Happy Fourth of July from the State College chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Our monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, July 9, at 5 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at the end of Waupelani Drive in State College. Our focus this month will be on preparing for tabling. Our big tabling events are coming up (see below) and we need volunteers to help. It’s a new game for everyone, newcomers and veterans alike, now that our bill, HR 763, is in Congress. So let’s all get ready to spread the word. We will also discuss plans for next year’s presentations, learn more about carbon pricing, and, of course, share news of all that we have been doing to promote climate action.
Tabling Volunteers needed
Thousands of people come to State College for the summer Arts Festival, and we have a chance to talk with them about climate change and CCL thanks to the good people at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church who graciously allow us to put up a tent on their front lawn, across from the football field. As people go by, we ask them to write a letter to Congress and tell them about the work that CCL is doing. Our tent will be there on Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13 from 11 to 5. If you are able to help out with this important event, please write to Dorothy Blair at ey6@psu.edu or give Sylvia Neely a call at 814-867-5631 and we can find a slot for you. We will be tabling at other events this summer, so if you cannot help out at the Arts Fest, you might still think about training for later tabling events.
If you cannot come for the training on July 9, I will be happy to meet with you to go over details. Remember also that there is a lot of training on tabling on the CCL website. If you are unable to access that webpage, it probably means you have not yet officially joined CCL. Just click here to join.
When you stop by our table at Arts Fest, don’t forget to buy a piece of delicious home-made pie made by the parishioners at St. Andrew’s. This yearly fundraiser supports the Community Café that provides a free meal every Thursday night.
CCL State College News
This month’s OpEd in the Centre Daily Times was written by Dick Jones, who focused on the connections between national security and climate change. This is a subject well worth knowing about and you can read his OpEd here
John Swisher published a letter in the Centre Daily Times on June 21 on some of the local and national efforts to stop climate change. Here is the link
Diane Mills represented Citizens’ Climate Lobby at our tent at the Best of Clinton County Summer Festival in Lock Haven on June 29. The event was a success, despite a thunderstorm.
On June 19, Sylvia Neely spoke to the Sunrise Rotary Club of State College about CCL and our solution to the climate crisis. If your group or organization is looking for a speaker on this timely topic, please consider inviting CCL to make a presentation.
News about the Energy Innovation Act
The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act continues to gather impressive support. The CCL National Conference met in Washington, DC from June 9 to June 11, concluding with Lobby Day when 1200 volunteers spoke to our representatives on Capitol Hill. Thanks to their good work, 11 new co-sponsors have signed on to HR763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. It now has 52 co-sponsors, including four from PA. The most recent co-sponsor is Rep. Matt Cartwright of PA08.
The bill is attracting statements of support from national organizations and municipalities. Here are some of them:
· The Silicon Valley Leadership Conference, a trade association representing over 300 well-known companies (not all headquartered in Silicon Valley), including Apple, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and General Motors. You can read more about it and find a link to members in this CCL story.
· The Harrisburg City Council
· The Mayor and City Council of Cincinnati
· The General Synod of the United Church of Christ at its annual meeting this summer
Climate Solutions Caucus
The bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus has relaunched in the House of Representatives, providing a place for members of Congress of both political parties to discuss possible solutions to climate change. You can read more about it in this blog from CCL. Members of the Climate Solutions Caucus are not necessarily endorsers of the Energy Innovation Act, but they meet regularly to learn, to share ideas, and to discuss policies to address the climate crisis.
Community News
Free Film Screening: ALBATROSS, a film by artist Chris Jordan, will be offered as a free public screening through Penn State Centre Stage and Penn State Sustainability Institute, Friday, July 12, at 12 p.m., and Tuesday, July 16, at 7 p.m., at the Penn State Downtown Theater. Following the Tuesday screening, a panel discussion will be held with experts who specialize in consumer behavior, the impacts of microplastics on marine environments, and the importance of local recycling efforts. Rick Lombardo, Penn State Centre Stage producing artistic director will moderate the panel.
The Sierra Club Moshannon Group is exploring how State College can get to 100% clean, renewable energy in a project called Ready for 100. The next meetings are on July 10 and August 7 at 7 p.m. in Room 201 (the community room) of the State College Municipal Building. The July 10 meeting will discuss (among other things) ways that CATA can contribute to that goal.
Thank you for supporting Citizens’ Climate Lobby.