NOTE: With Medical providers you may have to email through their portals or just wait until your next visit to talk to them and leave behind information like this. If you have a personal relationship you can email to them directly.

Shorter email if you know the practitioner well:

Dear _____(health care provider’s name)_______

Addressing the health impacts of the climate crisis is very important to me. Please consider signing the Health Professionals' Climate Declaration in support of carbon fee and dividend principles. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.To learn more please see Information about Health Professionals' Climate and Carbon Pricing Declaration

Sincerely,

(Name), (email ); (telephone #)

Longer email if you don’t know the practitioner well:

Dear _____ (health care provider name)

I am writing to ask you to consider signing the Health Professional's Climate Declaration in support of carbon fee and dividend principles.

The 2019 Lancet Commission has described climate change as the greatest public health threat of this century, as well as the greatest public health opportunity. According to public health leaders writing in the NEJM, it is already adversely affecting human health in the United States, and health care should play a leading role in addressing climate change.

To that end 29 medical societies, including the American Medical Association, are calling for the urgent transition away from fossil fuels. According to recent testimony to Congress, policies which reduce emissions sufficient for global temperature rise to stay less than 2℃ would prevent roughly 4.5 million premature deaths, about 3.5 million hospitalizations and emergency room visits, and approximately 300 million lost workdays in the US over the next 50 years.

The 2015 Lancet Commission on Climate and Health states that “the single most powerful instrument to inoculate human health against the risks of climate change is for governments to introduce strong and sustained carbon pricing pledged to increase over time until the problem is brought under control”.

Adding your name to the Health Professionals Climate and Carbon Pricing Declaration is a critical first step to addressing climate change.

To learn more please see Information about Health Professionals' Climate and Carbon Pricing Declaration .

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

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. If that happens, reply by email or a phone call thanking them for signing. 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 name on the Declaration page. But that can take a week, so we recommend you check back with them after a week or two.

You: "Could I talk with Health Professional Sarah? Sarah, this is Caitlin. How are you? Did you see my email about the Health Professionals' Climate Declaration?

Health Professional Sarah: "Yes, I signed it."

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

If they signed, ask them for a referral. Referrals are a powerful way to expand our network. 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 health industry who you think might want to sign? ---- If they do, you could offer them an email like this to send out...

Dear Dr....,

Thank you very much for signing the health professionals' climate and carbon pricing declaration! It will go a long way toward increasing awareness among health professionals about the effectiveness of carbon fee & dividend legislation to protect human health.

If you know one or two colleagues who would consider signing, that would be wonderful. Below is an email you could use to reach out to them, and I am attaching an informational one-pager below that you could send with your email:

Dear (Colleagues Name)

I just signed the Health Professionals Climate and Carbon Pricing Declaration and I would like to encourage you to join me. It will just take you a minute and will have substantial impact in our efforts to engage Congress on effective climate legislation.

According to health experts writing in the NEJM, climate change is already adversely affecting human health in the United States, and health care should play a leading role in addressing climate change. To learn more please see Information about Health Professionals' Climate and Carbon Pricing Declaration or check out this simple infographic.

Thank you for your consideration,

(Name)

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

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

You: answer their questions about CCL or the Health Professionals' 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.