon on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2017.

If Trump intends to act on any or all of the promises he made in the past 18 months, there are a few things you and your family might want to do now to prepare for a Trump presidency.

Here they are:

1. If you're working or living in this country on a visa, work permit, or outdated passport, know the status of your documents.

Photo by Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images.

Trump campaigned on building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and didn't rule out mass deportations. As news of his election spread, uncertainty and fear took over.

"They are crying in despair," immigrant advocate Gaby Pacheco wrote in a Facebook post. "To those who voted for Trump, know that you have put a target on our backs."

Before Trump makes any sweeping changes to immigration policy, make sure you and your family secure or renew your work permits or visas as needed.

Also, if you're transgender, take this time to secure or renew your passport in your correct gender. That may be very difficult to do under the new administration.

2. Talk to your health care provider about birth control options that will outlast a Trump presidency.

Image via iStock.

Under the Obama administration, Congress worked tirelessly to defund Planned Parenthood and push abstinence-only sex education. With Obama in the Oval Office, their plans stopped cold. He even delivered on free birth control. But that may change.

Abortion providers and reproductive justice organizations remained optimistic in the wake of the news. “He’s not the first Republican president who has wanted to overturn Roe," National Abortion Federation President Vicki Saporta told BuzzFeed News. "Ronald Regan and the two Bushes did, and none of them were successful.”

Even so, if Trump rolls back Obamacare or cuts funding to Planned Parenthood and other community health organizations, many women and families could be left without affordable contraception options. If you're currently taking birth control, talk to your health care provider about options for reversible, long-term birth control like implants or intra-uterine devices. Depending on your plan, or lack thereof, these options may be available for free or a reduced cost.

3. Get loud and serious about climate change.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

We're about to have a president who thinks global warming is a hoax.

Just one day after the election, stock in the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines plummeted. The future of green jobs, much-needed regulation, and tough policy looks bleak.

But we can do a lot in 70 days and after that. It's time to get loud. We need to stand by our experts, our academics, our Leonardo DiCaprios and make this the issue of our day. Because it is. In the interim, make small changes around your home and re-think the way you eat, shop, and travel. Small changes can add up, and in the wake of sweeping change, it's all we've got.

4. Support organizations making all of these things possible with your time, energy, or dollars.

Image via iStock.

Helping new residents and undocumented families, protecting reproductive rights, and funding green innovations isn't often easy or cheap. There are people and organizations working hard to do all of these things and much, much more. But these organizations can't persist without support.

Step up to the plate and volunteer. If you have the capacity to do so, contribute money or in-kind donations. Tweet, talk-up, and share the brilliant work these organizations do so those in need can find these valuable resources.

5. Embrace kindness.

Support people who don't feel at home in Trump's America.

Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images.

This one isn't just for the next 70 days; it's forever.

Trump succeeded because he used hate and fear to divide and activate the electorate. He was openly hostile to Latinos, Muslims, blacks, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. And while that worked for his campaign, that's no way to run a country. All of us dedicated to goodness, truth, and kindness need to stand together and stand up to white supremacy, misogyny, and discrimination.

Let's stand together, no matter what. Embrace kindness. Listen to and uplift underrepresented voices. Don't look to Canada; look right here. Let's make the country we want. Bigotry will not win the day.

We have — at most — 70 days before Obama hands the White House over to Trump.

But we have a lifetime to work toward a common goal: creating a nation and government that works for all of us.

It starts today.