Fellow Spotlight: Savannah Sottak

In one word: organized! 

Savannah is CCL’s legislative fellow! She is a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina.

Growing up in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Savannah was always aware of the effects of climate change. As she saw the environment around her change, she knew that reducing carbon emissions would save the island she lived on from being completely devastated by global warming. Savannah is a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina and works at Candlefish! 

She is currently serving as a legislative fellow with the government affairs team. Some of her responsibilities include: ​​learning CCL advocacy methodologies, participating in monthly conference calls, sitting in on and taking notes for meetings and briefings on Capitol Hill and across Washington, D.C., and attending CCL’s Congressional Education Day. She also conducts research on different climate change-related policies, congressional research for biographies and meetings, cross-checks field reports, and provides administrative support for CCL’s dedicated volunteers, including email correspondence and assisting with outreach follow-up and training/outreach materials for prospective volunteer interest. Through this role, she hopes to learn more about how organizations like CCL choose policies to endorse and how they build relationships with members of Congress. 

She enjoys painting, doing yoga, baking, swimming, and reading! She has a chihuahua named Chico. Savannah’s favorite music artist is Amber Mark, and her favorite show is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 

Savannah would like to learn practical skills on how to make climate policy a priority in government. We are lucky to have her!

Fellow Spotlight: Hannah Rogers

In one word: spontaneous! 

Hannah is CCL’s Conservative Outreach Fellow! She is a junior at the University of Utah studying geography.

Hannah was drawn to climate advocacy by her great love for animals and passion for human rights. With the long-term effects of climate change that can have lasting impact on future generations, she desires to make a difference that could last longer than her lifetime. Hannah is a junior studying geography at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. In addition to her involvement with CCL, she is an active member of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition, The American Legion Auxiliary, and Meals on Wheels. 

As a conservative fellow, her responsibilities include: building a network of conservative and Republican young adults who are interested in climate policy who engage on a regular basis, training young conservatives and Republicans to voice a constructive message for putting a price on carbon emissions, developing, proposing, testing & implementing outreach methods to young adult conservatives & Republicans, and providing occasional administrative support including email, calls, research, and data entry.  

In her free time, she enjoys marathon running, skiing, and activism. She also loves to spend time with her two kittens, Olive and Pippa! Hannah’s favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo, her favorite artist is Taylor Swift, and her favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption. 

Hannah hopes her fellowship will allow her “to be part of something larger than [herself] and create true value in the world.” With her help, CCL is creating bipartisan support for climate change policies. 

Fellow Spotlight: Lauren Howard

In one word: adventurous! 

Lauren Howard is CCL’s diversity and inclusion fellow this year! She is passionate about holding large polluters accountable for harming marginalized communities.

Lauren was drawn to climate advocacy by the desire to condemn and expose major actors who have contributed to the prolonged degradation of the environment. Lauren currently lives in her hometown of Canton, Georgia. She is a summer camp counselor for Travel for Teens and a substitute teacher!

As a diversity and inclusion fellow, her responsibilities include meeting weekly with the Diversity and Inclusion team and discussing concerns within the organization and possible solutions to be implemented, attending action team meetings and making notes, brainstorming, constructing, and presenting fellow-led, inclusion-based workshops for volunteers and staff alike, attend and provide support at June Conference in DC, attend and provide technical and Q&A support in September Inclusion Conference on zoom, and work with various communities and supporting environmental justice efforts.  She hopes to expand her knowledge of the inside workings of a non-profit organization’s commitment to environmental justice, diversity, and inclusion. 

In her free time, Lauren enjoys being outdoors, yoga, reading, researching, journaling, writing poetry, trying new vegetarian recipes, traveling, and playing with her two cats- Oreo and Honey Bun! Her favorite author is Albert Camus. 

Lauren wants dominant pollution perpetrators to be accountable for harming marginalized communities who often bear the brunt of environmental inequality which negatively impacts their health and quality of life. Her work as a fellow is crucial to addressing the issues of environmental racism. 

Feel free to connect with her on Twitter: @laurenhowarddd

Intern Spotlight: Angel Cui

Angel Cui is CCL’s College Outreach Intern this fall! She is pursuing a master’s in public administration at University of Southern California.

In one word: optimistic!

For Angel, climate change is undeniably one of the greatest challenges the world faces. With daily reminders, like extreme floods, severe weather, heat waves and dry spells, climate change is a defining issue of our time. Angel is a San Francisco native pursuing a master’s in public administration at the University of Southern California. Monitoring the ongoing impacts of climate change, and how policies and organizations are responding to these challenges, is a high priority. Angel hopes to leverage her expertise and previous experience to assist college chapters in advocating for climate change policies and provide resources for success.

This fall, Angel is working as CCL’s College Outreach Intern! Her responsibilities include reaching out to colleges about climate change opportunities and identifying opportunities for students to engage in climate action or apply for scholarships/fellowships. She will also be compiling short features like this one about CCL’s interns and fellows to share on the Higher Ed website and CCL platforms. In her free time, Angel enjoys gardening, finding new coffee shops, and traveling. Her favorite show is Bob’s Burgers and her favorite music artist is Bad Suns.

Angel is drawn to climate advocacy because it “creates inclusive policies that unite communities to address climate change.” With her help, we’re confident that the climate change policies of the future will be up to the enormous task of protecting our planet and everybody who calls it home.  

Fellow Spotlight: Ellen Nguyen

Ellen Nguyen is CCL’s California Climate Advocacy Fellow this year! She is a sophomore at University of California, Riverside.

In one word: enthusiastic!

Ellen lives in the second most air-polluted area in the United States, and knows firsthand that climate change and air pollution disproportionately affect people of color and low income communities. Her deep passion for environmentalism, sustainability, and justice drew her to study environmental science at UC-Riverside, where she is the vice chair of the Green Campus Action Plan. This group plans sustainability-related events to show students that environmentalism is accessible and for everyone. Even as a high schooler, Ellen was a youth advocate with CARE Org, a non-profit organization which uplifts women and girls in third world countries. 

Currently, she is serving as the California Climate Advocacy Fellow, working alongside the higher education team and California regional coordinator to engage students and youth in her region in climate advocacy. She meets with campus leaders to maintain and create on-campus CCL chapters throughout California. Through her work and engagement in lobbying in her own community, she hopes to gain a deep understanding of how to craft and pass effective climate legislation. She also is excited to build connections with people who are making an impact in the climate space and help California become an even stronger climate lobbying force in CCL. 

In her free time, Ellen enjoys thrifting and experimenting with her own personal style, trying new food, and spending time in nature. Her favorite movie is Crazy Rich Asians and she loves listening to BTS with her pet mini poodle, Tofu!

Ellen believes that “climate advocacy has the power to make a real difference” and she chose CCL because she wanted to be a part of that. We are lucky to have her!

Fellow Spotlight: Ara Vickers

Ara Vickers is CCL’s Greater Pacific Northwest Climate Advocacy Fellow this year! She is a senior at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

In one word: resilient!

Ara was drawn to the climate movement out of necessity, recognizing both that we have not yet done enough to address climate change and that hope still remains to learn from our mistakes. Scheduled to graduate in December, Ara is studying political science at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, but originally hails from North Carolina. Her experience on both sides of the country, and working with a member of Congress, has convinced her that democracy works and that a group of thoughtful, engaged people holds revolutionary power. Ara has also worked with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Buffalo Nations Grassland Alliance (BNGA), as well as her campus sustainability organization.

She’s hoping to deepen her engagement with community organizations through her time as a Climate Advocacy Fellow for the Greater Pacific Northwest Region. She will be recruiting campus leaders and student volunteers, helping with regional outreach, and supporting the regional conference. She is currently supporting an effort to develop resources for intergenerational conversations about climate change. Ara is most excited to contribute to building a diverse community of loud voices within her region. She hopes that her time as a Fellow will help her to be an effective change-maker and to learn the leadership and educational skillset necessary to do so.

When she isn’t busy effecting change in her community, she loves to walk, dance, paint, swim, watch video essays, and bake. She is also a foster mom with the Oregon Humane Society, where she frequently fosters very rambunctious kittens. 

Ara “envisions a future in which we as a species create climate resilient landscapes through funding our environments.” Her work as a fellow is a critical step to cultivating the next generation of climate leaders who will bring this vision to fruition.

Fellow Spotlight: Henrik Landis

Henrik Landis is CCL’s Legislative Fellow this summer! He is a rising senior at Trinity College.

Henrik is committed to political advocacy to advance environmental policies. Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of Northern Georgia, he developed a deep appreciation for the natural environment. He is entering his senior year at Trinity College where he will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Law. He has traveled a long way from Georgia, including attending the Danish Institute of Study Abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark earlier this year. Once he graduates next spring, Henrik plans to move to Washington, DC where he can apply his leadership and political advocacy skills. 

This summer, though, he has been serving as a Legislative Fellow with our Government Affairs Team. He provides support with advocacy and research, including conducting climate policy research, attending and taking notes on congressional hearings and other relevant events, joining advocacy meetings with Congressional staff and other stakeholders, and providing administrative and outreach support. He hopes to gain valuable work experience to learn more about himself and what his career interests are. 

Henrik enjoys playing soccer, golf and tennis. He also loves water skiing, hiking and spending time in nature. Best of all, he gets to share these experiences with his border collie, Percy. 

Henrik believes “environmental policy is imperative to the sustainability and future of the planet. It is important for people and organizations to plead for the implementation of this policy.” With his help, CCL is able to advocate for better, more effective climate policies. 

Fellow Spotlight: Liz Sun

Liz Sun is CCL’s Legislative Fellow this summer! She is currently a MPH Student at Columbia University.

In one word: driven!

Liz strongly believes that everybody deserves the right to a healthy life. Climate advocacy provided an avenue for her to work toward this goal! She is pursuing a career in environmental health because climate change can have a massive and far-reaching impact on both physical and mental health. Liz is a student at Columbia University, where she is earning her Master of Public Health with a certificate in environmental health policy.

She was a natural fit to work as a Legislative Fellow with CCL this summer. She assists the government affairs team by writing hearing summaries and researching nature-based solutions in order to expand CCL's potential policy focus to include the importance of health. Through her fellowship, she hopes to gain a better understanding of what climate policies Congress is currently focusing on, develop better writing skills that summarize and critically analyze proposed legislation, and provide insight on how CCL can engage with policies that improve health.

When she’s not busy with her studies, you can find Liz baking, swimming, or rock climbing - or maybe catching up on the latest season of her current favorite show, The Boys. 

Liz wishes to “engage in climate advocacy in order to make tangible, significant reductions to climate hazards for all communities, and especially for the most marginalized populations.” With Liz’s help, CCL is creating a more livable world for all communities to thrive.

Intern Spotlight: Sam Terblanche

In one word: trying!

Sam grew up in one of the world’s leading oil and natural gas exporters: Abu Dhabi, UAE. He came to the realization that polluting the environment has benefitted many, including himself, as the UAE has developed almost solely off the wealth associated with fossil fuel consumption. He also realized that the climate crisis is the most pressing issue humanity will ever face, and he has thus been a part of climate and environmentalist groups since childhood. He is now a rising sophomore at Columbia University studying economics and sustainable development.

Sam’s parents are South African, he was born in New York City, grew up in Abu Dhabi, and is now back in New York City for college. His international experience makes him an ideal candidate as an International Intern for CCL this summer. He works closely with Cathy Orlando at Citizens’ Climate International, where he contributes to international leadership meetings, researches policy positions such as carbon dividends, and assists in lobbying for CCL Canada. Throughout his internship, Sam wants to learn more about the climate crisis and the associated problems that impact us and become better equipped with the tools needed to contribute to effective solutions.  

Sam Terblanche is CCL’s International Intern this summer! He is a rising sophomore at Columbia University.

Sam is no stranger to communicating the need for climate advocacy. Back at his international school in Abu Dhabi, he worked with elementary and middle schools across the middle east with a primary focus on bringing awareness of the climate crisis to the students. When he’s not advocating for change, he’s playing, watching, and discussing soccer; he notes that he’s a huge Chelsea FC fan. He also has two Dachshunds, Mamba and Buck, which keep him busy. His favorite movie is Finding Nemo.

Sam says that, “I’ve had to come to terms with how polluting our environment has benefitted many;” fossil fuel companies have helped foster an incredible age of development that have made many countries successful. While this age of industrialization has allowed countries to thrive, it’s time to move on to the next age: the age of sustainability. This same success can be achieved in a greener world.

Fellow Spotlight: Isabelle Rosenberg

In one word: caring!

Isabelle found her passion much like many other students - from taking an environmental science class in high school. Sensing that the climate crisis is one of the most significant issues of our time, she knew she wanted to major in something with an environmental focus and pursue a career that would advocate for the planet. She is currently a senior at The Ohio State University, majoring in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability.

Isabelle is a Legislative Fellow with CCL this year. Her duties include assisting with research, building relationships with diverse advocacy organizations and congressional offices, and attending congressional hearings and briefings on behalf of CCL. Throughout her fellowship, she hopes to learn more about the legislative process and how to implement effective climate policies. 

Isabelle Rosenberg is CCL’s Legislative Fellow this year! She is currently a senior at The Ohio State University.

When she’s not studying the environment or advocating for climate justice, Isabelle likes to attend concerts, listen to Remi Wolf, read, spend time outdoors, and play with her Saint Bernard, Fiona. 

Isabelle says that “my [environmental science] teacher always said that we were the generation that would solve the climate crisis.” She sees that her generation (and generations thereafter) is the one that will experience the most serious impacts from climate change. We’re at a major crossroads; we must act on climate change now and avoid the worst that’s yet to come.

Intern Spotlight: Lucia Durst

Lucia knew that she wanted to study the environment in college from a young age, when she would read books about topics such as how to recycle and how to grow food at home. A rising senior at Tulane University, she’s majoring in public health as well as environmental studies, with a minor in philosophy. Both majors keep her drawn to climate change, as the climate crisis has significant connections to adverse health outcomes. This led her to enter into a combined master’s program where she’ll earn her MPH in epidemiology. 

Lucia Durst is CCL’s Education and Engagement Intern this summer! She is a rising senior at Tulane University.

On top of Lucia’s educational endeavors, she’s also involved in the Sustainability Committee and Undergraduate Student Government at Tulane. She’s currently CCL’s Education and Engagement Intern. Her duties include providing support to staff members and helping out with the summer Climate Advocacy Certificate Program. Throughout her internship, she hopes to meet new people, form lasting connections, and contribute as much as possible to CCL. 

Lucia enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, trying new foods, watching crime and mystery shows, and traveling; case in point - she’s from Madison, Wisconsin, lives in New Orleans, Louisiana during the school year, and is spending the summer working in New York City. She also has two cats, Milo and Sylvie. 

Lucia states that “I’m even more drawn to [climate advocacy] now that I’m studying public health as well because of the connections between climate change and health disparities.” Climate change is going to affect everyone differently; some will be worse off than others. She understands we must do what we can to mitigate climate change while providing assistance to those who need it most!

Intern Spotlight: Juliet Freiheit

In one word: confident!

After taking AP Environmental Science in high school and finding the course both fascinating and thrilling - something Juliet notes that she hadn’t found thus far in her studies - she knew this was the field for her. It shocked her to learn how little leaders were doing to combat climate change, and she wanted to help bring solutions to fruition. This led her to study political science at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she is a rising junior.

Juliet is from Greenwich, Connecticut, where she is also carrying out her duties as CCL’s Summer Communications Intern. She is responsible for writing, editing, and publishing blog posts, as well as maintaining close connections with the communications team at CCL and working together to formulate new ideas. Throughout the summer, she hopes to learn more about the multiple layers of climate policy, become a better, more concise writer, and establish connections with like-minded individuals. 

Juliet Freiheit is CCL’s Summer Communications Intern this summer! She is a rising junior at Trinity College.

Juliet keeps busy with her two small puppies, Leo and Hazel. She also enjoys cooking, whether that means creating her own vegan recipes or trying new ones she sees online.

Juliet says that “as this battle can only be won by everyone doing their own part, I became interested in making small adjustments to my daily habits to make a larger impact.” She understands that every single person has a responsibility for our shared planet; if everyone does their part, a sustainable future is possible.

Intern Spotlight: Danielle Whyte

In one word: radiant!

Citing her firm understanding of the climate crisis and its broader implications with other justice and human rights issues, Danielle wants to do what she can to raise awareness of this while advocating for climate justice. You can see her passion for such advocacy in her major at The George Washington University, where she is a rising sophomore studying international affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution. She’s also involved in the Yellow Tulip Project, a youth organization focused on normalizing conversations around mental health, as well as Seeds of Peace, a youth leadership development and conflict resolution organization. 

Danielle Whyte is CCL’s Chapter Development Intern this summer! She is a rising sophomore at The George Washington University.

This Westbrook, Maine, native is currently CCL’s Chapter Development Intern. In her role, she utilizes calls and texts to increase chapter member engagement for CCL chapters nationwide. Through this internship, she hopes to hone her community engagement skills while developing new strategies for onboarding and new member retention, which she can apply to her future endeavors. 

In her free time, Danielle likes listening to music, reading poetry, playing with her two cats, and spending quality time with her friends and family. Her favorite book is Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practice to Build a Better World by Jacqueline Novogratz.  

Danielle says that “no issue exists in true isolation from another; everything is interconnected.” She hopes to spread this message to show that we are all in this together; working to fix one issue is sure to offer solutions to others.

Fellow Spotlight: Allison Fabrizio

In one word: driven!

Understanding that climate change is disproportionately affecting groups of people who don’t usually have a voice in mainstream media, Allison uses her identity as part Caribbean to listen to and advocate for minority groups in the climate movement. A current junior at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, she’s studying environmental analysis and dance. Here, Allison has worked for the Pachamama Alliance, the Sierra Club, and the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Allison Fabrizio is CCL’s Climate Advocacy Fellow for the Tornadoes Region this year! She is currently a junior at Washington University.

Allison is not only busy with her studies and extracurriculars; she’s also the Climate Advocacy Fellow for the Tornadoes Region, where she conducts outreach to institutions of higher education and coordinates a variety of projects across the region. She does this all while continuing to be an active member of the St. Louis CCL chapter.

Allison connects her passion for dance with her passion for advocacy through her various dance communities, including WashU’s dance company and Jacob’s Pillow Afro-Latin dance ensemble. When she’s not dancing or advocating for others, she enjoys gardening, dancing, hiking, and cooking. 

Allison says that “understanding different views and values allows me to connect to people who may not have a voice in this movement.” She wants to be the one who helps bridge the gap between these communities and amplify their voices!

Intern Spotlight: Chris Larson

In one word: energetic!

After witnessing his classmates still dealing with repercussions from Hurricane Harvey back in 2017, and continuing to witness the rapid intensification of hurricanes in the Gulf as a result of a warming ocean, Chris realized how much climate change will affect those near him, in addition to the widespread effects around the world.  He decided to study meteorology, climate change, and mathematics during his time at Texas A&M University. When he wasn’t busy with his classes, he worked for the Texas State Climatologist, held leadership positions in various student organizations on campus, and founded Texas A&M’s first CCL campus chapter. 

Chris Larson is CCL’s College Outreach Intern this summer! He is entering graduate school this fall.

This summer, as Chris prepares to enter a PhD program in climate change next semester at University of Pennsylvania, he is working as CCL’s College Outreach Intern! He will be organizing and leading outreach to institutions of higher education to spread information about CCL and establishing student chapters of CCL. He will also write intern and fellow profiles to showcase the incredible contributions of young people in the climate movement. In his free time, he loves watching new movies and shows, being active outside, and preparing to get an Australian shepherd once he’s settled in grad school.

Chris says that “Climate change doesn't discriminate; the best thing we can do is vote and fight for nonpartisan climate policy.” He hopes to become more involved in climate advocacy and getting more college-aged students to do the same. He wants everyone to know that we do have a voice in the government, we just have to be loud enough for them to hear us!

LTE: A first step to fight climate change

Luke Bartol is the Maine State Fellow for 2021 - 2022 and is currently an undergraduate at Bowdoin College.

Note: This letter to the editor was originally published by the Bangor Daily News here.

By Luke Bartol

It’s hard to not feel shocked reading the New York Times headline, “Sea Level to Rise a Foot by 2050.” The new NOAA report telling of this drastic change hits hard for Mainers, who need not think in hypotheticals, easily able to picture downtown Bath or Portland’s Old Port beginning to be submerged. As these levels rise, they’ll be accompanied by increasingly severe storms, adding to the flooding and carnage we’re becoming more and more accustomed to.

With such drastic consequences, it’s amazing that the first step of the solution can be so easy. Putting a price on carbon is one of the most effective tools we have to combat climate change and mitigate this scary future we are in the process of writing. A fee and dividend structure, like proposed in H.R. 2307 (co-sponsored by our own Rep. Chellie Pingree), is not only sound policy in fighting climate change, but is also good for mainers and the economy, with the revenue being redistributed in a dividend for every household and thousands of economists around the country lauding its effectiveness.

Now is the time to utilize these effective solutions, and with urgency, as every day we sink lower and lower, both metaphorically and somewhat literally. Climate provisions will be a critical part of the Build Back Better Act, and we must call our representatives in congress, especially Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Angus King as members of the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, to support this legislation that Maine desperately needs.

Op-Ed: Latest severe weather is no accident

Laura Rockefeller is the Mid-Atlantic Regional Fellow for 2021 - 2022 and is currently an undergraduate at Georgetown University.

Note: This reader commentary was originally published by the Baltimore Sun here.

By Laura Rockefeller

Powerful winds, intense snowfall and flooded streets swept much of the East Coast last month. Over 100,000 people lost power, mainly in Massachusetts. In Nantucket, streets were underwater. Atmospheric researchers say climate change — particularly the warming ocean — probably strengthened the storm.

Baltimoreans were mostly spared this time. Yet the greater threat remains. Climate change is on our doorstep in Maryland (”As Maryland faces growing flood threats, retreat is an unpopular solution. What would it take to change that?” Jan. 20). Sweltering heat waves, thunderstorms and even tornadoes are all part of the Maryland summer weather report. Baltimore is projected to be one of the American cities most impacted by climate change. In urban areas like Baltimore, higher temperatures increase ozone air pollution, which is a serious health hazard. By 2050, the typical number of heat wave days in Maryland is projected to increase from more than 10 to 50 days a year.

Climate change is a salient political issue. The number of Americans who are “alarmed” about climate change is at an all-time high, according to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communications. Organizations like Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a national grassroots advocacy group, have been building the political willpower for a carbon fee and dividend for years. It has been encouraging to see U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen leading on this issue. Last summer, they passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill with more than $150 billion in funding earmarked for a transition to clean energy, more electric vehicles, green jobs and climate resilience.

Yet more wide-reaching policy is still needed to address climate change. If the U.S. is to reach its goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half within 10 years, a robust price on carbon requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for their emissions needs enactment. In the first few weeks of 2022, Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers nationwide have generated more than 15,000 emails and phone calls to President Joe Biden and the U.S. Senate urging for a price on carbon to be included in the budget reconciliation package.” CCL’s resources can be found at cclusa.org/action.

It’s not too late to prevent climate-driven disasters like these from getting worse and worse. If we act now, our lawmakers and our communities can be part of the solution. We need a carbon price now.

Op-Ed: Can a carbon tax support environmental justice?

Clara Fang poses along the banks of the Detroit River.

by Clara Fang

I joined Citizens’ Climate Lobby because I wanted to do something about climate change. At the time I did not know that CCL had an image problem when it came to environmental justice because of its support for a carbon tax, a strategy that calls for taxing energy companies a fee based on the amount of carbon emissions they produce.

The mechanism is controversial with environmental justice communities because its close relatives, cap-and-trade and carbon offsetting, have done little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while enabling companies to “pay to pollute.”

However, recent carbon tax bills bear little resemblance to old problematic ones and do support environmental justice goals.

Read the rest of Clara’s op-ed for an explanation of how a carbon fee & dividend policy can support environmental justice

Student Engagement at CCL

by Clara Fang

Clara Fang (left) with students at the 2019 CCL conference

Clara Fang recently stepped down as student engagement director at CCL, a role that she has performed since 2016. During that time, the number of student supporters at CCL has increased from less than 1% to 12%, with 25% of new supporters joining in the last year under the age of 25. The programs she developed helped thousands of young people learn advocacy skills, organize climate action in their communities, and lobby their elected officials for carbon pricing. 

Clara was also instrumental in CCL’s diversity and inclusion work, presenting many conference workshops on the topic and serving on the diversity strategic committee since 2018. She is currently senior fellow at Citizens’ Climate International, a PhD candidate in environmental studies at Antioch University New England, and serves on the board of the Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences. 

Read on to learn more about what Clara learned from her time in student engagement here at CCL, and why engaging students is so critical to our work.

With our climate in crisis, preparing for an uncertain future is daunting

Note: This piece was originally posted on MassLive here.

By Asli Ali | Guest viewpoint

In ten years, I’ll not even be middle-aged yet, so my mid-life crisis can’t even coincide with major crises of the earth.

What stability can I have with the convulsing of the earth becoming progressively worse? What sort of calm or peace would I be able to establish in my home when just outside the walls would be pain and sorrow tenfold from what now exists? Until that day I would be crying out of grief with the suffering of others, my walls torn down, too.

I love my family, but the mere thought of bearing my own children racks me with guilt. To offer some perspective, I have a great fear for the youngest person I know and closest to me -- my seven-year-old brother. He doesn’t know that the year he graduates from high school, in 2032, the world will see the heightened repercussions of our abuse. He cannot fathom that the news will be filled with compounded natural disasters, the economic, environmental, and mortality effects of which will result in numbers he cannot currently comprehend.

But I know. And I am terrified. This is not the life anyone wishes for a loved one.

Floods, hurricanes, droughts and other natural disasters have been around forever and now there is scientifically led proof they are worsening due to human-inflicted climate change. Day after day, the structure of Pandora’s box is being tested; finding a way into its lock are keys forged from the aftermath of our wasteful lifestyle. Who would want to open it? Those without foresight or imagination. Those who won’t live to see the day of inconceivable damage.

Lately, I have been taking in my surroundings a lot more. I feel the need to memorize my surroundings so if I live to be a wise neighborly elder, I can tell fantastical stories. “Once upon a time, when a nearby lake was safe enough to swim in, when little boys and girls could eat what they fished, when folks could drink straight out of the tap. Oh yes, because the poisons in the water were nothing as close to what we have now. And, there were great black and white bears that ate sticks called bamboo. Panda is a funny name isn’t it?”

I am not ready for the silence, the ever shortening periods of calm before the storms. The fear I have for my brother also extends to me. I have always known that I will be proud of my future self, but why must I also be scared for her?

People who are going to be most affected are those who make up marginalized populations. This is why I believe putting a price on carbon is an efficient way to ensure the wellbeing of the earth, including underprivileged peoples, making them part of the conversation. Monetizing carbon will allow the system to reward environmentally friendly actions, which will, in turn, steer us away from a fearsome future.

Reading the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is nightmarish. The report points to devastating outcomes that I’d rather not let come true. But we still have time. And I’d rather be useful and engaged than turning a blind eye to my own flesh and blood.

Asli Ali attends Smith College in Northampton studying environmental science. She recently lobbied Congressman Richard E. Neal’s office with the Citizens Climate Lobby, a group urging a price on carbon. Her family home is in Longmeadow.