Guest post from Matt Kazinka, leader with the Twin Cities Summer of Solutions. Cross posted from WeArePowerShift.org. 

Sometimes the quickest way to a clean energy economy is to get a little dirty. That’s right, it’s time to get our hands in the dirt and physically build the clean and just energy economy we want. And that’s exactly what young people across the country are doing this summer. We’re stepping up to get our hands dirty creating local clean energy solutions like community gardens, home weatherizations, and clean energy cooperatives.

This summer, youth leaders across the country are launching a host of community-based projects that will revitalize our economy in an environmentally sustainable and socially just manner. These projects range widely from building community gardens in Oakland to stopping the construction of a dirty coal plant in Georgia. But they all have one thing in common: DIY. Young people aren’t waiting for the government to act. We are stepping up to show our elected officials that we have the power in our own communities to create what we want and demand that they put dirty politics aside and follow our lead.

Changing the way our policies system works means changing our relationship with our communities. Through these projects, young people are working in partnership with diverse local organizations and coalitions to build the green economy from the ground up. With creativity, collaboration, and hard work, they are demonstrating that there is endless potential for prosperity at our fingertips. This summer, we will pilot ground-breaking strategies for energy efficiency, urban agriculture, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, waste reduction, and green industry.

We want a clean energy economy that supports everyone in a way the dirty energy economy never could. The era of segregated neighborhoods, polluted politics and economic apartheid has been played out. We have inherited deep-seated problems – climate change, political turmoil, social inequities, and economic disparities of mass proportions. Nothing about these challenges is simple, but nothing about them is inevitable, either. We have the power and are creating change.

Young people have a critical role to play in each of our communities. Rather than accepting the worn path into a broken, dirty energy economy, we can carve a new path into a clean energy economy. We can show that true prosperity is found in healthy communities that have thriving ecosystems, equitable relationships, and resilient economies. When we’ve begun to shift the power in all our communities across the country, the national Power Shift will be unstoppable.

It is up to us to prove that the green economy is not only vital, it’s absolutely viable. Join us as we build our future together – starting with this summer, and continuing for the rest of our lives.

Throughout the summer check back at WeArePowerShift.org to hear from the leaders making it happen. There’s already some great video’s from the GELT Project in Detroit and the Summer of Solutions Project in Oakland. Each week, we will feature a profile from each project, community members affected by each project, and a project’s special events or actions. Plus, you’ll get to hear the collective efforts of the effective local, community-based clean economy projects that are willing to get a little dirty to create a clean, just energy future.

Check out the 17 projects happening across the country:

• Ashland, OR (Northwest Institute for Community Enrichment): http://grandaspirations.org/inspire-ashland
• Atlanta, GA (Southern Energy Network): http://www.climateaction.net/jobs
• Chicago, IL (United Church of Rogers Park): http://grandaspirations.org/chicago
• Cleveland, OH (Ohio Student Environmental Coalition): http://grandaspirations.org/cleveland
• Corvallis, OR (Corvallis Environmental Center): http://grandaspirations.org/corvallis
• Detroit, MI (Global Exchange): http://www.distributedpower.org
• Eugene, OR (Northwest Institute for Community Enrichment): http://grandaspirations.org/eugene
• Fayetteville, AR (OMNI Center): http://grandaspirations.org/fayetteville
• Hartford, CT (Summer of Solutions): http://grandaspirations.org/hartford
• Iowa City, IA (Summer of Solutions): http://grandaspirations.org/iowacity
• New England (New England Climate Summer):http://www.newenglandclimatesummer.org/
• Oakland, CA (Summer of Solutions): http://grandaspirations.org/oakland
• Pioneer Valley, MA (Summer of Solutions): http://grandaspirations.org/pioneervalley
• Portland, OR (Northwest Institute for Community Enrichment): http://grandaspirations.org/portland
• Raleigh, NC (Full Circles Foundation): http://grandaspirations.org/raleigh
• Twin Cities, MN (Summer of Solutions):http://grandaspirations.org/twincities
• Washington, DC (WeatherizeDC):http://weatherizedc.org

The only thing I know for sure right now is that I’m very lucky. I live in campus housing—on the side of Tuscaloosa that didn’t get touched by the recent tornados. In the moments after the storm, my friends and I knew it must have been bad, but it took hours, even days, for the full impact to be realized. Many are dead, and many more have had their lives forever changed.

