It's Getting Hot In Here

Check out the live stream of activists in Copenhagen and engage in the conversation.

http://powershift09.org/live

Photo by Zoë Caron

This is amazing. More than a hundred thousand demonstrators from around the world make a united stand for action in the climate negotiations going on in Copenhagen. More to come soon. Continue reading ‘The Whole World Gathers for the Largest Climate Rally in History’

Jessy Tolkan declares that if Politicians want the support and votes of the millions of young people who turned out for last summer’s historic election they need to push for strong, bold, science based legislation.

Thousands of young people across the country are gathering now to send this message. Get to one near you.

Continue reading ‘Power Shift Sweeping the Nation’

I’m loving the outrage that is already being expressed over this. Hopefully the main-stream media will finally begin to report on the dirty way the coal / oil folks are contributing to the conversation that is so important to the future of this country and the health of the world for years to come.

Check out how the folks at the DC Action factory respond über-quick to this “Naked Fraud of our Democracy”

Check out the fantastic flash “dance” mob performed by the amazing attendees of Australia Power Shift. This historic event for Australian youth was a remarkable moment when many of Australia’s largest youth organizations gathered together in Sydney to demand – and create – a power shift to renewable energy, green jobs and safe climate future.

Our issues are not National. Climate change, crumbling economies, and out-dated energy grids that rely on dirty politics are issues that effect the entire world. It is with this spirirt that we are SO excited to see so many amazing actions taking place all over the world. Last weekend’s Power Shift in Australia is a perfect example of how the whole world is standing up and making a statement. We need action now.

Check out a few of these upcoming events:

• Power Shift Canada
• Power Shift UK
• 350′s International Day of Action (already over 1000 events scheduled)
• There are talks of Power Shift Japan and India as well! Continue reading ‘Power Shift Australia and other International Actions’

Jessy Tolkan rallies the crowd on Capitol Hill as the House votes on ACES inside

As a young person, you care about global warming. You know that a clean energy economy will create millions of jobs and pathways out of poverty, reduce pollution, and save the planet. And you are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Right?

Well, Thomas L. Friedman, the popular New York Times columnist, isn’t convinced. In fact, Friedman concludes his latest column* by calling us out! He writes:

“Attention all young Americans: your climate future is being decided right now in the cloakrooms of the Capitol, where the coal lobby holds huge sway…. Play hardball or don’t play at all.”

Does Friedman have a point? Do we need to be bigger and louder?

I think the answer is yes.

We know that thousands of young people across this country are working tirelessly to usher in a clean and just energy future for us all. But if we want to truly achieve our goals, we need our elected officials to know that we are watching closely as they debate the climate policy that will shape the rest of our lives.

Take the first step. Let President Obama and your Senators know that you demand bold, just, and science-based climate solutions, and ask your friends and family to do the same. Continue reading ‘Tom Friedman Called Us Out’

Join the Energy Action Coalition in the celebration of our 5th Anniversary! It has been a remarkable 5 years, defined by the incredible collaboration of the 50+ coalition partners of EAC. Our coalition partners will all be in town planning our next 5 years and beyond and would love to share in celebration with our DC friends.

This Friday we will celebrate EAC’s birthday party at Local 16, and we hope you can come along. In the spirit of sustaining our efforts for many decades to come, we ask that you come prepared to make a contribution to the long term fight for a clean and just energy future!

DETAILS

• WHEN: Friday, June 19th
• TIME: 6:00 PM  – 9:00 PM
• WHERE: Local 16 – 1602 U St. NW

RSVP and invite friends:

• Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=87004902949
• Evite: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=RZDIRWCANAXFZIRVAZCV

Thanks for all the support you’ve shown over the years.  We look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with all of you!

I know in these tough times of contemplation, ‘to support the bill… to support it not,’ some of us start to feel emotionally drained. The constant debate, ‘No we don’t want to compromise… but we need to pass something,’ makes many of us feel like we are betraying our ideals.

It is these times when we need to remember our collective strength, success, and know that no matter what happens we are on the side of right. Check out this great piece on Power Shift ’09  and take a moment to bask in the memory of what we did, the optimism we instilled, and the potential that exists and is begging to be released.

(Film by Michael Zeligs) Continue reading ‘Remember our Strength’

As you may know, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has released a first draft of a climate bill. No surprise, the polluters are actively trying to weaken it. This bill is at a critical stage – the committee is holding hearings this week and we know the polluters will be out in force. In fact they are actually paying people ($) to attend the hearings so the representatives believe they have a bunch of supporters.

We have recruited and continue to recruit as many people as possible to make a statement that weakening this bill to the whims of the oil/coal lobby is not an option.This blog post will be continuously updated with updates on what is going on at Capitol Hill.

Day 4 – 4/24/2009 Comments appear in reverse order – They are loaded live. Refresh page to see updates

Panel 3: Energy Efficiency, Transportation, Building Appliances, and Utilities

• Ian Bowles, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• David Gardiner, President, David Gardiner & Associates, LLC (on behalf of the Energy Future Coalition)
• Jeff Genzer, Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials
• Andrew Delaski, Executive Director, Appliance Standards Awareness Project
• Dave McCurdy, President and CEO, Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers
• Alan Reuther, Legislative Director, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
• Dan Sperling, Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California Davis
• David Friedman, Research Director, Clean Vehicles Program, Union of Concerned Scientists
• Charles T. Drevna, President, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association
• Sonny Richardson, President, Richardson Home Builders, Inc., Tuscaloosa, Alabama

2:30 Thank you for coming Mr. Gingich

2:25 Markey – we only have 4% of the world’s oil reserve but we consume 25%. It is up to us to find alternatives #powershift09

2:20 Gingrich keeps saying he’d support incentivizing shift to CE. Would he support plan to clean energy cheap? http://tr.im/jD9j

2:10 Dingell – ‘I desperately want to support this bill, but we have to deal with the issue of how do we pass this bill and handle the international business reaction.’ We need to take a lead here gentlemen. When has America ever sat back and seen if things work somewhere else before we acknowledge the science that we know is correct.

1:50 Inslee – “You were asked in 2007 if you supported a cap on carbon. You responded ‘Frankly it is somethin i would strongly support.’ What happened?” He asks Newt if 18 cents a day per family is too much to spend in order to save the planet. Newt didn’t answer.

1:45 – Waxman doesn’t even want to hear Gingrich’s response!

1:40 Waxman – “Did I hear you correctly? We can’t do it. It’ll cost too much. And then you recomend funding a whole green job program. Where is that money? You seem to be talking in circles.” “We’ve heard these scare tactics since you’ve been in politics and we can all see how following them have resulted in.” “Stop complaining and using scare tactics. Work with us. If you are scared to work with us what are you doing here?”

Continue reading ‘Live-blogging from the Climate/Energy Hearing’