Polar Bears Spotted in the Chesapeake!

polar bear
Photo by Matt Stern

Last Saturday, activists, politicians, dogs and musicians alike took the 4th annual Polar Bear Plunge in Annapolis. I woke up on Sunday morning with a great laugh when I saw this video of all of all of us screaming and running into the Bay (you can see more of the fun in these photos). Many thanks to everyone who participated–despite dire weather warnings–and made donations.

Have a favorite plunger, but didn’t donate? There’s still time to give! If you need a favorite plunger, pick me! Here’s my page: http://tinyurl.com/8qypum. And here’s proof that I plunged!

Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund and World Resources Institute propose to sell out the climate

2009 could be the first year we get meaningful legislation coming through congress to deal with carbon and sets us on the path to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 ppm. Unfortunately, a coalition that includes Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund and World Resources Institute, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, is already rolling over and showing their belly to industry folks. They released their proposal today for a totally weak bill that wouldn’t get us anywhere close to addressing carbon emissions.

Kudos to National Wildlife Federation who left the coalition rather than agree to this cop-out. Boo to NRDC, EDF and WRI who sided with General Electric, Conoco Phillips, Duke Energy, DuPont and General Motors to sell out the climate.

Among the seriously lame proposals are subsidies for coal plants that are so-called “clean coal facilities.” The subsidies could cost as much as $540 million a year for a 1,000 megawatt plant according to The Washington Post. Clean coal doesn’t exist. Does it have to take another major disaster to prove this? Or just the one that happened last month in Tennessee Continue reading

Coal Is Not the Answer Slogan Contest

CCAN and our allies at the Sierra Club took our message straight to the coal lobbyists yesterday. Over 5000 slogans were submitted to tell the truth about coal. Some of the best:

  • Coal: Party like it’s 1899!
  • Coal: It’s what’s in your lungs.
  • Coal: A dirty four letter word.

  • Coal: The other second hand smoke.

Planning on driving to the plunge?

If you’re planning on driving to the plunge, please consider offering a space in your car to another plunger. There are several people who need rides from the DC area to Annapolis. Please go to ERideshare and post your ride!

How to find or post a ride:

1. Sign up for an account at http://plunge09.erideshare.com/
2. Enter code “ccan”
3. Post a ride or a ride request
4. View rides, ride requests that are already offered

Earthbeat: Toxic Coal Sludge Spill 48 Times Larger than Exxon Valdez

A devastating environmental disaster occurred in Tennessee when – three days before Christmas, a dam burst and millions of gallons of toxic fly ash slurry knocked houses off their foundations – poisoned water systems – and covered 400 acres of land. In sheer volume alone – this disaster is more than 48 times worse than the Exxon Valdez spill.

Host Mike Tidwell speaks to Donna Marie Lisenby the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, a program of the group Appalachian Voices, in Boone, North Carolina – as well as Glenn Hurowitz – the media director of Greenpeace USA and is the author of the book Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party.

Mike talks about the planning for a massive demonstration against coal here in the nation’s capital with Ted Glick, the national coordinator of the US Climate Emergency Council. And then we sit down with Alice McKeown, of the Worldwatch Institute to speak about how utility companies LIE when it comes to America’s energy needs.

Download this edition of Earthbeat. Continue reading

Energy Efficiency Trumps Coal in Va.

A new report shows that investing in energy efficiency instead of building the Wise County coal plant to meet the same electricity demand would yield hundreds of millions of dollars more annually for the state and create at least 2,600 more jobs than the controversial 585-megawatt coal-fired power plant. The benefits would be even greater if, as anticipated, the federal government enacts controls on global warming emissions. Continue reading

Monsters Eating Mountains?


The Green Gorilla cartoon takes on mountain top removal mining in their latest episode called “Turn it Up Day”. As the city turns up their power, the kids investigate where the power comes from. KJ helps the gang find out that “clean and green” is actually a massive coal-seeking mechanical worm on its way to remove their favorite mountain. That’s when they get active.

This isn’t your typical Saturday morning cartoon but it’s also not that far from the reality of life in SW Virginia. I’m not even talking about the destructive practice of Mountaintop Removal coal mining that has already destroyed or “eaten” 29 mountains. That’s clearly a reality here and on West Virginia’s Coal River Mountain.

The part that seems hard to swallow is the idea that amidst rising energy costs and in the face of global warming that there would really be a “Turn it up” day. As much as we love love love our cars and warm homes. We understand rising energy costs in terms of dollar and cents right? The reality is we don’t and if you don’t believe me, maybe you stopped by the Grand Illumination in downtown Richmond earlier this month. This is where business turned on every single light in order to illuminate the downtown area. Since the connection isn’t as clear as one would hope I’m grateful that the Gorilla in the Greenhouse was able to connect the dots for those unaware.

This just in – the French are arriving!

So I’ve been blogging a lot recently about Warren Buffett, and his imminent insertion into the MD power supply. Turns out, things have changed a bit: just this morning, Constellation Energy announced that it would instead sell half of it’s nuclear power to Electricite de France (EDF). Why, you may ask, do I care who owns what portion of Constellation Energy so much? Because who owns my power company has some say as to how my neighborhood gets its power (I buy wind, being a self-respecting climate organizer). This means that the folks owning a solid chunk of Maryland’s power are all about nuclear power – and not so much about drastically increasing their investments in wind, solar, geothermal, and other fun and innovative and new renewable solutions. Dance floor energy generators in every night club, anyone?

But seriously, this means that there will be even more renewed vigor in support of building a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs, despite all the problems the French are already having. Only now, adding insult to injury, the profits won’t even be going to a homegrown company, but one in France. Anda stronger push for nuclear power means less of a push for renewable energy. The way the economic climate is right now, there’s only so much funding to go around, and we should be putting every penny into building wind farms and retrofitting houses and building people-powered cars (think Flintstones)

and developing true green jobs that provide pathways out of poverty and… well, the possibilities seem endless if we stop clinging tight to old and problematic technology (PS, this includes coal) and really start thinking outside the box.

Want to take action? Join us in saying “Non merci” to French nukes in Maryland on Dec 23rd at Constellation HQ, 8 AM.

LTE Opportunity: The Best Holiday Gift Ever!

Come January, we’ll be working nonstop to raise awareness about global warming solutions in Maryland and Virginia. Not only that, but we’ll also be focused on working with the new Congress to make climate a priority within the first 100 days of the next administration. This spring will be THE crucial time to pass climate legislation, and we’re going to have to give it our all.

But what can I do right now, you ask? This is the moment to be setting the stage for bold climate action come January, and we can start by getting some holiday stimulus LTE’s published! With the holiday season coming up, what better gift could we ask for than a green stimulus package and a New Year’s Resolution from our elected officials for truly bold climate action in 2009.

Continue reading

Check your email– MoveOn is voting on their priorities today

voteMoveOn sent out an email titled, “Ballot for You: Vote Today on MoveOn’s priorities,” which has your ballot for MoveOn’s priority survey. Getting MoveOn to prioritize climate as one of their top
three would be a huge boost to our people power. So check your email and vote for “Build a green economy, Stop Climate Change.”