It’s Getting Hot In Here

The most common question I’ve been asked since returning to Halifax from the Bonn climate talks, which ended last Friday, is, “What was the most inspirational thing that happened?”

The United Kingdom’s emissions are dropping year by year. China has committed $600 billion into green technology. There were 100 passionate young people present, ensuring the presence of another generation was seen and heard. The United States is fully participating at the negotiating table. Rich and polluting countries support the science that a 25 to 40% emission cut below 1990 levels by 2020 is completely necessary, and that we may need to go even farther.

Inspirational notes aside, the resounding feeling coming away from the talks, is the deep rumbling craving for one simple attribute: Ambition.

Don’t get me wrong, the Bonn climate talks certainly moved forwards – like how my little sister moves forwards out of bed to the kitchen for breakfast at 6am. I want the negotiators to rush to their United Nations meeting desks with an ambitious level of tenacity, focus, and recognition of opportunity – because, the climate knows, we need it.

What is it that is missing? How can a driving desire for success be created? Is there a deeper level of emotion that needs unearthing? Do governments crave praise? Support? Love? Good will? Public demand? Is there more incentive needed?  I’ve adopted Canada’s negotiators. And I’m fiercely concerned about our country’s position based on the past 2 weeks.

Here’s why: Continue reading ‘Canada Bonn Climate Talks Wrap-Up’ here…

Cross-posted from: HERE

I have an op-ed out today about how the Waxman-Markey bill is being misrepresented, and despite its flaws we should still support it, and push for strengthening. Sources at the end. By the way, this doesn’t mean I’m not at direct actions protesting what I find objectionable.

The environment: Don’t hate, legislate

MATT DERNOGA

Issue date: 6/18/09

There are multiple perspectives being offered on a federal climate change bill called the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The bill’s authors, Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, laud the bill as strong and tough on coal. The environmental camp is split into those who feel passing this bill is better than passing nothing, and those who think the bill is so weak it should fail. The bill’s opponents think it will bring about economic Armageddon.

For the record, I’d like to see a bill that slashes greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, sells 100 percent of all its “permits to pollute” to industry for a steep price, has zero offsets, prevents construction of all new coal-fired power plants and invests $50 billion a year in clean energy. I’m feeling like Alex Rodriguez in the playoffs: 0 for 5. Continue reading ‘Column on Waxman-Markey Bill’

We need your help today or tomorrow to fight for an ethical Director for the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement.

If someone broke into your home, you would expect the law to be enforced against them, right? Unfortunately, across the US, homes and communities are being devastated by outlaw mining companies – and the agencies in charge of policing them have been asleep on the job.  It’s the job of the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement to enforce the laws governing mountaintop removal and other destructive forms of mining.  We need to outlaw mountaintop removal altogether — but as of now, regulations around mining and reclamation are barely enforced and exceptions have become the rule.

Rumor has it that Secretary Salazar is looking to appoint another director of the OSMRE with history of bowing to coal companies at the expense of communities across Pennsylvania.

If we act now, we can prevent this terrible nomination – Use this letter-writing tool or give a ring at 202-208-3100 to tell Secretary Salazar (CC: President Obama) that you are concerned about mountaintop removal and you demand an ethical new OSMRE Director who will enforce the law.

Please donate to the bail fund at:

www.mountainaction.org

14 people were arrested today at the Twilight coal mine run by Massey Energy for shutting down the massive dragline on site. As dawn broke a group of 14 people approached the dragline. As part of the group gained the attention of the operator to get him to shut down the machine, a 4 person climb team ascended the 200 foot boom.

Suspended hundreds of feet in the air the climbers began to unfurl an enourmous banner reading, “Stop Mountaintop Removal”. On the ground the rest of the team was ensuring the safety of the climbers and everyone on site as well as unfurling other banners. After about an hour police came in and arrested those on the ground.

The climbers managed to hang on for another couple hours until workers climbed the draglines boom and began to threaten the safety of the climbers by approaching their climb gear. At this point the climbers decided to come down rather than risk their lives at the hands of aggressive workers. Continue reading ’14 arrested for shutting down massive dragline on MTR site in West Virginia’

'The struggle of the Amazonians is for all Peruvians'

On June 5, 2009 I was vacationing in Cuzco, Peru awaiting the start of my 5 day hike to Machu Picchu, when I stumbled upon a protest in a small square.  It was an impromptu gathering of people allied with indigenous people in the Amazon region who are resisting the privatization of the rainforest for oil and gas development.  The effects of rainforest destruction and the use of oil on our climate are well documented.  Instead, I’d like to look at why the rainforest is being sold to private companies and its effect on the indigenous people who have lived there for generations.

Why is the rainforest being sold off by the Peruvian government?  It all comes back to the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement, which requires the government to allow oil and gas development by multi-national corporations.  The protesters I met were demanding that the law granting oil and gas concessions on the indigenous people’s communally held be land permanently repealed.

