Episode 88: The College Carbon Fee and Dividend Climate Change Movement

In episode 88 of Citizens’ Climate Radio, we dive into the passion and action of young climate activists, exploring their journeys from concern to meaningful action. Host, Peterson Toscano leads the conversation, spotlighting the endeavors of students like Emily O’Keefe and Helen Tiffin in fostering awareness about climate change and feasible solutions, focusing particularly on the carbon fee and dividend policy.

From Concern to Action

Emily O’Keefe, a student at the College of William and Mary, candidly shared her progression from a state of existential concern about climate change to actively seeking out impactful solutions. Emily’s journey started with a realization about the importance of sustainable living and protecting the environment. This ultimately led her to a gap year where she could detach and reconnect with nature by hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“I want to do something really big about climate change. And I’m just trying to figure out how can I do that.” – Emily O’Keefe

Evolving Ideas & Shared Enthusiasm

Emily’s initial idea to start a social movement was supported and molded by her friends, like Helen Tiffin. They delved deep into discussions about the nature of the movement and the message it should convey.

Eventually, she was introduced to the carbon fee and dividend policy by a friend, Philip Ignatov. This policy became the focal point of their movement due to its effectiveness and tangible impact.

Helen Tiffin supported Emily’s enthusiasm, remarking on the nonpartisan nature and wide appeal of the carbon fee and dividend idea, noting, “It really is something that we can all agree upon.”

Carbon Fee & Dividend – An Equitable Solution

The carbon fee and dividend policy essentially imposes a fee on corporations extracting fossil fuels, making fossil fuel-intensive products more expensive and thereby encouraging consumers to opt for more sustainable alternatives. Importantly, the policy also includes an equitable dividend system where the revenue from the fees is distributed equally among Americans.

“So that actually makes it so that the majority of Americans, around two-thirds, will actually break even or profit from the money coming back to them in this cashback form, than they have to pay in increased prices.” – Emily O’Keefe

Building a Movement

Emily, Helen, and their friends engaged in creating signs which read: Most Effective Climate Policy #carbonfeeanddividend bit.ly/writecongresshere

They raised awareness on their campus, and beyond and fostered a ‘snowball effect’, enabling more and more students and people to recognize and understand the carbon fee and dividend policy, spreading across multiple universities and leveraging online platforms like Instagram for greater reach.

Their campaign also linked to direct actions, creating templates for people to write to Congress and advocate for the policy. “It is all about spreading that awareness and education and whatever form it presents itself,” Helen stated.

Sustaining Impact & Longevity

The Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement initiated by Emily and her friends has found a stable home base within the Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Higher Education Team, ensuring the sustainability and longevity of their efforts.

“We are going to be partnered with Fridays For Future in advocating for this…This will bring a lot of power to the movement.” – Emily O’Keefe

Emphasizing the nonpartisan and optimistic values of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Emily believes in the importance of embodying these values for the successful advancement of the movement. They continue to use platforms like Slack to coordinate efforts across various chapters and provide resources to aid climate work.

Follow the Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement on Instagram and visit their website. 

Takeaways

This episode sheds light on the relentless spirit of young activists, their journey of transforming concern into impactful action, and the communal spirit that propels the movement forward. Their dedication to spreading awareness about the carbon fee and dividend as an effective and equitable solution is not just inspiring but is paving the way for a more informed and resilient climate movement.

Take a Meaningful Next Step

Each month we will suggest meaningful, achievable, and measurable next steps for you to consider. We recognize that action is an antidote to despair. If you are struggling with what you can do, consider one of the following next steps. 

• Visit our Climate Change Action Page. Each month we provide you with steps you can take to engage with your lawmakers and to spread the word about climate solutions. 
• If you are on a college campus, get involved with the Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement. From making a sign to starting a chapter, there is a lot you can do. 
• If you are connected to a primary, middle, or high school, find out how you can electrify your school buses. 
• Learn more about the recently introduced Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. 

Listen Now!

Resilience Corner

Tamara Staton, CCL’s Education and Resilience Coordinator, recently introduced a new series, “Resilient Climateteering through Crazy Climate Connections,” focusing on actionable insights related to climate awareness and playful curiosity.

