Draining Our Resources

On May 29, 2026 By Kalpana SutariaIn CCLATXLeave a comment

Re: May 21 article, “City weighs data center crackdown”

The enormous increase in energy and water demand to run data centers could seriously strain resources.

These large warehouse-type structures remove farmland or other rural areas and cover them with concrete and asphalt, removing green spaces. This impervious cover affects water absorption in ground, retains heat and can significantly impact air and water quality, wildlife, and natural habitat.

It is no surprise communities across our state are opposing data centers in their neighborhoods.

Local and state governments have an obligation to study all aspects of data center buildings and get public input before giving any approvals.

Rural counties are facing this issue and have asked state legislators to pause this development, have honest conversations, make thoughtful decisions and preserve their land and way of life.

Kalpana Sutaria, Austin Chapter, Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Published in the Austin American-Statesman May 29, 2026

Austin’s Climate Program

On March 30, 2026April 8, 2026 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, Greenhouse GasLeave a comment

USA Today’s Doyle Rice wrote on March 29, 2026, “Double danger? Climate change, El Niño push Earth ‘beyond its limits'”:

A freakish March heat wave has already pushed temperatures to summertime levels throughout much of the western and central United States, but a new report comes with a dire warning: This is just the beginning.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on March 23 that the planet’s climate is now “more out of balance than at any time in observed history.”

The MIT Climate Portal shares scientific insights:

“Greenhouse gases prevent some heat from escaping the Earth out into space, and while this is a natural phenomenon, human behavior has now added so much greenhouse gas that our atmosphere is keeping in too much heat. In fact, ice core data shows us that there is now more CO2 in our atmosphere than at any point in at least the past 800,000 years. Because of this, our planet is almost 1.8°F hotter than it was in the 1880s.”

The website of the Austin Climate Action and Resilience office shares simple to understand information about how individuals and families can help reduce their own “carbon footprint.” Among the initial suggestions:

Ditch the plastic water bottles.
Use cold water for laundry.
Drive efficiently.
Incorporate walking or biking into your daily routine.
Adjust your thermostat.
Recycle and reuse.
Keep tires properly inflated.

We urge our readers to visit the City of Austin website for more helpful suggestions along these lines!

Another thing we hope you will do, is join the secure Citizens’ Climate Lobby platform, and then join the Austin Chapter (TX Austin). Then you will receive notifications of actions you can take, like writing to your elected representatives in Washington, D.C. about key issues under review at the national level, showing them that you care. CCL staff conduct detailed research prior to announcing actions requesting your engagement, so you can rest assured that you are not “stepping out” without proper preparation.

Earth Day Austin is coming up on ~~April 11, 2026~~ May 2, 2026 at Huston-Tillotson University.

Historically, Earth Day ATX has been the largest sustainability event in Central Texas. Thousands of people from the Austin Area and beyond come to the Huston-Tillotson University campus to learn about conservation and sustainable solutions, celebrate our love for the environment, and get connected to the best and most innovative green businesses and organizations. With family and friends, festival attendees explore rich, in-depth programming, exciting new activities, and engaging exhibitions that allow them to discover new connections to the environment and environmental issues.

Follow the link above for more information about the event, and if you attend, please come see us at our Austin Chapter table. If you would like to volunteer, visit our Austin Chapter webpage on the CCL national website. We would love to have your help.

Longtime Austin Chapter member Carolyn M. Appleton would like to thank United States Senator John Cornyn for responding to her email request regarding permitting reform. “Permitting reform has emerged as the biggest and most important clean energy and climate policy area in the current session of Congress.” To learn about the importance of permitting reform, follow this link to the CCL website.

John Cornyn Response CCL Environmental Regs 3.24.26 Download

Choose Renewables Not War

On March 27, 2026March 29, 2026 By Kalpana SutariaIn CCLATX, Grid, Renewable EnergyLeave a comment

Re: March 21 article, “War fallout puts focus on renewable energy”

As this article highlights, rich and poor countries are suffering from the consequences of the horrific Iran war due to shortages of energy sources and food supply, jump in prices of daily needs and resulting panic.

Clean energy reduces dependence on polluting fossil fuels, improving people’s health. That is why most Americans want to transition to clean power.

