Clean Energy Future Act – First Action Steps

You’ve changed your lightbulbs. You bought a hybrid? What can you do now to help stop global warming? Fight for the Clean Energy Future Act!

Senator Chap Petersen has officially submitted the Clean Energy Solution Act, bill SB 446. This bill will usher in the clean energy revolution in Virginia, mandating that we get 20% of our energy from clean sources like wind and solar, reduce our electricity by 10%.

It’s gonna be a tough fight. The first step is to build support for this. Legislators have until January 18th to being official “co-patrons” on the bill. Is your legislator on board? Even before the vote, your elected official can show their support by becoming a Co-Patron of the bill, but they have to sign on by Jan 18th.

  1. Send them an email by clicking here
  2. Call your legislator and deliver a personal message of support. Find your legislator at legis.state.va.us
  3. Register for Clean Energy Lobby Day on Jan 21st. www.lobbycleanenergy.org

For a basic script and talking points Continue reading

Flooding Annapolis

Things are heating up in Maryland- quite literally, with temperatures here in Takoma Park hitting the high-60s. Which is why I’m excited about kicking off session with a big celebration and rally for global warming solutions right here in the Old Line State. Because if we don’t act soon, Annapolis may well start to look like this…

Image Courtesy of MD League of Conservation Voter

Next Thursday, January 17th, hundreds of activists will be gathering on Lawyer’s Mall at 11 am to show support for the Global Warming Solutions Act, cheer on their legislators as they pledge to co-sponsor the bill, and get pumped up about getting this bill passed by April. Want to join us? Register today!

This event is sponsored by the Alliance for Global Warming Solutions. Part of an organization and want Maryland to pass the Global Warming Solutions Act? Join the alliance today!

Show Virginia Where Global Warming Starts

I know what you’re thinking. “I want to show my concern about global warming, but I don’t want to stop dressing like my idol Ashton Kutcher. Why can’t I do both?”trucker hat

Well rest easy. Now you can. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has opened an online store where you can buy a trucker’s hat emblazoned with “Dominion: Global Warming Starts Here.”

OK, so you might actually prefer the t-shirt printed on 100% organically-grown cotton. Or the bumper sticker, ready-made for slapping on your Prius. Or the mug, which will advertise that you and your coffee are hotter than they should be.

It’s a purchase you can feel good about because not only will you get high-quality merchandise, but a portion of all sales will go to benefit CCAN and its fight to cut our region’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Can I have a private conversation with The Green Girlfriend for a minute here? Just skip down to the next paragraph. OK? Thanks. Here goes: Yes, I’m buying a trucker’s hat. No, I won’t wear it around you. Yes, I promise never to be photographed wearing it. Or tell anyone you’re my girlfriend while I’m wearing it. Or admit we ever met while I’m wearing it.

Whether you decide to help usher in the new trend of climate fashion or not, please take action now to tell your legislator to support the Virginia Clean Energy Future Act. The legislation, sponsored by State Sen. Chap Peterson, would create incentives for in-state renewable energy and manufacturing, create a Green Jobs training program, and set a statewide standard of 20% renewable energy and 10% improvement in efficiency!

Cross-posted from TheGreenMiles.net

Clean Coal is Still Coal – Herald Tribune

Now they’re talking about the problems with clean coal in Florida.   Who knew we were so influential?  But seriously folks, we’re on a roll with this campaign, let’s keep it up.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080102/OPINION/801020440/1030

HERALD TRIBUNE

‘Clean coal’ is still coal

Conversion process could create new environmental problems

Several Democratic and Republican presidential front-runners are touting”clean coal” technology as part of the solution to the nation’senergy woes. Congress and President Bush have devoted funding to research anddevelop the effort. And coal companies, of course, are all for the concept.But some electric utilities appear to be losing enthusiasm for the idea becauseof uncertainty about costs, regulatory requirements and the reliability of akey part of the technology.In the past year, at least eight proposed clean-coal plants have been canceled,rejected or postponed, according to USA Today. That’s one-third of suchprojects in the works.Advocates of clean-coal plants see tremendous potential in the process, whichconverts coal into a gas and cuts down on harmful emissions of mercury as wellas pollutants linked to acid rain and smog.One of clean coal’s biggest selling points has been its ability to reduceemissions of carbon dioxide, widely viewed as the chief contributor to globalwarming.But the technology’s promise may not be as clear as proponents contend.Environmental regulators and even electric utilities are expressing concernabout a key element of the process, which involves capturing the carbon,liquefying it and pumping it into the ground.Critics fear that a massive expansion of underground carbon storage, in use inonly a few parts of the world, could create new environmental problems.In October, Tampa Electric Co. dropped its plans for a $2 billioncoal-gasification plant in southwestern Polk County, about 40 miles northeastof Bradenton.Company officials cited several reasons for their decision, including anexecutive order signed by Gov. Charlie Crist last summer that calls forutilities to reduce carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2025.Even with the clean-coal technology, the plant still would have emitted about 4million tons of carbon dioxide each year.Another factor in TECO’s decision was uncertainty about the risks associatedwith underground storage, according to company President Chuck Black.If the carbon “leaks out of the ground some place like HardeeCounty,” he told the St. Petersburg Times, “what have weaccomplished?”A similar question might be asked about the entire movement to expand the useof coal-fired plants, which already generate 40 percent of U.S. carbonemissions.Even if those emissions are reduced and the storage concerns are minimized, the”clean” effort does nothing to address the environmental damagecaused by a now-prevalent type of mining known as mountaintop removal.America’s policy-makers and utilities would be far wiser to invest their energy– and our tax dollars — in the development of renewable energy resources.Investing more in coal, a relic of the past, will accomplish little. _______________________________________________

