Citizens' Climate Lobby

Join CCL's Student Engagement Coordinator Clara Fang for a training that walks through the process of setting up a local internship and what to consider. If you are a CCL group leader, state coordinator, or regional coordinator, working with an intern is a great way to get more done and engage young people with CCL. Supervising an intern is a significant time commitment and this training walks interested groups through deciding whether they need an intern, creating the intern position description, and the best practices in being a host.

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Slide Presentations: http://cclusa.org/hosting-interns

Aprende más sobre Ciudadanos por un Clima Vivible y cómo puede hacer una diferencia en la creación de la voluntad política para legislación que nos pondrá en el camino hacia reducciones de las emisiones que están cambiando nuestro clima.

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” -Albert Einstein.

As climate change advocates, our ability to imagine a better future sometimes requires supernatural skills. Still engaging our imagination is essential to stirring up the kind of hope and excitement that inspires others to action. We need to articulate what it is we are fighting for? What is the world we want to create? Through a mind-expanding thought experiment, three guests join us to help unleash our imagination potential. Imagine a world without fossil fuels. What does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it smell like? 

Hannah Pickard at Boston’s New England Aquarium shares proven insider tips about effective communication strategies.  Hannah Pickard is the Program Manager for the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) where she leads a national effort to change public discourse on climate change to be positive, civic-minded and solutions-focused. For the last 10 years, she’s grown a network of over 184 institutions who are committed to using their public platforms to invite their communities into climate action and support each other to improve their practice. She is a climate communications specialist and trainer of evidence-based communications methods that empower hope & civic action on climate. She has abackground in informal education, social impact strategy, conservation psychology, community engagement and evaluation.

Dr. Natasha DeJarnett has been a leader in environmental health research for over 10 years. Her positions in national environmental and public health associations as well as academia has advanced research agendas for the environmental health workforce, established successful national climate change and health initiatives, and inspired the next generation of environmental health professionals. In addition, she serves on the Boards of Citizens’ Climate Education and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Sean Dague is software engineer by day, and the group leader for the Mid Hudson South chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby  He came to climate action after seeing the impacts of Hurricane Irene and Sandy in the north east. In addition to his work with Citizens Climate Lobby, he's also an En-ROADS Climate Simulation tool ambassador. He's a huge fan of trains, heat pumps, and electric vehicles.

The Art House

Jennie Carlisle and Laura England are both part of the Climate Stories Collaborative at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

“The Climate Stories Collaborative is our response to the growing call for more trans-disciplinary and creative approaches to climate change communication,” they explain. “Our mission is to grow the capacity of our faculty and students to be more creative and compelling climate storytellers.”

While many of the students finish with completed pieces of art, Jennie stresses that the process required to produce the art is their primary goal. Of course, they also want to reach out to the wider world whenever possible.

At the end of the school year, the Climate Stories Collaborative hosts a showcase for the student artists. This provides them with an opportunity to engage with the wider public in a large gallery space. Laura explains that in the past, students, faculty, and community members would mingle in the gallery to view the art and see performances.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school closed and the showcase had to be canceled. But like so many others, they adapted and took the showcase online. As a curator, Jennie initially worried about creating a virtual showcase but quickly saw multiple benefits, including seeing viewers become deeply engaged with the art and the artists through their comments. The Climate Stories Collaborative now reaches many more people all over the world through this Instagram online showcase.

• Video of Sean Dague’s Thought Exercise: Imagine a World without Fossil Fuels

You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.

Join CCL's Vice President of Government Affairs Dr. Danny Richter for a training that will provide up to the moment insights on the dynamics in Congress and how we can most effectively use our time in meetings to support our agenda.

Skip Ahead To The Following Section(s):

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/2020-legislative-plan

Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/459

Interested in learning more about what it takes and key details to remember when leading a virtual lobby meeting with a member of Congress or staff?

