Science Moms Launch $2 Million Campaign To Accelerate Clean Energy Transition

New ads kickstart "Cleanversations" among parents on numerous, affordable ways to get households, communities running on clean energy

NEW YORK, March 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Science Moms — a nonpartisan group of scientists who engage moms in tackling climate change — announced the launch of a $2 million ad campaign. The campaign, dubbed "Cleanversations", seeks to spark conversations about the risks that dirty energy poses to kids' health and raise awareness of the resources now available to parents and local governments to help accelerate the transition to clean energy.

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The new "Cleanversations" ads — entitled "Smoking Bus" and "Game Show" — will run through Earth Day on platforms like YouTube, Hulu, TikTok, Instagram, Out of Home, and several local TV and radio stations. This campaign is part of a consistent multi-million dollar media spend from Science Moms over the past two years to get moms off the sidelines and demand from their leaders a bold plan to stop big polluters. "Smoking Bus" dramatizes the connection between the toxic fumes found in diesel school buses and the same ones found in cigarettes, while "Game Show" taps into the over-the-top excitement a mom will feel when she discovers how huge the savings and health benefits of clean energy are for her children.

"Clean energy laws are good for our kids and the climate," said Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician, the Executive Director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, and the newest member of Science Moms. "Kids are not just little adults — they consume higher quantities of food, water, and air per pound of body weight, making them uniquely vulnerable to pollution and extreme weather events. Thankfully, there is an army of moms who have shown, time and again, that they are able to move mountains in the name of protecting our children's future. Who is more motivated to get school boards to switch from toxic diesel buses to clean electric vehicles than moms?"

"As moms, we do everything within our power to keep our kids safe — but for too long, protecting them from the effects of dirty energy and climate change wasn't possible," said Dr. Melissa Burt, a climate scientist at Colorado State University and founding member of Science Moms. "Unprecedented spikes in extreme heat, toxin-filled air from diesel school buses, and intensifying storms continue to worsen as more heat-trapping pollution is released into the atmosphere from dirty energy sources. By starting Cleanversations, Science Moms is not only educating parents on the risks of dirty energy but empowering them to implement real solutions to keep their little ones safe."

Recently-passed federal climate laws, like The Inflation Reduction Act and The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allocate hundreds of billions of dollars toward making clean energy more affordable. By offering thousands of dollars of savings for households to purchase products like heat pumps, the federal government is finally equipping parents with the means to usher in a clean energy future. Key funds allocated to local governments will institute additional needed changes — like the electrification of school bus fleets — as municipalities seek to rapidly decarbonize.

"Saving our kids' futures is more affordable than ever, and we all have a role to play," said Dr. Joellen Russell, a climate scientist at the University of Arizona and founding member of Science Moms. "This funding won't get spent automatically, but everyday moms are uniquely qualified to lead the charge and protect our kids. With Cleanversations, we're empowering moms to take steps toward a cleaner and healthier future by making clean choices at home and engaging with their local communities. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity — let's keep the mom-entum going!"

Last year, Science Moms released its action plan for tackling climate change, encouraging moms to swap out dirty energy-powered items with clean energy versions. With these new climate laws, making that swap is more affordable than ever.

Science Moms are a nonpartisan group of climate scientists and mothers. Scientists from around the country, in partnership with the Potential Energy Coalition, aim to arm moms with the tools and resources needed to act now and preserve our children's future. This current ad campaign is part of an ongoing effort to demystify climate change, talk honestly about its impact on families and give moms the information they need to help preserve the world for their kids. For more information, please visit our website at: https://sciencemoms.com/. You can take action on our website here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.