This week, in partnership with 350 Madison, Madison’s local chapter of the international organization, 350.org, our guest blogger, Eliza Kruszynski, introduces the organization’s Alder Election Team and alder candidate answers to two central carbon emission questions. Their organization is dedicated to reducing atmospheric carbon levels to below 350 parts per million (ppm), the widely accepted level for a stable climate. World atmospheric carbon levels now hover around 415 ppm and continue to rise. In parallel, we especially thank unaffiliated Middleton resident Virginia Francis for a reminder that life as we know it depends upon a livable climate. Her oil on a wood panel painting of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy serves to prompt — local action matters, so please see what your alder candidates have to say. Francis, who is grateful to live near the Conservancy, says, “Sometimes as I walk through it I feel a sense of the sacred, of light reflecting through stained glass.” 

Connecting Candidates and the Community with 350 Madison’s Alder Election Team

by Eliza Kruszynski

350 Madison’s Alder Election Team has been working since early January to deepen citizen climate crisis awareness and action across the region. A team of half a dozen women of all ages meets weekly to plan how to leverage Madison’s Spring Alder Election to help achieve climate goals. 

• Kathryn, a retired respiratory therapist, regularly recommends new ways to collaborate with other local organizations to mutual benefit.

• Eliza, a recent college graduate, leads the team by executing projects and coordinating communications.

• Kate is a homeschooling mother of two, proving that she CAN do it all, developing and refining project ideas as well as communicating with the press. 

• Susan, emeritus at UW-Madison and lead for the Madison Community Working Group, founded the team and offers connections to other 350 Madison project groups. 

• Julia, a clothing designer at Land’s End, volunteers as a graphics guru for all of the team’s social media needs.

• Rianna, a sophomore at UW-Madison, contributes a youth perspective and advises on ways to connect with voters on nearby campuses.

The City of Eau Claire inspired Susan to launch the Alder Election Team. Once a majority of climate-focused alders joined the Eau Claire City Council, the city moved quickly to achieve its emission reduction and renewable energy goals. The 350 Madison Alder Election team seeks to follow Eau Claire’s example by activating citizen and alder candidate awareness of the crucial role alders can play in rapidly implementing climate policy in the City of Madison. 

The primary election in mid-February served as a great “warm-up” for the team. Kathryn, an avid radio listener, worked with WORT-FM to include an environmental question in the station’s hosted candidate debates. Eliza also sent a questionnaire to candidates in the primaries to learn about their positions and priorities on sustainability. Together, they launched a social media campaign to publicize primary candidate responses.

The team used that experience to prepare for the “big game”—the general election. Using insights from the primaries, they pruned their alder candidate questionnaire to include just two questions in order to encourage participation. This proved successful, with 22 of 31 candidates responding to how they will address carbon emissions and goals in Madison! The candidates’ responses can now be read here on 350 Madison’s website. 

City of Madison residents can find their aldermanic district here.

Want to learn more about 350 Madison’s many projects and get involved? Contact Susan at sbmillar@gmail.com.

Remember to make an informed choice when voting April 6! Voters can find more candidate and referendum information at Vote411.org.

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