In this installment Tamara illustrates a parallel between the mental and physical benefits of high-intensity exercises like burpees and the sense of hope derived from proactive climate actions. This connection emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between mental stimulation and actionable insight to foster hope and resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.

Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resilience Hub. 

New CCR Team Members!

Citizens’ Climate Radio is welcoming three new team members, Lily Russian, Horace, and Karina Taylee, who will be regular voices on the platform. Lily is a political science major and environmental science minor at Trinity College, whose passion for the environment was ignited by her experience at the Island School, a program focused on sustainability and marine biology. She enjoys playing the ukulele and emphasizes intentional living for a sustainable future. Horace, a recent graduate from the University of Michigan and an environmental specialist, has had a lifelong connection to nature, instilled by his family’s trips immersed in the natural beauty of his hometown in Chongqing, China. He is dedicated to promoting sustainability and addressing climate change to preserve the environment for future generations. You will meet the third new member, Karina Taylee, next month.

Good News 

Shelterwood Collective, a non-profit focusing on communal healing and ecosystem restoration on 900 acres in Northern California, is the focus of this month’s Good News Story. CCR team member Lila Powell researched, wrote, and recorded the story about the indigenous, black, and queer-led group that uses Kashia and southern Pomo traditions in forest restoration, involving controlled burns and invasive species removal. In 2022, they received a $4.5 million grant to enhance their restoration efforts. The collective also uses art, focusing on interconnected ecosystems, to inspire community involvement and is developing a center to foster environmental relationships and inclusivity. 

If you’re looking for more good news and you want to connect with other climate advocates who refuse to give up, then check out Grassroots Rising Leveling up in the Climate Fight. This is CCLs fall virtual conference November 4 and 5, 2023. You will hear speakers like CNN correspondent and author Van Jones. Plus there’s a special plenary presentation by our very own Dana Nuccitelli, host of the Nerd Corner. For more information and free registration, visit the Grassroots Rising Leveling up in the Climate Fight webpage.  

Listener Survey

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Read the Transcript
Episode 88 The College Carbon Fee and Dividend Climate Change Movement

SPEAKERS

Lila Powell, Emily O’Keefe, Helen Tiffin, Peterson Toscano, Horace, Tamara Staton, Lily Russian

Peterson Toscano  00:00

Welcome to Citizens Climate Radio, your climate change podcast. In this show, we highlight people’s stories, we celebrate your successes, and together we share strategies when we’re talking about climate change. I’m your host Peterson Toscano Welcome to Episode 88 of Citizens Climate Radio, a project of Citizens Climate Education. This episode is airing on Friday, September 29 2023. In today’s show, you’re going to hear from more than a half dozen college students. Lila Powell is back with a good news story. She was an intern with us last September. Today you will meet three new team members Karina, Horace, and Lily.  We will also learn about the bipartisan carbon fee and dividend program that is spreading to college campuses around the USA. Plus, Tamara Staton  has some more climateteering for us.

Tamara Staton  00:57

Today’s topic is burpees and climate!

Peterson Toscano  01:06

The global climate movement is very much powered by young people, from the Friday’s For Future student demonstrations to the 21 young people who sued the US government. You see high school, middle school, college age students engaged and passionate about addressing the causes and the impacts of climate change. But how does someone go from being alarmed about climate change to effectively engaging in promoting meaningful solutions? Emily O’Keefe went through the stages from concerned and confused to confident creative action.

Emily O’Keefe  01:45

I’m a student at the College of William and Mary, and I am a passionate climate activist advocating for the carbon fee and dividend and a volunteer with Citizens Climate Lobby. I started caring about climate change a couple of years ago when I got into minimalism and realized it’s important to live sustainably and protect the environment. And then I read this book that changed my perspective drastically on what’s going on in the world. And it made me question is climate change actually worse than I had thought? Is it too big to solve? I felt very existential about it. And I think that’s what led me to take a gap year to hike the Appalachian Trail, which was really awesome just to not think about climate change for like five and a half months, I guess. But then when I got back now I’m thinking about climate change again, just naturally and thinking about what needs to be done in the world. I got back into that very existential headspace. And I was thinking I want to do something really big about climate change. And I’m just trying to figure out how can I do that? I didn’t know of any solid solutions that existed, I was thinking, maybe we just need more people would sign saying Help save our planet or something. I was talking to a bunch of my friends about the idea of kind of doing like a Greta Thunberg-esque thing with just like a help save our planet sign. 

