New Marching Orders from Senator Cardin: Get More Letters!

To paraphrase a great speechifier: If there is anyone out there who still doubts whether a little teamwork makes all things possible; who still wonders if our collective democratic actions truly influence our elected officials; who still questions the power of grassroots climate activism, today’s letter drop to Ben Cardin was your answer.

Today we dropped by Capitol Hill for our second big delivery of letters to Senator Cardin. Our first delivery of 250 handwritten letters a few weeks back clearly earned us the Senator’s respect, because today the Senator dispatched none other than his top legislative adviser, Michael Burke to receive our latest batch of 260 letters. Letter team leaders Ellen McGovern (Silver Spring), Susan Stewart (Greenbelt) and Sunita Pathik (Burtonsville) headed up the delivery ceremony as immortalized in the picture below.

Mission accomplished; a job well done. But the best moment was yet to come. Continue reading

How to Get a Strong Senate Climate Bill, Part 4: Party!

The passage of the Waxman-Markey bill in June may not be reason to celebrate but it is certainly reason to party. That’s because we’re going to have to fight hard to get a strong bill from the Senate in the coming months and partying is actually one of the best ways to prepare ourselves for that fight.

With everything we’re up against including a coal lobby that forges letters to our congressional leaders, we need to do everything we can this August to strengthen our movement for the fight ahead. That means taking actions like our campaign to collect 1000 handwritten letters to Cardin, but it also means building our community, connecting with one another, having fun.

In other words, we need to have some parties. Climate community mixers are just as critical to growing our movement as the actions we take, and as with our actions, the success of our parties depends upon you.

Please volunteer today to host a climate house party this month. Hosting is really simple; all you need to contribute is a space for a few dozen local climate activists to meet, mingle and have fun. CCAN will help you work out the details, spread the word, and turn out the crowd.

Contact me (keith@chesapeakeclimate.org) today to register to host an house party. You won’t find a funner way to help our movement this summer. Once you’ve registered, I’ll give you a ring to help get the party started. Sign up now and help us make this an eventful August.

No prize for me but Sen. Cardin sure deserves one

As you know we have put out the call to get Letters to the Editor submitted in Maryland. And you answered that call! Last week CCAN volunteers submitted four LTEs, so as an act of solidarity I submitted my own to the Washington Post. To be honest they haven’t gotten back to me about printing it…because they are probably considering me for a Pulitzer and don’t want to spring it on me too quickly. So, while I wait on my prize I will publish my LTE here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

To the Editor:

Kari Lydersen’s piece about the important bill introduced by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) to prevent mountaintop removal mining [Miners Boycott Tenn. Over Alexander’s Bill, July 26] was missing a key explanation. Why would a Senator from Maryland

Don't put climate on back burner

The Baltimore Sun

By Mike Tidwell

President Barack Obama may have made history last November, but he seems deaf to history’s loudest call right now. The president clearly believes that health care reform, above all else, will define his early presidency. But even if Mr. Obama scores total success on health care, few future Americans will care or remember as long as the Earth’s ailing atmosphere goes untreated.

Continue reading

Chalk Point Plant Sued For "Major and Ongoing Violations" of Federal Anti-Pollution Laws

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network and three Maryland residents have filed a federal lawsuit against Mirant Chalk Point, LLC, the operator of the coal-fired power plant located on the Patuxent River at Swanson Creek in Prince George’s County in the Washington, D.C. area, and its parent company, Atlanta-based Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC. The complaint alleges hundreds of violations of the Clean Air Act related to the plant’s combustion of residual fuel oil without the required pollution control equipment. Continue reading

A "warm and fuzzy zealot"

CCAN’s first annual MD Climate Champions Awards Ceremony was a resounding success. The highlight of the night may have been when House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, upon receiving his award, thanked CCAN Director Mike Tidwell by jokingly describing him as a “warm and fuzzy zealot.” Nearly 200 people turned out on a rainy Tuesday to eat, drink, celebrate Maryland’s many clean energy victories, and honor those who made those victories possible.

Betsy Taylor, 1SkyBetsy Taylor received the first award. Betsy has dedicated her remarkable career to promoting social justice and environmental stewardship. She founded and served as director of The Center for a New American Dream. In 2007 she founded and now serves on the board of 1Sky. She’s also an author and has worked with a wide range of philanthropies to guide resources to good causes, especially climate protection.

Jennifer Stanley of the Town Creek FoundationJennifer Stanley accepted the next award on behalf of both her and her husband, Ted. The Stanleys have for many years been leading supporters of environmental protection – including strong action on climate change – through their philanthropy. Their foundation, the Town Creek Foundation located in Easton, Maryland, funds much of CCAN’s work, including Earthbeat Radio.

George Leventhal came next. As a Mongtomery County Councilmember, George has achieved many clean energy successes in the past six years. He pioneered the campaign to switch county Mike thanks George Leventhalgovernment buildings

Small-Business Leaders, Local Residents Lead Green Jobs Tour

Local small-business owners and residents of Prince George’s County hosted a tour of area clean energy businesses today to drive home the point that investment in a clean energy economy will have quick economic benefits and create jobs here at home. Speakers pointed to the massive potential for expansion of these businesses and further job creation, and encouraged Congresswoman Edwards and House Majority Leader Hoyer to continue efforts to pass a strong clean energy jobs bill. In the past month, over 15,000 small business leaders have signed a pledge to support a clean energy economy. Continue reading