Los Alamos High School EcoClub members Charlotte Butcher, Arianne Terrones and Samuel Carmer outside the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Courtesy photo
Los Alamos High School EcoClub members make their presentation on Electrification. Courtesy photo
BY CHARLOTTE BUTCHER
LAHS EcoClub
We would like to give a thank you to everyone who donated, helped, and supported us on our trip to Washington DC with Citizens’ Climate Lobby to present and lobby as students. The three of us are incredibly grateful for all the support we received. Thank you to everyone who donated and helped us get to DC! Our trip was successful in many different ways and we would like to share our personal experiences:
I am Charlotte Butcher, the previous co-president of LAHS EcoClub. When we were invited to the lobby and present in Washington, D.C., we weren’t sure if we could raise enough money to go. After receiving so much support from the community, we made the trip happen. My experience at the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Day and Conference was terrific. I met so many young climate activists from around the country and inspirational people who all have the same goal: combating climate change. My favorite part of the conference was presenting at the Student Summit on June 8th. Samuel, Arianne, and I were invited to share our experiences with the Electrification Challenge at the workshop held for students. The experience was incredible to be able to share our own story with other young climate activists. Lastly, meeting with congressional staffers and discussing support on climate-related bills was a fascinating learning experience. Over 400 CCL lobby meetings and conversations were held on June 11th with congress members. I found the experience enlightening, knowing that so many climate activists worked together to help make a change and better the world for good.
I am Arianne Terrones, one of the Co-Presidents for Los Alamos High School Eco Club this year and I am excited to share about all that I learned at this year’s Citizens’ Climate Lobby summer conference! My experience at the Conference was eye-opening and inspiring. It has been difficult to find many other people my age who are passionate about the work of climate activism and policy work near me. Still, after attending the conference, I met people of all backgrounds and ages with the same goal in mind. I left the conference feeling more hopeful about the future regarding climate issues and thankful for the experience. Without the donations from every generous person, my time there would not have been as possible. I am eternally grateful to those who supported our endeavors financially and emotionally. The conference was an unforgettable experience, and I plan to attend more of them in the future! Because of my amazing experience I would like to start a CCL university chapter when I move to Arizona State University in the fall to continue my environmental activism goals. Thank you again to everyone who has supported us through this!
I am Samuel Carmer, the upcoming EcoClub Co-President. I am very grateful to everyone who donated to help us make the trip. My favorite part of the trip was seeing the extent that people want to listen to our opinions as young students. CCL members and leaders were delighted that we are passionate about climate action and that we could help them lobby. Congressional staffers were also eager to listen to us, which I found inspirational. Many young people think they have no political efficacy and the government will just do whatever it likes, but talking with the staffers showed me they are more than willing to listen to us. We lobbied for two bills in particular, the Increased TSP Access Act and the Seedlings for a Sustainable Habitat Act, which will help reforestation efforts all around New Mexico by getting forest owners more access to education about how to maintain sustainable forests and by funding seedlings nurseries. I’m very happy that I got to voice my support of these bills to my representatives, so thanks again to everyone who supported us.