Peterson Toscano  03:14

One of those friends is Helen Tiffin, a fellow student at William and Mary College,

Helen Tiffin  03:20

The three of us sitting at a lunch table, and Emily was like, guys, I want to start a social movement. And we were like, Okay, girl, you know, and but she was like, No, I’m serious. And so like, every single day at lunch, she would come to us with a new things that she’s thought about. And she was like, I want people to sit with a sign. And we were like, Okay, so let’s, let’s actually, like, sit down here for a minute and like think like, what would that sign say? Because at first it was very, like help save the planet, and that doesn’t have enough focus, and that would have been dead on day one.

Peterson Toscano  03:56

Fortunately, Emily kept talking about her evolving idea with others on campus.

Emily O’Keefe  04:01

It worked out so well, I was friends with someone named Philip Ignatov, one of my closest friends, and he was the president of our Citizens Climate Lobby chapter at William and Mary. He explained the carbon fee and dividend policy to me. And he showed me En-Roads, the climate policy simulator that shows just how impactful it is. I could not believe that this policy existed. And then it became really clear if there’s going to be a large climate movement to focus it on this policy just based on how effective it is. And that’s what really drew me in and is keeping me here is just knowing that this is probably the best thing that Americans can do about climate change.

Peterson Toscano  04:42

Emily shared the carbon fee and dividend idea with Helen, who also got excited about it. While, not the silver bullet needed to fix all of our climate woes, they see it as a powerful, robust approach that will significantly address fossil fuel pollution. And they basically quickly fell in love with a great idea. Emily explains how the carbon fee works.

Emily O’Keefe  05:07

It makes corporations pay a fee to extract fossil fuels, say some hypothetical oil rig extracts a little bit of oil, it’s going to have to pay a small fee. If it extracts more, it’s going to have to pay a higher fee. And if it extracts a lot of oil, it’s going to have to pay a really high fee. What this is going to do this price is going to flow through the economy. So starting at the source, it’s going to become more expensive to be the polluter. And then if a company is buying from the polluter, it’s going to be more expensive for that fossil fuel intensive products that people are buying are going to become more expensive.

Peterson Toscano  05:39

Okay, I can see how fossil fuel extraction will become more expensive. And that will impact other industries. But I’m worried about individuals and families. How will this policy affect them? 

Emily O’Keefe  05:56

It’s going to comparatively make fossil fuel intensive items more expensive than non fossil fuel intensive items. So it makes it really clear to consumers like oh, I should be purchasing a car that requires little fossil fuels compared to one that requires a lot just because it’s cheaper. That’s what’s so beautiful about it. There’s no trying to convince people to change their values, as much as we can say we need to like care about the planet. And and yeah, we I think we should keep saying that. But like at the scale and speed that we need change. What really is powerful at driving behavior is when prices change.

Peterson Toscano  06:32

Sure, that sounds very effective. Change the price point and industry behavior changes.What about people? Households whose monthly expenses will suddenly shoot up as the cost of fossil fuels are passed down to them to every product they buy? And addressing one problem aren’t you just creating another?

Emily O’Keefe  06:55

Oh, my gosh, thank you for reminding me, I totally forgot the dividend part. So you know, one of the common criticisms about carbon pricing is that it’s not equitable, because when you start increasing prices, then lower and middle income Americans will not be able to afford these prices. And so what makes this policy so special, one of the most important functions of this policy is the dividend where all the revenue from the fee is going to get collected and then distributed equally to all Americans. So that actually makes it so that the majority of Americans around two thirds will actually break even or profit from the money coming back to them in this cashback form, than they have to pay an increased prices. So it’s actually a really equitable policy.

Peterson Toscano  07:43

Like Emily, Helen is a strong proponent of carbon fee and dividend and not only because it is an effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

Helen Tiffin  07:52

It is so nonpartisan and it has that wide appeal to all of these people groups. It really is something that we can all all agree upon. Just to see like the differences of perspectives and where they like some things where they want to learn more just across the political spectrum, and through so many different communities of diversity, seeing the excitement on people’s faces, because there is so many ways to get involved.

Peterson Toscano  08:31

In a moment, you’re going to hear some of the creative and effective ways Emily and others have found to get the word out about carbon fee and dividend. Now, taking on an issue as big as climate change definitely can feel overwhelming. Helen provides much needed perspective.

Helen Tiffin  08:50

Climate change, it’s this overwhelming, all pervasive problem. But the good news about an all pervasive problem is that there are so many ways to intervene. It is so interdisciplinary, and there’s so much room that people can do to help. So first things first would be to make a sign. And if you aren’t comfortable with showing that kind of public display, then there are so many other things that you can do. Letting people know, as a college student, as someone at these universities, we have so many resources at our fingertips. It is just about finding that and knowing how to mobilize yourself and others to truly make that impact. And of course, if you’re not on a university, there are other things you can do to it’s just on campus. These doors are just already unlocked and open.

Peterson Toscano  09:44

So how have Helen, Emily and their friends began to engage in climate work. Well, they make signs. At first glance, I thought, Well, that’s nice… But their plan is actually brilliant.

Helen Tiffin  09:59

Yeah, make up poster. People tape it to their laptops, put it on their dorm doors, sit with it in public. It’s this passive protest, where if people are interested in want to learn more, they can come up to you and ask you, and if you feel like, Oh, I just want quiet study time, take it off of your laptop. 

Peterson Toscano  10:18

The impact was felt immediately on the campus of William and Mary, and then beyond.

Helen Tiffin  10:23

It’s really created this snowball effect. I go into my conservation class of like 80 people, a third of the class has the signs on their laptop, it’s really become on William and Mary campus, we are ground zero. It is about as common in these environmental class spaces as people wearing masks like you don’t even think twice when you see it. It’s just out there. truly hard to describe the extent. But we can just go and ask anyone and be like, have you heard or seen the word’s carbon fee and dividend and they’ll just instantly know it. They will come up to me and be like, I’ve been looking for this, like, how do I get more involved? It blasted off. 

So that’s when we started doing the presentations at clubs and in our classes. That’s when we did our giant chalk murals. Just knowing your campus location just to get this spread. We have this beautiful place we call The Sadler Terrace, and it’s just this old brick. People always use this space for advertising. So we made the biggest chalk mural, we actually did seven of these every time it rained this huge expanse of chalk saying most effective climate policy, carbon fee and dividend and then we plugged our Instagram, and then Instagram like shot off. So it started at William and Mary, but then well we have spread to about eight or nine other other universities. Even more past that just people who spot us through our website or Instagram are also making signs. But as of like home bases, we have eight to nine, just in the one semester and over the summer.

Peterson Toscano  12:04

Beyond raising awareness, Helen told me how they tied the campaign to direct action.

Helen Tiffin  12:10

The carbon fee and dividend movement, abbreviated CFD, is a student led movement supporting carbon fee and dividend that takes place in many different forms our most iconic our science, so just grab a piece of paper, write most effective climate policy, hashtag carbon fee and dividend and then a bitly link. So bit.ly/writeCongresshere, that takes you to an automatic template to write Congress. And it’s really just creating this snowball effect of getting people more knowledgeable about the policy getting it spread, because it is truly the most effective thing that we could do if passed to help stop the climate crisis. It is all about spreading that awareness and education and whatever whatever form it presents itself.

Peterson Toscano  13:04

Emily, who first sat wondering what she can do to address climate change, with the help of her friends, has created a solid movement that will outlast her after she graduates.

Emily O’Keefe  13:16

Last semester I founded the carbon fee and dividend movement, which is a student led movement for this policy. We’ve been working really hard in the background organizing, especially this summer, strategizing how to spread this movement. It’s so exciting. We’re actually going to be housed within Citizens Climate Lobby US higher education team. So the movement has a home base, which I think is really important for the longevity of the movement. There have been other carbon pricing movements that have started but have been challenging to sustain, I think because they didn’t have a home base so that that’s a really important aspect of it among students and Citizens Climate Lobby, this is something that can be easily taken on but we are also building our network to other activists also I just like popped my neck on the middle of that. 

We are building our network, among other activists, networks, young activists, networks, for example, something that is really huge. We are going to be partnered with Friday’s For Future in advocating for this. You know they are one of the most well known networks of young people who care about the climate. This will bring a lot of power to the movement. Something that’s also interesting is Citizens Climate Lobby, we have their values and we are optimistic and we care about being nonpartisan or bipartisan. And we want to make sure that as we grow, we continue to embody these values and make them make sure that that is the face of our movement. We truly believe that that’s what it takes to make it work.

Peterson Toscano  14:51

Now that the carbon fee and dividend movement is bigger than Emily and Helens campus, they use Slack to help organize the various chapters. They also have many resources that will help you with your climate work.

Helen Tiffin  15:05

Under Slack, there are all these different communication channels where it’s separated by outreach, conservative outreach, democratic outreach, Instagram, coordination, marketing, under all of these things you can choose like what lights you up, what do you enjoy doing and help there. We also at our website, carbonfeeanddividend.com. It has all this information about starting a movement on your campus templates of fliers that you can spread.

Peterson Toscano  15:38

Here at Citizens Climate Radio, we have been considering what meaningful effective action looks like. And if you’re a college student, connecting with the carbon fee and dividend movement may just be the step you’re looking for. Emily, how can people find you and get involved?

Emily O’Keefe  15:57

Our main social media is Instagram. So if you’d like to follow us on our Instagram, it is @carbonfeeanddividend. And we also have a website, which is CFDmovement.com. This has some more resources about if you want to bring the movement to your school like flyer designs and kind of strategies for doing that. We also have a Slack where we organize the movement at a national level. So if you’re someone who wants to, you know, be in contact with people who are organizing the movement, joining our Slack would be great. It’s the Citizens Climate Lobby, higher education slack, and that slack is in our Instagram bio and it is also on our website.

Peterson Toscano  16:39

That was Emily O’Keefe and Helen Tiffin from the Carbon Fee and Dividend Fovement. I encourage you to follow them on social media. Learn more at CFDmovement.com. That’s CFDmovement.com. Now it is time for the resilience corner with Tamra Stayton.

Tamara Staton  17:00

I’m Tamara Staton, CCl, education and resilience coordinator. I’m excited to continue with our newer series called resilient climateteering through crazy Climate Connections. This isn’t a series about weather or science or graphs or data that I might reference a few of those from time to time. Instead, it’s a series about things that help us worry less and act more on climate explored through a lens of playful curiosity. Together, we’ll explore how to enjoy what matters so deeply so that we can be as effective as possible for as long as we’re needed. Today’s topic is burpees and climate, two seemingly unrelated concepts that have quite a valuable connection. 

Tamara Staton  17:42

I’m not really a fan of burpees. And I’m also not a fan of climate change. But their relationship is much deeper than that simple commonality for many of us. Burpees have two things going for them, the aftermath, and the mental stimulation. The fact that I already did them, and I made it through, even though I wanted to give up pretty much the whole time, and the way that they and many other forms of intense exercise, opened my mind doing burpees taps me into possibilities that simply didn’t exist in my idea bank, before my heart started beating so hard, and sweat started dripping down my face. When I’m moving my body, I get ideas. And I actually like them. Maybe my inner critic gets too tired to resist. 

Tamara Staton  18:26

I think it’s the same with climate action. When I’m taking action for the climate, I feel open a possibility and a deeper sense of hope. When I’m sitting around dwelling on the gloom and doom worry more than acting, everything feels hopeless. This is not to say that I encourage you to do burpees if you hate them, or even any form of movement, or exercise, or climate action for that matter that you don’t like, find something that floats your boat to find something that lights you up and allows you to feel that sense of aliveness optimally even in the process of doing it, so that you get that flow of ideas to I love high intensity interval training or HIIT. Somehow it seems to fit my personality in my tendency to go hard and strong for short periods of time. And relish the breaks between the intense action maybe for you, it’s walking through your neighborhood or running in the park or jump roping. Or maybe you like to mix it up, and you try different things throughout the week or the month. But moving our body creates all sorts of endorphins. And that can help us feel more alive and at peace simultaneously. And who doesn’t want that, especially for those of us that want to avoid climate burnout. Movement keeps us going, literally. 

Tamara Staton  19:34

Oh and one last thing about burpees and other forms of practice for that matter. There are a couple of different ways to integrate action into your climate cheering adventure. You can do something regularly as a type of foundation practice, like doing three sets of 10 burpees every Tuesday and Thursday morning. That might be likened to going to a CCL chapter meeting every month. You might also or instead do 10 burpees when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out as more of a focused practice in the moment to help improve your mood. That might be like writing a letter to the editor when you find a good article to respond to. Both approaches, foundation and focus practices are incredibly helpful for building resilience. Though you may notice that the more intentional you are about your foundation practices, the less likely you are to need as many focus practices. In our next episode, I’ll dive into another set of unexpected Climate Connections, space environment. And I don’t mean outer space, I’m talking about a sense of spaciousness, that doesn’t normally get associated with climate change. 

Tamara Staton  20:40

I’m Tamra Stayton with the Resilience Corner Thank you for listening, and for your commitment to progress. To learn more about tools, trainings, and resources for staying strong through the climate challenge, check out our resilience hub at CCLusa.org/resilience. From there you can also learn about and register for our upcoming Climate Camp in October. And until next month, remember this find your passion, let it guide you, and you’ll do amazing things for the world.

Peterson Toscano  21:22

Thank you Tamra, I am so thrilled with the creativity and the enthusiasm you bring to each one of your Resilience Corner segments. The Resilience Corner is made possible through a collaboration with Tamara Staton, education and resilience coordinator for Citizens Climate Education. The rResiliency Hub website is CCLusa.org/resilience. 

Peterson Toscano  21:49

Starting today, you’re going to hear some new regular voices on Citizens Climate Radio. For the next few months, I will work with three new team members Lily Russian, Horace and Karina Taylee. One of their first assignments was to record short introductions for you.

Lily Russian  22:06

Hi, everyone. My name is Lily. I am currently a junior at Trinity College in the US state of Connecticut. I am majoring in political science and minoring in environmental science. From a relatively young age. I always knew I liked science, but then I went to the Island School. Island School is a one 100 Day semester program on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It’s a semester program focused on sustainability and marine biology with a lot of outdoor and wilderness components to it. 

Lily Russian  22:35

We woke up every day at 6am to train for either a half marathon or four mile swim, we did a seven day kayak camping trip. Each of us did a 48 hour solo alone on a beach and our classes consisted of scuba diving and learning sustainable practices. I could keep rambling on about everything we did there because deciding to apply and attend was one of the best decisions of my life. That experience sparked a passion for me. I was so deeply intrigued by the environment and was itching to learn more about how to protect it. 

Lily Russian  23:10

A few fun facts about myself. I played ukulele and was a theater kid growing up. I don’t eat any seafood, which started because I hated the smell. But as continued for environmental purposes. And I worked as a preschool teacher this summer. I will end this introduction with a saying that I took home with me from Island School. How do you live well in a place? How do you live well in a place? For me and for many of those at the Island School. That phrase raises important questions. How do you live a life that ensures a more sustainable future for our planet? How do you live in a way that is intentional? How do you live in a way that ensures the well being of both yourself and the environment around you?

Horace  23:58

Hey, everyone, this is Horace. I’m an intern for Citizens Climate Radio. I recently graduated from the University of Michigan. I now work as an environmental specialist for senior advocates for generational equity. I enjoy weightlifting, cooking, listening to hip hop, and of course watching Michigan football.

Horace  24:25

I grew up in Chongqing, China, a municipality that is famous for a dish called hotpot. I played the Guzheng, a traditional Chinese wooden instrument. Although I am from China. I attended high school outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Aside from my background, I’ve always felt connected to nature. I love nature. since primary school. My family had taken me on weekly trips, we always hide or went on excursions in nature. I witnessed the majestic mountains, the magnificant water laws and the vitality of wildlife. Even scenes as simple as the transparent sky. rustle The leaves of birds chirping always brought me a sense of freedom, belonging, and peace

Horace  25:19

How can I not fall for nature’s charm? This childhood experiences left me with unforgettable memories of nature. It further inspire me to explore, appreciate and preserve nature. At college, I joined several environmental organizations. I took part in environmental campaigns to tackle climate change and promote sustainability. I want to inspire more people around me and worldwide to participate in such an unprecedented undertaking. I want to broadcast one important message. We, as a group can address the climate crisis we can and we will leave a sound environment for future generations.

