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).

Be Patriotic: Everyday Acts of Civil Engagement

On July 3, 2025 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, HealthLeave a comment

The American Lung Association in “A Declaration on Climate Change and Health” observes that climate change is a health emergency, one “already harming health and causing loss of life. The window to prevent the worst impacts is rapidly closing.”

The organization points out several worrisome facts:

Climate change puts everyone’s health at risk, regardless of where you live.
Lots of people are at increased risk of getting sick or injured as a result of climate impacts, even if they don’t realize it. They include kids, seniors, people with chronic diseases like asthma or diabetes, people who are pregnant, people with disabilities, people who work outdoors, people with low-incomes, people of color and many more.
Extreme heat is killing people. It causes more deaths than any other weather-related hazard, and climate change is making it much worse. Heat is also linked with a wide array of short-term and long-term illnesses.
Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, spreading dangerous smoke that is making people sick. Particle pollution and other harmful substances in the smoke are linked to lung disease, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and preterm birth.
Climate change is making smog worse. Warmer temperatures increase smog (also called ozone pollution), which is linked to asthma attacks, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, preterm and low birthweight infants, cancer, harms to brain health and premature death.
Storms and flooding are getting more severe, causing injuries, worsening physical and mental health, and cutting people off from their healthcare.
Disease-carrying insects like ticks and mosquitoes are multiplying and spreading to new areas, increasing exposure to illnesses like Lyme disease and Dengue fever. Water- and food-borne pathogens are also spreading.
Allergy seasons are getting longer and more intense.
Rising carbon dioxide are projected to decrease the nutritional content of crops.

If we care for our families and our fellow citizens of the United States of America, then we must care about the impact of climate change on their health and well-being. We must be vocal. In this way, America will remain strong, vibrant, healthy and productive for generations to come.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization. CCL insists – and we agree – “The everyday acts of civil engagement that CCLers do around the country – calling, writing, or meeting with lawmakers; creating dialogue and building coalitions in our communities – will be incredibly powerful. With every climate action we take, we’re making the voice of the American people louder in a time when it’s far too easy for those voices to be drowned out.”

Further, “Because we believe in a government that listens to the people it represents. So, we intend to keep showing up to be heard. We hope you’re with us and ready to make your voice heard, too.”

Our growing community of CCL members must remain engaged, and we must keep speaking up in writing and by calling our elected officials about bills and issues that are of critical importance to our communities.

Rex Huppke writes for USA Today, “This July Fourth, my patriotism looks like two middle fingers – and that’s OK | Opinion” (June 30, 2025).

What does our patriotism, in this rather pivotal moment in American history, look like? How do we celebrate America – the right-now version of America – when democracy looks as fragile as a cracked sheet of thin ice over a warming pond?

My America won’t tolerate racists or xenophobes or clout-chasing knuckleheads who think the American dream involves trampling carelessly over others while forgetting the very things that make this country great …. My America fights back against tyranny and indecency with ridicule, peaceful public protest, voting and a unified voice.

I’m not happy with the state of America …. But I’m not going to look at the American flag and feel ashamed. That flag still represents a country I believe to be well worth fighting for ….

If you are not receiving regular email from Citizens’ Climate Lobby, especially those alerting you to take simple yet meaningful actions about bills that harm human health, our shared natural resources, and the safety and well-being of our fellow Americans – sign up today! We need your voice now more than ever.

Join Citizens’ Climate Lobby Today!

You might enjoy reading Flannery Winchester’s blog post with several additional helpful links, “These times call for us to hold the line on climate” (June 25, 2025).

Science Underpins the Work of Citizens’ Climate Lobby

On May 3, 2025 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, ScienceLeave a comment

Citizens’ Climate Lobby bases its work and policy initiatives on scientific evidence. In fact, you can study and learn about the science behind climate change on the organization’s website in the section, “Climate Change Science.” Topics range from greenhouse gases to the role of carbon dioxide, ozone to the impact of human beings on the climate. Citizens’ Climate Lobby provides this information free of charge as a public service.

Another insightful training CCL provides is called, “Weather Attribution Science,” and it focuses on the background behind attribution science – the process of quantifying the contribution of global warming to extreme weather – and other events. The training includes a discussion about the process for connecting climate change with extreme weather events.

Extreme weather is a significant concern for citizens of the State of Texas. As Texas Tribune laments, “Texas weather extremes likely to become normal, scientists say” (2024). Alejandra Martinez and Yuriko Schumacher report, “Climate scientists and academics say that as emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases continue to push temperatures higher, severe weather in the state is likely to worsen. They add that Texas will likely see a growing gap between wet parts of the state and dry parts as climate change alters precipitation patterns and warms oceans.” You can also listen to the article by click on the link above.

More recently, on May 3, 2025 Guardian US shared, “Scientific societies to do climate assessment after Trump administration dismissed authors.”

Two major US scientific societies have announced they will join forces to produce peer-reviewed research on the climate crisis’s impact days after Donald Trump’s administration dismissed contributors to a key Congress-mandated report on climate crisis preparedness.

On Friday, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) said that they will work together to produce over 29 peer-reviewed journals that will cover all aspects of climate change including observations, projections, impacts, risks and solutions.

The collaboration comes just days after Trump’s administration dismissed all contributors to the sixth National Climate Assessment, the US government’s flagship study on climate change. The dismissal of nearly 400 contributors had left the future of the study in question.

We are delighted to see the good work continue. Factual information, rather than gossip and misinformation, are the best way to make qualified, realistic and informed decisions when it comes to understanding and mitigating the effects of climate change, and to protecting the citizens of the State of Texas.

Megan Johnson wrote for Harvard T. H. Chan, “Stopping Misinformation: Scientists and Medical Professionals are Important Players in Communicating Reliable Information” (2025). She observes, “In a highly complex information ecosystem, news travels fast. Whether it’s dispersed through traditional news publications, social media, or fringe outlets, the news can get warped. That’s why communicators are trying to find the best ways to share their messaging accurately and promptly.”

It is great to see high level training being provided to the science community to help them deal with misinformation and to respond quickly. It would be great to see an educational program developed for the public as well. In the meantime, be sure to sign up on the Citizens’ Climate Lobby website for the fact- and science-based trainings discussed above.

One thing the Austin Chapter of CCL has learned since joining Bluesky during the final months of 2024, is that many scientists are active on the platform. You can find us at @cclatx.bluesky.social, and we do share scientific updates in addition to our own organizational information. If you are interested in science and the facts behind climate change, Bluesky is the place to be!

Once you join Bluesky, look under “Discover” and follow hashtags like #Science #Climate Science #Climate Politics #Climate Change Sciences #Climate Crisis #Climate & Sustainability #Climate Adaptation and more. You can also follow “Lists” like “Climate Science, Impacts and Solutions.” Katharine Hayhoe has several “starter packs” that help you quickly identify influential scientists to follow. Among them are, “US National Nature Assessment Authors,” “Climate Justice,” “Climate + Finance” (and more). Our experience on Bluesky has been terrific and we learn a lot every time we “log in.”

Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence.

Louis Pasteur, French scientist (1822-1895)

Join us at the CCL Summer Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. this July. Follow the link to learn more!

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Texas Lobby Day 2025

On February 3, 2025February 14, 2025 By CCLATXIn Texas LegislatureLeave a comment

Did you know, in-person meetings are the most powerful way to build relationships with legislators and to influence Texas’ climate policy. CCL’s Texas Lobby Day not only offers you the chance to meet and share your concerns with elected officials of the State of Texas, but you will also have a chance to meet with and be inspired by your fellow climate advocates from across the state. Our last Lobby Day at the Texas State Capitol was a tremendous success. Please consider joining us in Austin for 2025!

What will happen?

First, you will be trained to understand the top priorities of Citizens’ Climate Lobby during an afternoon meeting held on Monday, March 31 at Sumners Hall, St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin. The training occurs from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. You will be fully briefed by experts, so that your meetings with elected officials the following day are focused and productive.

Then, after breakfast on Tuesday, April 1 at Crail Hall, St. David’s Episcopal Church (a comfortable walking distance to the State Capitol), you will meet with State House and Senate representatives to advocate for strong, nonpartisan actions on climate. All meetings will have been re-arranged, so you know where to go, and to whom you will be speaking.

Make your voice heard and urge lawmakers to make smart investments in the clean energy future of Texas. We will also ask our legislators to come to the table on climate solutions by joining the bipartisan Texas Energy & Climate Caucus.

We need you to be present! To review the full agenda and to register, follow this link to Eventbrite. We look forward to seeing you then. Thank you.

You may be wondering, “How do you talk to friends and family about climate change in a way that brings you both hope? How do you get involved with your local chapter’s lobbying team, and what do you say to your members of Congress?” For an advance preview of what lobby meetings are like and what to expect, follow this link to Citizens’ Climate Lobby and its Climate Advocate Lobby Training page.

Upgrading Homes and Buildings Can Reduce Emissions and Save You Money: Austin Energy Can Help

On November 20, 2024 By Carolyn M. AppletonIn CCLATX, ElectrificationLeave a comment

Electrification of homes and buildings has been a core focus area of Citizens’ Climate Lobby for the past few years. The best way to reduce appliance emissions is to switch to clean energy and, “to increase the efficiency with which we use all forms of energy to provide the services we want – heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, and more.” Did you know, furnaces generally last 15 to 20 years and hot water heaters 8 to 12 years. Hence, it is essential that we start now to accelerate the process of converting these appliances to clean energy.

Upgrading homes and other buildings can both reduce emissions and save people money. Buildings currently represent over 30% of emissions in the United States. About 10% of building emissions come directly from onsite burning of fossil fuels and almost all the rest from generating the electricity buildings use. The biggest sources of direct emissions are space and water heaters, but stoves and clothes dryers are other examples in the residential sector.

Austin Energy has an smart incentive program to help you convert to electric appliances of all kinds, from thermostats to Energy Star refrigerators, heat pump water heaters, clothes dryers, and freezers. If you are putting of replacing your old appliances, now might be the time to take advantage of these discounts! Click on the image below to reach the Austin Energy discount website.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby has developed an electrification fact sheet you can keep handy to refresh your memory about the importance of electrification.

*Follow the link to reach the CCL advanced information page on building electrification and efficiency. It is packed with facts!*

Health is another critical reason we should switch to electricity. A 2020 report by Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) cited research from MIT showing that “combustion emissions from the building sector now contributes to the largest share (37 percent) of premature deaths associated with air pollution, compared to other sectors like transport, industry, and power generation.” Unvented gas stoves produce indoor nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and benzene pollution that can harm human health, including a 24 to 42% increased risk of childhood asthma!

Questions? Reach out to Dana Nuccitelli, Research Coordinator of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Dana is an environmental scientist and climate journalist with a Master’s Degree in physics. He has written about climate change since 2010 for Skeptical Science, for The Guardian from 2013 to 2018, and since 2018 for Yale Climate Connections. In 2015 he published the book ‘Climatology versus Pseudoscience’, and he has also authored ten peer-reviewed climate studies, including a 2013 paper that found a 97% consensus among peer-reviewed climate science research that humans are the primary cause of global warming. Follow the link above to read more about Dana and to find his email address.

Creative Solar Program is What We Need to Transition from Fossil Fuels

On October 20, 2024November 21, 2024 By Kalpana SutariaIn Solar EnergyLeave a comment

Re: Oct. 13, article, ‘A new Austin solar program could unlock a clean energy future’

Generation of solar power is a no-brainer for anyone who is worried about the warming world, extended summer seasons, rising electric bills for cooling and harmful pollution from burning fossil fuels. Yes, we can’t meet all of needs from solar and other renewables, but it is allowing many countries in the world to reach clean energy goals.

Austin Energy‘s proposed Solar Standard Offer Program would add to the Community Solar program which allows residents to invest in solar-generated electricity without installing a solar system. It will allow more participants, including renters. Use of roof tops for solar has a benefit of reducing heat gain and reducing cooling loads .

Finding creative solutions to help us transition away from fossil fuels is what we want our lawmakers to pursue. Solar Standard Offer Program will create jobs and enhance quality of life. Let us support it.

Kalpana Sutaria

Project Manager, City of Austin and Member, Austin Metro Chapter, Citizen’s Climate Lobby

Published by the Austin American-Statesman

October 20, 2024

See also, “A new Austin solar program could unlock a clean energy future” by Kaiba White (October 12, 2024).

Join the Virtual Conference: December 6 and 7, 2024

On October 12, 2024November 6, 2025 By CCLATXIn CCL Action Teams, CCL Conference, PlasticsLeave a comment

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is hosting, “Positioning for Progress” online December 6 and 7, 2024. Join us by registering on Eventbrite! The event is free to attend.

This fall’s online conference will provide an insider’s look at what Congress is expected to tackle regarding climate change. CCL experts will share key opportunities during the “lame duck” session at the end of this Congress, as well as promising possibilities emerging for 2025. No matter the Presidential election’s outcome in November, CCL stands ready for action as a trusted and essential partner in Congress.

Virtual Action Team Fair and Reception

On Friday, December 6 starting at 7 p.m. Central Time, meet with Action Team members to learn more about their projects, then attend our reception to socialize and party with fellow conference goers before we officially kick off the conference on Saturday, December 7.

Sessions to be Offered on Saturday

Climate Advocate Lobby Training with Brett Cease, Vice President of Programs for Citizens’ Climate Lobby (additional Zoom registration required)
Conference Welcome and Opening with Rachel Kerestes, (now former) Executive Director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Policy Roadmap with Flannery Winchester, Vice President of Communications for Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Legislative Landscape discussion with Mindy Ahler, North Wind Regional Director & Liaison Program Coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby; Ben Pendergrass, Vice President of Government Affairs for Citizens’ Climate Lobby; and Danny Richter, Policy Fellow for Citizens’ Climate Lobby
The Continuing Case for Permitting Reform with Dana Nuccitelli, Research Coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Two break-out sessions: 1) Danny Richter Talks Carbon Pricing; and 2) True False Hot Cold with Filmmaker Ben Stillerman.

To read more, follow this link.

We hope to see you online in December! Questions? Contact Citizens’ Climate Lobby Directory via this link.

What do Texans Want on Earth Day 2024?

On April 12, 2024April 16, 2025 By Kalpana SutariaIn CCLATX, Texas LegislatureLeave a comment

The year 2023 was the hottest year since 1850 exceeding the previous record set by 2016 per the Berkley Earth. Austinites experienced the record-breaking temperatures last summer with meteorologists raising alarms for outdoor workers. The state climatologist Dr. John Neilson-Gammon has assessment report of extreme weather in Texas as it continues to worsen.

The State of Texas is a leader in oil and gas production, and it leads the nation in wind power generation, and it is almost at the top in generation of solar power. It is also the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in our nation. Without Texas, our nation cannot decarbonize itself. If Texas were a country, it would be the eighth largest economy and the eighth largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Texas’ actions to curb emissions would hugely improve the environment.

With these facts, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s (CCL) leadership approached the Texas State Legislature in its 2023 session. Legislative sessions are held once every two years for 140 days. It is difficult for constituents to bring up issues to state lawmakers, when work of all committees and two state houses must be sorted through the number of bills filed, in a very short time. Important issues remain unaddressed.

Policy decisions made by Texas Legislature affect the energy industry as well as Texans. How we generate and transport energy has a profound impact on our environment. The major ask of 10,000 volunteers of CCL was to improve the electric grid that transmits electricity from power plants to consumers. The problem was that transmission lines were not adequate to transmit all renewable energy that was generated, creating a backlog. CCL volunteers held 66 meetings with the state representatives of both parties. A year later, the backlog still exists, and transmission lines are not fully fixed. Generated energy’s backlog, and transmission bottlenecks such as these cost Texans over $5 billion in 2022 and 2023. Consumers, the State, and the environment – all of them will benefit if lawmakers enact the right policies.

Methane leaks from oil and gas production in Texas hugely affect the environment because methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 80 times more warming than carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). It stays in the air for decades rather than for centuries like CO2 does. Methane leaks and gas flaring are known to the authorities and oil and gas producers. Texas regulators have not enforced them fully. The new climate regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require the oil and gas operators to reduce methane leaks. Per EPA, these rules can prevent equivalent of 1.5 billion tons of CO2 being emitted between 2024 and 2038, almost equal to emissions by all power plants in the country in 2021. Fixing methane leaks helps the operators too, but still Texas has challenged the rules.

CCL supports climate solutions that grow economic opportunities, that are market based, cost effective, efficient and are implemented in a socially equitable manner. The climate crisis has highlighted the already existing inequities. It is worse for those who have fewer resources to live through any type of climate disasters – like flooding, drought, wildfires, sea level rise, extreme heat or cold – causing physical and psychological stress on people.

We must not forget that global warming continues to accelerate. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is delivering positive outcomes to combat the climate crisis. The State of Texas can take advantage of many available opportunities for emissions reductions in the IRA helping Texans. It has tax benefits for removal of accumulated carbon in the atmosphere for businesses.

On this Earth Day, we want lawmakers to implement all policies to lower emissions and improve health and well-being of Texans.

Kalpana Sutaria

Project Manager, City of Austin and Member, Austin Metro Chapter, Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Submitted to the Austin American-Statesman

April 2024

Notes