Citizens' Climate Lobby

Even when he is being serious, comedian, storyteller, and podcast host, Esteban Gast is hilarious. And for climate advocates looking for some hope, perhaps the sweetest spot in the climate change podcast scene right now is Esteban’s new show, Comedians Conquering Climate Change. Only 15 minutes each episode, he features fellow comedians who learn along with the listener. The show is made in collaboration with Generation180.

 

Comedians Conquering Climate Change is the funniest, friendliest, and shortest podcast addressing today’s critical climate and clean energy topics. Join comedian, writer, and teacher Esteban Gast as he enlists the help of fellow comedians to single-handedly save the planet.

 

Esteban joins Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, for a lively conversation about the podcast, Esteban’s personal journey into climate communication, and creative ways to engage people who are aware of climate change but do not know where to start. You will also hear excerpts from Esteban’s podcast.

 

You will laugh, learn, and feel more connected to others taking on climate change. 

 

The Art House

 

Inspired by Esteban’s comic storytelling, Peterson Toscano shares his own comic story as he grapples with The Weight of Carbon Dioxide and Chihuahuas. He even tries to figure it all out by using his limited math skills, which may be a mistake. How many chihuahua does it take to make a gallon of gasoline? And how can we help people see what is invisible? His math might be a little off, but when it comes to putting a price on carbon, Peterson makes total sense!

 

You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change. 

 

Good News Report

 

Lori Byron a co-chair of the Citizens Climate Health Team,The team has hundreds of CCL health care professionals, along with Robert Byron and Lisa Delbuono. Lori serves the point person between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the AAP Chapter Climate Advocates.

 

If you have good news you want to share on the show, or if you have an idea for the art house, email Peterson. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org. 

 

Or leave a message our NEW listener voicemail (619) 512-9646

 

You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on:

• iTunes
• Spotify
• SoundCloud
• Podbean
• Stitcher Radio
• Northern Spirit Radio
• PlayerFM
• TuneIn Radio

Connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to episode in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.

Join CCL's National Action Director Todd Elvins for a training that will review CCL's recently updated advice on campaign season activities this midterm election year. One of our goals is to make sure climate action is taken to reach the science-based target of reducing our emissions by 50% below 2005 levels in 2030. We also want to encourage emerging candidates to generally support strong bipartisan national carbon pricing legislation and continue building local community support for meaningful climate action.

 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

(0:00) Intro & Agenda

(3:21) Working With Incumbents

(6:14) House & Senate Guidelines

(12:19) Staying Nonpartisan & Bipartisan

(17:44) Tips & Recommendations

 

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/campaign-season-slides 

Campaign Season Activities Training on CCL Community: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/265 

If politicians are paying more attention to the climate issue than ever before, perhaps it’s because their constituents are more concerned than ever before. Earlier this year, a survey from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication showed that those who are “alarmed” now represent the largest segment of Yale’s “Six Americas.” Our guest this month is Jennifer Carman, a postdoctoral associate with the Yale Program, whose research focuses on identifying and supporting behaviors that individuals and communities can take to adapt to both short- and long-term climate change impacts. She joins us for a conversation on how opinions and attitudes have shifted in recent years, lending more urgency for politicians to take action on climate change.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Introduction & Agenda
(2:30) Jennifer's Presentation
(22:22) Q&A Discussion
(28:44) Recent Updates w/ Conference &  March Fundraising
(36:32) CCL's Reflections on Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Register for CCL's June 2022 Conference: https://cclusa.org/juneconference 
CCL's March Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet  
March Pre-Call Video: https://vimeo.com/676599489 
More About Yale Program on Climate Communication: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/ 

As Congress continues to negotiate the budget reconciliation package into 2022, making sure that strong climate legislation, including a price on carbon remains our highest priority. Since local leaders have extra clout with members of Congress, join CCL Action and Endorsement Coordinator Sabrina Butcher for a training that will walk through how to ask your community leaders (endorsers and non-endorsers) to personally call their members of Congress and identify themselves as a community leader when they call. Local elected officials, business executives and faith leaders can be especially persuasive.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:17) Why now? Which community leaders?
(6:51) How to contact the president? What they should say?
(9:51) Success Stories
(18:41) How else to highlight support?

