Six Words to Stop Dominion Power

Last Thursday, May 8th, the coalition of forces that have been working tirelessly for months had their moment to really stick it to Dominion. We unfurled a mile-long petition, listened to great speakers and great music, and delivered over 42,000 name of Virginians that don’t want a new coal plant to Dominion… But you have heard this story, so I have no intention to reiterate it, per se. Rather, I would like to try to sum it all up in six words: Virginians to Dominion, No New Coal!

Why six words? Because according to minds that may or may not be greater than mine — anything can be said in six words (see, I just finished up that sentence with a six word statement!!!).

What are your words for Dominion?

  • I petitioned for months, it rocked!

  • Coal kills mountains, causes global warming.

  • Never mind the coal, I’ll conserve

  • Eighteen percent rate hike? Screw you!

  • What ever happened to Virginia’s democracy?

  • Didn’t coal used to cost less?

  • I want to finally breathe free.

  • New Coal? Over my dead body.

Wise County residents Deliver Mile-Long Petition to Dominion at Moving Rally

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Yesterday, hundreds of people gathered to support Wise County residents who are fighting Dominion’s plans to build a coal-burning plant in their neighborhood. “We can prevent Virginia from making this terrible mistake by allowing Dominion to build this plant,” said Jennifer Mullens, a Wise County resident. “I encourage you to look around at these mountains and imagine them gone, because that’s what’s going to happen if we don’t make the right choice now.”

Over 40,000 petition signatures were submitted to Dominion representatives. No official response has been made by Dominion, but Wise County representatives will be at Dominion’s shareholders meeting in Chicago today. The only official response that was overwhelmingly evident was that of police enforcement. As the Green Miles pointed out there was a surprisingly strong police presence. We counted over 17 cop cars lining the blocks around the park where we were having our peaceful Continue reading

This is Our Moment. We Need a Power Vote!

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You can’t ignore it. Every headline, TV newsflash, and cover story are saturated with the upcoming elections. Amid all of this noise where is your story? Where is the true voice of our generation? We must be heard! We must build a movement to match the scale of our greatest challenge, global warming.

This is our moment. Scientists tell us that the leadership in the next couple of years will decide the future of our climate system and the fate of millions of people. The elections this Fall provide a unique window of opportunity. Never doubt that you are living in a truly historic moment and that what you do today will impact generations to come. This is it! We are called by our conscience to seize this historic moment and act. “Our generation needs a brand new vision for our future. We need to lead the world towards a just, clean energy economy that moves beyond dirty energy, creates green jobs for all, and secures our climate.” WE CAN AND WE WILL!

We can no longer afford inaction. The consequences are too great and the opportunity too promising. It’s time unleash our PowerVote
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Rally at Dominion TOMORROW!

rallyTomorrow, May 8, citizens of Southwest Virginia will deliver the Mile-Long Petition for Clean Energy opposing the proposed Wise County coal plant to Dominion Virginia Power’s Richmond headquarters.

YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND TO HELP US MAKE A STRONG SHOWING! This will be an opportunity to show the strength of our opposition to the plant, build our network of plant opponents, and highlight the issue for the media and the public. It will also be a chance to celebrate the great progress we are making in this fight!

WHAT: Rally for Clean Energy

WHEN: Thursday, May 8th at 12:30 PM

WHERE: Kanawha Plaza in Downtown Richmond (Between Canal and Eighth Sts. Midtown)

RSVP: www.chesapeakeclimate.org/may8

TRANSPORTATION: Free transportation from Southwest, Blacksburg, Charlottesville, and Northern Virginia will be provided. For details on free transportation, e-mail mike@appvoices.org or call 434-293-6373. There is also a ride board set up at http://distance.erideshare.com/, password “may8”

We will hear from speakers who envision an energy future that places the public interest over corporate special interests, including people who live with the reality of severe pollution and mountaintop removal in their communities. This celebration of our strength will also include music from gifted Virginia artists Trees on Fire and Whiskey Rebellion. Religious leaders who have joined the fight against the plant will speak to the moral imperative that our policies reflect caring for the earth and its inhabitants. You should consider bringing sun protection, drinking water, and a blanket.

Ride a Bike from NYC to DC, Stop Global Warming – ClimateRide.org

CCAN Members and all those who want action on global warming: Announcing the first ever multi-day supported bike tour to raise money and awareness to stop global warming.

From September 20th to 24th, Climate Riders will bike from NYC to DC. Along the way, expert speakers will address the group, and the ride will finish with a lobbying effort in the capital. This is a unique event — a fund raiser and a climate conference on wheels.

