grow under the program, while CO2 would fall rapidly, despite the old narrative of economy and environment being bad for each other.
The plan sounded good, but I couldn’ t imagine fossil fuel companies— who run the world, right?— would ever let this through. I was intrigued, but my heart was hardened against lobbyists and Washington alike.
When I asked Susan about this, I was stunned to learn that many fossil fuel companies are already advocating for carbon pricing, because a predictable mechanism is much easier to plan for than regulations that change with every administration. But what really captivated me was what she said about the politicians. We work with them, she said. We find something we appreciate in what they’ ve done. We’ re respectful; we listen to what they care about and find common ground. That is the CCL way. It’ s our job to find a way for this solution to be good for them and to build the political will for them to do what is right. It popped into my head: this boat is big enough for everyone!
I left the meeting with that phrase echoing in my mind. Over the last two years I’ ve watched it in action. This problem is so big that we need everyone on board. Like to knit? We’ ll figure out a way for you to knit for CCL! Belong to the Tea Party or another group historically opposed to climate science? Come on in! What do you care about? Tell us what you think! I will ask lots of questions, I will share my views, and I will hold you accountable, but I will not cast you out of my heart.
CCL is growing by leaps and bounds. There’ s been real progress in building bipartisan support in Congress, and we have set a stretch goal of passing our legislation in 2017. And yet the CCL way is at the core of it. At our monthly meetings we practice communicating and being vulnerable. We experiment with ways of listening and we learn about how our biases prevent us from connecting. We explore how strongly we want to be right, but how that usually makes someone else wrong, and how powerful
it is if no one has to be wrong.
Of course climate advocacy is spiritual work. It’ s the most overwhelming, most real, most urgent existential crisis humans have ever faced, and we’ re being asked to fundamentally change our relationship to our world, to each other, to the comfort, convenience and efficiency that have defined the last hundred years for much of the world.
What I didn’ t know was that climate activism is spiritual practice. It’ s opening my heart, seeking connection, speaking my truth, getting out of my comfort zone. I couldn’ t go into a Senator’ s office— one whose political views are nearly perfectly opposed to mine— and talk to him about something I care about and he disagrees with unless it was for all the marbles. I’ m not doing it for me, or my family, or even my patients. I’ m doing it for everyone, including him. My options are to say no because I’ m afraid, or grow. It’ s that simple. Just try to stop me.
Claire Herrick is an ObGyn physician working at the University of Arizona in Tucson where she sees patients and teaches students and residents. She loves caring for women, and volunteers her time with Citizens’ Climate Lobby so that the babies she delivers will always be welcomed into a safe and beautiful world.
10 IMAGINE l FALL 2016