Dear [U.S. Senators and Congressman]

As leaders in our communities concerned about the environmental impacts and economic consequences of our current energy practices, we urge you to back a rapid and steady transition to an economy powered by clean, renewable resources. Specifically, we are asking you to co-sponsor [House/Senate Resolution], which sets a goal of meeting America’s energy needs with 100% renewable energy and expanding access to the benefits of clean energy to all; including historically under-served and disadvantaged communities.

Burning, coal, oil and gas is polluting our air, water and land. It’s harming our health and it is changing our climate even faster than scientists predicted. At the same time, low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous people often bear a disproportionate share of the impact.

We can have healthier, more vibrant communities today and a livable future for kids growing up today. But to get there, we must transform the ways we produce and consume energy. That has to start with a commitment to 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

We have already made significant progress. Thanks to local, state and federal programs, renewable energy is growing faster than anyone could have imagined. Clean energy is nearing a tipping point in our economy. Dozens of major corporations -- including General Motors, Apple, and Walmart -- have set goals to meet all of their energy needs with renewable energy.

America has an opportunity to be a leader on clean energy; reaping the economic and environmental benefits inherent in the global transition. The progress we’ve seen recently should give us the confidence that we can take renewable energy to the next level.

The good news is that there’s a viable path to 100 percent renewable energy. America has virtually unlimited reserves of renewable energy from the wind, the sun, the earth and the oceans. We could meet our current electricity needs more than 100 times over with solar energy and more than 10 times over with wind energy. Similarly, a strong commitment to saving energy with building retrofits and other energy efficiency measures can reduce our overall energy use to 40 to 60 percent below current levels by 2050, even as our economy continues to grow. And, every day we see more evidence that electric vehicles and other transportation options will help us get where we need to go without using fossil fuels.

We need to transform the way we power the country— and we need to do it fast. But, we still have a long way to go. That’s why we are calling for swift action to transition to 100 percent renewable energy and to ensure that the transition to clean energy helps lift up low-income and minority communities; that have suffered some of the worst impacts of pollution.

Please add your name to [House/Senate Resolution] to support a 100 percent renewable energy future.

Sincerely,