It\'s Getting Hot In Here » dmichaelcrawford

Video Heat on Presidential Candidates

dmichaelcrawford — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:17:37 +0000

Check out this awesome new video message to the presidential candidates from Indiana University law student Jay Heeter. Jay points out that global warming is the number one issue facing young people and asks the candidates for their plans to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050.

ClimateQuest in Motion for High School Students

dmichaelcrawford — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:17:04 +0000

Colleges across the country are offering exciting new summer programs to high school students that will educate the students about the fundamentals of the climate challenge through video production.

The programs called ClimateQuest are being offered by Sonoma State College, Western Washington University and American University. There are still slots available for the program. There are also scholarship opportunities available to help ease the financial pain.

By using video production as the mode of learning, ClimateQuest will equip participants with the skills to show how climate change will impact their local communities and what solutions are emerging.

The videos produced by the students will appear on the Campus Climate Challenge site and here on It’s Getting Hot in Here.

This is just the first step for ClimateQuest, which will be expanding the program to more campuses in Summer ’08. All interested faculty and college students interested in bringing ClimateQuest to their university should e-mail the director at raglow@climateprotectioncampaign.org.

Look What You Did!

dmichaelcrawford — Fri, 25 May 2007 15:41:48 +0000

Okay, so the first year of the Campus Climate Challenged is being wrapped up as I type this post. Yeah, it seems that its been more than a year, but that’s because you have been knee deep in the trenches kicking global warming pollution in the ass. Here is a quick recap of things that you collectively have helped to make happen. Mother Earth is breathing a little easier because of your efforts.

Feel free to add other successes in the comments. Or, even better, say what you are going to do to kick things up a notch or ten for year two.

* 251 presidents of colleges and universities have signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Presidents signing the Commitment are pledging to eliminate their campuses’ greenhouse gas emissions over time. To read the pledge, visit http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/html/commitment.php. To see the list of signatories, visit http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/html/signatories.php.

* Students on over 575 college and high school campuses across the United States and Canada organized events January 29-February 2 calling for immediate solutions to deal with the potentially devastating impact of climate change caused by global warming. The demands were made as part of Rising to the Climate Challenge: Visions of Our Future, a week-long series of actions coordinated by the Campus Climate Challenge. The week of action coincided with the release of the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change report stating that man-made activities are a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions. An estimated 50,000 students were reached during the week.

* Challenge partners organized 17 regional and state summits bringing together more than 1,200 students to participate in skills-building sessions, strategy discussions and community service projects. The summits took place in every region of the country.

* Student activists organized more than 120 community meetings and screenings of An Inconvenient Truth with members of Congress to discuss global warming solutions.

* More than 5,000 photos from young people across the U.S. were collected for the Campus Climate Challenge photo petition. Young people delivered the petition to members of Congress urging reductions in carbon emissions 80% by 2050. View the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/climatechallenge/.

* A new online advocacy community was launched to galvanize students around the Challenge. A groundbreaking effort in open-source organizing, the new site is a mash-up that combines advocacy tools with social networking functions to empower young activists to take effective action to cut global warming pollution on their campuses and in their communities.

Meet the Candidates – Mitt Romney

dmichaelcrawford — Fri, 25 May 2007 15:23:19 +0000

This is the sixteenth in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

We will be updating this info on a regular basis and I would love to know what you think about these posts and about the candidates. Its clear that the 2008 presidential will be the most important on climate and environmental issues in decades. Your vote can help make the difference in electing a president who will take bold and just action to reduce global warming and one who will continue the status quo.

MITT ROMNEY

Website: http://www.mittromney.com/
Energy plan: http://www.mittromney.com/issue-watch/energy

Hear Romney in his own words:

On energy independence

On alternative energy

CARBON CAP AND TARGETS

Romney has not articulated a position.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Romney opposes increasing fuel economy standards as a stand alone measure.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD

Romney has not articulated a position.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

Romney has not articulated a position.

NEW COAL PLANTS AND LIQUID COAL

Romney supports liquid coal.

Meet the Candidates – Ron Paul

dmichaelcrawford — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:25:08 +0000

This is the fifteenth in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

We will be updating this info on a regular basis and I would love to know what you think about these posts and about the candidates. It’s clear that the 2008 president will be the most important on climate and environmental issues in decades. Your vote can help make the difference in electing a president who will take bold and just action to reduce global warming and one who will continue the status quo.

