BP Citizen's Arrest – Friday, High Noon

This Friday at high noon join with CCAN, Public Citizen, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Energy Action Coalition, 350.org, Hip Hop Caucus and the Center for Biological Diversity as we hold BP accountable for its high crimes and misdemeanors. We need YOU to help us deliver our charges against BP!

Join us from 12-1 outside of BP’s D.C. headquarters at 1101 New York Avenue, NW.

Charge #1: Criminal negligence. BP has a long history of worker, consumer and environmental violations. BP’s culture of negligence, shunning of common safety devices and inability to adequately respond to the mounting catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding communities warrants a citizen finding of criminal negligence.

Charge #2: Unfettered corporate influence. Corporate meddling in the political process has led to oil-friendly regulators and lawmakers, and a blatant disregard for the regulatory process.

Charge #3: Need for clean solutions. Even with increased safety and environmental regulations, oil drilling is still inherently dangerous. The only way to ensure we don’t have any more catastrophes is to stop offshore drilling altogether. Instead, we should pursue clean energy and energy independence.

RSVP on facebook or using this google spreadsheet. Then help us spread the word!

Why the CLEAR Act is Fair

The following is an article written by Meg Power, Senior Advisor to the National Community Action Foundation (NCAF). NCAF is the Washington, DC representative of the nation’s 1100 local Community Action Agencies, which deliver many services and investments in all the nation’s low-income communities including Low-Income Home Energy Assistance and the federal Weatherization Assistance Program. NCAF has endorsed the CLEAR Act.

Why the CLEAR Act is Fair to Low- and Moderate-Income Households
By Meg Power

About one-third of US households have incomes lower than 60% of the median income of their state and qualify for the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Their average annual residential usage is just 87% of the average for the other 2/3 of consumers. The gasoline consumption of the lowest income drivers is less than half that of median income households. Their houses are smaller, albeit more inefficient per square foot; they own fewer appliances, buy few finished goods and drive fewer cars. Their carbon footprint is far lighter than that of middle income consumers.

However, these Americans are extremely vulnerable to increases in energy costs; on average they spend from 18% to more than 23% percent of an entire year’s income directly on energy, including home fuels and gasoline, depending on the fuel prices in a given year. This percentage is known as the Continue reading

Prison time for activist over green jobs banner. No kidding.

Despite the Gulf disaster, no one from BP has been arrested and sent to jail. Despite safety violations at coal mines, no one from Massey Energy has been handcuffed. But today I write to inform you that one of America’s best global warming activists is probably facing several months of jail. He’s been convicted by a D.C. jury, and now he awaits sentencing on July 6th. Why? Because he peacefully dropped two banners on Capitol Hill that said: “GREEN JOBS NOW” and “GET TO WORK.”

I’m not joking. Ted Glick of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network was convicted by a jury May 13th of peacefully dropping the banners inside the U.S. Senate Hart Office Building last September. The D.C. U.S. Attorney’s office clearly has decided to make an “example” of Ted because of his previous two — count ’em, two — convictions related to peaceful acts of climate civil disobedience. Can you believe it? You can see a three-minute video of Ted’s September “crime” below. He’s the guy towards the end simply lowering the banners.

Now Ted is facing up to three years in jail. Based on the judge’s comments last week, it really does appear that he will be incarcerated for at least a month or two.

What can you do? Help spread the word about this fight to keep a morally innocent staff member out of jail during this time of great global crisis.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Vote for CCAN

I have an urgent, important, and simple request. In short, CCAN needs your vote! As you know, CCAN and our coalition partners are working to stop a $6 billion coal-fired power plant proposal just miles from the Chesapeake Bay in the Hampton Roads area. This is a must-win campaign for our climate and our region. The mining disaster in West Virginia last month was a reminder that coal is DEADLY and NOT part of our clean energy future! We have a chance to raise $5,000 for a special project we are running this summer, but we need your vote to do it.Read about the project and vote for us- http://bit.ly/CCANfund

Instructions:

  1. Visit this link: http://bit.ly/CCANfund.
  2. Sign up for a Brighter Planet account (you will not be subscribed to any lists).
  3. Confirm your account by email.
  4. Log in to Brighter Planet. Once signed in you should see the green “Vote for this Project” button (pictured below).
  5. VOTE 3 Times!

