Citizens' Climate Lobby

By Citizens\' Climate LobbyEducation

Citizens' Climate Lobby episodes

May 09, 2020 Lobbying 101: The Transformative Power of Citizen Advocacy
Join CCL Mountain West Regional Coordinator Bill Barron for a training that will demonstrate the advantages we hold as citizens in transforming our government and the policies we adopt. Tune in to hear the personal stories of transformation from CCL volunteers from across the country from Latinos Action Team Co-Lead Alfonso Saldaña to CCL Youth Leaders Nicolas Polimeni and Remi Masarik to New Hampshire State Coordinator John Gage.
Skip ahead to the following sections(s):
Marshall's Invitation To Empowerment (3:08)
Why Lobby As A Citizen? (10:55)
Building Relationships (20:12)
Researching Local Impacts (25:04)
Sharing Your Story (33:28)
Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/transformative-power
CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/working-with-congress/lobbying-101
39 min
May 09, 2020 Dr Natasha DeJarnett | Citizens Climate Lobby | May 2020 Speaker
Climate change and carbon pollution have always had an impact on public health, and the COVID-19 pandemic bears that out. On this month’s call, Dr. Natasha DeJarnett will look at how these two crises are connected. Dr. DeJarnett is the interim associate director of Program and Partnership Development at the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), where she leads research as well as climate and health activities. She also serves on the governing board of Citizens’ Climate Education.
Helpful Links:
National Environmental Health Association: https://www.neha.org/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Additional Health Action Team Recommended Research Articles: http://cclusa.org/health-research-may-call
Sign up to find out more about Citizens' Climate Lobby: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/join-citizens-climate-lobby/

37 min
May 01, 2020 CCL Training: Handling Challenging Questions About The Energy Innovation Act
Join CCL Strategy Director Tony Sirna and Government Affairs Coordinator Adeline DeYoung for a training that will highlight recommendations for communicating about the Energy Innovation Act and including how to approach talking with community members who may voice concerns about provisions within the legislation.
Skip ahead to the following section(s):
Importance of Listening (4:48)
How To Find & Use This CCL Resource (8:03 )
Role-play scenarios (15:14)
CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/handling-challenging-questions
Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/handling-challenging-questions-slides
Join CCL: https://cclusa.org/join
27 min
April 24, 2020CCR 47 Eco-Grief in a Time of Coronavirus Mourning
How are the impacts of climate change similar to what we are experiencing with the Coronavirus global pandemic? Many climate advocates have long felt sadness, anger, and despair over the destructive effects of climate change and the slow response by elected officials to do anything about it. Suddenly with the Coronavirus Outbreak we are all thrust into yet another existential crisis and even more grief. Eight women talk about working through grief to a place of action. They use their expertise to connect the impacts of climate change to what we are now seeing with Covid-19.

Guests include:
Dr. Nathasha DeJarnett, Interim Associate Director Program & Partnership Development National Environmental Health Association
Dr. Lise VanSusteren, an American psychiatrist in private practice in Washington, DC with a special interest in the psychological effects of climate change.
Elizabeth Rush, author of Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore
Solemi Hernandez, Citizens Climate Lobby Southeast Regional Coordinator
Edie Lush, co-host of Global GoalsCast podcast
LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau, co-founders of the Good Grief Network
Anna Jane Joyner, co-host of No Place Like Home podcast
See our complete show notes at Citizens Climate Lobby.

Host, Peterson Toscano says, “As a podcaster, I get to hear and share stories. The stories and people I cover educate me about climate change and many other issues. They also affect me emotionally. They stir up sadness along with empathy.” Fellow climate podcasts, Edie Lush and Anna Jane Joyner, point out how essential grief was for them in helping understand what roles to take in the climate movement.

In addition to the mental health risks we face, Dr. DeJarnett highlights the groups most vulnerable to the impacts of Covid-19 and to Climate Change. These include people of color, children, and women. In episode 23 Dr. DeJarnett shared research conducted after Hurricane Katrina. It reveals women experienced extreme trauma in various forms including domestic violence during and after the storm. Dr. DeJarnett worries about similar dangers women now face during this time of extreme isolation. Solemi Hernandez speaks about her concerns for farmer workers and the multiple risks they face as essential workers living in remote rural areas often without health care and with unresolved immigration issues.

LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau from the Good Grief Network, share the tools they use to help climate advocates face the eco-grief that often slows us down. Through their 10-Step Program, Personal Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate, they have seen climate advocates breakthrough so they are more energized to do their work.

All of the guests share best practices and strategies to help process grief and cope with stress in this time of Coronavirus.

Thank you to Raul Diaz Palomar for music from his album Musica Para Poder Contra La Verdad.

Art House

In the Art House, writer Elizabeth Rush returns with good news. Her book Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore has garnered awards and was chosen as the Read Across Rhode Island pick. At the kick off event Elizabeth watched an excerpt of a play based her book. Observing herself portrayed on stage gave her a chance to realize something about her own grief process she had not noticed before.

