Citizens' Climate Lobby

In this training, learn from CCL leaders Miranda Phillips and Jean Ritok about suggestions for engaging new volunteers coming back for more, including how to welcome your new volunteers and successfully onboard them into your group, how to delegate and keep people constantly involved.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):Welcoming New Volunteers (3:09)Three Phases on Onboarding (8:44)The Power of Asking For Help (31:59)Smaller Chapter Considerations (35:27)Setting Up Your Group On Community (37:42)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/new-volunteers-engagedCCL Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/298Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/citizensclimatelobbyTwitter: http://twitter.com/citizensclimate/

Join CCL Regional Coordinator Tamara Staton for a training that will highlight how local groups can incorporate more fun, volunteer support, culture and community building into their group meetings and local activities with examples of what's worked for CCL chapters around the country.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):The Importance Of Group Culture (1:40)How CCL National Creates Culture (5:31)Building Culture & Joy In Your Meetings (12:33)Gratitude Practices (23:45)Additional Chapter Activities (26:12)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/fun-culture-buildingCCL Community Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/422Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/citizensclimatelobbyTwitter: http://twitter.com/citizensclimate/

Climate Communication experts Blair Bazdarich from the San Francisco Zoo and Hannah Pickard at Boston's New England Aquarium share proven insider tips about effective communication strategies. They are both leaders at NNOCCI, the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation. They train aquarium and zoo professionals how to speak about climate change. NNOCCI is a network of individuals and organizations in informal education, the social sciences, and climate sciences.They are currently working in 170 institutions in 38 states. NNOCCI members reach over 190 million people each year.

 

In this episode Hannah and Blair share the techniques they have been using, including a “values-first” approach. Through NNOCCI’s research, they identified two motivating values that prove highly effective in opening up conversations with members of the public. The first value is Protection—we feel a strong need to protect the people and places we love. And the second is Responsible Management. We value solving problems earlier before they become too big. 

 

In addition, NNOCCI advises climate communicators to to speak less about the mechanisms leading to climate change and its effects. Instead they encourage us to focus our conversations on solutions. Hannah and Blair share how to lead the conversation to a place of hopeful engagement. Providing achievable, large scale solutions coupled with a clear vision of the benefits these solutions will have on our communities and familes is an extremely powerful combination. It will motivate people to believe, dream, and act. 

 

Blair Bazdarich has spent the past 20 years becoming an expert in science communication, but she didn't realize that's what she was doing until recently. Through volunteering, performing, shoveling poop, learning new languages, teaching, painting, and advocating for endangered species, she has found her niche in the science community. In her current position as Education & Engagement Manager at the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens, she runs the ZooMobile program, which brings animals to schools throughout the Bay Area, and several teen volunteer programs, where she mentors high school students in conservation and education. Blair is also an active member of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), and serves in the Governing Council, working to unify the national narrative and action plan on climate change. In her spare time, she is the resident "Zoologist" on the podcast This Week in Science, or TWIS.

 

Hannah Pickard is Program Manager for the NNOCCI and is responsible for network management and operations. Hannah has led NNOCCI’s efforts on curriculum development, facilitator training, and alumni support since 2010.  She has a background in education program development, implementation and evaluation for families, schools, and community groups.  She holds a B.A. in studio art and Italian from Connecticut College and an Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania.  She also has training in evaluation from Lesley University and in conservation psychology from Antioch University.

 

Hear these conversations to gain value lessons from leaders in the field of climate communication. 

 

 

The Art House

Sometimes we cannot easily imagine the impacts legislation and policy can make. Andrews Smalls from City Lab wrote the article, What American Cities Looked like Before the Environmental Protection Agency Was Created. "Since 1970, the agency has reduced the six most common air pollutants by more than 50 percent, reduced air toxins from large industrial sources by almost 70 percent, and eliminated the use of ozone-depleting chemicals. And this progress was accomplished even as the country’s GDP tripled, energy consumption increased by 50 percent, and vehicle use nearly doubled."

Of course we have still have work to do. We need to reduce localized pollution and heat-trapping greenhouse gases globally. So how do we build the political will so that the public clamors for legislation and policy that will change how we get and use energy? We need to communicate to the public what success looks like. Envisioning success in our climate work though requires imagination. 

To help us with this task Sean Dague, the group leader for the Mid-Hudson South chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, leads us through a powerful exercise. He asks us, What does a decarbonized world look like? What does it smell like? What does it sound like? 

Once you hear Sean’s vision of a successful future, we invite you to continue the exercise. Try some creative writing. Write a short story or a letter from the future about what you see, smell, and hear.  Maybe create visual art, a drawing or painting. If you can’t draw or paint, get images from magazines and on-line then create a collage. Write a song, create a map, choreograph a dance. Use art to capture a vision of a decarbonized world. Even if you do not see yourself as an artsy person, just try it. 

