Workshop: Pressuring Our Government on the 3 main causes of Global Warming; Energy Production, Transportation and Big Agriculture

This workshop will discuss how citizens can pressure their governments on these major causes of the climate crisis. It will include an overview of energy production, transportation and big agriculture; some of the related issues in each of those areas; some of the bigger groups dealing with this issues at the Chicago city, Cook County, Illinois State and Federal government levels; and strategies and tactics for dealing with them at those and the international levels.

Participants will break up into action-oriented groups focused on each of those three causes and come back with proposals on how to address them.

[Sign up now for the "PRESSURING OUR GOVERNMENT" action session at the FEBRUARY 16, 2013, CLIMATE CRISIS SESSION in Chicago!]

PART ONE:  PANEL WITH Q&A

Dr. Lora Chamberlain, Protect Chicago’s Water and Stop the Frack Attack on IL.
Outline of 12-grid organizational chart for approaching climate change. Overview of the 3 main causes of Climate Change with the most salient issues, also the largest, most active environmental groups already acting on these issues with their typical tactics and the 4 basic levels of engaging Governments: International, Federal, State and City.

Beverley Walter, Citizens Act to Protect Our Water (CAPOW!)
Strategic approaches to pressuring the governments at these various levels, why would activists pick the City over the State over the Federal and a brief discussion of why lobbying is crucial for activist groups.

Owen Brugh, legislative director for John Arena
Effective Lobbying Tactics at the City Level.

Tom Sheperd, organizer for the SE Environmental Task Force
Effective Lobbying Tactics at the State Level.

PART TWO:  BREAKOUT GROUPS

1) Energy Production Issues
2) Transportation issues
3) Big Agriculture issues

We want all the Energy people talking to each other, and the Transportation people talking to each other and the Big Ag people talking to each other. Then the groups can further subdivide themselves into City, State or Federal levels if they so desire.

Think Big! We will ask each group, to decide about what issues they want to deal with, what levels of Government they see as the most essential to engage, what groups might they partner with, what tactics and strategies that they see most crucial and effective, and what next steps to take, including exchanging contact information, setting up a follow up meeting, and designating an individual or group to take leadership in convening a meeting.

“Think globally – Act Locally”