CCL Canada holds virtual conference; Instagram live with CCL staffers; Watch national call with Dr. DeJarnett 

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  Citizens' Climate Lobby  
 
  CCL Newsletter, May 2020
   
 
   
Table of Contents:
Conference registration open
Take action this week 
Qualified Charitable Distributions 
Outreach: Virtual presentations 
Training topics
This week on the CCL blog 
Register for CCL's June
virtual conference 

 

The nation’s attention is focused on the COVID-19 emergency, but the other crisis that is disrupting our lives — climate change — is not going away. Though we can’t come together in Washington this year, CCL is holding a virtual conference starting Saturday, June 13, and registration is now open.

The conference, “A Community Stronger Than COVID,” will be held on Zoom from 1 to 5 p.m. ET. In-depth seminars will also be offered from 1 to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14. The conference is free.

Join CCL's virtual conference to learn about the path ahead for climate change policy. 

  • Get updated on the prospect of climate change action from members of Congress, journalists and other climate organizations.
  • Get trained on how to engage your member of Congress and others in your community about climate change.
  • Connect virtually with others from around the country who are concerned about climate change and working to get Congress to act on climate.


Although the conference does not include lobbying this year, in a separate activity our CCL chapters will lobby congressional offices on Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17.
The process for forming lobby teams varies from district to district. Contact your local chapter leader, congressional liaison or regional coordinator to find out the local process and availability of slots on the team, as well as to let them know of your interest in participating. All meeting team assignments, meeting plans and practice meetings for this June will be handled locally, similar to in-district meetings. (Schedules will not be sent out by CCL Headquarters.)

REGISTER NOW

Other news: 

CCL Canada holds virtual conference: More than 100 people gathered online Monday for CCL Canada’s Spring Rendezvous. The conference featured Climate Advocate Training and presentations on climate lawsuits and carbon pricing policies around the world. One of the presenters, Jason Dion from the Canadian Institute of Climate Choices, acknowledged CCL Canada for its work on carbon fee and dividend: “You folks were saying it early and often and should take some credit for where we are today.” Check out recordings from the conference here.

CCL call with Rep. Hank Johnson: CCL group leaders and liaisons participated in a special call recently with Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA), one of the cosponsors of the Energy Innovation Act. A short video featuring clips from that call is now available to watch — and share! — on CCL’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles. 

CCL staffers on Instagram Live: Have you been tuning in to more IG Live videos since the pandemic? Now you can tune into CCL's! We've started going live with CCL staffers like Danny Richter and Sara Wanous to chat about their work, their favorite quarantine entertainment, and everything in between. Staffers also take questions from CCL's IG followers, so follow CCL’s Instagram account to participate in future sessions.

Hang out with CCL’s Clara Fang: If you’re not on Instagram, you can still participate in our regular staff hangouts. This week, you can hang out with CCL’s Higher Education Outreach Coordinator, Clara Fang, who manages CCL groups on 50 college campuses and our internship program. Get to know her and the work she does a little better during our hangout this Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Grab a brown bag lunch or cup of tea and join in. Details and upcoming hangouts here. 

Take action this week 
 

If you have a little time: Watch or listen to the recording of CCL’s May national meeting, which took place last Saturday with guest speaker Dr. Natasha DeJarnett from the National Environmental Health Association. Dr. DeJarnett took questions from CCLers about the intersections of public health, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the recording

If you have more time: Watch our recent training video on “Handling challenging questions about the Energy Innovation Act.” This will help you get ready to talk about the Energy Innovation Act during your online grassroots and grasstops outreach over the summer. Watching with a friend or group on Zoom makes it easy and fun to practice your answers. 

You can also connect with your nearest CCL chapter to take action in your community, or join one of CCL’s national online Action Teams to take action on specific topics like agriculture, health, faith, and more. Browse CCL Community’s Event Calendar to find upcoming events, trainings, and calls you can join.
Attention supporters 70.5 years old (and better!)
 

Thank you for all that you do as volunteers, leaders, and donors to build such a powerful grassroots climate movement. Amidst today’s changing landscapes, we want to share important information about your IRA distributions and how your donations can support our momentum towards a livable world.

If you are 70.5 years of age or better, you’re eligible to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your traditional IRA to Citizens’ Climate Education Corp, our 501(c)(3) branch. These gifts are 100% tax-free, whether or not you itemize for your tax returns.  You can use our new tool to make your gift online in less than ten minutes today.

This year, Congress waived the 2020 Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) in response to COVID-19. So while a QCD gift won’t subtract from your 2020 RMD, it is still a highly tax-efficient way to ensure CCL’s presence in the halls of Congress as they rebuild our post-COVID economy. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your IRA and Citizens’ Climate in light of the current situation, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact the development team at [email protected] or call the home office at 619-437-7142. 

BEGIN A QCD GIFT HERE
 
Outreach: Connecting online during Earth Day
 

Social distancing has made our grassroots and grasstops outreach challenging, to say the least. CCL volunteers in the Mid-Atlantic region, however, didn’t let the pandemic stop them from connecting with environmental allies and engaging with those who want to help Mother Earth. They invited several organizations in the region like Audubon and Sierra Club to participate in an online event on Earth Day. Each group was invited to show a short video and suggest an action after their presentation. After the videos were shown, they broke out into rooms of three to four people to share what they learned and commit to one action. This was like an Earth Day tabling event, where you meet others and share what you learned and what you committed to for Earth Day. The event was a great way for groups to learn about each other, build relationships with allies in the region and get more people engaged to help the environment during these challenging times.

CCL volunteers are regularly activating the “five levers” of political will in their communities. If you’d like to learn more about working with other environmental organizations like these volunteers did, read this training on Environmental Organization Outreach. 

CHECK OUT THE TRAINING
 
Training topics 
 

CCL offers two ongoing learning series: Citizens' Climate University for existing volunteers, and Core Volunteer Training for new volunteers. Here are the next few sessions you can join: 

5/14 Citizens' Climate University: Reframing: Moving People from Resistance to Support - What can you do when the person you’re talking to pushes back? Learn how to reframe the discussion for a more positive outcome. Learn more

5/19 Core Volunteer Training: Understanding the Basics of Congress - Curious about the legislative process and what life is like for members of Congress and their staff? This training provides the basics you need to know. Learn more

5/21 Citizens' Climate University: Lobbying 301: Handling Difficult Scenarios - Lobby meetings can sometimes go off the rails. When that happens, it’s good to know to get things back on track. Learn more

To see upcoming topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.
 
This week on the CCL blog 
 

Endorsements from wineries:  Having enjoyed success with beer brewers endorsing the Energy Innovation Act, the Business Climate Leaders are now exploring support from wineries. The Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, home to 20 vineyards and Republican Congressman Tom Reed, is proving to be fertile ground for endorsements. Read more.

Hayhoe’s Earth Day message: We couldn’t let the 50th anniversary of Earth Day go by without doing something special, so we invited our favorite climate communicator, Katharine Hayhoe, to present during a virtual Earth Day event last month. Check out our post to get a recap and watch Dr. Hayhoe’s message. Read more.

Share your story: Are you interested in being featured in a video or on CCL's blog? Sign up to share your story about COVID-19, your climate advocacy, or anything else on your mind. We'll contact you to schedule a conversation.
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