I cannot accurately describe the way it felt to see my city destroyed—seemingly attacked, with no enemy to blame. Neither can I express the way it felt when I realized that my campus was now more of a refugee camp than a school. Waiting in lines for sandwiches and cups of water, the only available food, we hoped our phone batteries would last long enough to keep bringing us updates until power was restored.

Driving across parts of town that were once bustling hubs of business and student life, and seeing them now dark, deserted, and destroyed was completely surreal. Traffic was worse than it is on Game Day—and if you’ve ever been in Tuscaloosa for a football game, you know that’s saying something.

As we watched the death toll climb, and as we heard news, good and bad, of our friends, armed guards watched us from every street corner, preventing looting in our normally peaceful college town. But over the roar of helicopters piloted by news teams and the National Guard, of generators providing emergency power to campus, and of sirens continually sounding in the distance, there was laughter.

Somehow, despite the feeling of helplessness as we sat in the dark not knowing what to do or how to help, the Tuscaloosa spirit was preserved. Within hours of the double-vortex EF-4 tornado gorging a 1.5-mile wide scar through our town and others, it was evident that it had not destroyed our sense of community. We in the South are known to be resilient, and this time is no exception. Much has been lost, but with it, much opportunity to serve, grow, and move forward.

Tuscaloosa is not the only town affected—much of north Alabama is devastated, with some towns wiped clear off the map.  And as we rebuild, we will do so with a purpose. We will replace the damaged police and fire stations, the water towers, the homes, we will clear the roads of the trees that were thrown, fully uprooted, into the road.

To outsiders, the South is often known more for its poverty and “backwoods” culture than for the beauty and hospitality those that live here enjoy every day. But we now have the chance to rebuild our aging, and in places failing, infrastructure. We will take this chance to rebuild our town, and reclaim our state. We will rebuild Alabama efficiently, with better technology, and do so using less energy.

As droves of volunteers take to the streets, the one thing everyone can see is that it is students taking the reigns on this effort. The youth will not wait patiently for others to fix this problem. We are here to take back Tuscaloosa, bring back Birmingham, and aide all the small towns in between, and make them truly better than ever before.

I lied when I said I only know one thing. I know I’m lucky, but I also know that we’ll move forward from here. I know that Alabama will work together to become better. I know that we will move towards solar energy—so that next time a storm like this happens, millions don’t sit without power. I know we’ll seek real climate solutions, to ease the risk of more of these storms happening. I know that Alabama will be a better state, that our communities will become stronger, and that our youth will step up to the challenge that has been placed before them.

Roll Tide Roll.

In Tuesday’s State of the Union President Obama promised to give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail in the next 25 years. This is huge! And a far cry from the struggle we are facing with the Governor of Ohio to get rail in the Rustbelt.

Ohio students have wasted no time in registering their disenchantment and disapproval of our recently-inaugurated Governor, matching the speed with which John Kasich began undermining Ohio’s recovery, environmental progress and industrial sector-development with a slew of austerity measures, anti-environmental policies, and conservative attacks on public services, upper education, and organized labor. Even before being formally inaugurated as one of the least popular starting governors in our state’s history, Gov. Kasich was overseeing the wreckage of our infrastructural aspirations through the unabashedly-nonsensical and lopsidedly-partisan initiative to kill the ’3C rail corridor;’ a project designed to not only provide alternative transit to one of the most densely traveled corridors in the U.S. currently not served by high-speed rail, but also to provide jobs for Ohio’s families and beleaguered construction sector, and mobility and access both to Ohio’s young talent and elder residents.

The wash out from his success in killing 3C before even taking office? 16,000 jobs lost, $400 million federal stimulus dollars shipped to other states, and Ohio students joining the rest of the state in their lack of interest in any kind of honeymoon.