Despite roadblocks by President Donald Trump, Texas’ grid is strong due to renewables. On March 21 at 5:15 p.m., 65% of energy came from solar and wind. Demand was two-thirds of the supply.

China has shown remarkable improvements in its economy by enormous investments in renewable energy while making it more resilient. Poor countries are attempting to upscale renewables, but for faster transition, global focus on clean energy investment is critical.

Instead of starting a war causing destruction, loss of lives and chaos, why not embrace clean energy sources for the well-being of people everywhere?

Kalpana Sutaria is an architect, author and environmental advocate dedicated to tackling global warming challenges. Kalpana is a longtime member of the Austin Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. This letter to the editor was published by the Austin American-Statesman on March 27, 2026.

Virtual CCL Conservative Conference 2026

On February 19, 2026April 23, 2026 By CCLATXIn CCLATX, ConservativeLeave a comment

*It was a great success! Click on the image above to read more and find social media links you can use on your own platforms.*

If you are interested in participating in the annual Citizens’ Climate Lobby Conservative Conference, you can do so online!

During the event, you will hear from influential conservative voices shaping energy policy and advocacy, including former FERC chairman Neil Chatterjee, Executive Director of republicEN Bob Inglis, and more. Then, you will join others in meeting with Republican members of Congress supporting energy and trade policy that preserves our climate, using insights and guidance from CCL’s Government Affairs team.

We are the EcoRight, a balance to the Environmental Left.

We stand together because we believe in the power of American free enterprise and innovation to solve climate change. Together, we encourage, embolden, and applaud conservative climate leadership.

republicEN

Attend online from anywhere in the country, joining forces with other right-of-center Americans and making your voice heard in Washington, D.C. without the expense of travel. Link up with the broader eco-right movement to learn about responsible, effective climate policy, and then lobby Congress to pass it.

The event occurs April 18 and 21, 2026, and you must submit an application to CCL in order to participate. The deadline to apply is March 31.

Apply today!

This is a virtual event using video conference software. Attendees ages 13-17 years old should participate with their camera turned off, unless accompanied by a parent/grandparent/legal guardian.

Prior to the conference, you can train yourself on the CCL website so that you are fully informed and up to date. Follow the link to the training page on the Citizens’ Climate Lobby website. To review CCL’s lobby statistics, follow this link. And if you are not already a member of CCL, follow this link to join our secure conversation platform!

How Ironic of Big Oil

On January 4, 2026January 8, 2026 By CCLATXIn Carbon Capture, CCLATXLeave a comment

Re: Dec. 21 article, “Carbon capture projects are meeting new resistance”

Big Oil’s own scientists were aware since the 1970s that burning their fuels would cause Earth to get significantly hotter. The sweet ambrosia of profit being as irresistible as it is, they ignored their own scientists’ warnings, and spent millions disseminating propaganda, denying global warming was occurring or belittling its impacts; and now they spend billions on carbon capture.

Might even they see the irony? Pull in trillions of dollars pushing the oil and gas that warms the world while denying it matters, and then more trillions in capturing a tiny percentage of the carbon dioxide produced by burning their oil and gas. Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.

Mark Warren, Austin, Texas

Published in the Austin American-Statesman January 4, 2026

Austin Chapter Welcomes the New Year

On January 2, 2026 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Climate ChangeLeave a comment

On behalf of the Austin chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, welcome to 2026. To those who are already members of our chapter, thank you for being a part of our work. As you know, Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change.

To those who are considering joining, we are pleased to share our core values:

Focus

We are focused on solving climate change. We move Congress to pass big solutions that will ensure a healthy climate. We also work on complementary solutions that help us work together in our communities and foster a more collaborative environment in Congress.

Optimism

In the face of challenges, we choose optimism — that people are good, that democracy can work, that we can solve climate change, and that we are greater than our flaws. Optimism turns our concern about climate change into action, and it’s catching on — more and more people join us every day.

Diversity

We empower everyone in exercising their personal and political power regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability, or political affiliation. We continue to bring awareness of important issues to all our volunteers and foster a sense of belonging to our organization.

Relationships

We take the most generous approach to other people as possible — appreciation, gratitude, and respect. We listen, we work to find common ground, and we endeavor to understand our own biases. We are honest and firm. We know that there is a place for protest, but our approach is to build consensus, which we believe will bring enduring change. That’s why elected officials and their staff, no matter what their politics, say they are happy to see us — and mean it.

