Sample Press Release and Guidelines

Grand Opening of the National Headquarters of Canada’s Citizens Climate Lobby

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –November 12, 2012:

Contact: Cathy Orlando, National Director  cathy@citizensclimatelobby.org 705-929-4043
canada.citizensclimatelobby.org

What: The National Headquarters of  Canada’s Citizens Climate will officially open on Wed., Nov. 14, 2012.

Where: Parking lot behind 435 Notre Dame Ave, Lower Level, Sudbury ON, P3C 5K6

When:  Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 4:30-6:00 pm.

Agenda: 4:30 -5:00 – Gather, eat socialize and learn about us
5:05 – 5:15 – Jai Ho Victory Dance to celebrate the end of the age of stupidity being at hand
5:15 – 5:25 – Not Stupid Awards
5:25 – 5:35 – Closing statements
5:35 – 5:40 – A Song
5:40 – 6:00 – Socialize

Who:  Members of Citizens Climate Lobby and some climate-concerned citizens will gather to celebrate the opening of the National Headquarters for Citizens Climate Lobby in Canada. We will share statistics, stories, food, drink, very current data and most importantly hope about how citizens can create the political will for a sustainable climate. Citizens Climate Lobby  (established October 2007) is a rapidly growing non-partisan organization with 70 chapters in North America. Canada established the first three official Citizens Climate Lobby chapters in Sudbury, Toronto and Red Lake ON in February 2011. We currently have 20 group leaders covering approximately  31 ridings in Canada.

Great Quotes: Here’s what a leading climate scientist and Director of the NASA Goddard Space Agency, Dr. James  Hansen, said about Citizens Climate Lobby in November 2011: “Most impressive is the work of the Citizens Climate Lobby, a relatively new, fast-growing, nonpartisan, nonprofit group with 46 chapters* across the United States and Canada. If you want to join the fight to save the planet, to save creation for your grandchildren, there is no more effective step you could take than becoming an active member of this group.” Dr. Hansen continues to endorse our work to this day. *There are now 70 Chapters of Citizens Climate Lobby.

Here is an excerpt a congratulatory email from Canadian Senator Grant Mitchell (November 9, 2012): “I also want to acknowledge the untiring work of Cathy Orlando and the many volunteers who work with her and about whom she speaks so well and so often when she meets with me. It is remarkable how quickly you have built the organization in Canada and how much impact you have had in such a short time.”

Why:  The climate is changing much faster than scientists predicted in the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) report. There is still time but not much. The politicians need the help of citizens to create the political will for a sustainable climate. Citizens Climate Lobby teaches citizens how to lobby for a fair, predictable and transparent price on carbon pollution using a proven technique and business model developed by the poverty reduction organization RESULTS.  http://www.results.org/.

For more information about us, explore our website: canada.citizensclimatelobby.org

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CHECKLIST FOR MEDIA RELEASES

  1. CCL Logo
  2. Basic Font (ARIAL 11 pt)
  3. PRESS RELEASE in all caps
  4.  Contact Person’s Name, Address, Phone Number, Web Address
  5. Catchy HEADLINE or TITLE in BOLD and centre-justified
  6. BODY:  Date of release, City of release, date of event …
    Brief, catchy & informative lead (1st paragraph )
    Content (who, what, why, where, when)
  7. The more specific you are with timing and exact location, the more likely media will show up.
  8. Key messages and consistent messaging with the most up-to-date information about CCL Canada:
    – 1015 members nationally and over 50,000 internationally
    – our member cover 80 ridings nationally.
    – established in Canada in 2010
  9. Second Page indicated (if applicable). Best to keep media releases to one page.
  10. At the very end it is a good idea to put, ######, so that the media person knows that is the last page of the media release