Thus, Ohioans sent a bold message on inauguration day; they’re not only mobilizing to hold Kasich accountable from day one, but they’re also building coalitions with labor, education, public services, industrial manufacturing and progressive organizations intent on ‘Defending Ohio’ from Kasich’s backwards policies. These coalitions represent the true breadth of Ohio’s diverse and vibrant society; families and steelworkers and folks who love their green spaces and lakes and rivers, rather than asphalt industry lobbyists and silicon valley venture capital managers (notable additions to Kasichs administration). They represent the true strength of Ohio’s citizens in times like these, and amount to a movement not only for Ohio’s future in socio-political realms, but also for the green economy we know our state deserves and is capable of building. A green economy our mothers and fathers would recognize, and our kids can be proud of.

Thus, Ohio students amplified their power not only in numbers at Saturdays rally, but also in their ardent potential as Ohio’s future; as intellectual capital in a state battling brain-drain, as an organized and cohesive force to be reckoned with, as social actors who embrace the wholeness and richness of Ohio, and as a movement being DRIVEN crazy by lack of effective public transit, students are showing the leadership and vision they deserve to see matched by our incoming administration. So far, we’ve found it lacking. After an outstanding student-caucus following the rally, we’re all excited to keep working together for the Ohio we want; one with it’s rail funds staying in the state, and it’s vibrant public sectors intact. Stay tuned for more student-led actions as Kasich settles into his new office; we’ll be making sure he doesn’t get too comfortable. Especially when we bring the energy from Power Shift 2011 back to Ohio!

We live in violent times. Our generation has come of age under the specter of terrorism and war, and Millennial youth continue to be the majority of the force currently fighting two wars aboard. Our charged political atmosphere and vigorous finger pointing came to a head last weekend in Tucson. There’s the ongoing destruction by the dirty energy industry, the violence that it’s wrecking on our communities…the list goes on.

Amidst all of this it seems appropriate on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to reflect on his legacy, message for peace and nonviolence and how Dr. King’s wisdom can inform the climate movement and our collective struggle for liberation today.

The challenge of the climate movement is not solely to address the environmental impacts of the climate crisis but to build a social movement strong enough to deal with its consequences. Many climate activists, myself included, hesitate to acknowledge that the question is now not whether we’ll “stop climate change” but whether we can stave off the worst of it.

One of my greatest fears is how our government will respond to the systemic collapse of our climate and economy. If our nation’s past behavior is any indication, we’ll respond with militarism, racism, and war. As sea level rise displaces millions and clean drinking water becomes an ever more scarce resource, what will our government do in the name of “national security?” Lock down the borders, occupy other nations, and seize land to squeeze the last drops of oil from the withered Earth? (I’m not one of those doom and gloom activists, I promise. Keep reading.)

It doesn’t have to be this way. I remain optimistic because I have felt the power of our movement. Now more than ever we need to draw from the bravery, wisdom and leadership of past movements and embody Dr. King’s vision.

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Civil Rights Movement’s achievement was not merely passing the Civil Rights Act but reinventing the moral fabric of our country and giving hope to those living in the shadows of centuries of oppression.

Here are six lessons from Dr. King that can help guide the success of our modern movements:

1. Nonviolence and Love: In the face of unspeakable hatred Dr. King remained dedicated to the principles of nonviolence. We act because we love our fellow beings too much to see them mired in the violence of climate change. We must answer the forces of destruction with the liberation of love and compassion.

2. Spiritual and Moral Courage: Our crisis is not only ecological but deeply spiritual. The destruction of native lands, holy mountains, and sacred rivers like the Ganges is spiritual death. We are disconnected from the natural world and live in alienation from that which sustains us. Seeking to reestablish that connection we fill the void with consumption and destruction. Dr. King recognized the importance of this connection and was deeply devoted to prayer and meditation to guide his actions. We must continue to talk about climate change as a moral crisis and invite the wisdom of the world’s faith traditions.

3. Diversity: Dr. King emphasized that the Civil Rights movement was not only for African Americans but all people. I am encouraged by collaboration between youth climate leaders and the Environmental Justice movement. Every Energy Action Coalition gathering and Power Shift I see more leaders of color. But it’s not enough. It’s not just about diverse faces but ensuring that we’re acting in solidarity with front line and impacted communities. We will only succeed when we build a movement that lives up to Dr. King’s vision and truly represents the diversity of our generation.

