Flashmob in Capitol Hill cafeteria

Forty flashmobbers, including CCAN’s own Kat McEachern, froze for 2 minutes in frustration over the lack of progress on climate change legislation. The action took place in Longworth Congressional Office Building’s Cafeteria during lunch time.

This action was organized through Craigslist and Twitter and called for a stronger “American Clean Energy and Security Act.” The bill is expected to come to a vote on the House floor this Friday. The bill offers our country the most important opportunity in generations to create millions of new, well-paying jobs, boost renewable energy production and limit global warming pollution. However, many of the bill’s stronger initial provisions have been weakened. Stay tuned for more actions leading up to this historic vote.

What really happened in Bonn?

In our “Countdown to Copenhagen” weekly radio feature, Earthbeat Radio this week interviewed three leading U.S. policy advocates just back from the Bonn climate talks. What sort of leadership did the Obama team show in Bonn? How is the Waxman-Markey bill affecting the road to Copenhagen? Is the White House doing enough at home and aboard? Get answers from Angela Anderson of USCAN, Lou Leonard of WWF, and Karen Orenstein of Friends of the Earth.

Visit www.earthbeatradio.org and just click on “Listen Now.” You can also sign up for our weekly podcast to get the only weekly radio program in America dedicated exclusively to the climate crisis. This week we also look at “managed relocation” of plant and animal species due to climate change and we interview the world’s largest wind turbine company: Vestas of Denmark.

Australia: An Example one Way or the Other

Cross-Posted from: HERE

Here in the United States, environmental groups are all over the place regarding their stance on the Waxman-Markey bill in Congress. Some say thumbs up, others say it’s better to pass it than pass nothing, and others either cannot support the bill, or want a no vote from liberal Democrats. I explain my position and rationale here. I saw an article in the NY Times today which made me think a lot about the dilemma faced here. On one hand, the 17% target in the Waxman-Markey bill will most likely not lead to a desirable treaty in Copenhagen. On the other hand, what if we show up to Copenhagen with absolutely nothing? One thing I think people overlook is the fact that Henry Waxman and Ed Markey are two of the most progressive lawmakers in the US Congress. They know energy, and they aren’t a bunch of pansies when it comes to global warming. Their bill is as strong as the political system in the US will tolerate.

Australia faces a similar situation. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd ran on a platform that included taking action on climate change, and he’s put forth a cap and trade plan, but it’s only 5% reduction below 2000 levels by 2020, but Australia is willing to go as far as 25% if other nations step up in Copenhagen. It’s passed out of Australia’s House, but is facing huge problems in the Senate. The labor party can’t pass the law on its own, and the conservatives are vowing to fight it and kill it. However, in Australia they have a 3 party system, and the 3rd party is the Greens party, which is strongly pro-environment. If the Greens party teams up with Labour, they can pass the bill. However, the Greens are saying that 5% is too weak, and they cannot support it. Right now, their position is 25% or bust. If this position holds, we’re going to see a very comparable result as we would see in the United States if the liberal members of the Democratic party listened to their base and voted no because the bill wasn’t strong enough. Would the result be a stronger bill, or an empty sheet of paper in Copenhagen? Of course, Australia has an advantage in that if their bill fails twice, they can call elections and have the people kick out the troublemakers. Let’s see what happens to the bill. In my opinion, it will give a good indication of what would happen here. I highly recommend reading the NY Times article.

Ask Al Gore about ACES

If strengthened, the American Clean Energy and Security Act offers our country the most important opportunity in generations to create millions of new, well-paying jobs, boost renewable energy production and limit global warming pollution. En route to the House floor, many of the bill’s stronger initial provisions were weakened, however, leading some like CCAN, MoveOn, and the Sierra Club to call for the bill to be strengthened.

Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection has not taken that path. The group has ardently supported the bill throughout the process and Al Gore will hold a conference call tomorrow night at 8pm to explain his support and “to build urgency around this bill and make sure it passes.”

Register here

Take me out to a Green Ballgame …

This Saturday, going out to a local ball park could be a fun evening with a “green” theme. Bethesda Green, a non-profit working to help Bethesda, Maryland, green itself is having a fundraising event with the semi-pro Bethesda Big Train. The Big Train is truly that ‘family friendly park’, small, low cost, and almost always with things going on.

This will be quite a busy night at that ballpark. Putting aside watching a game, Bethesda Green will be joined by The Big Green Bus, which is a Dartmouth College student project taking a vegetable oil powered bus around the country for climate change awareness (and action) and The Honest Tea company.

Putting aside that Green element, this will be a busy evening with “Carnival Night”, Teacher Appreciation Night, Great Book night with a number of authors …

Much more pleasant then going to the Nationals’ “green” stadium.

Sigh … if the stadium were only at a Metro stop …

Dominion announces lunar energy plan

RICHMOND, VA
26 June 2012

Dominion CEO Tom Farrell surveys potential lunar sites for project: Total Dominion

At a press conference earlier today, Dominion unveiled new plans for how the controversial firm may move forward into a cleaner energy future for the planet: harvesting power from the moon. The plan, entitled “Total Dominion,” hopes to revolutionize how Virginians, and the world, will receive energy for years to come.

