Currently in Chicago — September 21, 2023: Cloudy Thursday leads to rain

Overcast skies will continue throughout tonight and all of Thursday, with a small chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs will reach the mid-70s. Once the sun goes down, that chance of showers will increase from the south of the Chicagoland area heading north, with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms appearing after midnight and into Friday morning. Friday will probably be grey and wet as well, but with a little luck we’ll have a dry Saturday… an ideal time to get out and enjoy the beauty of our county forest preserves!

— Katje Sabin

What you need to know, currently.

On Wednesday, President Biden announced the creation of the American Climate Corps — a bucket-list item for youth climate organizers for years.

CNN has more on the backstory, but suffice it to say that a climate corps was originally a Bernie Sanders pledge when he was running for president. It was then part of the Build Back Better plan during the initial Covid response, but got cut — and then it was also part of Joe Manchin’s Inflation Reduction Act — and got cut.

Now it’s a reality, by executive order. So this is a big deal.

Here’s the options for training with the American Climate Corps, according to the brand-new White House signup form:

• Deploy low-cost, reliable, clean energy

• Implement energy-efficient solutions to help families save money on their energy bills

• Rebuild coastal wetlands to protect coastal communities from storm surges and flooding

• Manage forests to prevent catastrophic wildfires

• Protect America’s public lands and waters for future generations

• Enhance agricultural systems to protect natural resources and conserve water during droughts

• Advance environmental justice to ensure all Americans live in healthy, thriving communities

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

Currently Sponsorships are short messages we co-write with you to plug your org, event, or climate-friendly business with Currently subscribers. It’s a chance to boost your visibility with Currently — one of the world’s largest daily climate newsletters — and support independent climate journalism, all at the same time. Starting at just $105.

One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support existing networks: