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Marin Chapter Newsletter March 2017
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Greetings and welcome back!
As you've no doubt noticed, there's a lot happening on the climate front this past month. Prepare to dive in!
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Next general membership event: Sunday, May 7, 4-6 PM in Tiburon.
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For those who missed the January 29 event or want to come back to learn more, here's another opportunity to plug in. Our chapter leaders will discuss CCL's proposal, and team leaders will describe their activities. Come, meet, ask questions and see which action team you may wish to join. All are welcome. Bring an interested friend.
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As described last month, here are the actions teams that we feel are most impactful. If your skill set resonates with any of these teams, please click on the team and email the leader.
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Organize a CCL presentation for your group
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One of the best ways to spread the word is to have a CCL speaker address your group, club, school, place of worship, etc. Contact Dr. Peter Joseph
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More on the Climate Leadership Council's carbon pricing proposal
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Former Secretary of State and Treasury, James Baker III
The Carbon Dividend plan put forth by Republican elders in February has been well received in the press, with the notable exceptions of the
WSJ Editorial page
and a
group
of anti-taxers, including Grover Norquist. Both published attack pieces, replete with misrepresentations of the impacts of a
refunded
carbon fee, illustrating their tactics -- phony arguments and obfuscation. They're worth reading to see if you could counter them in an elevator. The
rejoinders
by Sec. Shultz and colleagues in the conservative National Review and WSJ are refreshingly polite, firm and clear. And
here's a rebuttal to the WSJ editorial written by Dr. Peter Joseph, Marin group leader, published on both the Carbon Tax Center and CCL's blog.
Learn more about the Climate Leadership Council’s Carbon Dividends proposal on CCL Community.
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If only it were fake news
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As unqualified climate
deniers
take up positions in Trump's administration, the 100-Mile-Long Crack in the Larsen C ice Shelf
keeps growing
. You'd think this would cause more alarm at HQ (elevation: sea level), but apparently not. So would the death certificate of the Great Barrier Reef and rising numbers of desperate climate refugees. It's up to us to make as much noise as possible and to join others with the same concerns -- namely
everyone who's
paying attention. We need to fix the market failure perpetuating fossil fuel's dominance. Keep your eyes on the April 29 climate march!
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Study Hall: Useful Resources
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Quickly get up to speed on the science:
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This is a concise, logically presented
primer
on climate science which addresses the questions we hear all the time about whether it's "real," what's causing it and what we can do. The author carefully walks you through the logic leading to the conclusions of the scientific community. Great for beginners or seasoned climate champs. Learn to win those conversations.
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Websites to enhance your understanding of climate change politics
Inside Climate News-- Award winning news coverage from the folks who exposed Exxon's cover up of the science and funding of denial.
Skeptical Science -- addresses all the denier arguments you'll ever encounter in as much depth as you can tolerate.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse: Time to Wake Up -- He's given about 150 15 min speeches before the (usually empty) senate that will deepen your understanding of the strangeness of politics on The Hill as well as the science. He's a real hero (with a target on his back in his next election.)
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Stream
past seasons (including the one featuring CCL) and keep current with their new "Good news/Bad news" updates. Beautifully done to the high standards of National Geographic.
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While more Americans "believe" global warming is happening, many don't think it will affect them.
According to Yale University
polling data
, 7 of 10 Americans say, correctly, that the world is warming. (It really is: 2016 was the hottest year on record; 16 of the top 17 hottest years have occurred since 2000.) In the CA-02 congressional district, stretching all the way to the Oregon border, the number is 79%.
There are FOUR GATEWAY beliefs about this issue. Misunderstanding of any one of them creates susceptibility to climate denial. Memorize these for your more challenging conversations:
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It’s us. Even though the evidence is compelling, only 53% of Americans believe that humans are causing global warming. People in the Great Plains, Mountain West, deep South, and Rust Belt are less likely to believe that warming is human-induced.
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Scientists agree. Nearly all climate scientists (>97%) agree that the planet is warming and that humans are mostly responsible. However, only 49% of the population polled know this.
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It’s bad. The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to
2 degrees C
. 2 degrees C is already dangerous (we're now just over 1C); further warming will likely be catastrophic. In spite of this reality, while 6 of 10 people worry about global warming, only 4 of 10 think it will harm them personally.
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There's hope. Vast majorities in every state support
spending for
renewable energy research and development, according to the Yale research (82% overall, 90% Democrats, 74% Republicans). We can still alter the worst-case outcome if we try hard enough.
Social Silence: Only about a third of Americans talk about climate change. Because many people (present company excluded) don't hear much about it from the media, politicians, friends, family, or social networks, it's perceived as unimportant, according to Anthony Leiserowitz of Yale University. We need to break that cycle. Speak up! We're here to help you find your voice.
Dr.Leiserowitz will be a keynote speaker at the June conference in DC.
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Videos from February's NorCal Regional Conference are now online!
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Berkeley, February 19, 2017
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8th National Conference filling fast!
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This summer's Congressional meetings are bound to be exceptionally interesting.
Try to participate!
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You've received this newsletter because you are on our list, as a CCL supporter or someone who's expressed interest. Feel free to unsubscribe below. Our Marin roster now numbers almost 300 -- spectacular growth since the election. Thank you! Supporters should be receiving a
monthly newsletter and, if you're on Community a weekly briefing from National. Fundraising appeals go out twice a year. I
f y
ou've signed up on Community you'll receive notices from forums you've
registered
for. Access to CCL Community is
here
. You can determine your preferences at the bottom of any CCL email. Info on the weekly intro call is
here
. If you have questions about your status, mailings or further participation, please contact our
membership coordinator, Molly.
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