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Official podcast for climate heroes from Citizens' Climate Lobby. We're creating the political will for a livable world.
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Friday Sep 29, 2023
Friday Sep 29, 2023
In episode 88 of Citizens Climate Radio, we dive into the passion and action of young climate activists, exploring their journeys from concern to meaningful action. Host, Peterson Toscano leads the conversation, spotlighting the endeavors of students like Emily O’Keefe and Helen Tiffin in fostering awareness about climate change and feasible solutions, focusing particularly on the carbon fee and dividend policy.
See full show notes and transcript at here
From Concern to Action
Emily O’Keefe, a student at the College of William and Mary, candidly shared her progression from a state of existential concern about climate change to actively seeking out impactful solutions. Emily’s journey started with a realization about the importance of sustainable living and protecting the environment. This ultimately led her to a gap year where she could detach and reconnect with nature by hiking the Appalachian Trail.
"I want to do something really big about climate change. And I'm just trying to figure out how can I do that?" - Emily O’Keefe
Evolving Ideas & Shared Enthusiasm
Emily’s initial idea to start a social movement was supported and molded by her friends, like Helen Tiffin. They delved deep into discussions about the nature of the movement and the message it should convey. Eventually, she was introduced to the carbon fee and dividend policy by a friend, Philip Ignatov. This policy became the focal point of their movement due to its effectiveness and tangible impact.
Helen Tiffin supported Emily’s enthusiasm, remarking on the nonpartisan nature and wide appeal of the carbon fee and dividend idea, noting, “It really is something that we can all agree upon.”
Carbon Fee & Dividend – An Equitable Solution
The carbon fee and dividend policy essentially imposes a fee on corporations extracting fossil fuels, making fossil fuel-intensive products more expensive and thereby encouraging consumers to opt for more sustainable alternatives. Importantly, the policy also includes an equitable dividend system where the revenue from the fees is distributed equally among Americans.
"So that actually makes it so that the majority of Americans, around two-thirds, will actually break even or profit from the money coming back to them in this cashback form, than they have to pay in increased prices." - Emily O’Keefe
Building a Movement
Emily, Helen, and their friends engaged in creating signs which read
Most Effective Climate Policy #carbonfeeanddividend bit.ly/writecongresshere
They raised awareness on their campus, and beyond and fostered a ‘snowball effect’, enabling more and more students and people to recognize and understand the carbon fee and dividend policy, spreading across multiple universities and leveraging online platforms like Instagram for greater reach.
Their campaign also linked to direct actions, creating templates for people to write to Congress and advocate for the policy. “It is all about spreading that awareness and education and whatever form it presents itself,” Helen stated.
Sustaining Impact & Longevity
The Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement initiated by Emily and her friends has found a stable home base within the Citizens Climate Lobby’s Higher Education Team, ensuring the sustainability and longevity of their efforts.
"We are going to be partnered with Friday's For Future in advocating for this...This will bring a lot of power to the movement." - Emily O’Keefe
Emphasizing the nonpartisan and optimistic values of the Citizens Climate Lobby, Emily believes in the importance of embodying these values for the successful advancement of the movement. They continue to use platforms like Slack to coordinate efforts across various chapters and provide resources to aid climate work.
Follow the Climate Fee and Dividend Movement on Instagram and visit their website.
Takeaways
This episode sheds light on the relentless spirit of young activists, their journey of transforming concern into impactful action, and the communal spirit that propels the movement forward. Their dedication to spreading awareness about the carbon fee and dividend as an effective and equitable solution is not just inspiring but is paving the way for a more informed and resilient climate movement.
Take a Meaningful Next Step
Each month we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, consider one of the following next steps.
- Visit our Climate Change Action Page. Each month we provide you with steps you can take to engage with your lawmakers and to spread the word about climate solutions.
- If you are on a college campus, get involved with the Climate Fee and Dividend Movement. From making a sign to starting a chapter, there is a lot you can do.
- If you are connected to a primary, middle, or high school, find out how you can electrify your school buses.
- Learn more about the recently introduced Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton, CCL’s Education and Resilience Coordinator, recently introduced a new series, “Resilient Climateteering through Crazy Climate Connections,” focusing on actionable insights related to climate awareness and playful curiosity.
In this installment Tamara illustrates a parallel between the mental and physical benefits of high-intensity exercises like burpees and the sense of hope derived from proactive climate actions. This connection emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between mental stimulation and actionable insight to foster hope and resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
New CCR Team Members!
