Comments on: The Road to Copenhagen Goes Through the American Midwest

By: Carter

Carter — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:08:45 +0000

Great post Richard. While the government and business power brokers joust and stall for whatever reasons, the real power still resides in the people. If we can stir a true grass-roots effort to motivate ordinary folks across the country to begin making incremental solar conversions to there homes we can make a huge contribution to a cleaner and safer environment and world.

By: The Story of One Photo Shows How the World Has Changed « It’s Getting Hot In Here

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:41:43 +0000

[...] ‘realities’ that will force compromising on Capitol Hill. You can read a bit about it, here. Robert and I printed out the photo, met with Yvo and told him, “We may have put on suits, [...]

By: The Story of One Photo - Why Photographers Matter to a Movement « Fired Up Media

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:15:16 +0000

By: Madeline

Madeline — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:27:46 +0000

Nice More on ARISE in a couple weeks…

By: An Open Invitiation: Come to the Midwest « bemusing musings

An Open Invitiation: Come to the Midwest « bemusing musings — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:35:10 +0000

[...] gain but also much to potentially lose in the transition to a new economy. As my friend Richard wrote, the Midwest is even crucial to global climate [...]

By: joelfrominwood

joelfrominwood — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:33:21 +0000

Major thanks Richard. Given the current geographic alignment of who’s dead-committed to climate action and who’s dead-committed against, I think you’re absolutely right that the Midwest is a region ripe for serious citizen action. I go to Oberlin college in Ohio, I’ve seen some of the depressed areas in Lorain and Cleveland, and I imagine it’s a similar story in Detroit and elsewhere. It’s definitely up to students to take the green jobs message as far as it will go and make it clear to our regional leaders that green manufacturing is THE way to go for regional prosperity, the way to go if we want to avoid more freak floods and bring back the jobs and security. Obama did well in the Midwest, I think the ground is prepared for a serious grassroots effort that could turn much of the tide if we work hard enough at it. I’m hoping to stay in the Midwest after I graduate, and I encourage other young, energetic climate activists to consider doing the same. As one person said at the Ohio breakout session at Power Shift- New York and California have plenty of activists, we’re definitely most needed here in the Midwest, building grassroots support for a green jobs agenda.

By: Aaron French

Aaron French — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:18:31 +0000

Thanks for a great post Richard. Being from a Midwestern state I can definitely empathize with the frustration that these unfortunate roadblocks, put up by Midwestern congresspeople, keep coming up. However, there is power in the Midwest. When myself and the 8 other Nebraskans sat down at PowerShift- we couldn’t contain ourselves! The energy in our little circle was contagious and we took that to our meetings with congresspeople and saw them actually notice us and our power. The progressive values that have so long been isolated on the coasts seem to be seeping into the Great Plains region, mixing with the hard working and compassionate core Nebraskan values. Midwest rising!