After watching three presidential debates in which climate change was mentioned a grand total of zero times, Richmond area CCANers struck with our well-known banner at today’s big swing-state candidate appearance in sunny Byrd Park!
Virginia Students Pledge to for a Clean Energy Future
Just days after the second Presidential debate, Barack Obama returned to Virginia today to rally his supporters in the last few weeks before the big day. While thousands of students, community members, and families lined the streets of George Mason University to show their support for the President, I was pleasantly surprised to find that one thing was on a lot of people’s minds: climate change. And they weren’t happy about it.
Celebrating 10 Years/Recharging for Many More
It was 10 years ago, in 2002, that CCAN began when Mike Tidwell decided to change his life. Moved by his growing appreciation for the seriousness of the climate crisis, he stopped being a book author and journalist and, instead, began devoting his time, energy, passion and skills to the cause of slowing and stopping global warming.
On September 29th, during a wonderful CCAN picnic on a wonderful fall day in Rock Creek Park, Mike talked to the 100 or so people present about the changes we have helped to bring about over those 10 years, among them:
Travelers Insurance: Extreme Weather Has Come to Main Street
I want the major candidates – Obama, Romney, Kaine, Allen – to explain my homeowners insurance mailing last month. Travelers – that friendly red umbrella company – sent me a terrifying color flier with my bill. It depicted an all-American home (two stories, garage) with ominous storm clouds bearing down on it and a full-blown tornado roaring toward a direct strike. Millions of customers like me got this you-could-be-Dorothy-in-Kansas-soon image under this headline: “How the Property Insurance Marketplace is Evolving.”
Evolving? How? Well, next to the twister about to hit the house, Travelers lists some raw stats on the flier: Federal natural disaster declarations set a record in 2011. Thunderstorms alone cost $25 billion, doubling the previous annual mark. And winter storm losses have almost doubled since the 1980s.
Standing up to Dominion's Rip-Off, in October and beyond
What could have prepared Dominion executives for the tremendous showing of customer outrage and dissatisfaction unleashed the week of October 1st! Without our dedicated climate warriors who participated and supported the Week of Action, Dominion would continue to quietly, and legally, get away with setting up a $76 million bonus for themselves while playing keep-away with Virginia’s clean energy future. Since the Week of Action, the clean air advocates and climate protectors of Virginia got control of the ball, and for a change Dominion representatives have had to respond to some hard questions from reporters.
The Stand Up to Dominion Week of Action was so successful because of the participation of clean energy supporters from all around Virginia, and it was especially uplifting to have everyone sharing their reasons for taking action.
Day 5: The story of #76million and our activism gets out
A sinking feeling usually creeps into my gut on the eve of a big new action or media event. Organizers have put in hours of phone calls, emails and logistics-scrambling to turn out dozens or more activists. Activists are taking time off work and traveling for an hour or more to take part. But have I, as “the communications person” done all I can? Will that critical reporter show up? Will the story of the hour (or week) get told in the end?
By Monday afternoon this week, I was breathing a big sigh of relief. That’s because, in the case of our week-long action to Stand Up to Dominion’s $76 Million Rip-Off and demand Virginia-made solar and wind power, the story is indeed making its way into newspaper front pages and radio airwaves. This week, Dominion has not only faced picketers on its doorstep every day at noon, but also been forced to answer questions from journalists about how it can justify a $76 million bonus in the name of renewable energy while bringing absolutely zero solar or wind power online in Virginia.
Read on for a round-up of some of the best news coverage from the week.
“It's time to stop lighting things on fire” – The MD Energy Forum
This post was written by Emily Saari, an organizer with CCAN
Over 75 friends and neighbors from Frederick, Poolesville, and the surrounding areas came together Wednesday night to discuss the future of energy production in their communities. They were joined by expert panelists Paul Roberts (Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative Advisory Commission), Eric Shaeffer (Environmental Integrity Project), Dan Andrews (Sierra Club – Catoctin Group), and Mike Tidwell (CCAN). A member of Frederick County’s Board of Commissioners was also in attendance, Commissioner Paul Smith. A representative of John Delaney’s campaign for Congress also gave a short position statement.
Day 4: residents of Hampton Roads join action at Dominion!
What an excellent fourth day of the Week of Action at Dominion! Several Hampton Roads residents came out today, from as far as Chesapeake and Norfolk, Hampton and Newport News, to help shine a spotlight on Dominion’s $76 Million Rip-Off and all the consequences that the company’s continued dependence on eastern Virginia, including driving climate change and sea level rise. Check out the picture below of our mock-submerged Virginia landmarks, the Tangier Island water tower and the Neptune Statue, among the icons of Virginia at risk due to climate change.
A $76 million bonus for business as usual?
Richmond Times-Dispatch
By Beth Kemler
Picture this. You tell your mechanic that your car needs a new steering wheel. The car runs OK but this critical piece of equipment is broken. In turn, the mechanic hems and haws — a brand new steering wheel might be challenging to find. So you offer him a bonus — you’ll pay triple his normal rate to find the wheel you want. You sign the contract with the bonus included and shake hands. A week later, you come back and pay your bill only to discover that, instead of installing a new steering wheel, he slapped a new coat of paint on your old one. Turns out the contract you signed said that any part with paint applied in the current year counts as “new.”
Virginians face a similar quandary when it comes to the state’s electric utilities and renewable energy.
Continue reading
Day 2 of the #76Million week of action a success!
For the second day of the week-long action to Stand Up to Dominion’s $76 Million Rip-Off, we drew attention to the extreme weather Virginians are facing – worsened by our planet’s rising temperatures – while Dominion drags its feet on Virginia-made renewable energy. Undeterred by the threat of thunderstorms, supporters turned out to picket outside Dominion’s office and call for the company to earn the $76 million bonus it is receiving in the name of renewable energy.