Citizens Climate Radio is welcoming three new team members, Lily Russian, Horace, and Karina Taylee, who will be regular voices on the platform. Lily is a political science major and environmental science minor at Trinity College, whose passion for the environment was ignited by her experience at the Island School, a program focused on sustainability and marine biology. She enjoys playing the ukulele and emphasizes intentional living for a sustainable future. Horace, a recent graduate from the University of Michigan and an environmental specialist, has had a lifelong connection to nature, instilled by his family's trips immersed in the natural beauty of his hometown in Chongqing, China. He is dedicated to promoting sustainability and addressing climate change to preserve the environment for future generations. You will meet the third new member, Karina Taylee, next month.
Good News
Shelterwood Collective, a non-profit focusing on communal healing and ecosystem restoration on 900 acres in Northern California, is the focus of this month’s Good News Story. CCR team member Lila Powell researched, wrote, and recorded the story about the indigenous, black, and queer-led group that uses Kashia and southern Pomo traditions in forest restoration, involving controlled burns and invasive species removal. In 2022, they received a $4.5 million grant to enhance their restoration efforts. The collective also uses art, focusing on interconnected ecosystems, to inspire community involvement and is developing a center to foster environmental relationships and inclusivity.
If you're looking for more good news and you want to connect with other climate advocates who refuse to give up, then check out Grassroots Rising Leveling up in the Climate Fight. This is CCLs fall virtual conference November 4 and 5, 2023. You will hear speakers like CNN correspondent and author Van Jones. Plus there's a special plenary presentation by our very own Dana Nuccitelli, host of the Nerd Corner. For more information and free registration, visit the Grassroots Rising Leveling up in the Climate Fight webpage.
Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us as we make new decisions about the content, guests, and style of the show. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like.
We also feature a special tribute to Madeline Para who retired this month from CCL. We played Cody Francis singing Weather Any Storm.
Friday Aug 25, 2023
Friday Aug 25, 2023
In this episode, we're diving into the creative and innovative ways people are reaching the public about climate change. We feature TikTok influencers and a special announcement on behalf of a major toy company.
TikTok's Climate Challenge: Humor and Creativity for Impact
Creative communicators are harnessing TikTok to engage their followers with climate change messages. TikTok is known for its short, engaging videos, and we talk to two content creators who are using the platform to reach and educate younger audiences in a fun and creative way.
Preeta “Prach” Banerjee is better known as @Prachonearth, a passionate climate activist who aspires gain a TikTok following as she shares her day-to-day life while promoting climate change awareness. A pre-med student at Purdue University, Prach volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby and the Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement, Prach speaks with Citizens Climate Radio team member, Ruth Abraham and offers insights into her creative process, which involves spontaneity, authenticity, and connecting with viewers on a personal level.
Cyrus Ferguson is a NYC based strategist, digital creator, and writer. He produces and hosts TikTok shows that imagine new paths for brands to connect to viewers, and if you’re on Art-Tok, you’ve likely seen his “Unintentional Sculpture Analysis.” Cyrus playfully analyzes everyday scenes as if they were works of art, bringing a fresh perspective to mundane objects and encouraging viewers to engage with climate change through imagination and play. With nearly 200,000 likes and over 2400 comments, Cyrus’ Unintentional Sculpture Analysis #13 REFORM is engaging viewers in a ridiculously serious conversation about climate change. He explains his process and shares expert tips and guidance for content creators.
Cyrus Ferguson is currently Content Director at Bilt Rewards, advisor for venture studio Kairos HQ, content creator for brands like Instagram and GQ, and previously worked with award winning creative teams at Recess and Domino Magazine.
Both Prach and Cyrus highlight the importance of authenticity and personal connection in their content, underscoring the potential for TikTok to be a powerful tool for climate communication.
Citizens’ Climate’s Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, delves into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Dana breaks down the financial incentives offered by the IRA to encourage household electrification and energy efficiency improvements. From tax credits to upfront rebates, the IRA aims to make sustainable choices more accessible and affordable for households across the United States. Dana emphasizes the significance of these incentives in reducing building emissions and promoting cleaner energy solutions. Oh, and you can see Dana talking about Permitting Reform on Citizens Climate’s TikTok channel.
Visit The Nerd Corner for more easy-to-understand explanations by Dana and the team.
Good News Story Eco Warrior Barbies: Daryl Hannah's Major Announcement!
After actress and eco-activist Daryl Hannah shared a groundbreaking announcement on behalf of the Mattel Corporation, the company behind Barbie dolls, Citizens Climate Radio host spoke with Daryl about this big bold move.
Earlier this month at Los Angeles press conference, Daryl announced that Mattel has committed to going 100% plastic-free by 2030 and aims to support a global ban on plastics. To celebrate this important shift in toy production, Mattel will release a line of fully biodegradable Eco-Warrior Barbies, including one made in Daryl Hannah’s likeness.