Exciting News

From the recent press release, we are pleased to share,

“After a six month interim period, Ricky Bradley has been appointed Executive Director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Citizens’ Climate Education. The decision was made by the CCL and CCE boards of directors in a unanimous vote during their final joint board meeting of 2025.

Bradley has been active with Citizens’ Climate for more than 13 years. Prior to his former roles as Interim Executive Director and Vice President of Field Operations, he has also served as a volunteer Group Leader and volunteer Regional Coordinator, all of which ground him in Citizens’ Climate’s grassroots model.” Read more by following this link.

Strategic Plan Released

One of the many things we like about being involved with Citizens’ Climate Lobby as one chapter of many across the United States, is how well organized the organization is. You can download the CCL Strategic Plan for 2026 below.

CCL Strategic Plan 2026 Download

Leadership of CCLATX

Stay tuned as we will announce new Austin chapter leadership soon on this website, Voices of Austin. Our thanks go to those who have already donated hundreds of hours of volunteer time over the past several years. We are truly grateful.

If you would like to assume a leadership role in the Austin chapter, please let us know by messaging Marie Miglin via our chapter page on the national Citizens’ Climate Lobby website. Yes, that means you must login to the website and if you please, kindly fill out your individual profile. Thank you! We welcome your help and involvement.

Happy New Year! We hope to see you at future monthly meetings, casual social gatherings, conferences and more in 2026.

Sharper Than Ever: CCL’s Next Chapter | November 14 and 15, 2025

On November 4, 2025November 15, 2025 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCL Conference, CCLATXLeave a comment

You can watch the fall conference on YouTube.

Our original post:

Please join Citizens’ Climate Lobby for the annual fall conference, which will be held online. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is pushing climate action forward! What to expect:

Equip yourself to be an effective climate advocate in the current political landscape.
Learn the policy details of permitting reform, a critical component of America’s clean energy future.
Reconnect with CCL’s values and unique culture, so you’re ready to carry our new strategy forward. Questions? Email: conference.inbox@citizensclimate.org.

*Follow this link to learn more and register!*

Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. Our core values include:

We are focused on solving climate change. We move Congress to pass big solutions that will ensure a healthy climate. We also work on complementary solutions that help us work together in our communities and foster a more collaborative environment in Congress.
In the face of challenges, we choose optimism — that people are good, that democracy can work, that we can solve climate change, and that we are greater than our flaws. Optimism turns our concern about climate change into action, and it’s catching on — more and more people join us every day.
We empower everyone in exercising their personal and political power regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability, or political affiliation. We continue to bring awareness of important issues to all our volunteers and foster a sense of belonging to our organization.
Our approach is thoughtful and thorough. We are prepared — we consult experts, use data, and solicit feedback before forming opinions or making decisions. We follow up when we are asked. We keep on going even when it’s hard. People know that they can count on us to be consistent and to do what we say we will do.

If you haven’t already joined Citizens’ Climate Lobby and the secure online conversation platform, please do. It is free to join! Then you will have access to a wide variety of resources, you can join affinity groups based upon your interests, you can receive training (live or recorded), and more! The Austin chapter has a its own page on the website, and there you can discover local events held throughout the year, from happy hours to monthly meetings and official “lobby” days. We would love to have you join us!

*For a preview of issues to be covered during virtual lobby meetings this fall, follow this link to the, “Lobby Meeting Toolkit.”*

Sun Day Austin | September 21, 2025

On September 11, 2025 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, Solar EnergyLeave a comment

Bob Hendricks has been a volunteer for Citizens’ Climate Lobby for many years. He shares with us a call to participate in Sun Day in Austin, one of many sites across the nation participating in the annual event.

“Sun Day is a day of action on September 21, 2025, celebrating the power of clean energy. The clean energy revolution is here. Solar, wind and batteries are the cheapest form of power on the planet, lowering costs, creating new jobs, and strengthening our communities. But some politicians and industries are trying to hold it back.”

Bob notes that on September 21 at the Texas State Capitol, “we will celebrate the progress we’ve made and push for more. We’ll install new solar, host e-bike parades, give heat pump tours, and rally for change. Together, we’ll make the sun rise on our clean energy future.”

