Earth to Voters: Practical Tips to Protect the Planet This Election

With rising temperatures, unpredictable extreme weather events, recent global agreements to halve carbon emissions by 2030, and so much more—it’s no secret that the 2024 US election is a crucial turning point in the fight for positive climate progress and environmental justice.

As Election Day approaches, it’s important to remember that our choices carry profound impacts far beyond party lines. Your vote (your voice) has the power to challenge elected officials to prioritize the planet and all of its people—safeguarding the beautiful, fragile harmony between humans and the natural world. To join you on this election journey, we’re exploring what it means to be pro-planet at the polls and helpful resources to guide you toward decisions that align with your values.

What does it mean to vote for the planet?

Voting for the planet means voting for candidates (and agendas) that acknowledge the climate crisis, set ambitious targets for emissions reduction, support pro-planet legislation already in motion, advocate for environmental justice, and prioritize human health. Below are a few recent pro-environment laws to review and consider as we head into the election.

• Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Known as the largest climate policy package in history, the IRA includes a historic down payment to fight inflation, invest in domestic energy, reduce carbon emissions, and more.
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): The IIJA authorizes over $1 trillion in transportation and infrastructure spending, with $550 billion going toward transit, EV chargers, upgrades to the electric grid, and more.
• CHIPS and Science Act: This act authorizes $280 billion to boost domestic semiconductor research to unlock new opportunities in STEM for communities that have been historically excluded.

Voting for the planet means understanding and furthering the progress we’ve made in the last few years—and challenging Congress to pass additional legislation to protect the planet and all of its people. One crucial bill to keep in mind is the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act, which would be a groundbreaking piece of legislation for environmental justice.

Our planet, our people, and our collective progress are all on the line this election. That’s why it’s so important to make your voice heard. To get you started, the NRDC Action Fund provides resources to check your voter status, register to vote, make a plan, and find your polling place. In some states, you can still register to vote only 6-15 days before the election!

Make your voice and values heard.

The most important thing you can do to protect the planet in the 2024 presidential election is to get out and vote. We hope you head to the polls feeling confident, educated, and empowered to vote for candidates who align with your values, so we’ve gathered some organizations and resources to help you do exactly that.

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV)

With a mission to empower the planet and people, the LCV works to hold politicians accountable, influence policy, and champion the climate and democracy to create safe and healthy communities. You can explore their endorsements for Congressional and Presidential positions. 

It’s important to note that 468 Congressional seats (33 Senate and all 435 House) are up for election on November 5th. Congress plays a huge role in making the future president’s policy dreams a reality, so be sure to explore which state-level candidates align with your values too. Be sure to search, “find my sample ballot,” ahead of time to familiarize yourself with all local-level positions and candidates, as they can influence your daily life, community, and national matters. 

You can also enter your zip code in the LCV Congress Scorecard tool to evaluate how well your current officials support a safe environmental future and an inclusive democracy. We recommend checking back on this after the election too!

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

The NRDC launched an Action Fund get-out-and-vote program, spotlighting key states and races that will heavily influence Congress and the White House. Explore their outline of important candidates and essential wins in California, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as pro-environment candidates across other states.

The Earth Day Organization

Earthday.org has collaborated with Solve Climate by 2030 and the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project to educate and encourage you to Vote Earth and show elected officials how much you care about protecting the planet and human health.

You’ll find a list of helpful resources at the bottom of the Vote Earth Pledge page. In the US Voter Guide, you can click on each presidential candidate to investigate their policies and history. If you scroll a bit further, you’ll also find resources for specific (swing state) cities, where you can explore senate and district candidates up for election.

It’s 1 world.

1 Hotels is built upon a simple but important mission—that we all share a responsibility to safeguard the planet as best we can. This election, we pledge to join you in prioritizing our 1 true host and using our voices to champion positive change.