Pasadena Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Encourages Residents to Reduce U.S. Emissions

The Citizens’ Climate Lobby has over 500 active chapters in the world including Canada, Australia, Europe, Central America, Asia and Africa. / Courtesy Photo

By Alex Cordero

The Pasadena Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is raising awareness and issuing an environmental call to action for local residents to join their organization and support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. With Earth Day coming up on April 22, and climate change being the biggest threat our planet faces every day, this is a great opportunity to join a local organization advocating for saving our planet. People all across the nation are raising awareness for cleaner environmental policies and Earth Day is a reminder of the great impact one can have if we all get on board with making dramatic changes that will better our environment.

With over 500 active chapters across the world the CCL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization working to create the political will to discuss climate change. Established in 2007, founder Marshall Saunders, a former real estate brokerage professional, decided that delivering speeches about global warming was not enough to match the intensity of the problem. So while he was advising his public to reduce the usage of carbon during his speeches, our government extended laws that would grant billions of dollars in subsidies to oil and coal companies. He soon realized that in order to sway Congress to start creating policies to better our environment people needed education, organization and to raise their voices in a way that would get our political leaders’ attention to do something. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby is an organization that empowers and supports volunteers to build relationships with elected officials, the media and their local communities to generate the political endorsements necessary for the passage of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

Per The Citizens’ Climate Lobby, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is under consideration in Congress by both the Democrat and Republican parties. It is legislation designed to reduce U.S. emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years, and targets 90% reductions by 2050. This will in return create a wave of positive results benefiting our environment, our health and our economy. The reduction of U.S emissions will increase the quality of our oxygen therefore improving our health, and the carbon dividend puts money directly into people’s pockets, according to CCL. The fees collected on carbon emissions will be allocated to all Americans to spend any way they choose.

In a media release the CCL describes in detail how this legislation proposal works “A fee is assessed on the carbon dioxide content of fuels like coal, oil and gas, starting at $15 per ton of CO2 equivalent. The fee increases over time at an annual rate of $10 per ton, sending a strong price signal to businesses and consumers to choose low-carbon options and invest in energy efficiency. If emissions reduction targets are not being met, the rate of increase can be bumped up to $15 per ton each year. Revenue from the carbon fee in distributed monthly to people in equal shares to spend as they choose. A border carbon adjustment is applied to imports from nations that do not have an equivalent price on carbon, protecting American businesses and discouraging companies from moving overseas”.

Please contact the Pasadena CCL Chapter to join them or find out about their next event by sending an email to pasadena@citizensclimatelobby.org  or join their next introductory call at CitizensClimateLobby.org/join-weekly-intro-call.

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