Climate and Political Tipping Points

There’s a famous quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” However, according to Wikipedia, it may be that this concept was first expressed by a U.S. labor leader, Nicholas Klein of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, in 1914.

According to a report of the union’s convention that year, Klein said, “And, my friends, in this story you have a history of this entire movement. First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you. And that is what is going to happen to the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.”

I thought of this insightful and concise set of observations recently in connection with the statements by various members of the 21st century equivalent of the Flat Earth Society about the mid-Atlantic snow storms of February 5-10. I’m referring to people like James Inhofe, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. Their ignorant statements are the latest in a series of efforts by the coal industry, oil companies, their public spokespeople and the climate change deniers Continue reading

Got Extreme Weather?

I’ve lived in DC on and off for nearly 30 years and have never experienced snow like this. Which is not surprising given that DC hasn’t had snow like this since 1899.

All this extreme weather’s got people talking…

ClimateProgress.org ran an article Monday featuring Dr. Jeff Masters, one of America’s best meteorologists.

According to the National Climatic Data Center, the expected return period in the Washington D.C./Baltimore region for snowstorms with more than 16 inches of snow is about once every 25 years. This one-two punch of two major Nor’easters in one winter with 16+ inches of snow is unprecedented in the historical record for the region, which goes back to the late 1800s.

Read the rest of the essay — with stunning data — here.

It’s simple: A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. So extreme precipitation events are increasing across the United States — including extreme snow storms — even as temperatures rise.

The National Wildlife Federation issued a very well timed report in January explaining just that. While climate change is expected to bring shorter, milder winters overall, some U.S. areas will have more intense snows, they found. NWF’s resident climate scientist lays in out well in this video.

Reuters covered the NWF report and the Union of Concerned Scientists chimed in as well. And then today the New York Times ran this front page story.

Leave a comment below and let us know what do you think. Then watch this amazing video:

Webb's Crucial Role

The enormous cap-and-trade bill is stalled in Congress but global warming and extreme weather continue to accelerate.

Luckily, there is an alternative that’s preferable to the loophole-laden, cap-and-trade legislation that passed the House of Representatives. And Virginia Senator Jim Webb could play a crucial role in passing this cap and “dividend” bill in the spring.

He needs to hear from you today!

Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) recently introduced the “Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal (CLEAR) Act,” which takes a different approach to reducing global warming pollution. Under the CLEAR Act, all carbon polluters must pay to emit carbon, there are no complicating offsets, and most of the revenue raised is returned in equal monthly payments to every legal U.S. resident.

The Economist called it “a refreshing dose of honesty” and the Washington Post editorial board agrees. To learn more, watch a short video where I explain this bold and refreshing new perspective on how to cap carbon emissions in the United States.

Senator Jim Webb has been sharply critical of the House-passed bill and has indicated interest in this different approach. So far, though, he has not signed on to the CLEAR Act. It’s time for some clear answers from Senator Webb!

Email Senator Webb today!

The Cantwell-Collins bill is our best shot at comprehensive climate legislation and Webb’s co-sponsorship would help immensely.

Stand with Ted

You may have heard that our very own Ted Glick is going on trial on February 24th in D.C. Superior Court for hanging a “Get to Work; Green Jobs Now” banner in the Hart Senate Office Building the day the Senate returned from its summer recess. The prosecution has said it wants to make an example of him and send him to jail for at least 30 days, possibly more, for this deed. If you want to support him and the cause by coming to the trial, you can sign up here.

Student Response to the State of the Union

This blog was written by Caroline Selle, a student at St Mary’s College of Maryland

I just read the transcript of the State of the Union Address and don’t really know what to say. So here goes.

I’m running on empty. I’m exhausted. School plus my job plus the all of the environmental organizations I’m involved with equals something that’s probably not sustainable. But I’m going to keep working. Along with all of the rest of you amazing people, I’m going to keep making sure that my voice is heard.

Some (okay, many) of the things in the President’s address were disappointing. Coal and nuclear will never be clean sources of energy. But the fact that the President spoke about clean energy at all gives me hope. In his own words, he called for, “a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.”

I’m going to go ahead and call that one a success.

The White House is listening. We knew that before this speech, when they set up a meeting with youth environmentalists, three Cabinet secretaries and the head of the EPA. We knew that when Obama finally decided to go to Copenhagen. And know we now because the President addressed the nation on the issue of climate change.

The President is listening, so let’s keep getting louder. Let’s call for a clean energy revolution. Let’s build coalitions within our communities. Let’s work from the ground up to “Define Our Decade” and each ask our leaders to “Show Me Democracy.” Let’s reach out to each other. Let’s be an all inclusive movement, because the issues we’re facing don’t discriminate. Our President responded to our asks, so let’s keep asking.

I was exhausted before; I’m energized now. And I know that I’m going to keep working. I’m going to keep protesting and calling and petitioning and organizing and inviting and recruiting. Because now I am certain that my voice is being heard.

Who’s with me? Let’s start a non-violent, all inclusive clean energy revolution. We know we have power. The last election had the largest youth voter turnout, ever. (And ever is a pretty long time). Our government is listening, and we need to tell them what we want.

Let’s call for clean energy. Now.

No Jobs but Yes to coal??

Last night the Dendron town council moved forward on permitting the Cypress Creek coal-fired power plant. Can’t say they really voted for it since the 3 council members against the plant abstained from voting. The Mayor decided that this was still considered a tie vote and cast the deciding vote in favor of re-zoning the land. Legal experts feel that this highly unusual so we shall see what happens on that front.

During that meeting, an economic analysis was publicly released for the first time. The analysis estimates that during the height of construction, only 3 Dendron residents would be employed to build the plant and only 14% of those temporary construction jobs would go to Surry County residents. Even fewer locals would be permanently employed if the plant is built due to the highly specific skills required for the jobs needed. You have to wonder how half of the Town Council and the Mayor could still vote in favor of such a destructive project with so few jobs coming to the local community.

Nevertheless, coal plant opponents are winning. You may be scratching your head wondering how I came to that conclusion, so let me tell you. ODEC submitted its applications for this project to DEQ in December 2008. A year and 3 months later they are just now getting the local permits so that that application can begin moving forward. What should have been the easiest part of this lengthy process for them took over a year. ODEC should be wondering if this is how long the EASIEST part is going to take, how long will the more in-depth applications take? Only time will tell, but we will be there along with thousands of other Virginians to stop this plant in its tracks. They may have won this battle but we prolonged it and we WILL win the war!

Maryland News: A compromise and a step forward

First the good news: Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. just announced that it is testing the waters of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle charging stations in anticipation of the cars hitting Greater Baltimore streets later this year.

There’s no doubt that cars with cords are coming. According to Wired, most of the major automakers are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the development of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, and at least two of them

National Day of Action Against Coal Ash

This is cross-posted from Sierra Club’s Blog

This is the weekly post from Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign.

Today, Jan 28th, Sierra Club and our allies at Earthjustice, Environmental Integrity Project, NRDC and grassroots groups across the country are participating in a national day of action to urge the Obama Administration to move forward with strong, federally enforceable rules to regulate coal ash disposal.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on proposed rules to ensure the safe disposal of coal ash