4. Holistic Analysis: In 1967 Dr. King made one of the hardest decisions of his life, when he unequivocally denounced the War in Vietnam. His closest advisors warned that opposing a then popular war would undermine public support for the Civil Rights Movement and distract attention from the issue at hand. Dr. King knew that racism aboard was connected to racism at home.

We can learn a lot from the Environmental Justice movement’s holistic analysis of how climate and energy intersect all issues. We must build stronger connections with the peace, immigration, and health care movements; refuse to be divided by “issue spheres” and unite in our collective struggle for liberation.

5. Civil Disobedience: In his famed Letter from Birmingham jail Dr. King spoke of disobeying the law of the land to uphold a higher moral law. The climate movement needs more civil disobedience. We must continue to draw on the strength of history from our predecessors who put their bodies on the line. Let history judge our actions. Our children will thank us for doing everything we could.

6. Truth is Liberation: Dr. King believed that by exposing the country to the reality of racism and segregation that society would be forced to change. When others demonized him he always refused to retaliate in hate and responded with truth. May we always find the courage to shed light and expose the reality of corporate lies. The truth is our most powerful tool.

Beyond these six lessons there are many things we can learn from Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. Overarching it all is the belief that we can and will fundamentally transform our violent society with a mass, peaceful social movement. I’m excited for Power Shift 2011 this spring to be another bold step in our journey to fulfill Dr. King’s dream.

In the final days before the election, young people across Ohio are breakin’ it down, literally. They’ve got three objectives in mind: (1) turning out the youth vote, (2) making the case to revitalize the Rust Belt with clean energy solutions like high-speed rail, (3) and having fun.

On Sunday we headed to a rally to pull it all together. President Obama, Gubernatorial Candidate Ted Strickland, and Senatorial Candidate Lee Fisher we’re all going to be there, so we knew we had to make it big! Since it was Halloween we stormed the crowd with “mass transit train” costumes and talked to hundreds of people about why we’re voting for clean mass transit in Ohio, and got them signed up on the Power Vote pledge. (We even got Governor Strickland to sign the pledge!)

Things really started to heat up when the rally got started. Rolling deep with lots of Power Voters we caught the attention of the speakers and they mentioned clean mass transit several times. But the leadership we were looking for came from one of our own ranks! When the musical guest, Common, took the stage, Gabe Morgan from Bowling Green University decided it was time to literally “break–it–down.” He cleared a spot in the crowd, and busted out some ridiculous break-dancing moves. The crowd went wild, and he captivated the entire audience around our message for clean and just energy! Reporters came up to him afterward wanting to get a quote and learn more about the Power Vote campaign. It was epic! Everyone left amped up and ready to turn out the youth vote from across Ohio.

Young people across the state have been raising their voice and turning out the youth vote for clean and just energy. Last night we took our “mass transit costumes” to Bowling Green State University where they had a Trick Out the Vote event and led a major dorm storm.

Politically Ohio is known as the “Bellwether State” and sets the tone for the entire country. With all the leadership the Ohio Student Environmental Coalition (OSEC) is showing, I’m hopeful about the direction of our country!

“We want safe jobs and clean energy
No more oil spills – Arrest BP!”

Was the thunderous chant echoing off the monolithic walls of BP’s DC headquarters today when hundreds of protestors turned out in force to deliver them a “Crude Awakening.” From the mouth of our megaphones BP got a strong dose of people power as we rallied and called for a “Citizens Arrest” of CEO Tony Hayward on the charges of criminal negligence.

More than a dozen network news cameras captured our outrage at BP’s criminal negligence to prevent and stop the unfolding disaster in the Gulf. (Check out the initial report from ABC News). Under the hot sun the energy of the crowd was palatable as we chanted and carried images of BP CEO Tony Hayward in a striped prison jumpsuit.

I MC’ed as speakers from Public Citizen, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and Hip Hop Caucus (video) read aloud the charges against BP that included: polluting the political process, disregard for worker safety, price-gouging consumers and taxpayers, and violations of environmental laws.