She shared some of the details with us, “I have a few accessories. Well I have a mermaid tail so I can do my work in the ocean. I have a monkey wrench. I have some handcuffs but actually I used chains when I changed myself to a tree at the South Central farm. I have a snorkel so I can also you know go and check out under the ocean. I have a few more toys but I definitely have a few non plastic biodegradable tools.”
If this story sounds too good to be true, it is because it is. It was all a hoax orchestrated by the fictional Barbie Liberation Organization (BLO). The real people behind this political satire is the infamous Yes Men, who for decades have fooled the press and public with their elaborate stunts. While Mattel did announce it has begun shifting its production of Barbie dolls to include recycled plastics and even unveiled Barbie Loves the Ocean; Its First Fashion Doll Collection Made from Recycled Ocean-Bound Plastic with more sustainable packaging, the BLO is trying to get us to envision a world where we find cleaner alternatives to plastics.
In 1993 the BLO infamously swapped the voice boxes of Barbie dolls with GI Joe voices and returned the dolls to store shelves as a form of cultural protest. This time, they're tackling plastic pollution with a playful spoof involving eco-friendly Barbie dolls. The fake news story made national news with pieces in the LA Times, NY Times, and CBS News.
Learn more about the Barbie Liberation Organization and watch the spoof TV commercial for the new Eco-Warrior Barbies
Take a Meaningful Next Step
Each month we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, consider one of the following next steps. Visit our action page to find out how you can make a difference.
Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us as we make new decisions about the content, guests, and style of the show. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like.
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on:
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.
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
As climate advocates, we want to get everyone engaged in some sort of climate action. When it comes to taking on global climate change, people can feel overwhelmed with the scale of the problem, and then they shut down. Brandi Robinson, Associate Teaching Professor in Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University says, “You don't have to make climate change someone's top priority. You have to connect climate change to what they already care about, and figure out how you can work together on that.” She recommends we begin locally.
Brandi has been collaborating with her colleagues, Dr. Peter Buck, a sustainability and climate change professional, public servant, and educator. Together they co-direct the Centre Region Climate Action Program. Their work focuses on the local responses to global climate change, with specific interest in community-scale climate action planning.
In order to guide the municipality and region to meaningful climate mitigation and adaptation plans, Peter ran and won local office. “When I got elected,” Peter says, “I knew that I wanted to create a climate action plan without actually calling it a climate action plan. Because I didn't think that our region was ready for something that you would call it that. What I started doing was thinking about, okay, where are the things that Ferguson township does? Where can I influence whatever is happening?”
The efforts have been wildly successful. They not only saw the passage of Ferguson Township Resolution 27-14, a commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but regionwide they have multiple climate mitigation, adaptation, and education programs in place.
In this episode they not only share their successes, they reveal the best practices, strategies, and approaches that you can use in your own town and region.
Resilience Corner
There is no need to be overwhelmed in your climate work, especially when we use the resiliency tool at hand. In her latest installment of the Resilience Corner Tamara Staton connects our climate work with an emotion that doesn’t often come up–Joy. And speaking of joy, check out the silly TikTok host, Peterson Toscano made with Tamara in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park.
The Resilience Corner is made possible through a collaboration with Tamara Staton, Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education. For more tips, strategies, and practices to stay strong and steady in your climate work, visit The Resiliency Hub.
Good News
Singer Songwriter Dane Meyers hung out with volunteer climate lobbyists in DC. Together they created the Live, Laugh, Lobby song and music video.
Blending the mediums of music, video and climate activism, Dane has a long history of making sustainability feel less like a nightmare and more like a creative adventure. Beginning in 2019, his converted Tesla Model 3 became his home and recording studio for 18 months. The project showcased the unique capabilities of electric vehicles and led to a 17-song album entitled "The New American Dreamers."
Eager to connect with others, Dane is gearing up for his next adventure-a series of intimate living room concerts along the east-coast. These performances aim to spark interest in sustainability and inspire audiences to both process the deep losses of environmental devastation while celebrating the adventure into sustainability. Learn more at his website.
Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us as we make new decisions about the content, guests, and style of the show. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like.
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on:
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.
Read a full transcript of this episode over at on our show notes.
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Ruth Abraham and Lila Powell, interns for Citizens Climate Radio, take over the show, and take a deep dive into the world of carbon pricing.
To see our full notes and full transcript visit our episode 85 page.
Citizens Climate Lobby's Carbon Pricing page states: “A strong, economy-wide price on carbon could reduce America’s carbon pollution by 50% by 2030, putting us on track to reach net zero [carbon production] by 2050.”
