Scientists breathe new life into climate website after Trump’s closure | Climate Crisis

Earlier this summer Being fired in the process.

The website provides years of written material on climate science. The website is Technically still online But now intentionally buried by the politically appointed team, they now run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Now a team of climate communication experts, including many former climate members, is working to resurrect its content into a new organization with an expanded mission.

Their new website, climatenot only will it provide a public interpretation of climate science, but it can also begin to provide direct climate-related services, such as assisting local governments in mapping the increased flood risk due to climate change.

The effort was led by Rebecca Lindsey, former director editor of Climate.Gov, and although now out of work, she has recruited several former colleagues to volunteer their time to try to build Climate.us into a thriving nonprofit.

“Many federal employees are saddened by the feeling that they have not only lost their jobs, but are careers,” Lindsey said. “None of us are ready to let go of Climate.gov and the mission.”

In the first few weeks Trump administration Having finished their work, Lindsay’s new team received steady external support, including legal support, as well as short-term grants, which helped them build a vision for what they were going to do next.

“The most popular thing about climate is basically just teaching people about climate and climate change,” Lindsey said. “It is necessary to help people get basic climate literacy independent of agencies.”

As many years veterans of federal bureaucracy, they are sometimes surprised by the possibilities new efforts may offer.

“We can use tiktok now,” Lindsay said. “We can have some fun. We have a group chat. We are working on something that doesn’t belong to the cab.”

The climate.us team is also in the process of soft release Crowdsourcing Fundraising Events Lindsey hopes they can take advantage of the more permanent support from the major foundations. Lindsey also sets up an email address Contact the team Provide physical support.

“Someone bought our domain for us. We have someone who is voluntary web hosting space for this stage. But if we are going to actually transition to a nonprofit space, we don’t have the large amount of operating capital we need yet.”

Meanwhile, Lindsey and her team find themselves building a major nonprofit from scratch.

“We all have to let go of our 9-5 mindset and basically try to do things as soon as possible,” said a member of Lindsey’s new team.

“By doing the legacy of climate.gov and actually trying to re-release the most important part of the climate, gov, we hope we can be a cornerstone,” Lindsey said. “We hope it will provide a key crowd to attract other partners who want to be an effort.”

Given the background of why Lindsey is doing this work at this time, it’s been an exciting summer in this way. This effort has the luster of equal scientific journalism and personal vendetta against the government’s catharsis That’s almost declared war About federal scientific efforts.

Lindsay said: “We have been optimistic and alternating between being energetic and feeling that it is a good thing.

“What happens can feel so overwhelming that it’s easy for you to be powerless about it,” said Lindsey’s team member. “But sometimes, you just have to look at your scope. And the issue is within our scope, so we just think it’s doing our best.”

Lindsey also told The Guardian that all climate.gov is still launched If you know where to watchwhen she discovered this, it made her even more frustrated.

“This is the message the taxpayer has paid,” Lindsay said. “This administration is trying to hide it and keep it away from us. It’s an abuse of the government. It’s a waste of resources. People should be outraged. It’s not the way the government should work.”

“I think the importance of this initiative is important even beyond this crowdfunding phase,” said another part-time contributor to the project, who wants to remain anonymous because they remain federal employees.

“Climate change affects everyone regardless of whether people realize it or not, regardless of the current political environment. Climate science is the only way to understand and adapt to what’s going on on our big beautiful planet.”