REPRESENTATIVE RON PAUL R-TX

Website: www.ronpaul2008.com
Website does not mention global warming or energy.

CARBON CAPS AND TARGETS

Paul has not articulated a position yet.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Paul opposed a 33 mpg standard in 2005.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD

Paul has not articulated a position yet.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

Paul has not articulated a position yet.

NEW COAL PLANTS AND LIQUID COAL

Paul has not articulated a position yet.

Meet the Candidates – Barack Obama

dmichaelcrawford — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:29:51 +0000

This is the fourteenth in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA D-IL

Website: www.barackobama.com
Energy Plan: http:/www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/

Hear Obama in his own words:

On energy independence

On global warming

CARBON CAPS AND TARGETS

On a new energy economy

Obama is a co-sponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Act which would achieve 80% reductions by 2050 and of the McCain-Lieberman bill, which would achieve 15% reductions by 2020 and 65% reductions by 2050.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Obama supports a 37 mpg in ten years and supported a 40 mpg standard in 2005.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICTY STANDARD

Obama supports a 20% renewable electricity standard by 2020.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

Obama has expressed general support for increased energy efficiency, no target specifiec.

NEW COAL PLANTS AND LIQUID COAL

Obama supports liquid coal if it meets a low carbon fuel standard.

Meet the Candidates – Bill Richardson

dmichaelcrawford — Tue, 22 May 2007 12:25:36 +0000

This is the thirteenth in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

Governor Bill Richardson D-NM

Website: http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/
Energy Plan: http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/issues/#environment

Hear Richardson in is own words

On energy independence

On his energy plan

One global climate change and young voters

CARBON CAP AND TARGETS

Richardson supports a 90% reduction by 2050.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Richardson supports 50 mpg fleetwide.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD

Richardson supports 30% standard by 2020 and 50% by 2040.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

Richardson supports a 30% increase in efficiency by 2030 for electrical sector; 50% increase in efficiency for buildings and industry.

NEW COAL POWER PLANTS

Richardson has not articulated a position.

2008 Presidential Candidates – John McCain

dmichaelcrawford — Mon, 21 May 2007 14:39:48 +0000

This is the twelfth in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN R-AZ

Website: http://www.johnmccain.com

Hear McCain in his on words:

On alternative energy sources

On ethanol

On fuel efficiency

CARBON CAPS AND TARGETS

McCain is the lead co-sponsor of the Climate Steward Act with Senator Joe Lieberman which would reduce emissions 15% by 2020 and 65% by 2050.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

McCain opposed a 40 mpg standard in 2005 and 2003. He supported a 35 mpg standard in 2002.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD

McCain opposed a 10% standard in 2005 and 2002. He opposed a 20% standard in 2002.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

He expressed general support for increased energy efficiency, no target specified.

NEW COAL PLANTS AND LIQUID COAL

McCain has articulated no position yet.

Meet the Candidates – Dennis Kucinich

dmichaelcrawford — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:45:49 +0000

This is the eleventh in a series of posts outlining where the 2008 presidential candidates stand on climate and energy issues. The information was culled from resources developed by Courtney Fryxell and the League of Conservation Voters. You can get additional information on the candidates at HeatIsOn.org.

REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS KUCINICH D-OH

Hear Kucinich in his own words:

On the science of global warming

On global warming

Website: http://kucinich.us/
Energy Plan: http://kucinich.us/issues/energy.php

CARBON CAPS AND TARGETS

Kucinich is a co-sponsor of the Safe Climate Act which would achieve 15% reductions by 2020 and 80% reductions by 2050.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Kucinich supported a 33 mpg standard in 2005.

RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD

Kucinich supports a 20% standard by 2010.

EFFICIENCY TARGETS

Kucinich has expressed general support for increased energy efficiency, no target specified.

NEW COAL PLANTS AND LIQUID COAL

Kucinich has not articulated a position yet.

Free Madonna Download for Live Earth

dmichaelcrawford — Thu, 17 May 2007 21:23:43 +0000

Reading about the new Madonna single Hey You as a free download made my little gay enviro heart sing! The song which is a collaboration with Pharrell was inspired by the Live Earth series of concerts. Madonna is one of the many perfomers scheduled for the London Live earth event.

You can download the MP3 for one week only at here.