Join Citizens' Climate Lobby chapter to support climate action

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County recently became the first local organization to endorse Citizens' Climate Lobby's carbon fee and dividend proposal to reduce the risks of climate change. On Aug. 18, Defenders' board president Nancy Schietzelt signed the endorsement, affirming that the Defenders encourage action on a carbon fee and dividend solution.

The Endorsement Project of Citizens' Climate Lobby asks community leaders and organizations to sign a letter urging members of Congress to take action on climate change. The endorsements are used to develop a national list to show that support for climate action is growing.

Citizens' Climate Lobby is focused on national policies to address climate change. It recommends a market-based path to reduce carbon emissions. The recently released Regional Economic Modeling study found that carbon fee and dividend will significantly reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, grow the economy, save lives, and protect households from higher energy prices. The steadily increasing fee placed on fossil fuels at their source would be returned to American households as a monthly dividend.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use, and energy and natural resource conservation. Donations are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions. For more information, visit www.mcdef.org or call (815) 338-0393.

The McHenry County Citizens' Climate Lobby chapter, part of the international nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-driven organization, meets monthly to help create the political will for a livable world. The remaining meetings for 2015 are scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 15, Oct. 6, Nov. 10, and Dec. 8, at Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, 8505 Church St., Ridgefield, Crystal Lake. Members of the community are welcome. For more information, visit citizensclimatelobby.org or contact Rick Johnson, lois-rick@comcast.net.