Politics aside, as many carry on daily activities in the wake of the government shutdown, many generous folks are out there being stewards of America's treasures on behalf of all of us. It hasn’t been a pretty job, and they're not being paid a dime to do it. They're doing it to preserve America's treasures for current generations and for tommorrow's generations as well.

Recently, one particular gauntlet was thrown down by an unlikely challenger, and it was a weighty one at that. About a month ago, Xcel Energy became the first major utility in the United States to commit to providing 100% carbon-free energy to its customers by 2050.

Though the issue has become politicized, the changing climate is primarily a scientific concern with economic and social implications. A dedicated team of professionals are developing sound climate policy for Georgia based on these factors, without letting partisanship muddy the waters. The Georgia Climate Project is playing a leading role in that work.

As many nations are meeting about climate impacts in Katowice, Poland, for COP24, and just over a week after the release of the  U.S. National Climate Assessment Report, nonprofits and university leaders in Georgia are choosing not to take the "wait and see" position.  Instead, they are forging ahead to ensure that Georgians are educated on the issue and provided with the best tools and research to take the lead in climate action.