The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is setting up Citizen Advocacy programs across the U.S. and inviting us all to participate.  These programs are focused on approaching the challenge of dealing with climate change.  The NRDC proposes to train participants in the art of changing minds. Here’s what they say about their purpose:

NRDC Citizen Advocates has two purposes. The first is to create the political will for a livable planet and a clean energy future. Our initial focus is to support the President’s climate plan. If we successfully defend the Clean Air Act, the EPA, and the President’s plan to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants, the result will be a 25% reduction of those emissions by 2025 and a 30% reduction by 2030.

These outcomes are a critical step forward.  They will increase the competitiveness of green energy alternatives and increase the rate at which they are deployed in the economy.

The engine that will generate these results is the energy, passion, and activities that you and other Citizen Advocates will take. And that leads directly to our second purpose…

The benefits to you

The second purpose of NRDC Citizen Advocates is to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in expressing their personal and political power. This is HOW you will help us achieve our first purpose. It is also a huge benefit to you. Can you imagine going from feeling the situation is hopeless and that you can’t make a difference, to feeling like you are truly making a difference?

As a Citizen Advocate, you’ll start from wherever you are—in terms of your personal skills and power— and learn to do things you’ve never done before. We’re committed to doing everything we possibly can to make sure that you have those breakthroughs and feel that your efforts really are making a difference in dealing with the carbon crises.

The NRDC as an organization knows how to accomplish its goals.  The possibility of sharing in some of that knowledge and accomplishing something of value appeals to me.  If it appeals to you, too, here are the times and places for the initial meetings in Little Rock, Arkansas; Springfield, Illinois; Lansing, Michigan; Des Moines, Iowa; St. Louis, Missouri; and Denver Colorado:

The NRDC invites you to find out more by attending a 2.5 – 3.0 hour Advocacy Team Startup event:

Little Rock, Arkansas
Saturday January 25, 2014
1:30 – 4:30 pm
Main Library
100 Rock Street
Click to R.S.V.P.

Springfield, Illinois
Sunday, January 26, 2014
2:00 ‐ 5:00 p.m.
Jubilee Farm
6760 Old Jacksonville Road
Click to R.S.V.P.

Lansing, Michigan
Monday January 27, 2014
6:30 – 9:30 pm
Michigan Environmental Council
602 W. Ionia Street
Click to R.S.V.P.

Des Moines, Iowa
Tuesday January 28, 2014
6:30 – 9:30 pm
The Mickle Center
1620 Pleasant Street
Click to R.S.V.P.

St. Louis, Missouri
Thursday January 30, 2014
7:00 – 9:30 pm
Ethical Society
9001 Clayton Road
Click to R.S.V.P.

Denver, Colorado
Saturday February 1, 2014
9:30 ‐ 12:30 am
Capitol Heights Presbyterian
1100 Fillmore Street
Click to R.S.V.P. (I’ll be there.)

For questions or comments, please contact Harold Hedelman at: hhedelman@NRDC.org

Thank you!