Smartersafer.org

SmarterSafer is a diverse coalition of consumer advocacy, taxpayer, environmental and insurance industry groups that has joined together to raise concerns about natural catastrophe legislation being considered in Congress. We also advocate responsible legislation that gives homeowners incentives for, and assistance in, protecting their homes.

Coalition members strongly support measures pending in Congress that would encourage and assist homeowners in taking mitigation steps to protect their homes against hurricanes. These include bills to create a new hurricane mitigation tax credit, as well as a new loan program that would provide low-interest loans to homeowners undertaking risk mitigation. A big part of the effort is not turning natural disasters into financial disasters. Sign the petition.

Hurricane Season

With the tropical storm season approaching (and Bertha looming for Eastern NC), the Sierra Club, in tandem with PLAN!TNOW, has launched the Get Prepared campaign.

Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, had this to say on the launch:

“There are steps individuals can take and decisions that communities can make to become safer. That is why we are so proud to work with Morgan Freeman and PLAN!TNOW to raise awareness of these actions and to help protect our natural defense system.”

In the last decade, the number of natural disasters/year doubled from ~200 (1987-97) to ~400 (2000-06). Climate change, scientists continue to warn, will most likely intensify and promote tropical storms and their effects. Read the press release on our new partnership.