Carbon pricing is an economic solution to climate change. When Marshall Saunders first envisioned the creation of CCL, Cap-and-Trade was the primary way lawmakers heard about carbon pricing. But through relentless messaging and volunteer lobbying, the discussion has shifted to carbon fee and dividend.
The ultimate goal? Incentivize both businesses and individuals to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Citizens’ Climate Lobby advocates for a carbon fee and dividend, an economy-wide fee that is then returned to citizens. At the point of extraction, a fee will be placed on fossil fuels. This collected store of cash will then be distributed back to individuals and in turn, flow through the economy, incentivizing both businesses and people to slowly but surely rely on renewables.
Naomi Shimberg is a self-described aspiring economist who hopes to research the design of environmental and energy policy.
A recent graduate at Yale with a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, Shimberg was the senior producer at Pricing Nature where she produced and hosted episodes of Pricing Nature, a podcast on the economics of climate change. She spends her time explaining externalities and the infamous “social cost of carbon.” Shimberg also establishes that environmental inequities are essential to determining an appropriate climate price. Furthermore, she mentions that while it is efficient in reducing pollution it’s not an entirely equitable tool.
Nokwanda Maseko is now a Senior Economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies' with a background in development economics. Nokwanda conducts economic research, with a focus on industrial policy, trade, and climate change. Gender and the Just Transition in South Africa is a topic Nokwanda enjoys and is able to work on professionally. In this episode, Nokwanda says that although carbon pricing can help reduce emissions and promote innovation, it can also potentially increase costs for marginalized communities. Nokwanda discusses how general development as well as the transportation, agriculture, and energy production sectors in South Africa have several factors to consider when envisioning a green and equitable future.
The benefits of carbon pricing include but are not limited to affordable clean energy, saved lives due to the restoration of clean air, and the innovation of American businesses.
Dana Nuccitelli highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! In this episode Dana explains the basics behind addressing pollution and equity through carbon fee and dividend.
Check out Dana’s post about how far and fast a price on carbon can drive down emissions within the United States here.
Good News Story
Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares good news about the Conservative Climate Caucus in the House of Representatives. It is much bigger than most people could have ever imagined!
If you have an idea for a Good News Story, contact us: radio@citizensclimate.org
Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us as we make new decisions about the content, guests, and style of the show. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like.
Friday May 26, 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Change, we explore the intersection between the Bible and climate change. More specifically, we discuss the Christian faith and how it inspires its followers to advocate for the planet.
See full notes and transcript on the Episode 84 page.
Pastor Kyle Meyaard Schaap, husband, father, and self-described disciple of Jesus, is Vice President of the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN). EEN is a ministry that educates, inspires, and mobilizes Christians in their effort to care for God’s creation. Pastor Schaap is also of the book, Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action. It was published by Intervarsity Press, and is a memoir and theological field guide written for millennials and Gen Z believers. His message is that there is a space for Christians in the environmentalist movement.
In fact, Pastor Schaap reminds us that the Bible starts off with Genesis where God gives man authority over creation. Schaap reveals to us how his faith as a Chrisitan inspires his climate work. Jesus asked his followers to love their neighbor as themselves, and Schaap asks Christians to extend this invitation to love all things including the natural world. Even further, Pastor Schaap suggests as Christians strive to be like Jesus, they must be impatient for the Kingdom of God. He urges fellow Christians to commit to creation care.
“Our hope, and God's good plans for the world, has always been more stubborn than our fear of our ability to derail them.” - Kyle Meyaard Schaap
A Climate Life Verse
Ruth Abraham, a member of the Citizens Climate Radio team, shares with us the Bible verse that speaks to her about creation care and our need to clean up the pollution in the world. She is inspired by the Christman hymn, Joy to the World, which was written by Isaac Watts, and a verse in Luke’s Gospel.
Luke Chapter 2 verse 7 “And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Joy to the world,/ the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King /
Let every heart / prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
/(say it with me now)/
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing
But the resonating line for Ruth is / “prepare Him room.”
In light of the humble reception Jesus received when he first arrived on earth, she recommends we consider how to prepare for his second coming. For Ruth, that means cleaning the air and water that God has gifted to us.
Take a Meaningful Next Step
Each month we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, consider one of the following next steps.
- If you are a trained clergy or a lay minister, the Red Cross is actively looking for volunteers to provide spiritual support to people who experienced a disaster. Besides big regional disasters like hurricanes, tornados, and wildfires, the Red Cross also responds to local disasters like housefires. Learn about the many volunteer opportunities at RedCross.org.
- World Vision focuses on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty so they can experience the fullness of life. Inspired by their Christian faith, they help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places. Part of this work includes disaster management. As storms and floods have increased, so has the efforts of groups like World vision. They also assist during disasters caused by extreme weather and political crisis. Learn how you can get involved in their Emergency support efforts.
