The Power of the People, Organized

 

On Monday, October 31, speaking about a possible permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, President Obama’s press secretary Jay Carney told the press that “this is a decision that will be made by the State Department.” On Tuesday, November 1, speaking during an interview at the White House with a reporter from Omaha, Nebraska-based TV station KETV, President Obama himself said that he will be making the decision. What has gotten into the President? Are we seeing the reappearance of the person who campaigned in 2008 as a strong proponent of action to “end the tyranny of oil” and address climate change?

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November 6: More Than Just the Climate Movement?

November 6 at the White House is a big day and an important place. That afternoon, one year before the 2012 elections, thousands of people from around the country will be doing something that has never been done before. We will be surrounding the White House, a mile or more in circumference, in a Circle of Hope. Many thousands of climate, environmental and environmental justice activists will be there on November 6. What about activists from the broader progressive movement? I know that there will be some from the Occupy movement, which is very important. As a primarily young people’s movement, it is young people, as well as low-income, Indigenous and other people of color, who will be most impacted as our earth gets hotter and hotter. Beyond that I wonder. And I wonder based on seven years of attempting to spread the word about the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for more people to speak up and take action on it NOW. Continue reading

Obama's Richmond Visit: CCANers say No KXL Pipeline!

Today, President Obama’s bus tour stopped at a fire station south of Richmond, and CCAN was there to remind him that he can stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Our volunteers braved swarming crowds, traffic, police tape, and inclement weather to make sure he got our message.

As the bus drove by us, we saw the President looking out  the many signs in the crowd, and I’m excited to report that he and his staff saw our banner! The banner we used has been traveling the country helping local organizers to hold the President accountable on today’s most important climate issue, and is now on its way to Cleveland for a midwest tar sands action! Richmond CCANers are proud of our solidarity with tar sands activists around the country.

U.S. Energy Policy is Reversing 50 Years of Peace Corps Progress

The U.S. Peace Corps marked its 50th anniversary in late September with festivities all across the nation’s capital. Former employees like Bill Moyers and Chris Matthews hosted elegant parties as the storied agency took a celebratory bow.

And with good reason. Founded by John F. Kennedy in the idealistic sixties, the Peace Corps has lived on to send more than 200,000 Americans overseas to help feed, clothe, and better educate the poorest of the poor in 139 countries.

But as a former Peace Corps volunteer myself, having lived in a mud-hut village for two years in the Congo, I find it hard to celebrate right now. That’s because our current charismatic and youthful president – Barack Obama – is threatening to undo much of the good work achieved by the Peace Corps over the past half century.

It’s not widely appreciated, but here’s the undeniable fact: Energy policies embraced by the Obama White House are bringing direct harm to every poor village on the face of the planet, from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to the rainforests of South America to the arid plains of Obama’s own ancestral Kenya. And the biggest threat of all is yet to come. It’s an international “tar sands oil pipeline” from Canada to America which, if approved by the Obama Administration, will affect all nations, but especially the impoverished of the world.

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Tar Sands Action: My arrest story

It’s taken me a little bit to process the Tar Sands Action. Ok I’ve been busy. But I wanted to share my arrest story with fellow Power Shifters, especially leading up to the big October 7th action. We are still fighting.

I never thought I’d get arrested. I’m committed 100% to this cause and plan to work on these issues for the rest of my life. But I wasn’t convinced this was my role until the action began and I realized that this one felt different.

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Donate

donate

There has never been a better time to support a hard-hitting, results-oriented group like CCAN. Giving to CCAN is spending your money wisely. Your donation goes directly to our on-the-ground organizing work—not expensive overhead expenses like fancy office space or full-color membership magazines.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is a 501(c)3 organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Find more information below about how to give.

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Ways to Give

Make a monthly contribution

An important core of CCAN supporters are part of our monthly giving program, which provides us with a reliable source of income. Your monthly contribution of $10 of more will provide CCAN with the stability to maintain our fight for a clean energy future. Please make a monthly pledge today.

Federal government employee gifts

Federal government employees can give to CCAN through the Combined Federal Campaign. Our CFC number is 19037.

Tribute gifts

Tribute donations can be given to CCAN “in honor of” an individual on a special occasion, such as a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or other milestone. Tribute donations can be made here through our secure server or by mailing a check directly to CCAN with an explanatory note, including the name and address of the person being honored or memorialized.

Planned or estate gifts

Planned gifts offer a variety of options for supporting CCAN and, in most cases, provide income and tax advantages to you and/or your heir. These include estate/will bequests, life income gifts (charitable gifts annuities), insurance and retirement benefits, stocks or bonds, and so forth. For more information about these and related planned giving programs, please talk with your estate or financial planning advisor. If you have already included CCAN in your planned giving efforts, please contact membership@chesapeakeclimate.org.

Wedding registry gifts

From honeymoons to invitations to wedding gifts to charitable wedding favors, the I Do Foundation allows couples and their guests to make wedding-related purchases that generate donations for charity. The I Do Foundation’s Charity Registry service also makes it easy for guests to make donations in lieu of gifts. All of these services are available free of cost at www.IDoFoundation.org. Please choose CCAN as your charity of choice.

Employer-matched gifts

You can double or triple the value of your donation to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network if you are employed by one of the area companies (or their divisions, subsidiaries or affiliates) listed below. Many employers will match contributions of spouses, directors or retirees as well as those of employees. Contact your Human Resources Department for more information and the necessary forms.
How:
1. Find your employer’s name in the following list. If your company isn’t listed, please check with your HR department regarding matching gifts.
2. Fill out your portion of the matching gift form provided by your human resources office.
3. Send completed form with your donation to CCAN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Fannie Mae and the Fannie Mae Foundation
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Gap Inc.
Hewlett-Packard Co.
International Business Machines Corp.
LEXIS-NEXIS
McDonald’s Corp
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.
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Verizon Corp
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Writings

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{module Books}

{tab=Essays}

{module Essays}

{tab=Letters from the Director}

{module Letters from the Director}

{/tabs}