The timing of the action couldn’t have been better; this week Attorney General Eric Holder announced he was opening a criminal probe of the oil giant. Holding BP criminally accountable is a bold step toward ensuring that the families on the Gulf get compensation for the vast damages to their lively-hoods.

After the speakers we set out to deliver our charges and the striped prison jumpsuit directly to BP. We took to the street shutting down traffic and flooded the doors of their headquarters with a throng of chanting activists and TV camera’s.

We held our position in front of the doors for another 30 minutes, though no one from BP came down to accept our “gift.” At the end Rev. Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus, closed it out with a touching prayer for those that have lost their lives to the fossil fuel industry. We prayed for our elected leaders to find the wisdom to recognize creation’s bountiful and powerful gift of the sun and wind.

The action was a massive success! Though I can’t get over the tragic irony that as BP and other dirty energy companies continue to wreck havoc on our communities no one from BP has actually been arrested and sent to jail. Meanwhile clean energy activists like my good friend Ted Glick, of CCAN, are facing up to three years behind bars for peacefully hanging a banner that read: “Green Jobs Now” (video here). This injustice must end!

Fortunately actions across the youth climate movement give me hope. This summer youth organizers in communities across the country are working to Define Our Decade with 10 community based clean energy projects. These are living community models of the world we want to create.

Then this fall, young people are organizing to kick dirty energy out of politics by flooding the midterm elections with support for real clean energy solutions. Big Oil may be able to outspend us and pollute our democracy, but we’re the voters and that’s what counts. Sign up your campus or community today.

I have confidence we can break through the politically entrenched dirty energy interests holding our country back through local organizing that builds power and demonstrates the benefits of a clean energy economy.

We must make the drilling disaster our “Crude Awakening” and dramatically shift to a clean and safe energy economy now. As long as the oil is gushing and our communities are impacted by dirty energy’s pollution we will continue the struggle!

As corporate green-wash schemes continue to co-opt the word “clean”, will we retreat from the term or rightfully reclaim it?

Historically the power to define is inextricably linked with the power to control. For centuries oppressed people have struggled to reclaim agency over their own lives through redefining their identity in society. This is also true of our national energy debate and the battle over control for what is “clean” and what is “dirty”. In an attempt to draw this distinction I define “clean energy” as energy sources that are infinite and do not have a negative impact on human health and communities.

There are many examples of divergent definitions, from the classic so-called “clean coal” to the nuclear industries branding of their dirty fuel cycle as “Clean Air Energy”. Lets face it, the dirty energy industry is very good at what they do. They have a lot of money and their big PR firms know that the fundamental designation of “clean” in the minds of average Americans is visceral image.

The irony is that we have opened the door for them. The clean energy movement has raised the call for clean energy in the public consciousness and the polls reflect it. As we advance forward and open the public consciousness to the potential for a brighter future the polluters slip in behind us and co-opt that hard-earned space with their spin.

In some recent discussions with fellow activists campaign messaging I have heard some advocate the need to move away from only labeling our preferred energy sources as “clean” because it has been co-opted to mean too many different things. I completely understand the position but personally am not ready to concede “clean.” We earned that word, its more factually accurate, and it’s the best way to convey our message to the public. Its time to take stand for “clean”.

Fortunately, the real power is by defining through action! Young people are leading the way and reclaiming our future by reclaiming the word “clean.” As part of the Energy Action Coalition’s campaign to Define Our Decade, thousands of youth across the country voted to overwhelming define our generation with a collective commitment to achieve 100% clean electricity in the next 10 years. A clean energy source that “could be distributed, community-developed, local sources of wind, solar, and a high emphasis on efficiency.” Hundreds of young people held events and then delivered that message loud and clear to our elected officials when they were home for April Congressional Recess.

Also, this summer we are putting our commitment to Our Decade into action by partnering with 10 community based clean energy projects dedicated to moving beyond words and building the clean energy future we wish to see. Apply today to be a part of the Define Our Decade Summer.

As the general public continues to gain consciousness of the benefits of true clean energy they will be looking to the leadership of young people to define our future with words and actions.