Dig Deeper
- I’m a Climate Scientist Who Believes in God. Hear Me Out. - The New York Times
- Citizens Climate Radio episode 30 What Does the Bible Say about Climate Change?
- God Uses Changing Climates to Change Societies (Christianity Today)
- Citizens Climate Radio episode 56 Rev. Tony Campolo’s Call to Save Creation
Resilience Corner
“Resilience is about recognizing a challenge and moving through it, so that we’re a little bit stronger on the other side of it.”
Tamara Stanton, returns this episode with a new series: Resilient Climate-teering through Unexpected Climate Connections. The goal is to have you, the listener, worry less and act more.
After revealing the motivation behind the name “Climate-Teering.” Staton begins to equip us with the tools necessary to combat the inevitable challenges that come alongside climate change. She reminds us that resilient minds respond to conflict with an, “I got this,” attitude.
Good News
CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, delivers a story about various faith groups who are collaborating to advance a climate preservation mission. In 2022, Egypt hosted COP27. In attendance were several religious institutions and a wonderful demonstration of interfaith conversations in support of climate policy. In addition to committees, some faith groups have gone as far as publically divesting from fossil fuels. It is a great step forward.
For more links and full transcript, visit our full show notes
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Friday Apr 28, 2023
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Eric Dean Wilson fills us in on the not-so-cool history of air conditioning and its complicated relationship to climate change. He is the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort. Lila Powell and Ruth Abraham join Peterson Toscano in hosting this deep dive into air conditioning’s past, present, and future.
(For complete show notes and transcript visit our show page)
Eric walks us through the creation and history of AC. Despite what all of us at CCR thought, AC was not first used for human comfort or health. Eric says, it was about money. From movie theaters to segregation to a mad scientist, the history of AC covers it all. Join us to learn about how AC got its start in the world of finance and how racism keeps exposing some people in American cities to more heat than others.
Air conditioning contributes directly to the warming of the planet, and its impact is nothing if not ironic. AC typically runs on electricity that’s generated by fossil fuels and the more AC units run, the more greenhouse gas emissions increase! Despite these climate effects, the US tends to hold AC up as the only option for staying cool, which Eric Dean Wilson refers to as the “cost of comfort”.
Eric says, “The United States is in the habit of criticizing those nations who were asking for the same comforts that we have, even though we're not doing hardly anything”
So, what can we do? Eric helps us see a future that does not rely on air conditioning for our comfort. Much like Sean Dague did in Episode 80: Unleashing Our Imaginations for Climate Change Solutions! Tune in and you will hear Peterson and Ruth’s suggestions for some Meaningful Next Steps.
“One of the things I call for in the book is rather than focusing on individual comfort and individual survival, to really try to rethink our notion of comfort, and think about collective comfort and collective survival, community survival.” - Eric Dean Wilson
Eric Dean Wilson’s essays, poems, and criticism have appeared in Time, Esquire, the Baffler, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and Tin House, among other publications. A graduate of The New School’s MFA program in creative writing, Wilson has just defended his doctoral dissertation in the English program at The Graduate Center, CUNY, which focuses on the tension between the personal and the planetal in ecological essays. In the fall, he'll join the faculty at Wagner College on Staten Island as Assistant Professor of Creative Writing and American Literature. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he now lives in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
Take a Meaningful Next Step
Each month we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, consider one of the following next steps.
Ruth Abraham’s suggestion:
Shade helps cool the air without having to use air conditioning. Manifest the power of shade by making your space green! You can get houseplants that release extra moisture into your rooms. Some species include spider plants, jade, Boston ferns, and peace lilies. The plants help clean the air as well as cool things down. To take things a step further: If you have a yard or green space on the sidewalk, see about planting a tree that provides cooling shade, you may need to connect with your municipality, if that green space is part of a sidewalk. Get your neighborhood involved if need be. It's these collective small steps that bring us closer to climate solutions!
Peterson Toscano’s suggestion:
Consider a large building where you spend lots of time. It might be your school or where you work, shop or workout. In the summer these spaces can have the air conditioning pumping so high it feels good when you come in from the heat, but after 20 minutes, people start freezing. This uses a lot of unnecessary energy. How about you begin a campaign to have the building operators increase the temperature by one or two degrees? In other words, lower the intensity of the air conditioning. Do a little research about who makes these decisions. Find out who else shares your concern, maybe even figure out a cost analysis of how the building operators will save money by decreasing the amount of AC in the summer. Then use your volunteer lobbying skills to advocate for this change.