Towards the end of his life, writer Kurt Vonnegut would say, "Everyone should practice art because art enlarges the soul." 

PLEASE feel free to share your art with our host, Peterson Toscano, and let him know if I can share it with listeners, on the podcast, Facebook, and Twitter. 

If you have art from this exercise to share or if you have idea for the Art House, feel free to contact Peterson at [email protected].

Puzzler

 

Joining us to answer last month’s question about climate adaptation is Doug Parsons, the host of the America Adapts podcast. 

 

New Puzzler Question

You just spoke to a group of middle school students about your climate change work. During the Q&A a student named Victor says, “I am freaking out because of all the bad stuff I am seeing and it seems like it is just getting worse and worse. I really do not see the point of even trying anymore. I think we are too far gone. What difference does this make?” 

Lots of people young and old feel the same way. So how do you respond to Victor? How can you validate his fears while also giving him reasons to hope and pursue solutions.  

Send us your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.

Get back to Peterson by September, 15, 2019 Email: radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less: 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) 

Dig Deeper

Climate Interpreter, Do you work or volunteer with an aquarium, zoo, national park, national marine sanctuary, or other informal science education center that is addressing climate change? Connect and share with a national community of colleagues and peers.

NNOCCI’s Research Reports, Frameworks Institute

What Does Success Look Like? Reports from the Future from Climate Stew

Role of Values in climate change community engagement, NewsDay

America Adapts podcast episode 95 Summer Sizzle featuring Citizens Climate Radio

Citizens Climate Radio Ep 12: Values that drive CCL’s work

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.

If you listen on iTunes, please consider rating and reviewing us!

Just how powerful and influential is grassroots advocacy? Our guest this month, Sam Daley-Harris, will share examples of organized citizen lobbying that had a major impact on national policies and priorities. Sam is the founder and CEO of Civic Courage, a non-profit that coaches organizations to improve the effectiveness of their advocacy work. In 1980, he founded RESULTS, an organization working to end hunger and poverty, which later became the model for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Sam is also the author of Reclaiming Our Democracy: Healing the Break Between People and Government.

 

Helpful Links:Civic Courage: https://civiccourage.org/Monthly Action Sheet: http://cclusa.org/actionsheetCarbon Pricing Bills in Congress: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/220Follow Citizens' Climate Lobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobbyTwitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimatehttps://citizensclimatelobby.org

After you've done the research to focus your group's grasstops engagement and are planning on bringing your community leaders to your next meeting - how to best prepare?

Join CCL leaders across the country from Nebraska to Indiana and Montana that have brought influential leaders to their own leaders to learn from their experiences and get ready for your own meetings.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):CCL Idaho's Story (2:42)Initial Research & Communication (6:20)Incorporating Community Leaders & Preparations (9:14) CCL Montana's Story (13:49)CCL Indiana's Story (19:28)CCL Nebraska's Story (25:59)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/community-leaders-lobby-meetingFind This Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/420Follow Citizens' Climate Lobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobbyTwitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimate

Demonstrating that businesses and job creators support federal action addressing climate change is some of the most important support CCL volunteers can provide our members of Congress.

Join BCL Leaders Harold Hedelman, Steve Hams, Bruce Hagen, and Randy Salim in a training that explores the history and purpose of the Business Climate Leaders and how to best work with this action team in your own community's grasstops work.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):Why Engage Business? (5:52)How We Engage (9:11)Success Stories (16:51)How BCL Works (27:10) How You Can Get Involved (36:28)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/working-with-bclBCL website (for the public): businessclimateleaders.orgBCL Resources website: sites.google.com/view/bcl-resourcesJoin us on CCL Community or email us at: [email protected]

On Thursday, July 25th, our collective push for carbon pricing took a couple of new, exciting steps forward.

Join Dr. Danny Richter, CCL's VP of Government Affairs and Madeleine Para, CCL's VP of Programs for a special online webinar to learn more about the policy details of Stemming Warming and Augmenting Pay (SWAP) Act, the Raise Wages and Cut Carbon Act, and the Climate Action Rebate Act and how your local group can respond!

