Hello Fellow Climate Activists,

Our friends at the Climate Literacy for Illinois could use your help. Call your representative and ask them to support the Climate Education Bill! Below are details, including talking points and a sample script.

Calling your Illinois Representative about Climate Education Bill HB4895

1. Use this link to find your Representative and their contact details (you want your Illinois STATE representative): Find My Elected Officials

2. Make the call - suggested talking points below. This will probably only be a 5-10 minute conversation and you will most likely talk to a staffer vs the actual Representative.

3. Let us know how it went via this 2 minute Survey: https://forms.gle/KEDYpvBA1ysAsVmY8. This will help us to keep track of how many calls the Reps are getting and who is supportive.

4. Ask three more people to call their Representative (ideally people in different areas of the State/with a different Representative).

We know it can feel intimidating to make a call like this, especially if you have not done it before. We want to reassure you that the Representatives want to hear from their constituents AND they do not expect you to be an expert on climate education or the specific bill – most important is your passion for the topic.  

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions or need more information.

Suggested Script/Talking Points:

These talking points are a guide for you. Pick and choose or use them all. Make them work for you by using them in the order that makes sense for the conversation and importantly PERSONALIZE the conversation - Why is climate education important to you? Tell your story. Speak from the heart!!

Hello my name is ________. I’m a [student/Parent/ constituent] at ______ in__________. I’m calling to ask Rep._____ to show their support for their support for climate education for all Illinois students by voting for bill HB4895 (introduced this session by Rep. Yang-Rohr) which calls for climate education in all IL schools.  

Do you know if Rep ____ plans to support this bill?

If no or maybe: I hope the Rep will take some time to consider the importance of climate education. (Listen to understand the Rep’s reason for not supporting, then skip down to next highlight section)

If yes: That’s great! We would like to ask the Rep during the House discussion to

1. highlight the importance of evidence-based climate change education

2. that there are many resources available that can be reapplied (this means that there is no need to create new materials).

3. Emphasize that climate education should happen at every grade level.    

This bill is a first step for climate education. We are looking for a champion to sponsor or support a more comprehensive bill for the next legislative session with climate change education incorporated in all subjects across all grades. That bill needs to

-provide the funding needed to support teacher professional development

-create a position at ISBE that would help disseminate existing evidence-based curriculum

I’m passionate about climate education because…

• Your personal story/background

• Climate education is the #1 solution to the climate crisis. If everyone understood its causes, impacts and solutions, we would not be in this situation.

• Education that is equity focused helps students address environmental injustice and provides youth with the tools needed to adapt to a changing world and benefit from the job opportunities created by the green transition created by CEJA.

• Education that is age appropriate and solutions based helps alleviate anxiety experienced by many young people and empowers them to help address the climate crisis.

• The majority of parents, educators and youth want climate change to be taught in school.

77% of U.S. adults and 86% of U.S. teachers agree on the importance of including climate change education in our schools, according to Yale’s Program on Climate Change Communication and National Public Radio, respectively.

• Illinois is behind! Since 2020, five states have passed legislation establishing statewide policies for climate education, with four providing funding for school resources, pilot programs or state-level offices.

Optional: I wonder if Rep._____ would be willing to meet with me and other constituents to talk more about this critical issue.

Thanks so much for your time.

Link to Bill: HB4895

In solidarity,

Team 350 Chicago