Grassroots Outreach

Grassroots Outreach

Here are ways to reach out to other people and let them know about Citizens’ Climate Lobby, our solution to climate change, and how they can get involved.

Presentations

Do you enjoy creating interesting slide presentations or speaking in front of groups?

Put together a presentation, find an audience, rehearse, and go for it!

How to get started

The Youth Presentation Starter Kit outlines the steps for preparing and organizing a climate presentation. The Kit includes a slide deck which can be modified to fit your style and your audience.
The Silicon Valley North Youth Team DIY Climate Presentation Package provides guidance and coaching for high school students on developing and delivering virtual presentations.

SPOTLIGHT: Kiran, 17, California

"When I first joined CCL, our chapter had only one other high school student. An adult member of the chapter and I made it a priority to engage in youth outreach, including through presentations at schools. Over the next year, we built a small youth team in our chapter, and eight of us teamed up to give four online presentations during Earth Week of 2020. After these presentations, our team decided to try to help other students in CCL nationwide present about climate change and climate policy in their own communities, so we've launched the DIY Climate Presentation Package to do exactly that: provide a starting point and guidance for youth to help spread their climate advocacy."

Tabling

Do you like to go to festivals or other places where there are big crowds?

Do you like to create eye-catching art or interactive games?

Do you enjoy having conversations with people you don’t know?

If so, then tabling might be for you!

How to get started

  • Find an event and register to have a table at it.
  • Find out if you have to bring your own table.
  • Gather materials from your local CCL chapter. Try to make your materials eye-catching and interactive.
  • Be sure to have a way for people you meet at the event to sign up to find out more or get involved with CCL.

SPOTLIGHT: Franklin Wu, 16, Texas

"I wasn’t sure what to expect my first time tabling. Walking up to complete strangers to ask if they would be interested in letter writing seemed daunting. It turned out to be a great experience! There was great energy being surrounded by fellow CCL volunteers doing the same thing. After talking to a few people, it became really easy to approach a few more! People are really open to talking about climate change and why it matters to them. From there, it’s not hard to explain what they can do to help. By tabling, you meet fellow CCL volunteers, great members of your community - and there’s nothing like seeing a big stack of letters at the end of the day that are a tangible contribution of your time!"

Speaking at Events

Do you enjoy the excitement of rallies, marches, and other events?

Do you like to give short, powerful speeches?

If so, then organizing or speaking at events might be for you!

How to get started

  • Connect with a group that organizes climate events, offer to help, and get on their speaking agenda.
  • Speak from your own experience. Tell your “climate story,” present the solution that makes sense to you and tell why.
  • Include a “call to action” -- ask your audience to do something.

SPOTLIGHT: Caitlin Flanagan, 17, North Carolina

"In fall of 2019, I reached out to an event coordinator for details about an upcoming climate strike. She was in the process of finding speakers for the event, and offered me the opportunity to speak because I had mentioned my past experience with CCL and climate advocacy in one of my emails. Don’t be afraid to reach out to event coordinators and ask them about their plans, because there might be a chance for you to speak. Because of my time with CCL, I wanted to convey the importance of everyone and anyone getting involved in climate advocacy. To keep my audience engaged, I tried to make my speech personal. I started off with introducing myself and then went into stories about my own experiences, including my time lobbying with CCL. The urgency of climate change is incredibly important, but don’t be afraid to pair it with your own inspiring experiences, successes, and calls to action. Happy speech writing!"

Testimonials

Do you have a message to share about solutions to climate change? Are you comfortable with having your photo or a video of yourself on display?

If so, then you’re invited to create a testimonial.

How to get started

SPOTLIGHT: Diya Nerurkar, 15, North Carolina

“I went about making my testimonial by first thinking about what got me interested in climate change and why mitigation was a central cause for me. I wanted to give a testimonial because I'd like everyone to consider the dangers and threats associated with climate change.”

Are you ready to solve climate change?