Climate Watch Team

 

The Climate Watch Team urges members of the LWVDC to engage in climate activism through one of the groups described below.  This LWVDC team keeps track of local (DC) climate issues by networking with DC environmental groups. Climate Watchers confer with the president and/or board when LWVDC support or endorsement is requested for a letter to the City Council, for example. Occasionally, this team organizes a presentation to inform League members of current issues, such as the presentation on Zero Waste DC in November 2022. 

To contact members of the team for more information or to join,  please email climatewatch@lwvdc.org or contact the team leaders:

 

Paula Hirschoff                                                           

phirschoff@gmail.com

Judy Smith

jarmayor@gmail.com

ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED WITH CLIMATE WATCH ISSUES

THIRD ACT

Third Act is a national alliance of people over 60 focused on saving our planet and our democracy. It was initiated in 2021 by Bill McKibben, founder of 350.0rg and foremost spokesman for environmental action.

 

Third Act Washington DC, still in formation, is one of the organization’s 30 working groups or chapters.  It was inspired to come together following participation in Third Act’s National Day of Action on 3/21/23.  An overnight vigil downtown was staged in front of the four big banks financing fossil fuels, and finished the next day with a raucous rocking chair blockade of the banks – “Rocking Chair Rebellion.” 

 

It is committed to mobilizing elder power in DC in the pursuit of genuine democracy and a livable planet.  Check out some of the “good trouble” that Third Actors are making, locally and nationally.  Join them by going to the website 

https://thirdact.org/working-groups/washington-dc/   and filling out the form there.

Contact Judy Smith for more information (smarmayor@aol.com).

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL VOTER PROJECT

The Environmental Voter Project (EVP) is a national nonpartisan nonprofit that identifies non-voting environmentalists and turns them into consistent voters. EVP works with outside data scientists to design, execute and analyze surveys of registered voters. The responses produce lists of tens of thousands of voters who cite climate/environment as their top priority issue but who seldom vote or do not vote at all. EVP volunteers across the nation then contact them via phone or post card to remind them to vote. Most of these nonvoters are youth, minorities, or women. Since 2015, EVP has contacted 9.5 million environmentalists and helped convert almost 1.5 million into super voters who vote in every federal, state and local election. EVP efforts have increased voting turn outs in targeted states ranging from .4 to 2%  as determined by statistically significant randomized testing using control groups.

 

Note from Paula: If you seek an easy way to help increase voter turnout with a focus on climate concerns, you could volunteer an hour a week with the EVP. In the five years that I have been phone banking with this group, I have had many delightful though brief conversations and almost no nasty responses. It requires only about 20 minutes of training, which is offered before each phone banking session. All  you need is a cell phone and a computer. The phone banks run regularly throughout the year because EVP contacts voters before local elections too. For more information, go to the website: https://www.environmentalvoter.org

 

CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY

Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) is an international nonpartisan grassroots environmental group that trains and supports volunteers to build relationships with their elected representatives in order to influence climate policy. Operating since 2007, CCL builds political support across party lines to put a price on carbon at the national level and to pass other bills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

Note from Paula: I have found the local chapters in DC to be welcoming and accessible to new members. An egalitarian organization that values everyone’s input, CCL believes that climate should be a bridge issue, not a wedge issue. I especially like the way they appreciate and respect everyone, even those holding contrary beliefs. Each June hundreds of CCLers from across the country gather in Washington, DC for an inspirational, educational conference culminating in Lobby Day when teams of CCLers visit most congressional offices. Regional conferences are held at other times of the year and local projects continue year-round. For more information: citizensclimatelobby.org