Dominion hopes to procure federal funding by early next week to begin construction of its very own permanent lunar processing facility for the production and transport of Helium 3, abundant on the moon as a result of the sun’s solar wind, to be used in nuclear fusion reactors back here on earth.

“Just like clean coal,” says CEO Tom Farrell, “helium 3 technology will allow us to move forward into the 21st century without a massive hit to the economy.” Although options such as wind, solar, and geothermal have stayed on the table, they remain unpopular inside Dominion’s corporate culture. “I have a great waterfront property in Virginia Beach,” says Farrell, “and I’ll be damned if some crop of huge windmills is going to ruin my view.”

Governor Deeds McDonnell endorsed the project, calling it “a massive leap forward in Virginia’s energy portfolio,” and the “next step in making the Commonwealth a leader in green technology.”

An example of nuclear fusion. The flash in the center represents electricity.

Although science has yet to find a viable method for large-scale fusion, Dominion isn’t worried. “The technology just isn’t ready yet, but we cannot wait around for it to become commercially viable.” When that technology is expected to go online, nobody knows.

“With the massive failure of the whole

Climate Meetings at Critical Times

Next week is shaping up to be a major turning point in our effort to bring about a clean energy revolution!

If all goes as planned, the House of Representatives is set to vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act sometime late next week. If strengthened, this bill would represent the beginnings of a shift to an economy built upon green jobs, renewable energy production and the limiting of global warming pollution.

I know you’ve probably been getting bombarded with emails asking you to call or email your Congress member. If that just doesn’t feel like it’s enough for you, we’ve got another option.

We have set up constituent meetings early next week with three Maryland Congressmen: Rep. Bartlett, Rep. Ruppersberger, and Rep. Cummings.

Do you live in District 2, 6, or 7?

If so, join us for a critical meeting at a critical time. Spend a couple of hours next week meeting with your Representative and urging him to strengthen and pass this bill!

Congressman Cummings (Dist. 7); Tuesday, June 23rd @ 11am
Congressman Bartlett (Dist. 6); Wednesday, June 24th @ 11am
Congressman Ruppersberger (Dist. 2); Wednesday, June 24th @ 2:30pm

Urge Obama to end Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining!

Below is an email I received from Matt Wasson from http://www.ilovemountains.org

The pressure on the Obama administration to stop mountaintop removal coal mining is building across the country.

Last week, we asked you to call the White House and tell the administration that it was time to reverse the devastating 2002 Bush Administration “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

And next week, on June 23rd, climate scientist Dr. James Hansen will join community members and activists from around the country in Coal River Valley, West Virginia to launch a year of activism to end mountaintop removal coal mining.

Hansen and others will gather at Marsh Fork Elementary — the elementary school that is next to a mountaintop removal mine operated by Massey Energy and just 400 yards downslope from a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge impoundment that threatens the school.

The activists will then march a short distance to Massey Energy’s office of operations and risk arrest in a line crossing civil disobedience, in order to raise awareness of the devastation that mountaintop removal coal mining is causing to the mountains and communities of Appalachia.

Can you take a moment to stand with them, and help put pressure on the Obama administration to take immediate action to end mountaintop removal coal mining today?

We’re asking every member of iLoveMountains.org to take just three minutes to email the White House to ask President Obama to immediately begin the process of overturning the Bush-era “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

Please, click here to email President Obama now.

The Obama administration needs to hear that simply enforcing Bush-era rules and laws is not enough. The administration must overturn the Bush-era rules to begin the process of building a sustainable future for Appalachia.

That’s why the activists gathering at Coal River Valley next week are risking arrest — to send the message that impact on the mountains, communities and waterways of central Appalachia have been ignored for too long.

Please, take a moment to make sure President Obama hears that message:

Email President Obama today.

Thank you for taking action.

Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org

PS Contact Annie Sartor (annie@ran.org) at Rainforest Action Network if you are interested in coming to Coal River Mountain on June 23rd.

Column on Waxman-Markey Bill

Cross-posted from: HERE

I have an op-ed out today about how the Waxman-Markey bill is being misrepresented, and despite its flaws we should still support it, and push for strengthening. Sources at the end. By the way, this doesn’t mean I’m not at direct actions protesting what I find objectionable.

The environment: Don’t hate, legislate

MATT DERNOGA

Issue date: 6/18/09

There are multiple perspectives being offered on a federal climate change bill called the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The bill’s authors, Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, laud the bill as strong and tough on coal. The environmental camp is split into those who feel passing this bill is better than passing nothing, and those who think the bill is so weak it should fail. The bill’s opponents think it will bring about economic Armageddon.

For the record, I’d like to see a bill that slashes greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, sells 100 percent of all its “permits to pollute” to industry for a steep price, has zero offsets, prevents construction of all new coal-fired power plants and invests $50 billion a year in clean energy. I’m feeling like Alex Rodriguez in the playoffs: 0 for 5. Continue reading