How to Do a Data Center Video Screening and Postcard Writing Party

During this election season, Congress members and those running for office are feeling pressure from voters. A top concern in many parts of the country is the financial and environmental costs of data centers. From now until Election Day, Climate Hope Affiliates will be advocating for bills in Congress that address data centers, while both educating voters about environmental justice issues that have arisen with data centers and encouraging our local media to cover data centers as a key election issue that requires urgent action. A terrific way to galvanize local interest and action is through the screening of a powerful 17-minute video followed by the writing of postcards that will be hand-delivered to congressional offices to support to bills that have been introduced into Congress. Both chapters and churches are encouraged to host events and report on them.

Here are the steps to take:

(1) Decide on your venue. Consider after-church adult education hours as one possible venue. Consider weeknight screenings at your local public library. Consider house parties whereby one invites friends to a more intimate gathering in one’s home.

(2) Prepare yourself with sign-up sheets, printed postcards (for Avery 8387 paper), and an easy-to-follow sheet of writing instructions.

(3) Practice public speaking roles for the event:

1. Words of welcome with a brief introduction of who you are.
2. Invite attendees to introduce themselves with their name and one word or phrase that describes their feelings or concerns about climate change. (For time management, consider having responses given in pairs and not to the entire gathering.)
3. Introduce the video by sharing that it is offering this story of injustice with one goal in mind: that people then have an opportunity to generate hope by taking action.
4. Give a brief talk about the bills.
5. Go over the instructions for writing postcards to one’s members of Congress as we ask representatives to co-sponsor the bills. Let them know that postcards will be hand-delivered as early as possible.
6. Invite people to join either join a chapter of Climate Hope Affiliates or start a chapter as you pass around the sign-up sheet.

(5) After the event is over, deliver the postcards in-person to your local Congressional offices. Have it be part of a meeting with a staff member.

(6) Report each event in our action tracker below. For churches unaffiliated with Climate Hope Affiliates, select “Allies” under “Chapters” and select “Outreach Event” under “Your Action.” By knowing how many actions are taken, we are able to better measure and celebrate our collective power!