Dig Deeper
- Eric Dean Wilson finds the work of US environmental historian William Cronon inspiring—and a much needed warning against romanticizing "nature." His 1995 essay "The Trouble with Wilderness" has only grown more relevant since its publication. His website is a generous collection of notes and resources from courses he's taught.
- Other suggestions from Eric:
- Alex Johnson's "How to Queer Ecology: One Goose at a Time"
- My favorite eco-feminist philosopher is the late Val Plumwood, who was once nearly killed by a crocodile. I would recommend checking out from the library her book Environmental Culture: The Ecological Crisis of Reason
- I firmly believe part of our deeply entrenched dilemma is that we're stuck in a classically liberal sense of ourselves that's driving the ecological crisis. I don't think the liberal politics of the Democratic party come even close to helping us imagine a way through this. Americans in particular are obsessed with work, and academic Cara New Daggett has been critiquing this contemporary liberal economic and political framework through a deep historical and cultural dive of energy in The Birth of Energy. I find the conclusion one of the most inspiring texts I've read recently.
- Marxist geographer Matthew T. Huber's new book Climate Change as Class War as well as his earlier book Lifeblood: Oil, Freedom, and the Forces of Capital help to ground an activist agenda in material terms.
- The work of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò is absolutely essential, particularly his argument that we need a climate reparations. He's also an excellent follow on Twitter.
- Also: Check out these houseplants to combat dry air in your home
- Interested in a self-sustainable home? Check out Earthships!
- Learn more about how you can promote healthy forest for a healthy climate.
In this episode, we premiere a new section in our podcast- The Nerd Corner! Citizen Climates Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, fills us in on the environmental impacts of renewable energy. Dana highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! Check out Dana’s recent post about The little-known physical and mental health benefits of urban trees.
Good News
CCR’s very own intern, Ruth Abraham, shares her experience attending the CCL Southeast Regional Conference. The conference took place at the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design on Georgia Tech’s campus. It was the 28th building to receive a Living Building Certification. She heard from various climate continuous figures such as Georgia Senator, Raphael Warnock, and Atlanta’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Candra Farley. Ruth even joined a book club!
If you couldn't make it to CCL’s Southeast Regional Conference, don’t worry! The Citizens Climate International Conference and Lobby Day will be held June 10-13 in Washington, DC.
Podbean Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Friday Mar 24, 2023
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Peterson Toscano and Ruth Abraham feature four high school students who reveal the secret world of teenage lobbying. Brionna Dulay, Saachi Sharma, Cole Cochrane, and Anna Xies all volunteer for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. We asked them, Are lobbyists evil?
Brionna Dulay is a high school senior in Washington State, who discovered a passion for climate advocacy after she was an eyewitness to severe flooding in her community. As a Punjabi-American, Brionna recognized the lack of her community’s representation in climate advocacy and climate change's disproportionate effects on minority communities. This has pushed Brionna to speak to US senators and representatives along with local, regional, and state members of congress.
Saachi Sharma, also from Washington State, has been involved with Citizens’ Climate Lobby since middle school, and she is now a high school junior. She believes that the work done by today's youth helps make the world a better place, and says, “There's really no age to when you can start being more climate-conscious”.
Cole Cochrane started his advocacy at age 11 as a volunteer on campaigns for local candidates. Cole is now a senior in high school and has co-founded a nonprofit organization called Maine Youth Action. He serves as the Policy Director. Maine Youth Action aims to empower youth in politics and have their voice heard in critical areas like climate action.
Anna Xies lived in China till she was 11 and is now a senior in high school in Washington State. Anna is the statewide leader of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Youth and previously worked on team recruitment. Anna was struck by the positive feedback from new team members, who told her that CCL has changed their lives and given them more confidence in their public speaking and in the future of our plant.
So are lobbyists evil? Anna says, “I don't think lobbying is inherently evil. I think when you get a lot of money involved with it, it gets a little bit corrupt at times”. Cole looks at lobbying as hands-on advocacy, he says protesting is “the mobilization of the masses and that's how you get the attention of the legislators, but who's going to carry that attention when the rallies and those protests start fading away?”.
We decided to call a professional lobbyist to find out more.
Ben Pendergrass has worked in Washington for over 14 years as a Congressional staff and a government relations professional. He is CCL’s Vice President of Government Affairs and works to advance the policy goals of CCL in Congress. Ben gave us the inside scoop on professional lobbying and had some advice for youth lobbyists. Ben suggests that “being informed, being polite, and really connecting the issues back to the state or district is always very important.”
Dig Deeper
- Get involved with Citizens Climate Lobby Youth
- Check out the work Cole and many others are doing at Maine Youth Action
- Learn about the story of the youth climate movement in the book Movement Makers: How Young Activists Upended the Politics of Climate Change
- A Baby Boomer and a Gen Zer Walk Into a Climate Action Meeting, what happens next?