Bob heartily believes in the goal of Citizens’ Climate Lobby “to create the political will for a livable world.” Further he asks, “we value our volunteers’ time and resources. We ask for action only when it is timely and significant. I am now asking you who care about the future of our kids and grandkids, about the future of all kids and grandkids, about the future of civilization, to come to and support our September 21 Sun Day Austin rally and tabling event at the Texas State Capitol grounds from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday September 21.”

“We celebrate that solar energy especially, along with wind energy and battery storage, provides cheaper energy than fossil fuels – and is getting still cheaper. This is huge. Our economy gravitates towards cheaper and better so the transition to clean energy is certain. And that same solar energy is clean and will wipe out a major source of pollution that causes severe asthma and other illnesses for millions of people. This is worth celebrating.”

We also are calling people to action. “We see the effects of overheating the planet already in unprecedented destruction – flooding, heat waves, freak storms, wildfires. And the science, which predicted all this, tells us it will get worse and worse as we continue to dump more and more carbon pollution into our sky.”

Your attendance at Sun Day Austin or at any of hundreds of other Sun Day events, will send a message to policy makers that we, the people, know that solar energy is cheap and clean; that we know more solar will avoid even more increases in our electricity bills; and that more solar will greatly improve our health, especially for our more vulnerable, children, and seniors. It is a message that won’t change things immediately but will be an important step in the right direction.

We’re making Sun Day Austin a fun, inspiring and informative event. We’re hosting with our allies on September 21 at the Texas Capitol on the South Lawn. We will also have fun, children-focused events for the full time, so bring those kids and grandkids.

Please register, attend in person, and bring as many people as you can. We look forward to seeing you there.

Learn more and register!

Interested in volunteering? Email Bob Hendricks (bob.hendricks@citizensclimatelobby.org) or join the CCL secure conversation platform and message him securely there.

You might enjoy reading an opinion by Bob Hendricks that appeared in the Austin Chronicle in 2022, “Wake-Up Calls for Our Fossil Fuel Addiction.”

Environment Texas, “5 surprising facts about renewable energy growth in Texas” (October 2024).

Don’t Believe Trump

On September 6, 2025September 13, 2025 By CCLATXIn CCLATX, ScienceLeave a comment

The Administration’s climate reports follow the same modus operandi President Donald Trump applies universally: issue an unending stream of lies and half-truths in order to brainwash, create doubt and confusion, and so defuse opposition to the lame and counterproductive policies he espouses.

His climate reports belong in the same realm as accusations of Haitians barbecuing people’s pets, that the Biden administration spent millions on making transgender mice, and that renewable energy is more expensive and harmful to the environment than coal — in the trash.

They are part intentional disinformation and part self-inflicted delusion. Trump is the latest in a long line of autocrats throughout history to take advantage of the unfortunate human characteristic of believing outlandish accusations and assertions in the absence of any supporting evidence.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: never believe a single word Trump says. Do extensive research on your own to find the facts.

Published by the Austin American-Statesman on September 6, 2025, in Letters//Opinions

Mark Warren, Member, Citizen’s Climate Lobby Austin

Science Will Prevail

On September 6, 2025September 13, 2025 By Kalpana SutariaIn CCLATX, ScienceLeave a comment

Re: Aug. 31 article, “Scientists: Climate is deeply flawed”

It is beyond mind boggling and painful to see what the Trump administration wants the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy to repeal climate regulation and cherry-pick scientific findings to create doubt on proven facts, no matter what it does to the health of people.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. had an average of 3.7 events per year with a loss of more than $1 billion between 1980 and 1989. That shot up to an average of 18 events per year between 2013 and 2022. Each such event wrecks lives and livelihoods, and 2.3 million Texans who live within a half mile of oil and gas operations would be at a greater risk of methane pollution without these rules.

If rescinded, such irresponsible and cynical actions would be devastating for many. You can oppose repeal of “endangerment finding” of 2009 by submitting comments by September 21 through the EPA website.

Peer-reviewed research by scientists will stand the test of time.

Published by the Austin American-Statesman on September 6, 2025, in Opinions//Letters

Kalpana Sutaria, Member, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Austin, Architect, Author, and an environmental advocate dedicated to tackling Global Warming Challenges