She talks about what she learned and reads selections from her book.

Dig Deeper
Four ways Coronavirus is Turning the Natural World Upside Down, The Atlantic
Experts See a Worrisome Link Between Pollution and Coronavirus, The Hill
Climate Change and Health Equity, American Public Health Association
Coronavirus: Why Has the Virus Hit African-Americans So Hard? BBC
Climate Change Increases the Risk of Violence Against Women, United Nations
Climate Change Leads to More Violence Against Women, Girls, Deutsche Welle
As Cities Around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out, Time Magazine
How Millions of Women Became the Most Essential Workers in America, New York Times
How the Pandemic Will End: Generation C, The Atlantic
We Need Courage, Not Hope, to Face Climate Change, by Dr. Kate Marvel, On-Being
Olio Food Sharing App
Dutch Baby Recipe, New York Times

Puzzler Question

Listeners share what they would say to Charles. He was worried about the Yellow Vest Protests in France and how something similar might happen in the USA if legislation is passed to put a price on carbon.

New Puzzler Question
On Earth Day in an on-line conversation with your friend, Gretchen, you share your renewed commitment to promote climate solutions. Gretchen slowly shakes her head and says, “You know 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..”

Gretchen is correct. When people are struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, and as they recover from so many different losses, they often don’t have space for climate conversations. In fact, this has been true for lots of marginalized people for a long time, even before Coronavirus. So this puzzler question is for you to answer for yourself. How do you navigate your climate work as we deal with the impacts of Coronavirus?

Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by May, 17th, 2020. Email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)

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.
2 min
April 17, 2020 CCL Training: Preparing For Media Interviews
Join CCL's Communications Director Flannery Winchester for a training that builds volunteers’ interview skills, particularly for radio and television. Learn how to prepare for and respond to interview questions, keep the interview on track, and get your message across in the media.
Skip ahead to the following section(s):
Pre-interview prep (1:59)
Preparing your message (6:05)
Practicing: Bad, better, best (11:20)
CCL’s recommended talking points (17:11)
Pivoting (28:08)
Presentation tips (37:15)
Helpful resources:
Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/preparing-for-interviews
CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/110
43 min
April 11, 2020 Nathaniel Stinnett | Citizens' Climate Lobby | April 2020 Monthly Speaker
Step one to generate political will for climate solutions is to get people who care about the environment to vote. When Nathaniel Stinnett found out that environmentalists, by and large, were staying home on election day, he saw a problem in need of a solution. That's why in 2015 he launched the Environmental Voter Project, which identifies environmentalists who don't vote and reaches out to get them to the polls. On this month's call, Nathaniel will share some of the ways his organization has successfully activated this important bloc of voters.
Helpful Links: Environmental Voter Project: https://www.environmentalvoter.org/
CCL Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet
Citizens' Climate Lobby Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobby/
40 min
April 10, 2020 CCL Training: Talking Climate Change with NNOCCI
This training will boost your skills in proven communications techniques that shift the national conversation about climate change to be more positive, civic-minded and solutions-focused through providing an overview of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation's recommendations for identifying common values, metaphors, and solution-framing.
Skip ahead to the following section(s):
What is NNOCCI? (3:14)
NNOCCI Resources Available (11:40)
What Americans Think About Climate Change (13:37)
The Core Story of Climate Change (21:35)
What Does This Look Like In Conversation? (31:48)
Summary & Next Steps (44:15)
Presentation PDF: https://cclusa.org/talking-climate-change-training
CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/451
Follow NNOCCI On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NNOCCI/
CCL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobby
52 min
April 03, 2020 CCL Training: Self-Care For Stress Reduction
The overwhelming unknown of a global pandemic, impacting our families, our futures, and for many of us, our own well-being is quite the recipe for chaos, both inside and out. Add to this the underlying stress of climate change and everyday life management and our well-being as climate advocates can teeter on the edge. This training features CCL Pacific Northwest Regional Coordinator and Education & Engagement Assistant Tamara Staton and CCL's Peer Support Action Team Co-leads Laura Sacks and Jeff Joslin to support us in attending to our inner advocate - the one who so clearly wants change, ease and calm, but may at times struggle to find it.
Skip ahead to the following section(s):
Consider The Context (4:28)
Know Yourself & Accept Your Needs (5:57)
Lean On Your Resources (10:04)
The Importance Of Play (18:14)
Climate Anxiety Event (27:36)
CCL Peer Support Action Team (30:32)
Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/self-care-stress-reduction
Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/citizensclimatelobby
Twitter: http://twitter.com/citizensclimate/
48 min
March 27, 2020 CCL Training: Communicating With Progressives
Join Solemi Hernandez, CCL Southeast Regional Coordinator for a training that provides recommendations on how to talk about the Energy Innovation Act with progressive groups, highlight trusted organizational statements made about the legislation, and what CCL's ongoing plan for outreach to non-profit organizations is at the national and local level.
Skip ahead to the following section(s):
CCL's Niche in the Climate Movement (1:50)
Connecting with your Progressive Member of Congress (5:28)
People over Policy (15:54)
What CCL National Is Doing (23:47)
Environmental Justice (27:00)
Helping With Local Outreach (36:14)
Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/progressive-communications
CCL Community Training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/communicating-across-the-aisle/communicating-with-progressives
Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/citizensclimatelobby
Twitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimate/