Skip ahead to the following section(s):Energy Innovation Act Updates (0:57)Background Contet (6:56)Comparing the Four Carbon Pricing Bills (13:56)Taking Action (22:58)Conservatives for Climate Action Hearing Testimony (29:18)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/aug-leg-updateFind This Resource on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/220Follow Citizens' Climate Lobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobbyTwitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimate

Join CCL's Higher Education Coordinator Clara Fang and CCL Regional Fellows Destiny Loyd and Jess Wilber for a training that provides a background to learn more about millennials’ concerns, how to get them involved and connect your CCL team’s outreach with local high school, college students, and higher education communities as we work to engage young adults in CCL‘s larger coalition.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):Why Young People? (1:14)Higher Education Community Leaders (6:04)What Can I Do? (8:45)Opportunities For College Students (16:38)Opportunities For Middle & High School Students (23:04)

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/engaging-young-adultsFind This Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/152Follow Citizens' Climate Lobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobbyTwitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimate

Lew Blaustien, editor of Green Sports Blog, is very concerned about climate change.  A sports nut since childhood, Lew began a career in sportscasting, and eventually settled into the marketing side of professional sports. There was nothing in his background to suggest he would turn into a passionate climate advocate. The 911 attacks on New York City in 2001 though changed everything for him. You will hear about how that traumatic event set him on a new career path. 

Lew puts the challenges we face into perspective. He says, “Mike Trout of the Anaheim Angels—best player in baseball—recently signed a 400 plus million dollar twelve year contract extension. Twelve years is also what the IPCC said is the time frame that humanity has to reduce our carbon footprint by 45%—basically Mike Trout’s contract.” Lew believes sports fans can become instrumental in taking on climate change.  “We need to get the masses of people who follow sports...to engage on positive climate action.”

In this lively interview you will hear Lew brimming with enthusiasm as he reveals a growing trend in the professional sports world. More and more athletes, teams, and leagues are working hard to address environmental concerns. You will also hear from professional skier, Angel Collinson. Through Protect Our Winters she has been speaking to members of congress. In speaking with lawmakers and how many are concerned about climate change, she has become more determined than ever to speak out about the issue. Inspired by athletes like Angel Collinson and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher, Brent Suter, who we featured on Episode 37, Lew and other in the green sports movement are urging teams and players to take the next step—speak directly about climate change and endorse the policies that will address our dangerous pollution problems. 

The Art House

Poet liz gonzález joins us in the Art House. Her background is important to her work. She describes herself as “a fourth generation Southern Californian on my mother’s side and the daughter of a Mexican immigrant father who died when I was three.” A teacher of creative writing through the UCLA Extension Writers Program, liz writes poetry and creative non-fiction. Through her writing liz captures the beauty and the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape. For the Art House she reads from her book, Dancing in the Santa Ana Winds: Poems y Cuentos New and Selected. She explains how the power of the Santa Ana winds serves as a metaphor for the early years of liz’ marriage. She also reads a poem from the anthology, Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California. 

Though she is very passionate about the suffering that comes from pollution and climate change, liz reveals how difficult it is for her to write about social justice issues. “It has to just happen naturally. I can’t sit down and decide I want to write it. It always ends up sounding preachy, and there are people who do it so much better.” Experience the natural beauty liz recreates in her writing and learn about some of the challenges artists like liz face in a time of climate change. 

Puzzler

For last month’s puzzler we asked listeners to share with us the colors and sounds they associate with climate change. 

New Puzzler Question

On Facebook you reconnected with a childhood friend, Lydia. She has become worried about climate change and is wondering about what she can do right now to prepare for the effects of climate change. While she admires your work in mitigating climate change, she feels a growing interest in adaptation. Lydia asks you, “What are ways I can help my community to get ready for climate change?” 

This is a big question and hopefully the beginning of a larger discussion about climate adaptation. What are some ideas you have for Lydia? Where might she start in adapting to climate change? 

You’re welcome to answer either or both. Send Peterson your answers by July 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).

Dig Deeper

Sports for Climate Action Framework

The Green Sports Alliance

Thomas L Friedman: The Power of Green

Ep 18 Race Car Driver and Climate Advocate, Aaron Telitz

George Marshall: Don’t Even Think about It: Why are Brains are Wired to Ignore Climate Change

LA Times: The Santa Ana Winds and the Literature of Los Angeles

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.

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Andrew Jones, CCL's July 2019 monthly speaker and co-founder of Climate Interactive, engages attendees with a review of Climate Interactive's new climate policy simulator, En-ROADS, built with MIT Sloan.

Explore the power of a steadily rising price on carbon through policies like the Energy Innovation Act as well as other strategies to address climate change to highlight complementary climate goals including the impact of changes in energy, land use, consumption, agriculture, and other policies.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):Background and History of the En-ROADS Tool (3:11)Expert Opinion and Assumptions (7:24)Using the Simulator (9:30)Demo-ing the Simulator (12:00)Modeling the Energy Innovation Act's Inputs (24:20)When En-ROADS Will Be Released & Training Plan (26:58) For Additional Q&A Go To: https://youtu.be/apFC6iaKm7k

Find This Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/418Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/climate-simulationsFollow Citizens' Climate Lobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobby/Twitter: https://twitter.com/citizensclimate