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/community-leaders-champion  
CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/420 

Join CCL's Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli for a special training on Dana's work assembling region-specific climate impacts presentation slide decks

These slide decks detail the most important climate change impacts for each of the seven regions in the continental United States.  Each slide includes the scientific source references in the notes, which are primarily the 2018 Fourth National Climate Assessment Report and the Working Group I of the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report.  These are the most comprehensive and authoritative assessments of the latest and greatest climate science research pertaining to the United States and world, respectively, but other individual papers are referenced in the slides as well.  

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(3:15) Overview & How To Use The Slides
(6:50) Background Research 
(10:04) The Southeast
(14:51) Southern Great Plains
(18:23) The Southwest
(22:00) The Northwest 
(25:15) The Northern Great Plains
(29:14) The Midwest
(33:28) The Northeast

Regional Climate Impact Slide Decks: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/104 
This Video's Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/local-impacts-training 
CCL Community Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/52 

How can we generate more news coverage? Join CCL's State and Local Media Coordinator Charlotte Ward for a training that will explore news coverage in the media (articles, press, and media awareness which mentions our organization and CCL's work earned outside of paid advertising) and reviews strategies for generating news coverage with your local chapter and the support of CCL's national communications team.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

• (0:00) Intro & Agenda
• (2:41) What is news coverage?
• (4:13) How to alert media to your story
• (8:35) How to develop a media list and pitch your story
• (17:30) Media Examples 

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/generating-media-coverage  
CCL Community Training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/293 

Join Jennifer Tyler, CCL's Director of Government Affairs, for a training that will review attending town hall and candidate forum plans. Town hall meetings and candidate forums are settings where the member of Congress and candidates want to connect with people in the district. When these events are large and structured, the opportunity is different than when they are small. Through good planning and by being quick to adapt to the situation, you can take advantage of these opportunities. They are worth planning for with the same care that you plan for a lobby meeting.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:43) Types of Town Halls and Candidate Forums
(13:48) Finding Events and Setting Objectives
(21:35) Tips, Tricks and What To Avoid
(30:26) Sample Questions For Various Audiences

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/town-hall-slides 

CCL Community Training page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/264 

In episode Episode 9, Quaker activist Eileen Flannagan told us about four roles change agents can play. Advocate, Rebel, Organizer, and Helper. Most of you who listen to Citizens Climate Radio are advocates volunteering your time trying to convince the public and members of congress that we need a price on carbon. You approach congressional members and staff with respect and cordiality as you educate and persuade them to support climate solutions. 

And the rebel? The rebel exists to put pressure on those lawmakers to get them to act. 

This doesn’t mean we all need to use these rebel tactics. 

As Bayard Rustin, the Black Gay Civile Rights leader said,

“We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.”

In this episode you will hear about UK-based climate change rebel, Caroline Harmon and the non-violent and very disruptive direct actions she and Christian Climate Action use. From kneeling for prayer and halting traffic in front of the Prime Ministers’s residence at 10 Downing Street to holding a worship service outside a coal. They even helped shut down bridges all over London.

From a Christian Pentecostal background, as a child she thought, “For God so loved the world…” a famous passage from John 3:16 meant that God loved the people so much so he sent his sons to save them. As a young adult though someone challenged her to think more expansively. God loves ALL the world including all of the living things on it and the rocks, air, and water. That inspired her to lower her carbon footprint, write letters to members of Parliament, lobby large companies, and contribute to awareness campaigns. For Caroline and some other fellow Christians, that was just not enough. 

Hearing Caroline’s story will affirm you in your own climate work while giving you greater appreciation for rebel activists who are playing a vital part that will help us as we seek to have a seat at the table with decision makers. 

You can hear and read about personal stories of Christian Climate Action activists in action and talking about why they do what they do, the successes they have had, and what they hope to change. 

The Art House

Regular listeners know we feature artists who are using their art to explore climate change. This is an emerging field. Some artists are grappling with just how to integrate climate work into their works of art. Today we feature Sophie and Josies Davis, sisters who grew up on the Coast of Maine who after studying classical violin at conservatory, they are back in Maine.  They seek to fuse their love of music and the natural world along with their growing concern for climate change. 

Founding members of Halcyon String Quartet based in Maine, USA, they choose to be good citizens as they remain faithful to their art. In speaking with them, we identified six principles for artists addressing climate change might find helpful. 