The small protest is Cuzco wasn’t the only thing going in on Peru.  In Lima thousands of people took to the streets demanding the law be repealed.  Indigenous people have been blockading the roads that the oil company uses for the past two and half months.  As a result, the Amazon region has experienced a shortage of cooking gas and food prices are on the rise.  On June 5^th the Peruvian President Garcia decided he had enough and moved to clear roads.  The communities were armed with sticks and lances; the police with guns, helicopters, shields, and gases. Police attacked the blockaders, killing hundreds of indigenous protesters (according to witnesses, the government reports put it at only 30) and in the process about a dozen police were captured or killed.

In the following days a curfew was imposed and witnesses reported seeing the police dump bodies into the river in the middle of the night.  I’m sure when you read this you’ll think, like I did, that these are the kind of things that happened in the 70s and 80s, but not today.  It crazy, but it’s true, even in 2009 there are governments that, in the name of defending free trade, are throwing protesters’ bodies into the river.  Violence is continuously perpetrated in the name of Free Trade, here in Peru against the indigenous in the Amazon, in Guatemala against banana workers, or in Colombia against union members. Continue reading ‘Free Trade, Violence & the Destruction of the Amazon’

Please spread far and wide… (http://www.350.org/video)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New analysis demonstrates how America can create 1.7 million jobs and opportunities for low-income families

Washington (June 18, 2009) – As clean energy and climate legislation moves through Congress, new data show that a $150 billion investment in clean energy could create a net increase of 1.7 million American jobs and significantly lower the national unemployment rate. According to the analysis, shifting to a clean-energy economy will help millions of low-income Americans by creating more accessible job opportunities ─ with the potential for advancement ─ and by lowering utility bills and transportation costs.

Two complementary reports ─ prepared by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PERI), Center for American Progress (CAP), Green For All, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ─ outline how investment in a clean-energy economy will produce significant economic and job creation benefits. These include the generation of roughly three times more jobs than would be generated by the same investment in the existing fossil fuel infrastructure.

Continue reading ‘REPORT: Clean-Energy Investment Provides Economic Boost, More Jobs, and Expanded Opportunities’

COAL RIVER VALLEY, W. VA.—Moments ago, four concerned citizens entered onto Massey Energy’s mountaintop removal mine site near Twilight WV and have begun to scale a 150-foot dragline machine to drop a banner that says, ‘stop mountaintop removal mining.’ The climbers plan to stay on the enormous dragline, a massive piece of equipment that removes house-sized chunks of blasted rock and earth to expose coal, until police arrest them. Equipped with satellites phones and a web camera, the climbers will be available for interviews.

This is the first time a dragline has been scaled on a mountaintop removal site, and marks the latest in a string of increasingly dramatic protests in West Virginia by residents and allies from across the country. This act of protest against mountaintop removal comes just days after the Obama Administration announced a plan to reform, but not abolish, the aggressive strip mining practice.

more updates and photo/video coming later today.  stay posted at www.mountainaction.org and on www.twitter.com/mtnaction

On June 23rd Dr. James Hansen, a leading climate scientists and environmental hero, will join community members in Coal

River Valley, West Virginia to launch a year of activism to end mountaintop removal coal mining.  Blowing the tops off of mountain ranges to harvest dirty coal harms the people and places of Appalachia, destroys the economic potential of the Appalachian Mountains for clean energy opportunities and furthers the burning of climate killing coal.

Dr. Hansen and the people of West Virginia need you and as many friends as you can muster to come to West Virginia on June 23rd to help build the wave of activism needed to stop mountaintop removal this year.

This is the year we must stop the most ecologically and culturally destructive form of strip mining on earth.

Continue reading ‘Get Arrested with James Hansen to stop MTR!’

The Student Environmental Action Coalition is hosting a summer training camp at the Epworth Retreat Center in upstate New York sith July 26 – August 1. Take time this summer to increase your skills and sharpen your tools to be a more effective organizer on your campus!

As this generation continues to build our power through the Energy Action Coalition and the many groups SEAC partners with, SEACs grassroots, state, and national networks will be integral to a sustainable movement. Headwaters will empower you with the tools to organize your fellow youth for social and environmental justice!

Workshops include, but are not limited to:
- Uprooting environmental racism and injustice
- Campaign planning
- Power mapping
- Nonviolent direct action in social movements
- Anti-oppression and collective liberation
- Fundraising (grassroots and grant writing)
- Local food systems
- Media, including web 2.0 organizing
- Permaculture & sustainable design
- Leadership development.

Part of the week will be open for SEACers to self-organize workshops, projects, screen printing, stamp making, writing or zines. We love popular education and know that the best teachers are often our peers! Additionally, we’ll be doing a sustainability service project at the Epworth Center to leave it better than we found it.

Camping out is not required, but is encouraged. We’ll cook our own meals in the kitchens provided. SEAC is a participatory organization and those who take part in Headwaters can pitch in to help create an exciting week of learning, sharing and fun!

www.seac.org/headwaters