Good News Story
CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, tells us about two young climate advocates' successes in sustainability. Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz were students at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. While sipping wine in their backyard, Franziska and Max pondered the future of the glass bottle it came in, since NOLA doesn’t have a government-funded glass recycling program. Tune in to hear how they turned that into a happy ending for their whole community!
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Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, we feature two women so compelled by their experiences in the wilderness, they published books about their experiences.
Lilace Melin Guinard, is a poet and non-fiction writer. CCR host Peterson Toscano walks alongside Guinard in northern Pennsylvania’s Hill Creek State Park as the two discuss the unique experiences that women face alone in nature. As a young woman who was fed up by non-communicative boyfriends, Guinard sought out solace in wild spaces and places. Backpacking and solo-trips equipped her with autonomy and released her from the fear of the outdoors she was taught while growing up in suburbia in the 1980s.
In her memoir, When Everything Beyond the Walls Is Wild: Being a Woman Outdoors in America, Guinard explores the challenges and rewards of exploring wilderness alone. She writes to tell the stories of a regular person empowered by facing the risks of enjoying nature alone. This memoir provides accounts of her experiences alone, often accompanied by her dog, in remote wilderness.
She reflects on the ways culture socializes women to find safety indoors while overlooking the dangers women and girls can encounter in their own homes. She emphasizes that these cultural messages shape women as they participate in outdoor recreation. Guinard who has been a professor of creative writing, women’s studies and outdoor recreation leadership draws from her expansive knowledge of literature and encourages previously marginalized members of society to take advantage of the beauty of nature and the great outdoors.
Dig Deeper
- Women Outdoors: a non-profit organization, dedicated to building a network for women curious about nature
- 10 outdoor women's organizations you should know (exploreorigin.com)
- The Case for Evidence-Based Outdoor Recreation Interventions for Girls: Helping Girls “Find Their Voice” in the Outdoors (pdf) Empirical evidence of the benefits of outdoor recreation on adolescent girls
“I’m rooting for us but i’m also rooting for the rest of nature” - Hila Ratzabi
We spotlight poet, writer, and editor Hila Ratzabi. In her recent book There are Still Woods Ratzabi writes both for herself as well as others who need to process the strong emotions around climate change. Her advice? Recognize there are ways to get involved. Beyond political actions she recognizes the importance of cultivating our creative sides.
Raised in the borough of Queens in New York City, Ratzabi has always written poetry to make sense of the world around her. Communion with nature has been a personal aspiration of hers since she was a young girl, and it has been a running motif in her body of work. However, it took living through Hurricane Sandy to shift her focus to the relationship between humans and climate change.
In this episode she reads and breaks down a selection from her book. In Willapa Bay Ratzabi recollects her time at an artist residency in the Western most point in Washington State, a space where she was able to have a spiritual connection with nature. With her senses heightened, she experienced captured the image of the tilted moon and the sounds of the wind blowing through the seagrass. Ratzabi practices gratitude for being a part of nature while simultaneously fretting over grasping onto Mothers Earth’s fleeting beauty as it slips away due to ongoing and impending threats of climate change.
Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton, CCL’s Education and Resilience Coordinator shares the fifth and final step to building resilience: Repeat
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
Tamara wants you to remember, “You are strong, you are resilient, and you can make things happen.”
Transcript
Click here to view a full transcript of this episode.
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Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
As climate advocates, we need to articulate what it is we are fighting for. What is the world we want to create? Engaging our imagination is essential to stirring up the kind of hope and excitement that inspires others to action.
In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, three guests join us to help unleash our imagination potential: Hannah Pickard from the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation; Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a leader in environmental health research and board member of Citizens’ Climate Education and Physicians for Social Responsibility; and Sean Dague, a software engineer by day, a CCL group leader, and an En-ROADS Climate Simulation tool ambassador.
These three guests conduct a thought experiment: Can you imagine a world without fossil fuels? What will it look, smell, sound, and feel like?
You will also hear three new voices who have joined the Citizens Climate Radio team. Ruth Abraham, Lila Powell, and Zach Torpie are each recent college graduates. They share their reactions and responses to what Sean and Hannah have to say about engaging our imaginations in our climate change work.
You can imagine this, too! Share your answers with host Peterson Toscano. Leave a voicemail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
Dig Deeper
- Video of Sean Dague’s Thought Exercise: Imagine a World without Fossil Fuels
- Hannah Pickard CCL International Call March 2020
- Peterson Toscano’s Citizens Climate Virtual Conference Breakout Session: Telling a New Kind of Climate Story
- Citizens Climate Radio Ep 39 Envisioning and Communicating Climate Success
- Climate Change and the Imagination by Kathryn Yusoff and Jennifer Garbrys (PDF)
- Imagining a world without fossil fuels | BBC Ideas. Study Guide.