32 min
March 27, 2020CCR Ep 46 Coronavirus, Climate Adaptation, and a Resilient Tomorrow
The issue on most everyone’s mind right now is Coronavirus or Covid-19. We are witnessing a massive social and political transformation as we respond to the outbreak of the virus. Individuals have rapidly and radically changed their behaviors—from washing hands to self-isolating. Nations and local authorities are each taking their part to stop the spread of this disease. We see in real time how quickly and effectively we can adapt to a crisis. We also are discovering where we have failed to anticipate this crisis that is upon us.
The resilience and adaption we see happening all over the world, in our governments, and in our homes, have gotten some climate advocates reflecting on the preparations & rapid responses needed to address extreme weather events and other impacts from global warming. How is Coronavirus similar to climate change? How is it different?
Host, Peterson Toscano convenes a panel of experts to consider these questions.
Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, the interim Associate Director of Program & Partnership Development at the National Environmental Health Association. In previous episodes she has helped us better understand public health issues and climate change. Whether she is discussing environmental racism and pollution, the illnesses afflicting coal miners in Appalachia, or promoting mental health in a time of Climate Change, Dr. DeJarnett provides well sourced and grounded information.
Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, the director of the Sustainable Finance Center at the World Resources Institute. He leads the Center’s work to help drive finance into activities that promote sustainability and combat climate change. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environment at the US Department of the Treasury.
Alice. C Hill, a senior fellow for Climate Change Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. Over 10 years ago she joined the Obama administration as senior legal counsel to Homeland Security director, Janet Politano. As a climate change resilience expert, She believes we possess the tools to respond to the impacts of climate change. She and Martinez-Diaz co-authored the book, Building a Resilient Tomorrow: How to Prepare fo the Coming Climate Disruption.
In discussing the connections they see regarding our preparations for and responses to protecting the public from Covid-19 and the impacts of climate change, they point out that governments do not properly plan for unexpected future events because of a collective failure of imagination. Martinez-Diaz explains the idea of availability bias, “the difficulty that we all have to imagine things we have never seen before. Therefore, we have a lot trouble planning and getting ready for things for which we have no living memory.” This was true of Coronavirus and is also true for climate change.
In responding to crisis and suffering, they each point out the importance of having empathy towards those who are at risk, particularly the most vulnerable in society. This thoughtful and insightful conservation will help climate advocates better understand the work we seek to do in effectively communicating the urgency of climate change. Being able to tell stories to government officials and other stakeholders is a necessary skill to develop and hone.
Listen Now
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The Art House
Survivor Generations 2165 An original radio drama by the Climate Stew Players.
Hear the story of Yuri Ivanovich Petrov. As a boy he survived the infamous 900 Days Siege of Leningrad during World War II. Though he experienced the unimaginable hardships, he also developed inventive ways to survive. The lessons he learned during the greatest crisis of his generation, can help give us hope and guidance for our own.

Historical details and survivor narratives from the 900 day siege of Leningrad were drawn primarily from Leningrad: State of Siege by Michael Jones, Leningrad Siege and Symphony by Bryan Moynahan, Writing the Siege of Leningrad: Women’s Diaries, Memoirs, and Documentary Prose by Cynthia Simons, The Besieged: Voices from the Siege of Leningrad by Caroline Watson, and The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury. Research for the radio play was conducted by Alex Skitolsky.
Puzzler Question
You are talking to your. friend, Charles. Charles is concerned about climate change but doesn’t know what we could do about it. You explain carbon pricing is a powerful tool to help us decrease fossil fuel emissions. Before you could say more your Charles interrupts, “Are you out of your mind? Did you see what happened in France when they tried that. Those Yellow Vest Protest! It was a political disaster! You really expect that to work here?”
How would you respond to Charles?
Send your answers to Peterson by April, 15, 2020. You can email your responses to radio @ citizensclimate.org r leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Dig Deeper
What would happen if the world reacted to climate change lit it’s reacting to coronavirus? What would a fast, coordinated, collective response to climate change look like? by Adele Peters for Fast Company
Coronavirus Shows Up Rapid Global Response to Climate Change Is Possible by Jamie Margolin for Teen Vogue
America Adapts Podcast: The Climate Change Podcast
That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief by Scott Berinato for the Harvard Business Review
The Siege of Leningrad from Eyewitness to History
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.

Music Credits: Skaj Da Waidah, Raúl Díaz Palomar, J Buckner
9 min