Peterson Toscano  26:21

That was Lily Russian and Hororce. Next month Karina Taylee will share her introduction with you.

Peterson Toscano  26:28

 Our good news story today comes from Lila Powell a recent Citizens Climate Radio team member.

Lila Powell  26:35

Hi everyone. I’m Lila Powell and I’m back with a good news story. For this month’s story I wanted to highlight a group who has been making great strides in environmental inclusion. Shelterwood Collective is a nonprofit that’s bringing together those who have been excluded from environmentalism. The group are stewards of 900 acres of land in Northern California. It’s an indigenous black and queer led community forest, and it’s maintained by a collective of land protectors and cultural change makers. Shelterwood’s vision is to restore the relationship between and within people and nature. They focus on ecosystem restoration and community healing. They accomplish this through forest restoration and cultural strategy and art. The forest restoration draws from indigenous cultural and agricultural practices. These practices include controlled burns, invasive species removal and erosion control. The community forest is located on unseeded Kashia  in southern Pomo territory, Shelterwood draws on Kashia  and Pomo techniques and wisdom through ongoing partnerships. 

In 2022, they received a $4.5 million grant. These funds are going towards continuing and expanding the forest restoration. Their cultural strategy and use of art aim to inspire others to get involved. These underrepresented artists focus on illustrating the environment as an interconnected ecosystem. Shelterwood is also working on a new project, building a community and retreat center. This will be a place where social change leaders can strengthen the relationship with the environment and learn about inclusivity and environmental work. If you’d like to learn more about shelterwood collectives, mission and projects, visit shelterwoodcollective.org. That’s shelterwoodcollective.org

Peterson Toscano  28:18

Thank you so much Lila for coming back with this good news story. If you have good news you want to share on the show, please email us radio at citizensclimate.org  

Peterson Toscano  28:32

If you’re looking for more good news and you want to connect with other climate advocates who refuse to give up, then check out Grassroots Rising Leveling up in the Climate Fight. This is CCLs fall virtual conference November 4th through 5th 2023. You will hear speakers like CNN CORRESPONDENT and author Van Jones. Plus there’s a special plenary presentation by our very own Dana Nuccitelli, host of the Nerd Corner. For more information and free registration, visit CCL usa.org/fallconference.  

Peterson Toscano  29:14

Thank you for joining me for episode 89 of Citizens Climate Radio. If you like what you hear and you want to support the work we do, visit Citizens Climate education.org To learn how you can make a tax deductible contribution

Peterson Toscano  31:52

This episode of Citizens Climate Radio was written and produced by me Peterson Toscano. Other technical support from Ricky Bradley and Brett Cease. Social media assistance from Flannery Winchester. And as always moral support from Madeline para. 

Peterson Toscano  32:08

This month, Madeline retired from CCL. She envisioned many of the important programs that are successful today. She along with Ricky Bradley first approached me to create this show, Citizens Climate Radio. At that first conversation with Madeline, she stressed how much climate advocates need encouragement with the hard work we’re doing. She also told me we need to be reminded that we can take on big issues and opposition to our work while remaining thankful and respectful. Thank you, Madeline for all of your work, it will echo on and on for a long, long time. 

Peterson Toscano  32:48

The music on today’s show comes from epidemicsound.com Please share Citizens Climate Radio with your friends and colleagues. You can find us wherever you listen to podcasts. And you can also listen at Northern spirit radio.org join the discussion at our Facebook page. And you can follow us on Twitter at @CitizensCradio. That’s citizen the letter C radio  You can call our listener voice line 619-512-9646 plus one I’m calling from outside the United States that number again 619-512-9646 And feel free to tweet at me directly atp2son. Visit CCLusa.org/radio, to see our show notes and find links to our guests. Citizens Climate Radio is a project of Citizens Climate Education

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