Voting closes May 15th so please take a minute to vote for us – again, you can vote up to 3 times!

Want to help out even more? Spread the word by joining our facebook event.

Questions? Contact Lauren Glickman at lauren@chesapeakeclimate.org

Crude Awakening March to the White House

We have been shocked, outraged and deeply saddened by the events since the April 20th oil rig explosion in the Gulf.

Mike has been using every opportunity to spread the word that at this volume of operation, human error guarantees that BP-type spills will happen again. No new regulations will tame this beast. The only thing that will tame it is a reduction in the use of oil itself. If we don’t like massive, economy-wrecking spills, we must begin to transition rapidly to an economy where there’s just a lot less oil to spill.

In the past week, Mike’s been interviewed by Katie Couric, Diane Rehm, and syndicated columnist Clarence Page.

We’re also making sure Va. Governor Bob McDonnell knows that Virginians want Wind, Not Oil (Have you signed the “Wind Not Oil” petition yet?)!

Now we need to make sure the Obama administration hears our concerns and acts upon them.

On Saturday, 350.org supporters in New Orleans will attend a rally where they will call on President Obama to ban offshore drilling and invest in clean energy. They will sign a banner that reads PRESIDENT OBAMA: THIS IS YOUR CRUDE AWAKENING. That banner will be brought to Washington DC, where CCAN will join with 350.org to deliver it at a rally in front of the White House.

Can you join us on Tuesday from 12:30-1:30pm to march from the Interior Department to the White House and deliver the message to President Obama?

RSVP here or visit the Facebook Event Page for more details!

WHAT: Crude Awakening March to the White House

WHEN: Tuesday, May 11 12:30-1:30pm

WHERE: Meet in Triangle Park, across from the Interior Department at 18th & C St. NW

* We will depart Triangle Park at 12:45 sharp! *

This is a unique moment, and we have the opportunity to shape the national story around this terrible disaster. Do we want to just stop any new offshore drilling, or do we want to take one step farther and begin the wholesale transformation to clean, safe energy? How about some of the old “yes, we can,” spirit?

Please join us next Tuesday, and thank you for your commitment and your action.

Tidwell Talks Oil Spill on the Diane Rehm Show

Coastal Louisiana author and CCAN director Mike Tidwell spoke to Diane Rehm this morning about the oil spill and its impact on the already vulnerable Louisiana coasts. Tidwell’s 2003 best-selling book “Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana’s Cajun Coast” catalogued how the Louisiana wetlands are vulnerable to oil drilling activity as well as the related consequences of climate change.

Mike has reported extensively from the drilling fields of the Gulf of Mexico and can speak directly to the enormous scale and scope of the drilling operation there.

The show also features Jackie Savitz, Pollution Campaign Director and Senior Scientist for Oceana, Stephen Power, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and Rayola Dougher, senior economic adviser for the American Petroleum Institute.

Listen now!

Support Ted Glick! New trial date approaching

Our very own Ted Glick is headed to a jury trial on May 11th in Washington, D.C. All the way back on Sept. 8th, 2009 (the day Congress returned from its summer recess) he hung a banner that said: “Green Jobs Now, Get to Work.”

It’s ironic and sad that this call for action is as relevant now as it was eight months ago.

The trial was originally set to take place in late February but was postponed until May 11th. Prosecutors have made it clear that they want to make an example of Ted because of prior convictions for similar actions. Their plea deal, which he rejected, was that if he pleaded guilty he’d have to serve 30 days in jail.

Ted’s going to be defending himself, with the assistance of attorney Ann Wilcox. An important part of his defense will be to fill the courtroom with supporters. Can you come out and show your support?

Register>>

If possible, it’s preferable that you come in the morning when the jury is selected. Of course, if you can only make it for the afternoon, that would also be greatly appreciated. The trial will take place in the Superior Court building, 500 Indiana Ave. NW. Ted’s judge will be Judge Frederick Weisberg. Hope to see you there!

Please sign up if you are interested in attending.