By Katie Zakrzewski
Congress is actively discussing putting a price on carbon into the budget reconciliation bill. One of the many ways that you can help communicate the importance of a price on carbon to Congress is through phone banking and text banking.
CCL is now doing phone and text banking every Monday through Thursday. And because we’re CCL, it’s likely to be the easiest, most fun text or phone banking you’ve ever done!
CCL’s phone banks call fellow CCL supporters from key states and districts to ask them to contact either their members of Congress or President Biden. Each phone or text banking session begins with a full training session on Zoom. Experienced staff are available throughout each session to answer questions.
Kathy Orlinsky, CCL’s Regional Events Coordinator & Administrative Specialist, explains why the time is ripe for phone and text banking.
“Right now, it’s more important than ever to let Congress and President Biden know that carbon pricing is a popular and needed solution,” she says. “By phone and text banking, we’re broadening our reach among the public, but just as importantly, we’re empowering our own volunteers, who appreciate having something immediate and effective to do.”
Volunteers who participate with us have said it is the friendliest phone banking they’ve ever done. Here are a few comments volunteers have made about their phone banking experience:
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to has agreed to take the action and share with family/friends! So inspiring!” says volunteer Emily Church.
Volunteer Marlowe Weingart weighs in. “I just got off the phone during a phone bank, and I have done several of these phone banks before. This one was AMAZING! It was so organized, easy and fun! Everyone was really friendly and it was so easy!”
“I’m usually pretty awkward on the telephone, but this was a great experience,” says volunteer Trevor Stone.
Each session starts with a question to whoever picks up the phone or is receiving a text message:
“Hi {Name}. I’m [volunteer name] from Citizens’ Climate. Quick survey: Are you 1-Alarmed, 2-Concerned, or 3-Cautious about climate change?”
A script with several possible responses from the person being contacted guides volunteers through the conversation. If the person being contacted is interested in more information, volunteers will direct them to contact Congress through a link.
“The great thing about text banking in particular is that once you’ve been trained, you can take action on your own time and send texts any day, including weekends,” says Tony Sirna, Data and Strategy Coordinator with CCL.
With six to 12 volunteers calling or texting for several hours, several days a week, CCL is responsible for thousands of texts and phone calls sent to people every week.
Whether it’s your first phone or text bank or your 100th, we hope you’ll join us! Interested in phone banking or text banking? Sign up here.
