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As electric bills keep soaring, Trump has tried to blame clean energy for the higher prices. But new research suggests the public isnt buying itand that clean energy could soon own the affordability argument. A new briefing from the nonprofit Potential Energy Coalition looks at how to talk about clean energy in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, when some advocates have suggested talking less about climate change as a reason to move away from fossil fuels. Renewable energy is, however, the cheapest form of powerand many people recognize this. In a survey of more than 15,000 Americans, the nonprofit found that 38% already recognize that clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. Another 15% think that they cost the same, while 20% say that they dont know. Fewer than a third think that fossil-fueled power has a cost advantage. (When asked an open-ended question about whats causing the surge in energy bills, only 2% mentioned clean energy; the majority blamed corporate greed and politics, followed by weather and inflation.) Cost-of-living concerns are viewed by many elites as an obstacle to talking about clean energyas a reason to run away or change the topic,” says Will Howard, head of insights and advisory services at Potential Energy Coalition. “But the reality is, shying away from the topic is the last thing we should do. Plenty of people already see the cost benefits of clean energyand with the right message, many more do, too. The group tested various messages, including one that talked about rising demand for energy and the fact that clean sources are the most affordable way to get it. After seeing that message, the belief that clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels jumped up by 27 points. Our messaging in the test was able to significantly increase the perception, which I think speaks to the fact that while there may historically be a green premium that people perceive, a really large amount of this is pretty movable, says Howard. People don’t come to this with a really firm understanding or a high level of confidence of their own understanding of the issue, and it’s fairly malleable. If you show them the right message, they can actually shift the way they’re thinking about these energy sources and the costs associated with them. The nonprofit also tested messages about climate. Since Trumps election, both business and politicians have moved away from talking about climate change. Some climate startups quickly pivoted to rebrand their products as focused on national security. A recent Searchlight Institute report suggested that the first rule in solving climate change is “don’t say climate change.” But Potential Energy Coalition’s research suggests that climate messages were equally effective, and respondents in their surveys were still as concerned about climate as they had been in the past. “If you’re looking at how much did you persuade people to take action on climate, or how much did you persuade people to transition to clean energythose two metrics specificallya message about the urgent consequences of climate change is just as effective or more effective than talking about affordability,” says Howard. The research suggests climate advocates should weave in key attributes that resonated in the tests, including the fact that clean energy is local, unlimited, and proven. One mistake, Howard says, is that some messages talk about clean energy as new or innovativesolar and wind power have been around for decades. “There’s a price tag that comes with being new, and it’s [also] the opposite of proven,” he says. “What we saw in the testing is that being provenwe’ve been trying to do solar for 50 years or moreand the fact that prices have come down so much over the last 25 years on these clean energy sources, is actually much more reassuring and drives affordability perception much more.” Another challenge is that people sometimes balk at the idea of building new infrastructure because of the upfront costs. But because of the surge in demand for new power, the choice isn’t between building renewables or just leaving fossil plants in placeit’s building renewables or adding more fossil fuels that have volatile, increasing costs. “The first step is getting them out of that binary and leveling the playing field of like, okay, hold on, we have to build something. So what should we build?” he says. The nonprofit, founded by a former corporate marketing executive who wanted to help tackle the problem of climate change, sees clean energy as a brandnot in the traditional sense of a company’s brand, in the sense that the phrase “clean energy” evokes a certain feeling and a shared public understanding. That brand is strong, Howard says. “The clean energy brand is better than we think, and it’s easy to strengthen it further if we’re disciplined about emphasizing the right attributes,” he says. “Specifically, not being afraid to position clean energy as the cheaper, better choice because it’s local, an unlimited resource, and a proven technology.”