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Bristol Herald editorializes AGAINST Wise County Coal Plant

Two weeks ago, the US Forest Service wrote the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality concerned that the proposed Wise County Power Plant would pollute a national park in North Carolina. Citizens spoke out against the proposed plant at a hearing last week. Charlottesville, Blacksburg, and Arlington have all passed resolutions against the proposed plant.But NONE of those come close to today’s development. The Bristol Herald (which last week endorsed Senator William Wampler) just editorialized AGAINST the Wise County Power Plant. Check it out!

BY Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board

Dominion Power plant is no bargain for the region

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007

All along, Dominion Power Co. has touted its planned coal-burning plant in Wise County as a boon to the region.The plant, we were told, will create as many as 800 construction and coal mining jobs, along with jobs running the plant, and inject wealth into an economically depressed area. It will supply much-needed energy to fellow Virginians. It will exclusively burn Virginia coal.Sounded good until we read the fine print. Many of the jobs are temporary and the number has decreased over time. The plant, while cleaner than older coal-fired facilities, isn’t clean enough. It is still a polluter. Continue reading

Md. Student Climate Coalition holds state-wide Day of Action

Green out

On December 5th and 6th students across the University System of Maryland took action on climate change. Undaunted by the first snow of the season, students across the state rallied in a series of creative actions for clean energy.

The day of action was organized by the Maryland Student Climate Coalition (MSCC). A coalition of student groups from across the University System of Maryland (USM) who have united in a campaign to get the entire university system to adopt a comprehensive carbon neutrality policy. This policy includes using basic energy efficiency technology, clean energy purchasing, improving mass transit, and integrating sustainability into the curriculum. The students are gathering 13,000 signatures across the state to present to the Board of Regents on February 15th and urge them to pass the policy. Their efforts have already made headway with recognition on the USM’s website. The Maryland Student Climate Coalition’s campaign slogan is: “Invest in our Future: Make Carbon Neutrality a Maryland Reality.”

The headline actions occurred at Towson University and the University of Maryland College Park. The campus group, Towson Energy Activists creatively dressed in costumes and staged a mock fight between a smokestack (to represent the dirty fossil fuels of the past) and a wind turbine (symbolizing the clean technology of the future.) The wind turbine won! The event also had a special unveiling of Captain Climate, a new generation super hero sent to our planet to solve the climate crisis. Through their exceptional press work they garnished media coverage from The DC Examiner, the 501, and the Towson Towerlight.

Green out

Another highlight event was at the USM flagship institution, University of Maryland College Park. The group UMD for Clean Energy held a big “Green Out!” day in which they got hundreds of students across campus to wear green to show their support for clean energy. They also got dozens of students to volunteer to gather signatures for the USM carbon neutrality petition. They got 700 signatures in a single day! This brings them just 118 signatures shy of their semester goal of 5,005, which they expect to easily reach the final week of school. The culminating event of the “Green Out” was when dozens of students convened on the main campus lawn for a big clean energy rally. Against the backdrop of a field of 6 foot scale homemade wind turbines they cheered, beat drums, and listened to speeches from student leaders and student body president, Andrew Freidson. The event also drew campus and local media attention from the Prince George County Gazette, Prince George’s County Sentinel and the Diamondback newspapers.

Other coordinated actions occurred at Salisbury University, University of Maryland Baltimore, University of Baltimore, Frostburg State University, and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

The Maryland Student Climate Coalition’s Day of Action was a great success, by capping off an active semester on their campaign for system wide carbon neutrality.

To support the MSCC and their campaign you can sign the petition here or by joining the facebook group “Support the MSCC”.