CCL's annual International Conference and Lobby Day offers everything from inspiration to information. This June 10-12, you can get inspired by meeting others like you -- ordinary people doing extraordinary things. You'll meet with your member of Congress in Washington, D.C., to show them you're serious about solving climate change. And in this midterm election year, you will learn strategic updates and the latest progress we've made toward climate legislation.

Sign up before April 30 to save $50 on your registration costs! Once your spot is secured, prepare for the lobbying portion of the event by visiting the "Prepare for Lobby Day" page on CCL Community. There you'll find information about appointment setting, lobby training, lobby meeting resources, and more.

We hope you'll consider joining us this year!

 
On Earth Day, Cathy Orlando, Citizens' Climate Lobby's International Outreach Manager, will bring the CCL solution of grassroots mobilization to the "We Don't Have Time Conference" -- the first no-fly global conference. Members of CCL Sweden got Cathy on the panel. There are three segments in this conference: Reality, Solutions and Action. Cathy will join Jeffrey Sachs, Anders Wijkman (Club of Room) and others on the Solutions Panel. CCL India's National Coordinator, Riruraj Phukan, is also a speaker at this conference.

"We will be fusing corporate interests, academic ideas, humanitarian concerns, and grassroots mobilization together. Actually, I am getting goosebumps just thinking about it," says Cathy.

Please note your time zones. You can register for the conference online. 

 
When it comes to climate change, studies show there’s a serious disconnect between what scientists agree on and what the public thinks they agree on. For many Americans, the only scientist they hear from is the person who delivers the weather report on TV. Meteorologists, therefore, can provide a critical service by connecting the dots between extreme weather and climate change.

Phoenix meteorologist Amber Sullins joined our national call last Saturday to share useful tips about communicating the science of climate change.

When talking about climate change, especially in situations like a quick TV segment, Amber said it’s important to keep it simple. “We are talking as simple as you can possibly make it without losing the key information,” she said. “Most people will naturally try to simplify information. Our job as communicators is to simplify it appropriately for them.”

Get the full recap of our national call with Amber Sullins on CCL’s blog. 

In order to broaden the perspectives and backgrounds of people attending our International Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, CCL this week distributed 25 diversity scholarships and 12 conservative scholarships totaling $15,000. The 25 diversity awardees come from 13 states and bring constituents from districts not yet covered for the conference. The conservative scholarship awardees come from 10 states and added four new states to the conference that did not have a conservative registered.

CCL has offered discounted or fully waived conference registration fees for some attendees in the past, but this is the first time CCL has been able to offer funds to cover travel and lodging.

These scholarships allow folks to experience the personal empowerment of attending the International Conference and Lobby Day, and they also help CCL get closer to being an organization that truly reflects the makeup of our country’s citizens. 

Our op-ed of the month is a piece published in the Ventura County Star from Cara Lopez Lee that made the connection between public policy and personal choices. You can read the entire op-ed online. In this excerpt, Cara talks about choices like becoming a one-car household:

We’re in better shape and spend less on gas, repairs and insurance. Doing right by our environment is already improving our lives. But such changes make little difference unless we engage entire communities.

People do what’s convenient, but sometimes what we call “convenience” is habit. Public policy can reshape habit. I kept forgetting to bring reusable bags to the supermarket until it became public policy.

Want to publish an op-ed but don’t know where to start? Check out the “Write and Submit Op-eds” page on CCL Community.  

Young dad on a mission: He’s 25, conservative, and with two young children, Nick Huey is highly motivated to do what he can to solve climate change. “Little successes and progress along the way are what keep me hopeful and energetic.” Read more.

Pod save the planet: Did you know that CCL volunteer Peterson Toscano hosts a climate-focused monthly podcast? The pod is called Citizens’ Climate Radio, and you can listen or browse written recaps of all past episodes on the blog.

Flashback to your first conference: Do you remember your first CCL conference? Or perhaps you’ll attend your first conference this year? Either way, you’ll learn something from these four first-timers who attended our 2017 June conference. Read more.

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

4/19 Citizens' Climate University: Climate Solutions Caucus - Do you have questions about the Climate Solutions Caucus? Dr. Danny Richter, CCL’s Vice President of Legislation and Research, has the answers in this week’s session. Learn more.

4/24 Core Volunteer Training: Grassroots Outreach - If you want your chapter to grow, you need to get out into the community. This week’s training covers everything from tabling to presentations. Learn more and register for the training.

4/26 Citizens' Climate University: Engaging Higher Education - Young people have the greatest motivation to do something about climate change. Join CCL Higher Education Outreach Coordinator Clara Fang to learn about engaging students on college campuses. Learn more.

To see all upcoming topics, visit the Learn page of CCL Community.

Featured Action Team: The Peer Support Action Team is a safe place for CCL volunteers to learn effective techniques to become better climate advocates by practicing self-care and compassionate conversations. The team forms groups that follow a 12-week program in mindfulness and non-violent communication. Valerie Bane, one of the team co-leaders says, "If we never stop to examine our own thought patterns, we may miss out on some portion of the greatest gift: common understanding." Join an informational call on Wednesday, April 18, 8-9 p.m. EDT (7 CDT, 6 MDT, 5 PDT) on www.zoom.us/j/7237228489. If you'd like to join the team, or learn more, visit their page on Community.

Also meeting this week…

• 4/19 - Spanish Language Action Team call at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT 
• 4/22 - Jewish Action Team meeting at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m.. PT 
• 4/23 - Labor Outreach Action Team call at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• 4/23 - Ski & Outdoor Industry Action Team call at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• 4/23 - Health Action Team call at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT
• 4/25 - Environmental Justice Action Team call at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• Visit the full event calendar for dial-in details and future events.

To check out all of CCL's Action Teams and join any that interest you, head to the Action Team directory on CCL Community.