This post is from DC Summer Organizing Fellow Joanna Wolfgram.
My name is Joanna, and I’m an organizing fellow with CCAN on the DC Carbon Fee and Rebate campaign. I wanted to take a moment to share a snapshot of our work with you, and why I am so passionate about this cause.
With water levels predicted to rise onto the National Mall and asthma rates in D.C. rising high above the national average, taking action to protect the residents of Washington D.C. is of the utmost importance. On August 4th, a group of 25 dedicated climate enthusiasts gathered in a Sierra Club meeting room to discuss taking real action in the fight for cleaner air, healthier families, and greater income equality for all of D.C.
All the chairs were filled and attendees had their notebooks at the ready. Together, we delved into how exactly a “Carbon Fee and Dividend” will fix pollution problems in D.C. while putting money into the pockets of local families. By charging big polluters a fee for every ton of carbon pollution they dump into our air, and returning all the money collected equally to each and every D.C. resident, it became clear to us all that a “Carbon Fee and Rebate” is the solution we have all been waiting for.
Buzzing with excitement over the sheer potential of the Carbon Rebate policy, the new question quickly became: “How can we get this policy passed?” The answer was, of course, by the support of the people! So after warming up our favorite waving arms and practicing our most charming smiles, we learned how to petition, so that we can earn the support of our neighbors, our friends, our family, our fellow people of faith, our fellow students, and the list goes on and on!
To finish off our meeting, we each shared an adjective to describe how we were feeling about this campaign. There were quite a few “excited”s, a handful of “optimistic”s, and if my memory serves me right, someone even uttered an “awed.” Not too shabby.
I hope to see you at the next gathering on Thursday, September 8th, at a social get-together at the Penn Quarter Teaism co-hosted by our friends at Interfaith Power and Light. Get the details and be sure to RSVP here on Facebook.
