Enjoyable, productive outreach throughout Earth Month 2026

By Flannery Winchester

Every April, Earth Month brings further public consideration to the problems which can be so close to and pricey to our hearts as local weather advocates. That creates a lot of alternatives to attach with different involved folks in our communities nationwide, educating them about local weather options and inspiring them to take motion.

In this roundup, we’ll see how CCLers confirmed up this Earth Month by connecting earnestly with others, fostering light-hearted enjoyable, and rolling up their sleeves to be good stewards of their very own backyards.

Connecting with BRIDGE actions 

CCL’s Vice President of Field Operations, Dr. Brett Cease, spearheaded the event of our BRIDGE program. During Earth Month, he acquired to see the concepts in motion in his personal chapter in Duluth, Minnesota. “The new BRIDGE Tabling Activity was a real hit. We had hundreds of conversations,” Brett stated. The chapter used jelly beans in jars for people to answer the exercise. “We ran out after only the first hour!”

Brett added, “We found the statement relating to the moral foundation of Sanctity resonated with people the most often.”

Group Leader Andy Willette discovered the identical skew two hours away in Minneapolis. “We were a bit surprised to see ‘Protecting Natural Beauty’ get almost twice the votes as the next category,” he mirrored. 

CCL’s North Atlanta chapter additionally had an excellent response to the exercise, with their pompoms and jars displaying a extra even distribution throughout the ethical foundations. 

That’s what makes BRIDGE so precious — you possibly can’t all the time predict who will cease by your desk, so this exercise reveals their views immediately, permitting CCL volunteers to have higher conversations that result in extra fulfilling connections.

And in Middle Tennessee, “Our local CBS News Channel 5 did a feature covering Earth Day on their nightly broadcast. A number of participant booths were featured, including ours,” stated chapter co-leader Fred LeMay. Chapter co-leader Curtis Baysinger was highlighted within the piece, emphasizing the necessity to go away a secure local weather for future generations.

The journalist launched the piece by saying, “While all kinds of people showed up to the Earth Day celebration, they all agreed on one thing: our planet is a thing to appreciate and protect.” That sentiment sounds proper at residence within the context of our BRIDGE Advocacy Program and tabling exercise. CCLers know we are able to work towards the vital shared objective of local weather motion, even when we’ve totally different views and motivations driving us.

Creative giveaways add a dose of enjoyable

Beyond BRIDGE, CCLers introduced an additional dose of enjoyable and creativity to this yr’s Earth Month outreach. CCL Orange County South chapter has a presence on the San Clemente Garden Fest annually, due to Donna Vidrine, an energetic CCLer who can also be a co-chair of the Garden Fest. This yr, group co-leader Larry Kramer stated, “We gave away Earth Day stress balls to everyone who wrote down what they are doing or will do to make the earth a better place. That proved to be a great conversation starter.” People shared a variety of actions, with a number of themes rising: supporting pollinators and wildlife with gardens, driving electrical or hybrid automobiles, and voting for politicians who help local weather motion. 

Ernst Wullenweber, South Carolina State Coordinator and Group Leader for CCL Charleston, tabled at an Earth Month eco-fair at an area college the place they invited folks to tie-dye CCL bandannas. “The bandanas were heat-pressed with the CCL logo on them. It got all sorts of people engaged, and we were able to get them to advocate for permitting reform before they tie-dyed,” Ernst stated.

CCL Naperville went “all-out” on tabling this spring, stated Group Leader Karen Campbell, with six occasions in April and May and ensuring to interact all ages. At the DeKalb Earth Fest on April 11, guests “took actions with their phones, contacting their representatives about permitting reform right then and there. The kids drew pictures about why they love the Earth — plus, they got a free cookie!” At the Geneva Earth Day occasion on April 18, CCLers gathered one other batch of images drawn by native youngsters. “We will deliver those pictures to our reps’ offices later this year. We know they love receiving them!”

All this outreach put the Naperville people on the radar of their Member of Congress, too! Karen stated, “Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL-14) visited our table at the Aurora Greenfest on May 2 and spoke to our volunteers. He was happy to see us there because he remembered us from other tabling events, two climate movie showings, and lobbying.”

Rolling up sleeves for native stewardship

Even although CCL’s focus is advancing federal local weather motion, there’s nothing like an area stewardship occasion to remind us what we’re working to guard. CCL Chicago partnered with the Chicago Parks District for just such an event on Northerly Island (pictured above), due to a relationship they’ve constructed over a number of years with their native park steward. 

“We had over 20 volunteers removing the last of the protective cages from growing native plants on the island, an effort we have been working on for the past few Earth Days,” stated Group Leader Dana Nehls. “Additionally, our volunteers helped to prepare branches and logs for the island’s nature play space for children.” 

CCL’s St. Joseph / Benton Harbor chapter in Michigan helped clear up litter and did some tabling on the Sustain Ox Creek Clean Up and Earth Day occasion. “Ox Creek is a critical watershed that flows into Lake Michigan and is currently in phases to be cleaned and restored to maintain clean water for the environment and community,” defined Group Leader Angela Valha. “Along with volunteers from the community, we were able to clear litter and trash along the corridor of Ox Creek and several blocks surrounding Benton Harbor.”

Angela added, “Our chapter members are proud of the work we do on the federal level to support climate policy in Congress, but it’s so gratifying to be involved in local ‘boots on the ground’ community events like this that are a puzzle piece in the bigger picture of fighting climate change.”

CCL Laguna organized a Climate Awareness Walk that traveled by way of the coastal Heisler Park in Laguna Beach and alongside the busy Pacific Coast Highway. “The walk was organized and made a success by the teamwork of 10 chapter members who worked especially hard on the event for a month prior,” stated Tom Osborne, one of many group’s co-leaders.

Jonathan Light, one other co-leader, shared that about 125 folks participated within the occasion, together with Rep. Dave Min (CA-47) and his District Director, the Communications Director for State Assemblymember Laurie Davies (CA-74), two City Council members from Laguna Beach, one City Council member from Laguna Niguel, and one City Council member from Irvine. “That meant this non-partisan walk had elected officials from both sides of the aisle,” Jonathan stated. “We had plenty of people giving us thumbs up and honks along the route.”

Thanks to each CCL volunteer who confirmed up robust this Earth Month! Your creativity, ardour, and onerous work make this a greater world and a extra highly effective motion each single day.