ACTION PLAYBOOK:

Call your Senator: Improve the U.S. Electricity Grid

1. Learn the basics

  • We need to upgrade the big power lines called “transmission” to get the electricity grid ready for renewable energy.

  • This will also help keep the AC on during extreme heat waves and prevent blackouts.

  • Right now, existing laws make it hard to build new transmission lines. But Congress can change that.

  • People like us can make a difference: 10 calls to a Congressperson is enough to get them to pay attention.

It’s a no-brainer! Let’s dive in.

➡️ Want more context?
Jump to the bottom.

2. Call your Senator.

Two senators represent our state in Congress. Pick one, and use the script below to call.

🔎 Who’s my Senator?

If you’re at the AJR concert, just ask the nice volunteer at the Action Village booth!

Otherwise, select your state from the drop-down here. Pick either Senator. Fun fact: the scores you see are a rating of how pro-climate they vote in Congress!

📲 Okay, let’s call!

  1. Call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Usually, the operator is a robot. Sometimes it’s a real human.

  2. Say “I’d like to be connected to the office of Senator __________.” The line will start ringing.

  3. Leave a voicemail or talk to the staffer using the script below. Speak authentically when you fill in the blanks. It will make your message most effective.

📞 Hello, my name is _______ , I’m _______ years old, and I live in _________.

First, thank you for your public service in Congress.

Today, I'm calling about transmission reform, because I am really worried about climate change.

Climate is a top concern for me because ______________________________.

I recently learned that building more transmission power lines is essential for renewable energy like wind and solar. It also keeps the electricity grid reliable during extreme weather.

Please consider co-sponsoring legislation that makes it easier to build transmission, like the SITE Act and the BIG WIRES Act.

I’ll be voting/I’m too young to vote in November, and I need my representatives to lead on climate.

Thank you for your time today.

(Optional) Please call me back at __________ or email me at ____________.

3. Stay plugged in.

AJR is committed to climate action. That’s where Climate Changemakers comes in.

We do the research and make it simple to get involved and stay involved.

We’re all real people — busy with family, work, school, and life, but willing to take action and eager to make a difference.

Join us.

🪩 BONUS: Make climate action cool.

Be a climate action role model. Get your community to get engaged, too.

Here are some ideas:

  • Bring your friends to this tent so they can take action, too.

  • Take an “action selfie” right now. Include it on social media in your concert photo dump. Tag @ajrbrothers and @theclimatevote.

  • Text this link to friends who aren’t here.

  • Mention the Eco Village & this action when friends ask “how was the concert?”

Every action counts. You never know what ripple effects you’ll have.

You just took productive climate action!

Or maybe you just skipped down here to learn more.

  • Clean electricity is a top solution to address climate change.

  • We tend to build clean electricity far away from where people live. Take solar farms, for example: we build them where it’s very sunny and the land is cheap, like the desert.

  • To get electricity to people, we use big power lines called “transmission.” They’re like highways for electrons instead of cars.

  • In the U.S., we don’t have enough transmission lines. We need to build more now. If we don’t, we can’t build more renewable energy because we won’t be able to connect it to the grid.

  • More transmission lines will also keep electricity flowing normally during extreme weather. For example, we will be able to keep the AC on during heat waves, because there will be more “highways” for the electricity to travel on.

  • Right now, existing laws make it very hard to build new transmission lines. Harder than building a new oil pipeline, actually. 

  • We urgently need Congress to pass new transmission laws so we can get clean energy on the grid. 

  • Congress knows it’s an issue. There are several proposed bills on transmission, but negotiations have stalled out and Congress has moved on.

  • People like us can actually make a difference: Studies show that 10 people writing in about a subject is enough to get a Congressperson to pay attention.

Want to learn even more? Check out this Climate Changemakers Issue Briefing on the topic.