You can cut and paste this into an email, personalize and send!

Subject: Shifting gears towards a healthier climate

Dear [Name],

I’m a happy customer and a volunteer for Citizens’ Climate Lobby working to move Congress forward on climate solutions. I would like to encourage you to sign our Biking Industry Climate Declaration to use your voice in support off legislating federal, market-based, bipartisan solutions that are good for people, planet and business.

The NATIONAL BICYCLE DEALERS ASSOCIATION has joined to encourage dealers to take action to reduce carbon emissions and consider endorsing this Climate Declaration. http://nbda.com/bikebusiness-climatechange).

The biking industry is perfectly poised to be hurt by the effects of climate change, but more importantly helped by solutions to it. The biking industry stands to gain from this, avoiding further environmental degradation, while also benefiting from the push towards less carbon intensive transportation.

As we see trails destroyed by fire and erosion, more, hotter days that make it difficult to go out and bike, and disruptions in supply chains, it is clear that the industry is already feeling its impacts. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is the first bipartisan legislation in over a decade that will help mitigate the most damaging effects of global warming while spurring economic growth in the biking sector.

A couple of things about the bill:

• It is the only climate bill that is 100% revenue-neutral to help offset the rising costs while growing the economy as represented in the REMI report, as it gives consumers more money to spend on recreation

• It has the strongest and most comprehensive emission reduction goals out of any other solution proposed so far (90% reduction from 2015 levels by 2050 across ALL sectors).

• By virtue of its fee on fossil fuels, it encourages less carbon intensive forms of transit, namely biking!

• Virtually all top economists support a carbon dividends approach: https://www.clcouncil.org/economists-statement/

Thank you for considering signing on to support our Biking Industry Climate Declaration and I would be happy to discuss further in more details with you.

Sincerely,

(Include contact information - email & telephone)

Mark your calendar, set up a notification, keeping a copy of your original message handy. One week is enough for them to see it and respond.

If they don't respond in a week, take your copy of your original message and "Reply to All" with a simple message (e.g. "friendly reminder :-)"

If they do respond, see Step 3 below.

If they signed and told you: When they get your email, it's not unusual for them to sign and email you back telling you that they did. Then, if you want to be a climate superstar, ask them for a referral (see below)

If they signed but didn't tell you, you will eventually be able to see their company name on the Declaration page. But that can take a week (we have to verify authenticity), so we recommend you call them after a week in any case.

You: "Could I talk with Biker Sarah? Sarah, this is Caitlin. How are you? Did you see my email about the Biking Industry Climate Declaration?

Biker Sarah: "Yes, I signed it."

You: "Wonderful, thank you so much! It will be really important for Congress to hear from businesses like yours!

If they signed, ask them for a referral. Referrals are a powerful way to "market your product" -- small businesses thrive on it, and your bike shop will appreciate your asking. And, if they agree, and are enthusiastic, consider asking them to become a CCL member and join your Chapter in meeting with your Member of Congress.

You: "I was wondering if you might be able to refer us to anyone else in the biking industry who you think might want to sign? ---- If they do, you have a couple of options

You: "I'll send you an email like the one I first sent you, and you can forward it to your friend(s), and copy me." or...

You: "Could you give me their contact information, and I'll email them and cc you?

If they didn't sign and had questions, answer their questions or put them in touch with someone who can.

Biker Sarah: "No, I wasn't sure about..."

You: answer their questions about CCL or the Biking Industry Climate Declaration, or say "can I put you in touch with one of our experts?" and then forward the email thread to your local expert or to info@businessclimateleaders.org.

If you've been given a referral, repeat steps 1-3 above with the referred company.