Organize Your Beach Party This summer presents us with critical organizing opportunities to ensure that our senators support legislation to steer us towards the promise of a renewable energy future and away from a climate crisis. One of these opportunities is the Senate’s summer vacation in August, when senators will be back in their home states to hear from constituents. That means you! We know that Big Oil and Dirty Coal and their allies will be out in force to block progress, so we are building up to August 10 as a coordinated national day of action to kick off the recess and send a powerful message to senators that they need to take comprehensive action. Our goal for this day is to hold public events outside as many in-state Senate offices as possible, with a focus on senators who are undecided about climate change legislative action. We will be heard! Holding these simultaneous rallies within states and across the country will provide strong local, statewide and national press hooks, and create momentum and energy for ongoing activities targeting key senators over the month of August. To create compelling visuals for media and our own collateral, we’re suggesting that the events take on a beach party theme, with beach balls, flotation devices, Hawaiian shirts, etc. The beach party concept will help our efforts in two ways:

First, since it is the beginning of August, using beach party props will emphasize the increasingly high temperatures that we all face. Floatation devices can also represent the sea level rising and the need for immediate and direct action. Second, the beach party theme serves as a fun hook to get your community involved in taking action. This isn’t your normal action; it is a party with all components focused on the climate. By putting a fun and energetic tone to a very serious issue there will be no mistake that we must “turn up the heat on bold climate action!”

This is a step-by-step guide to ensure the success and visibility of your public event. Voicing your concerns to your senator is both a right, and a powerful tool as a constituent. You do not have to be an expert in climate science or energy policy to raise your voice. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with 1Sky’s talking points (available at http://www.1sky.org/resources). If you have any questions, feel free get in touch with us at congress@1sky.org.

Before the Event

Suggested Timeline Week 1: July 27th-August 2nd

‐ Secure your meeting spot outside your senator’s local office ‐ Recruit community leaders to attend ‐ Recruit your network of friends and fellow activists to attend ‐ Figure out logistics: space, props, timing, etc. For example, one person should arrive at

the meeting spot at least 20 minutes early – decide who that should be. As another example, decide who is going to provide a beach party prop like a beach ball or sandcastle building tools.

‐ By Friday, all leaders should have at least seven people confirmed for their event Week 2: August 3rd – August 9th

‐ Produce visuals/banners for the event ‐ Print any materials ‐ Friday: send out 1Sky-provided Media Advisory (also in the “Resources” section of our

website) ‐ By Friday, all leaders should have at least fifteen people confirmed for their event ‐ Make reminder calls over the weekend to those who committed to attending the event

Week 3: August 10th-14th

‐ Event! ‐ Send out 1Sky-provided press release on Monday morning before going to meeting spot ‐ Send thank you notes to leaders who attended ‐ Send thank you e-mail to all participants

1. GET YOUR MEMBER'S INFORMATION Find out who your senator is, as well as the addresses of his or her local district office(s), at http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm. Pick the office that is most convenient for you, as well as a convenient time for you and your community. 1Sky recommends starting at 12 p.m. in order to take advantage of the lunch hour break many of us can take, but the best starting time is whenever the maximum number of people can attend. 2. RECRUIT FRIENDS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS Invite your family, friends and members of your community to participate in the event with you! The more diverse voices you bring to the table, the more likely your senator and surrounding community will listen. Bring your faith leader, your doctor, and local business owners! We need to demonstrate that everyone is calling for action on climate change. Power in numbers is important, so start recruiting today! To recruit, send e-mails, make phone calls and place flyers in local businesses. 3. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT MATERIALS All materials can be found at the link below: http://www.1sky.org/resources • Example Signs - Use these signs to visually represent the need for a strong bill.

• 1Sky Lobby Letter – After everyone has gathered outside of the office, march into the senator’s office and let the staff know how you feel. You will want to leave the 1Sky Lobby Letter behind, so that the senator has something to remind him/her of your visit and goals. Other materials to think about bringing:

• 1sky banner and/or signs • Beach balls (with printed 1Sky logos taped on) • Flippers • Goggles • Swimming gear (bathing suits, trunks, etc.) • Floaties • Inflatable tubes and other pool toys • Towels • Beach umbrella • Bucket and shovel for sand castles

During the Event

1. BE POSITIVE AND ENERGETIC Regularly remind those who show up how important it is that they are there and making a difference. These events should draw in media, so it’s important to keep up a good vibe and ensure that everyone is enjoying themselves. 2. SEND IN A DELEGATION Once people have arrived and you are able to sustain a high level of energy (aim for at least 30 minutes of demonstration time outside in order to give any press an opportunity to arrive if they are running late), organize everyone to march into the senator’s office to deliver the lobby packet. This is a very simple action.

• Respectfully walk in the office. • Introduce yourself to the receptionist and ask if your senator is there (if not, than talk directly to the receptionist). Tell them that you are rallying outside for bold climate solutions and that you’d now like the deliver the message in person. Remember! You are the best advocate for why your senator should take bold action on climate change. • Tell him or her that you are here to ask the senator to support a bold climate change policy: (see talking points below for more information!)

• Maximize clean energy jobs for America; • Take serious steps to cut global warming pollution as soon as possible; • Transition us away from the dirty fossil fuels of the past and towards the clean

energy of the future. • Ask the senator/office if they will commit to supporting bold climate policy. • Ask for a business card so that you can follow-up with them. • Politely thank the senator/office for their time.

3. DOCUMENT YOUR RALLY It’s critical that we demonstrate the power of the climate movement through these events across the country – we can’t do it without you. Please take pictures and report back to us directly after your event to let us know how it went and what came out of it: http://www.1sky.org/beachparty‐report

This information will strengthen the campaign and our impact on Capitol Hill. Also please send the pictures you took to report@1sky.org We also encourage you to write a blog to tell us about your event and experience to share with the rest of the 1Sky community. 4. FOLLOW UP Make sure to thank everyone who attended and capture their contact information. It is important that you are able to get in touch with everyone when future actions are needed. 5. KEEP THE MOVEMENT MOVING Sign up at http://local.1sky.org to become a Climate Precinct Captain and continue organizing in your state and district. We’ll give you all the tools you need! And let us know if you can make a return visit to your senator’s office between August 31 and September 4, the last weekend of the Senate Summer Vacation – help us keep the pressure on every senator!

Talking Points

As a clean energy jobs bill begins its path through the Senate, 1Sky will continue organizing and advocating throughout the country to push for the best and most comprehensive bill we can get to steer us towards the promise of a renewable energy future and away from a climate crisis. At this defining moment, we know that inaction is not an option – we must act, and we must act now. The forces of the failed status quo – Big Oil, Dirty Coal, and their allies in Congress who dogmatically say “no” to anything that smacks of progress towards a clean energy future – are already pulling out all the stops to prevent a clean energy jobs bill from passing. We say yes to a new direction for our country, and 1Sky will push hard to deliver our central messages to the United States Senate – letting them know that we need a bill that: • Maximizes clean energy jobs for America; • Takes serious steps towards cutting global warming air pollution as soon as possible; • Transitions us away from the dirty coal and big oil fuels of the past and towards the clean

energy of the future.