Check out www.climateride.org for more info, or send an email to info@climateride.org. And yes, if you register, you will get a biking jersey with the above logo on it.

While we admit that the funds raised will not go to CCAN, they will go to two organizations taking the lead in global warming action and education: Focus the Nation and Clean Air – Cool Planet. Thanks to CCAN for letting us post here, and hopefully we will see some of your members pedaling with us. It will be an event you never forget.

Connecticut gets my boyfriend

boyfriendConnecticut became a leader today when their legislature passed a GWSA-type bill, creating mandatory caps on Connecticut’s global warming pollution. The bill was passed unanimously, 35-0 in the senate today and is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell. It would require pollution cuts to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below 2001 levels by 2050.

Connecticut joins New Jersey, California and Hawaii in passing a bill that requires mandatory greenhouse gas emission reductions, similar to Maryland’s Global Warming Solutions Act. These states are creating the patchwork effect that will put pressure on the national leaders to pass a similar bill.

We’re all congratulating Connecticut’s victory here, if it’s a little bitter from our own loss this year. It’s like watching your friend walk arm and arm with the guy you’ve been dreaming about. I’m sure it’s going to be dreamy and romantic watching Connecticut’s green economy booming. I’m sure the thrill of wind turbines and solar panels will be great, for them. I’m just going to sit here at home and watch re-runs of HGTV’s Green Home. I’ll be fine!

carrotmob – a new way of organizing

Check out this awesome video from Carrotmob, a group who’s starting up a new way of organizing to promote clean energy in business practices. Basically, what they do is organize consumers to make purchases that give financial rewards to those companies who agree to make environmentally friendly choices. It’s the anti-boycott: using the power of spending to promote an idea. What do you think?

Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

Saying goodbye to CCAN

josh

Dear partners and friends,

After three and a half years of amazing climate action, I have decided to leave Chesapeake Climate Action Network. May 16th will be my last day. This has truly been one of the best experiences of my life, and by far my most gratifying work environment. I have worked on amazing legislation, run exciting campaigns fighting coal in Virginia or rallying for healthy air in Maryland. I’ve hung out with Senators, got my picture taken with the Governor, even attended the United Nations. But the best experience by far has been working with all of our amazing volunteers. CCAN is only as strong as its base of people. And by that record, we have all made CCAN a powerhouse.

And yet… after all of this work, I am eager to explore new opportunities. Since before I came to CCAN, I have been drawn to electoral politics, and I have decided to leave to pursue work around the upcoming elections. As any of you who I work with know, I love the good fight, and I’m excited to get my hands wet fighting to elect more strong climate leaders. Continue reading

So long, and thanks for all the fish

paulDear CCANers,

As many of you have heard, I will be leaving CCAN on May 16th to pursue new opportunities. The last year and a half that I have spent with this organization has been one of the most thrilling and challenging times of my life. I was given the opportunity to spend time doing what I loved to do, working with people to fight global warming. I was fortunate enough to have worked in both the Maryland and Virginia campaigns, getting to meet people all over the region that shared my views and passion.

It has been a great joy for me to work with the CCAN staff, the amazing volunteers, and fight global warming at the grassroots level. I will never forget my time here, and the beautiful relationships that I have forged.

Thank you for everything you do.

Paul

8 tornadoes in VA – signs of global warming?

tornadoesEight tornadoes blew through Virginia on April 28, leaving 145 families homeless and 200 injured. The Washington Post reported that cost estimates could top more than $21 million. See a moving picture gallery of the tornado here>>

The storm, despite the fact that it was confined to a few neighborhoods, put the city at a standstill. The most severe tornado ran along a 10 mile path that reached a quarter mile wide, demolishing houses, stacking cars on top of another and literally stripping the roof off a shopping center. Families were denied entrance to their homes as the rain damaged what was left of their belongings. This was a sudden and astonishing tragedy that, though it took no lives, will take considerable effort to recover from.

One of the tornadoes, in Suffolk, was rated “Severe” intensity. There have only been 9 other tornadoes of this intensity in this region since 1966, 42 years. 2008 has already set early tornado season records. 232 tornadoes were reported in the US in February, beating a previous record set in 1972 at 83.

Tragedies like this force us to ask ourselves what could have been done to prevent the damages this stormed caused and are we prepared to deal with future extreme weather events? These are difficult questions to consider, but we may have to consider them more if global warming continues unabated. A recent study by the NASA Goddard Institute shows that our area can expect stronger wind events because of a warming climate. “In the warmer climate simulation there is a small class of the most extreme storms with both strong updrafts and strong horizontal winds at higher levels that occur more often, and thus the model suggests that the most violent severe storms and tornadoes may become more common with warming.” Continue reading