1. Know your Stuff (both your craft as an artist and essentials of climate change messaging.)
2. Think Locally
3. Pursue Collaboration (To date Halcyon String Quartets most successful collaboration was with visual artist Jill Pelto.)
4. Pivot to Solutions (Focus less on the many horrible impacts of climate change and instead help your audience experience the future with the beneficial impacts of climate solutions in place.)
5. Promote Action (As Katie Patricks, the author of the book and podcast How to Save the World stressed for us on Citizens Climate Radio episode 61—Artists and event organizers have to find ways to offer people the next meaningful step for themselves and their communities. 
6. Remain Faithful to the Art (Halcyon seeks to straddle the balance between the old time favorites audiences love and new music, music by Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Excellence is the art is essential as they seek to help the public engage in good art and effective climate change discourse.)

About Sophie and Josie

Sophie received degrees in violin performance and environmental studies from Oberlin College and Conservatory. Playing and sharing music are integral to Sophie’s creative and professional practice. She has performed on NPR's "From the Top," at the Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Symphony Hall, the Monte Music Festival in India, and with the Jordan National Orchestra (JOrchestra) in Amman, Jordan. In 2017, Sophie was awarded a Fulbright Research Grant to spend nine months in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa where she explored the ways in which the arts can raise awareness of climate change. In addition to pursuing research, Sophie taught and performed with the National Orchestra of Samoa. Sophie divides her time between musical performance and pedagogy. She serves as violin faculty and chamber music coordinator at Bay Chamber Music School in Rockport and is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Halcyon – an ensemble dedicated to using music and art to cultivate environmental stewardship. 

Josie Davis received her undergraduate degrees in violin and sociology at Oberlin College and Conservatory where she was a student of David Bowlin, and her Ed.M from Harvard University. She has performed in a wide-range of venues from Carnegie Hall to the Monte Music Festival in India and has appeared with her sister on NPR’s From the Top. She actively explores ways to share classical music in new contexts and has performed chamber music with Emanuel Ax in a taco shop, played solo Bach for Chris Thile, and is currently a member of Palaver Strings. Her teaching has brought her to Panama, India and Community MusicWorks in Rhode Island where she completed a two-year Fellowship. In past summers, she has studied at the Juilliard String Quartet Seminar, Bowdoin International Music Festival and Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival. She is committed to creating more chamber music opportunities for young people and is the founder and director of summer workshops for young people in Maine and Connecticut. As a violinist, educator and arts administrator, Josie is interested in how the arts can be used as a form of cultural empowerment to build bridges and strengthen communities.

You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change. 

Good News Report

We do not have a Good News story to share because we had so much to share from Caroline, Josie, and Sophie. We would LOVE to share good news from your own climate work or a breakthrough your group recently had. 

If you have good news you want to share on the show, email me. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org. That Radio @Citizens Climate.org

You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on:

• iTunes
• Spotify
• SoundCloud
• Podbean
• Stitcher Radio
• Northern Spirit Radio
• PlayerFM
• TuneIn Radio

If you have an idea about the  Art House or any other part of our show, feel free to email Peterson at @Citizens Climate.org

Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to episode in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.

Join Jamari Hartley, and Hardy Almes, CCL's Government Affairs Coordinators for a training that will review more policy details about both of the following current CCL Supporting Asks:

Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems (RISEE) Act (S.2130)

(CCL Senate ask)

Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound Trade (FOREST) Act (S.2950 / H.R.5508) (CCLHouse and Senate ask)

 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

(0:00) Intro & Agenda

(1:23) The FOREST Act

(9:45) The RISEE Act

 

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/forest-risee-acts 

CCL Community Page on

Supporting Asks:

https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/240 

Many people now working to preserve a livable world were motivated after viewing the documentary "Chasing Ice." Pictures, as they say, are worth a thousand words, and James Balog's images and films speak volumes about the damage human activities have inflicted on our environment. For 35 years, the acclaimed photographer has documented how we have modified our planet's natural systems. He founded the Earth Vision Institute, whose work was featured in "Chasing Ice." He has a new book out, based on the film, "The Human Element: A Time Capsule from the Anthropocene," and we were thrilled to have him join us on this month's call.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(6:19) James's Presentation
(22:09) Q&A Discussion
(25:33) Legislative Update
(33:45) February Monthly Actions

CCL's February Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet
February Pre-Call Video: https://vimeo.com/676599489 
Earth Vision Institute: https://earthvisioninstitute.org/ 
Chasing Ice: https://chasingice.com/ 
James Balog's New Book: https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847870882/ 
James's Inside Climate News Essay: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05122021/a-lifes-work-bearing-witness-to-humanitys-impact-on-the-planet/