Citizens’ Climate Lobby to hold advocacy conference March 25-26

Press release from Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Asheville chapter:

Register for CCL’s First Mid-South Regional Conference: Saturday-Sunday, March 25-26th
Location: The Collider
Address: Suite 401, 1 Haywood St. Asheville NC 28801

We highly encourage everyone to attend our upcoming conference to learn how to effectively have a voice in legislative decisions on the issue of climate change! Our conference provides some great speakers and extensive training on climate advocacy techniques. We welcome conservatives, liberals, students, military vets, business and community leaders who support action on climate and want to help push movement forward!!

Registration cost $40 for a day and a half of engaging presentations and conversation! However, if you are only interested in attending the Climate Advocacy Training then just show up from 1-4pm on Saturday for $5!

Agenda for Saturday March 25, 8am-5pm:

Laura Lengnick – Author of Resilient Agriculture, Laura will address the effects of climate change on farmers, how to interact with farmers regarding our solution, and discussing how to address our Farm Bureaus.

Drew Jones – Co-Director of Climate Interactive. He holds a B.A. System Dynamics Modeling from Dartmouth and a Masters of Science in Technology from MIT. Drew is an expert on international climate and energy issues, a system dynamics modeler, keynote speaker and designer of simulation-based learning environments.

Climate Advocacy Training (only $5 from 1-4 p.m.) – Come attend CCL’s world famous Climate Advocacy Training! This will cover the history, methodology and legislation of CCL and will fully train you to be ready to lobby! Led by Elli Sparks – Director, Field Development and Don Kraus – Virginia State Coordinator) Reduced price of $5 for anyone who wants to attend JUST the Climate Advocacy Training vs. the full conference.

Systems Thinking – Systems thinking is a method that allows us to think together in a deeper way how to create the change we desire. We will use one variation of the iceberg model as an example of a tool that makes us better together. (Led by Elisabeth Motsinger)

Climate Skepticism – How do we address climate skepticism? How do we promote CF&D if someone doesn’t believe in the science? Join this roll paying breakout to sharpen your skills when talking with our allies that don’t know it yet! (Don Addu)

CCL Endorser Project – How do we engage local businesses and municipalities on the issue of climate change? Practice identifying, contacting and securing support from businesses in your area. (Led by

Christy Kluesner – Charlotte Group Leader and Don Addu)
Conservative Outreach – What signals are we sending to people in our everyday lives? Are we partisan and don’t even know it? Jim Tolbert of our Conservative Caucus will teach us techniques to make CCL truly bipartisan from within. (Jim Tolbert)

Agenda for Sunday March 26, 8am-12pm:

Coal Country Presentation – A dive into the challenges we face in coal country and how we can support our volunteers in Kentucky and West Virginia (Jim Probst – West Virginia State Coordinator)

CCL Advanced Training (for Everyone!) – CCL’s model of change is based on building relationships, but how do we do that? This session builds on the skills you already have and teaches you how to apply them whether talking with your members of Congress, neighbors, conservatives or progressives. (Madeleine Para)

Road Map to Passage – A new President and Congress brings new opportunities and challenges for passage of carbon fee and dividend this year. What should we be doing in this new political situation? Find out what CCL’s Program Director suggests. (Madeleine Para)