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E-Commerce
Visitors to dozens of Starbucks stores across more than 40 cities may be greeted with picket lines today as Starbucks baristas go on strike. And its a strike that couldnt come at a worse time for Starbucks, as today is the companys annual Red Cup Day, which kicks off the Seattle coffee giant’s holiday sales season. Here’s what to know: Whats happened? Today, unionized Starbucks baristas went on strike at more than 65 Starbucks locations across 42 cities. The baristas are members of the Starbucks Workers Union (SBWU), a collective that says it includes over 12,000 Starbucks workers across 550 unionized stores. The union says it has been in stalled negotiations with Starbucks over three primary issues. Those issues include better working hours to improve staffing in Starbucks stores, higher take-home pay, and a resolution to hundreds of unfair labor practice charges for union busting. The stalled negotiations are the main driver for the unions strike actions kicking off today. Both Starbucks and the Starbucks Workers Union blame each other for the stalled negotiations. It should also be noted that Starbucks disputes SBWU’s claim that the union represents 12,000 members. Starbucks says the union represents “approximately 9,500 partners in 550 coffeehouses.” The strike actions will initially involve around 1,000 unionized baristas, but SBWU says those numbers could grow as the strike progresses. And it is a strike designed to put maximum pressure on Starbucks leaders. The strike kicks off today, a day that Starbucks designates as Red Cup Day, which kicks off its annual holiday sales. Customers can get a free reusable red cup with the purchase of a holiday-themed drink at a Starbucks store. What does the Starbucks Workers Union say? In a press release announcing the strike, SBWU representatives blamed the stalled negotiations on Starbucks. Were turning the Red Cup Season into the Red Cup Rebellion. Starbucks refusal to settle a fair union contract and end union busting is forcing us to take drastic action, a Starbucks barista and SBWU member said. Were striking for a fair union contract, resolution of unfair labor practices, and a better future at Starbucks. Michelle Eisen, a spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United, added, Starbucks knows where we stand. Weve been clear and consistent on what baristas need to succeed: more take-home pay, better hours, resolving legal issues. Bring us NEW proposals that address these issues so we can finalize a contract. Until then, youll see us and our allies on the picket line. The union says it would cost Starbucks less than one days worth of sales to finalize a fair contract with its workersbut that is something the multibillion-dollar coffee chain has so far failed to do. What does Starbucks say? Jaci Anderson, director of global communications at Starbucks, told Fast Company in an email that despite the strike kicking off today, the company was currently seeing “minimal impact” across its stores. Anderson went on to say that the company was disappointed that SBWU called for a strike instead of returning to the table for negotiations. “Weve been very clearwhen the union is ready to come back to the bargaining table, were ready to talk,” Anderson said, adding, “Any agreement needs to reflect the reality that Starbucks offers the best job in retail, including more than $30 an hour on average in pay and benefits for hourly partners. Starbucks also pointed to a November 5 letter published by chief partner officer Sara Kelly. In that letter, Kelly criticized some of SBWU’s proposals, including immediate pay increases of 65% as well as additional payments for other aspects of work. “Some of the proposals would significantly affect store operations and customer experience, including the ability to shut down channels like Mobile Order when there are just five orders in the queue,” Kelly wrote. “These arent serious, evidence-based proposals.” The company has also disputed SBWU’s assertion that it would cost the company just one day of sales to finalize the union’s contract demands. When is the Starbucks barista strike? The Starbucks barista strike begins today, Thursday, November 13. How many stores will be on strike? To begin with, more than 65 stores will see baristas taking part in strike action. However, that number could expand in the future. The Starbucks Workers Union represents 550 Starbucks stores across the country. Where will the strike take place? Initially, the Starbucks barista strike will take place at more than 65 Starbucks locations across 42 cities. The website No Contract, No Coffee has a full list and map. The cities are: Anaheim, CA Long Beach, CA San Diego, CA Santa Clarita, CA Santa Cruz, CA Scotts Valley, CA Seal Beach, CA Soquel, CA Colorado Springs, CO Lafayette, CO Des Plaines, IL Evanston, IL Geneva, IL Alpharetta, GA Roswell, GA Chanhassen, MN Minneapolis, MN Saint Louis, MO Brooklyn, NY New York, NY Columbus, OH Lewis Center, OH Reynoldsburg, OH Upper Arlington, OH Worthington, OH Beaverton, OR Damascus, OR Eugene, OR Gresham, OR Portland, OR Dickson City, PA Lancaster, PA Philadelphia, PA Pittsburgh, PA Austin, TX Dallas, TX Denton, TX Farmers Branch, TX Mechanicsville, VA Richmond, VA Redmond, WA Seattle, WA When will the strike end? That likely depends on how long it takes Starbucks and SBWU to come back to the table. With no set end date to the strike, baristas across more than 550 current union stores are prepared to continue escalating to make this the largest, longest strike in company history if Starbucks fails to deliver a fair union contract and resolve unfair labor practice charges, the SBWU warned. This story is developing…