Join CCL Mid-Atlantic Regional Co-coordinator Sabrina Fu and Great Lakes Regional Co-coordinator John Sabin for a training that will review the role of a lobby team leader, how they assign team roles, coordinate practice times and how to handle other special situations.

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Additional Resources:

Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/working-with-congress/lobbying-401

Join CCL's Vice President of Government Affairs Dr. Danny Richter for a training that reviews the updates and context for CCL's 2020 Primary and Supporting Asks as well as guidance for lobby teams as they plan their virtual June 2020 meetings.

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More Information:

CCL Community’s Lobby Forums: http://cclusa.org/lobby-forums

Primary Asks: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/237

Supporting Asks: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/240

Danny's Q&A Discussion: https://youtu.be/Vx38Iprwnfk

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Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/handling-difficult-scenarios

CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/working-with-congress/lobbying-301

For a long time climate advocates faced skepticism and resistance coming from Republican lawmakers. That is changing. In February Citizens Climate Radio host Peterson Toscano traveled to Washington DC for the first ever Conservative Climate Training and Lobby Days. Nearly 100 people showed up from all over the country, young and older. They met with Republican staff and members of congress to talk about climate change and a path forward.

In this episode you will hear excerpts from interviews with volunteer lobbyists Carlos Simms, Mary Lawing, Katie Zakrzewski,  Isuru Seneviratne, and Cindy Burbank. On a panel of Republican climate leader Alex Flint, the Executive Director at Alliance for Market Solutions spoke during the February event. Mr. Flint previously served as staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He was the senior vice president of governmental affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, and he was a member of President Trump’s transition team. He outlines for us the dramatic shifts he has witnessed while speaking with lawmakers.

Jim Tolbert, Citizens Climate Education Conservative Director and Jacob Abel, a Citizens Climate Conservative fellow, provide insider glimpses to the conversations about climate change they have with fellow Conservatives. 

You will learn what has changed in the Republican party, and the new landscape climate advocates lobbying Conservative members of Congress now face. Guests will share what Republicans bring to the climate conversation and the Conservative values that compel them to pursue effective ways to transform our energy economy. You will also receive advice and learn the ways these conservatives are speaking with their family, friends, and elected leaders about climate change.

Alex Flint: My Climate Journey podcast 

RepublicEN, conservatives, libertarians, and pragmatists of diverse political opinion standing together because climate change is real, and it's our duty and opportunity to reduce the risks.

Margaret Thatcher - UN General Assembly Climate Change Speech (1989)

The End of Republican Climate Change Denial by Alex FlintPuzzler Question

We updated last month’s puzzler question and made it more personal.

He is the question slightly restated:

In a Zoom call you share your renewed commitment to promote climate solutions and ask your friend, Gretchen, to join your group. Gretchen slowly shakes her head and says, “I am concerned about the planet too, but with so many people affected by Covid-19, I think we are just going to have to deal with that first. Climate action is very important but for so many people right now, there are more pressing issues to address.”

The dilemma so many of us face right now is that climate action has been eclipsed by an immediate threat to humanity. How are you dealing with this? How are you navigating this new landscape? How are you adapting? What is a resource you have found helpful? 

Share your answers with Peterson by June, 17, 2020.

Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)

You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org

You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.

You already know what to say…but what if they don’t come along? Learn how to respond to resistance by tapping into their values and beliefs, then finding a more useful frame that allows them to join our cause. Join Steve Levin‍, an Executive Coach & Organizational Change consultant with over 20 years experience, and leader of workshops in “Powerful Conversations” to help leaders and coaches be more influential. We will practice on real and realistic scenarios that we face every day, so come prepared to experiment and discover the power of reframing.

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Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/reframing-resistance-support

CCL Community Training Page:https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/457

Join this opportunity to practice how to meet with your member of Congress this year for our online lobby meetings. Join Amy Bennett, CCL’s Director of Congressional Liaisons and Lobby Days for an online training that will walk you through important considerations for preparing to meet and what an actual meeting with your member of Congress looks like.

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Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/cvtlobby