Blog - Colorado CCL actions and progress
Here's what we're doing in Colorado to build political will for climate action.
Colorado CCL State Legislature Team
Did you know that Colorado CCL has recently formed a group dedicated to following our state legislature and the climate bills they’re working on? Here's an update on the team’s activities so far, and how you can get involved.
Continue readingPathway to climate action in NoCo — SBARs, local leaders, glass, and sustainability
While CCL’s climate advocacy focuses heavily on national action, several Colorado chapters have taken a pathway to local support for national climate legislation by focusing first on local issues and needs. In Greeley, for example, since the onset of the pandemic, CCL’s chapter has grown remarkably and found significant traction in building relationships with local elected officials and government staff and other climate organizations through working on local problems. Led by Mike Weiland, the chapter has identified several areas where there is a need for local advocacy, including sustainability planning and recycling.
Continue readingOutgoing chapter leader Phil Nelson shares lessons learned
One of Colorado’s longest-serving chapter leaders is handing over the reins to new group leaders in the Golden chapter. Colorado CCL owes a deep debt of gratitude to Phil Nelson for his steady leadership of the Golden chapter and his contributions to Colorado CCL and the Mountain West region. Read on to learn how Phil transitioned into a climate activist after a long technical career in government and private industry — plus some creative ways he and his chapter engaged with the public and built an effective relationship with his Member of Congress.
Continue readingMeet Kate Daniel — CCLer with a passion for bringing groups together
Joining a chapter during COVID hasn’t been easy for many. Kate Daniel arrived in Colorado just as the pandemic started and things shut down. But, through Zoom, she found it easy to get involved with the Grand Valley chapter. She soon found ways to contribute her skills, most recently in organizing two phone banking events to turn out the vote in their district. Read on to learn about those successful events, plus other ways Kate contributes to supporting the chapter and CCL’s advocacy. (And her past work in protecting wetlands on the East Coast!)
Continue readingLocal action success story
Sangre de Cristo Electric Association (SDCEA), a cooperative in Central Colorado, was set to implement rate changes that would have discriminated against net metering customers (solar, wind) and disadvantaged low energy users. Sandy Long, group leader for the Chaffee County CCL Chapter, was part of the local advocacy group that quickly formed to oppose the changes. Learn how the group was able to get SDCEA to rescind the rate changes. Net metering is under attack in Colorado and throughout the nation. Get involved with your local utility to promote renewable energy.
Continue readingVolunteer spotlight on Noah Fulton-Beale
Noah started volunteering with CCL in late 2016, but a few months later his life journey took him in a new direction — he moved to Ukraine where he worked for a tech company. Noah remained very concerned about global heating, so upon return to Boulder in 2021, he reconnected with CCL and set a personal goal of writing at least one Letter to the Editor (LTE) each week. In this interview, Noah shares his LTE writing experience, and lessons learned. Plus how sharing his CCL training helped a Ukrainian colleague get published in the New York Times.
Continue readingWildfire anywhere, anytime
The Marshall FIre reminds us that wildfire burns homes and stores as readily as grass and trees. As our climate and ecosystems change, wildfires are more likely, will burn more intensely, and may impact us in ways we never expected in Colorado. Take a look at the consequences.
Continue readingTurning “political hobbyism” into real action
Inspired by a recent article on Eitan Hersh’s new book, Politics Is for Power — a brilliant condemnation of political hobbyism and a call to arms for well-meaning, well-informed citizens to start actually acting — CCL Volunteers Sandy Long and Jim Hooton discuss their New Year's Resolutions.
Continue readingHow can community leaders best support our work?
The voices of prominent community members, or “grasstops,” can help us move our Members of Congress and develop political will for climate action in our communities. What are the best messages for them to be sending right now?
Continue readingColorado CCL had a great 2021 and what's next in 2022
Happy New Year! CCL Colorado volunteers accomplished a great deal in 2021. CCL staff has given us a thoughtful framework to use as we plan to build on those efforts in 2022.
Reconciliation fatigue: Taking care of ourselves
We CCLers have been on an exhausting reconciliation rollercoaster, and the news — on many dimensions — can also be stressful. Taking time to recharge and get grounded is perhaps more important than ever. Here are some resources that others in CCL have found useful.
Longmont City Council endorses carbon fee and dividend policy
Recently, the Longmont CCL chapter completed a three-year campaign to secure an endorsement of the Energy Innovation Act from the Longmont City Council. This win is a big step toward helping the city meet its climate goals, and it will boost efforts to secure other endorsements for carbon pricing. Read on for details about the long journey to reach this local milestone.
Art banners, QR codes and community parades
Boulder County CCLers have been engaging passersby at outreach events this summer to get the word out about carbon pricing. Learn about the variety of opportunities they’ve found, some of their more memorable interactions, highlights from new and experienced volunteers, and what in-person community outreach has been like amid fluctuating Covid rules.
Moving beyond climate “doom and gloom”
Climate change advocacy is a double-edged sword - it can be highly rewarding, and yet it can be stressful, painful, and exhausting. Anxiety and feelings of helplessness are rational responses to the dreadful possibility of loss of biodiversity, clean air, and water. However, embracing these messy emotions can also be the foundation for empowerment and progress. Ankita Arora shares her personal reflections on “doom and gloom” and provides some resources to build resilience, courage, hope, and support change.
Summer Road Trip: Durango and the local CCL chapter
As summer winds down we visit our third road trip destination, Durango. Outdoor recreation is the main draw, with lots of good eateries and breweries. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been voted the #1 best scenic train ride in the US. The Durango CCL chapter has been very active right from its start in 2017. It has its own website and uses a team leadership model. Read more about their outreach, lobbying, endorsements and media work.
Volunteer's creative "baseball cards" showcase carbon pricing supporters
Who supports a price on carbon? Phil Nelson — Golden CCL group leader, experienced presenter, letter-writer, and CCL lobbyist — knows the value of being able to cite the opinion of a trusted messenger to a specific audience. So he started collecting quotations from carbon pricing supporters from across the political spectrum. That collection has grown into a stack of 100 images of quotations in a format inspired by the baseball cards of his youth. Phil invites CCL volunteers to use these images on social media, in talks, and in other imaginative ways.
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Summer road trip: Larimer County and the Fort Collins CCL chapter
It’s the peak of summer now as we continue our virtual Colorado road trips to places where there are active CCL chapters. Located at the north end of the Front Range, Larimer County is home to many places to enjoy the outdoors, music, festivals and more. The Fort Collins CCL chapter recently reorganized to improve its effectiveness on CCL’s five levers of engagement.
Summer road trip: Chaffee County
Summer is finally here and it’s time for a road trip! Why not visit Colorado places where there are active CCL Chapters? Learn more about Chaffee County (Salida/Poncha Springs/Buena Vista) and the newly formed CCL Chapter.
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