Resilience Corner
Once we are able to notice, accept and get help where we need it, we are more able to take action in ways that support our well-being. Which brings us to our focus today on the next step: Practice.
Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need.
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
Women in the Wild
If you are a woman who has spent time alone camping, hiking, or in nature, the Citizens Climate Radio team would like to hear from you. What was that experience like? What insights and advice do you have for women who want to explore natural places alone? If you have something to say, email us radio @ citizensclimate.org.
Transcript
Click here to view a full transcript of this episode.
NEW! Listener Survey
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Monday Dec 26, 2022
Monday Dec 26, 2022
In this episode we look at climate stories that reveal the impacts of climate solutions. This is a harder story to tell because many of the best solutions are still on the table. In fact, you are working hard to get lawmakers and community leaders to take these solutions seriously and put them into practice. In 25 or 50 years we will be able to tell many stories about the beneficial impacts these solutions will have. But we need to tell these stories today.
There are three different types of Climate Solution Impact stories you can tell.
- The Current Solution Success Story
- The Future Solution Success Story
- The Solution Motivation Story
For examples of Current Climate Change Solution Success Stories, we hear from Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz and Yale Climate Connections.
- A new solar-powered car designed to travel up to 40 miles on sunshine alone: That’s enough to cover many people’s daily commutes.
- Eight states, 30 cities team up to reduce flooding threat along the Mississippi: They’ve partnered with Ducks Unlimited to restore more than 60 wetlands that will hold floodwaters during storms.
To hear and read more of these stories visit Yale Climate Connections.
The Future Climate Change Solution Success Story
This type of story relies on our efforts to envision and imagine the world filled with the solutions we advocate. We want to paint a picture of a future worth pursuing. When we succeed, we create a yearning in others for this better world. For examples of these, head over to the Clifi Imaginarium. Allison Whitaker tells us about the ways they take seemingly dry information about solutions, and turn them into compelling stories. Check out With Many Roots to read these Cli-fi solution stories and to learn about the free monthly Introduction to Climate Fiction on-line workshops.
The Climate Change Solution Motivation Story
This story reveals why I am motivated to do the climate work I am doing. The story itself may not seem to have anything to do with climate change. Still this story goes right to the heart of my work. I will tell you one of my climate solution motivation stories.
Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares one of his motivation stories, and shows us how to then pivot to climate change solutions and specific meaningful action.
What you will learn in this episode
We can tell effective climate stories. There are two types of climate change stories.
- The climate change impact story--A story that reveals the dangers climate-changed induced extreme weather and other impacts have on our lives and the world.
- The second are the climate solution stories. We covered three different climate solutions stories.
- The Current Climate Change Solution Success Story. This might be a story about a breakthrough in technology, a new important person or group who is on board in pursuing climate change solutions, or it can be about a solution that has been put into action.
- The Future Climate Change Success Story. This one requires your imagination to envision what the future will look like with solutions in place. This is a form of clifi, or climate fiction.
- And finally the Climate Change Solution Motivation Story. This story reveals why you are so passionate about a particular climate change solution.
Once you tell a compelling story about your motivation, the future, or climate impact, you can then do the Climate Change Pivot. Connect your story to the solution you are pursuing.
But don’t leave them with just a pivot. Provide your listener with a specific, meaningful, and achievable next step. It might be as simple as asking, “Do you want to get together over coffee sometime next week to talk more about this?”
Do you want to learn more about climate storytelling and get some experience in a group?
Join Peterson for a free on-line storytelling workshop January 17th 2023 8:00 PM Eastern. He will share activities and insights, and he will give feedback to participants about their stories. You will walk away with fresh inspiration in telling your compelling climate stories. It will be fun and informative. Click here to register for the training.
The Art House
Alan Gratz has written nearly 20 books for young adults including PRISONER B-3087, about World War Two holocaust survivor and Refugee, which weaves togethers stories of three children from three countries escaping their countries in search of a new home. In his latest book, Two Degrees, Alan takes on climate change.
He tells us about the challenges he had to overcome in writing about climate change, and how this book was much harder to write than his previous ones. He also gives us a reading from the book.
13-year-old Juno gives a review of Two Degrees.
Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need.
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
Transcript
Click here to view a full transcript of this episode.
NEW! Listener Survey
We want to hear your feedback about this episode. After you listen, feel free to fill in this short survey. Your feedback will help us as we make new decisions about the content, guests, and style of the show. You can fill it out anonymously and answer whichever questions you like.
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