Hope, optimism and effective climate action; these are the themes of the climate advocate training that Citizens’ Climate Lobby will provide on Saturday, March 30, for residents of the San Juan Islands interested in climate solutions. Admission is free to the training, which will be held at the Grange in Friday Harbor from noon-4 p.m. The address of the Grange is 152 First St. N. A light snack will be provided.
CCL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization, empowering people from all walks of life to become effective at building the political will to respond to climate change. Noted climate scientist and activist, Dr. James Hansen praised CCL’s mission: “Most impressive is the work of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. … If you want to join the fight to save the planet, to save creation for your grandchildren, there is no more effective step you could take than becoming an active member of this group.”
With its consistently respectful approach to climate education, CCL creates a broad, sustainable foundation for action across all geographic regions and political persuasions. Building upon shared values rather than partisan divides, CCL chapters work toward the adoption of fair, effective and sustainable climate change solutions in their local communities.
The training will also be the launch of a San Juan Islands chapter of CCL and will highlight the bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 763, now before Congress. This legislation is a revenue-neutral, market-based, non-regulatory approach that reduces greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs and benefiting the economy. To generate the political will necessary for passage of this historic bill, the CCL will train and support volunteers on effective ways to communicate on climate change and on how to build relationships with our elected officials, the media and local community members.
Dr. Gwen Hanson, the lead for the Bellevue chapter of CCL, will facilitate the training. The main topic is building political will for fair and effective climate solutions, including examples of CCL’s successes in the U.S. and internationally. There will be several exercises on communication skills, especially for talking with both conservatives and progressives, and practice sessions for effectively lobbying members of Congress.