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E-Commerce
President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands.The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn’t reward the party during next year’s midterm elections.“So I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this,” Trump said. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”The signing ceremony came just hours after the House passed the measure on a mostly party-line vote of 222-209. The Senate had already passed the measure Monday.Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit expiring at the end of the year that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They refused to go along with a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said that was a separate policy fight to be held at another time.“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.” A bitter end after a long stalemate The frustration and pressures generated by the shutdown was reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.Republicans said Democrats sought to use the pain generated by the shutdown to prevail in a policy dispute.“They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year that they say mostly will benefit the wealthy. But the bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not give up on the subsidy extension even if the vote did not go their way.“This fight is not over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”The House had not been in legislative session since Sept. 19, when it passed a short-term measure to keep the government open when the new budget year began in October. Johnson sent lawmakers home after that vote and put the onus on the Senate to act, saying House Republicans had done their job. What’s in the bill to end the shutdown The legislation is the result of a deal reached by eight senators who broke ranks with the Democrats after reaching the conclusion that Republicans would not bend on using a government funding to bill to extend the health care tax credits.The compromise funds three annual spending bills and extends the rest of government funding through Jan. 30. Republicans promised to hold a vote by mid-December to extend the health care subsidies, but there is no guarantee of success.The bill includes a reversal of the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over. The bill for the Agriculture Department means people who rely on key food assistance programs will see those benefits funded without threat of interruption through the rest of the budget year.The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.Democrats also decried language in the bill that would give senators the opportunity to sue when a federal agency or employee searches their electronic records without notifying them, allowing for up to $500,000 in potential damages for each violation.The language seems aimed at helping Republican senators pursue damages if their phone records were analyzed by the FBI as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The provisions drew criticism from Republicans as well. Johnson said he was “very angry about it.”“That was dropped in at the last minute, and I did not appreciate that, nor did most of the House members,” Johnson said, promising a vote on the matter as early as next week.The biggest point of contention, though, was the fate of the expiring enhanced tax credit that makes health insurance more affordable through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.“It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit was designed to give more people access to health care and no Republican voted for it.“All they have done is try to eliminate access to health care in our country. The country is catching on to them,” Pelosi said.Without the enhanced tax credit, premiums on average will more than double for millions of Americans. More than 2 million people would lose health insurance coverage altogether next year, the Congressional Budget Office projected. Health care debate ahead It’s unclear whether the parties will find any common ground on health care before the December vote in the Senate. Johnson has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits as premiums will soar for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. Some argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals rather than go directly to insurance companies.Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday that she was supportive of extending the tax credits with changes, such as new income caps. Some Democrats have signaled they could be open to that idea.House Democrats expressed great skepticism that the Senate effort would lead to a breakthrough.Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans have wanted to repeal the health overhaul for the past 15 years. “That’s where they’re trying to go,” she said. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. Follow the AP’s coverage of the federal government shutdown at https://apnews.com/hub/overnment-shutdown. Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Matt Brown, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
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