At first the student questioner probably thought my answer sounded like a mother answering her seven year old on why she couldn’t eat the cookie for breakfast, “Because I said so.” But really, it’s true that we have to make this decade one of the most transformative in American history. Period. Anything short of that is morally inexcusable. Over the next 10 years our generation will unleash the full power of the clean and just energy revolution and secure our climate from the duel threats of the economic and climate crisis. Why? Because we have to. This is not just a campaign slogan but the reality that we have inherited an insane global emergency and failure to rise to the challenge will result in the suffering of millions of our fellow human beings. We cannot continue to live under the corporate polluter domination that is poisoning our communities and disproportionally affecting communities of color the world over. I for one can’t live with it. And I keep going because I know that everyday there is a movement of people out there that feel the same way. Let us now let us speak with a unified vision for Our Decade.

Let’s face it Americans tend to think in terms of decades. What defined the decades in the last century, 50’s, 60, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s. etc? What images does this bring to mind? Poodle skirts, Woodstock, disco, big hair bands and Reaganomics. These are forever burned in our collective consciousness. (Plus, we are constantly reminded with cheesy VH1 flashback specials.) But seriously, what image will our grandchildren see when they look back on this decade? The image of healthy, sustainable communities powered by wind turbines? It’s ours for the making! Let them see that this was the turning point in American history when a generation said; “we can’t live like this” and summoned the moral courage to restore our nation to the promise of our most hallowed values. We have 10 years to turn this thing around and it’s up to us.

Starting today and over the next two weeks young people across the country are hosting gatherings and events to vote on our collective vision and commitment for Our Decade. There is incredible stuff planned all over the country (Find an event near you or host your own) check out some of the highlights:

• Today, voting booths are set-up at tables at Florida International University, University of South Caroline-Aiken, George Mason University, Central Michigan University and more!
• College and HS students from across Missouri are gathering at the “Show Me Sustainability” conference at Mizzou and will all take part in the Define Our Decade vote together!
• The Beyond Coal Campaign at Pennsylvania State University is constructing a big art installation of the “Foundations of Our Future” to emphasize the need for Penn State University to move beyond coal!
• Michigan State University students are following up on a coal plant hearing that they held, to have a community forum on how to move the campus to 100% clean electricity by 2020.

As part of these events, organizers will be asking their peers, and their communities how they want to define their decade, and will be asking them to take part in a national youth vote where we gauge how ambitious young people are for this decade.  Take a minute right now to add your vote and vision for reclaiming our future. And tell a friend!

Let’s make the next 10 years some of the most active and promising in American history. Our collective survival depends on it.

*****************

Dear President Obama,

I have one question for you: When?

When will you seal your place in American history and announce your bold vision to unite this nation behind an Apollo Project for clean energy or a Green New Deal?  When will you launch the “Obama Plan” to defend America from one of the greatest threats to our national security, our nation’s health, and our economy?

Our country’s greatest Presidents have emerged to lead us through times of crisis.  Mr. President, the solutions to the energy and climate crisis should be your greatest legacy.

During your inspirational campaign for the presidency hundreds of thousands of young people got involved on an unprecedented scale. We knocked on doors for you, made phone calls, harnessed the power of new media, and we voted in record numbers. We voted because we know our future is at stake and we placed our faith in a leader that gave us hope for a better world. Our generation realized its power and we stand proud and ready to see your visionary leadership.

On election night you told us it was our victory and to hold you to your promises, to keep organizing in our communities and revitalizing our democracy. Mr. President I am proud to say that we have.  We have led my making our campuses and communities models of the new sustainable society we want to inherit. We are pouring our hearts and our souls into healing our communities from the ongoing violence of this failing fossil fuel economy.  We are doing everything we can, but we cannot do it alone.

When will you launch your bold national plan to re-energize America with a new clean and just energy economy, create millions of jobs for those who need them most, unleash our generation’s innovation, and make us the global leader in clean technologies?

Inspire us with a visionary plan rooted in the American promise of “justice for all” and we will unite behind you. We need you as much as you need us. Time is running out, we know what’s at stake, and we refuse to wait much longer. Let’s work together to launch a national campaign for clean energy and make this generation one of the greatest in American history.  Our generation has demonstrated the commitment and ingenuity to do it.  When will you lead the charge?

Sincerely,

Ethan Nuss