Yesterday Democratic Senators decided it was time to wait on supporting the American Power Act, a senate bill introduced by Senators John Kerry (Democrat) and Joe Lieberman (Democrat turned Independent). The American Power Act was touted as legislative action that would lower air pollution and create millions of new jobs in various forms of alternative energy.
The Energy Action Coalition aka “the hub of the youth climate movement” responded this morning with a Call to Action. Read the rest of this entry to find out the gameplan and how you can play a starring role in this real life thriller to save the world.
If you are tired of seeing poor little animals covered in oil, then have no fear Video Vixen Esther Baxter has decided to donate her time and her cakes for a psa on the oil spill. Click read more to see the pics and the link to her exclusive interview with Vibe.com (more…)
A few weeks ago we reported on Southwest workers Union and the Community Garden they operate. SWUnion was in the running for a $5,000 grant from Brighter Planet to support enhancing the garden. We are happy to report that with the help of voters like you, SWU won YEA!!!!!
So excited! For more updates from Southwest Workers Union visit their blog at: http://news.swunion.org/
June 22-26 Social, environmental and grassroots organizers from around the United States and the World will be in Detroit, Michigan for the 2nd United States Social Forum. The tagline: Another World is Possible, Another U.S. is Necessary. The forum will feature thousands of workshops and panel discussions including many about environmental and ecological justice. Checktheweather.net will be repping with the Energy Action Coalition on Friday June 25, 2010 3:30pm for the Youth and Climate Justice workshop. Also the good folk at Movement Generation have compiled a partial listing of Ecological justice based workshops at USSF. Check the listing below:
Have you heard of Chester Pennsylvania? If you work for waste management in Ocean City Maryland, New Jersey or New York you might. That is because these places dump a huge amount of trash into the small working class city just 15 minutes from Philadelphia. Check out this video from Chester City community organizer, artivist and founder of ghettoprint.com, Desire Grover. In the video she discusses just how bad the pollution is in Chester and what you can do to support the community in creating a cleaner, greener Chester.
Tonight at 8pm est. President Barack Obama will address the nation about the ongoing Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Politico.com is reporting that not only will Obama address the Gulf Coast Oil Spill but he will also discuss the need for comprehensive Climate Legislation that will help to move America away from dirty energy.
If you don’t have a television you can catch the remarks live here or at Whitehouse.gov/live
After the president’s remarks stay tuned to checktheweather.net as Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary, will answer some of the most popular questions about the Oil Spill.
“The Gulf oil spill not only has altered the landscape of the Gulf region, it has also completely changed the debate on U.S. energy policy.”- Joint Center For Political and Economic Studies
Thursday June 17, 2010 The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies will host a speaker series discussing critical issues that will define the role and path of African- Americans in the Clean Energy Economy. Feature speakers include, Leslie G. Fields, Esq., National Environmental Justice and Community Partnerships Director, Sierra Club and Member, Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change, Ralph B. Everett, President and CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Daniel J. Weiss Senior Fellow and Director of Climate Strategy, Center for American Progress, Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D. President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. The discussion will be moderated by Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Visiting Scholar and Professor in the Dartmouth College Environmental Studies Program, Michael K. Dorsey, Ph.D.
The Discussion is being held Thursday June 17, 2010 from 8:30-10:30 in the Columbus Room at Union Station. This is a must-go for those in the Washington, DC Area. Hurry and follow this link to register http://rsvp.jointcenter.org/node/19 . Registration closes Wednesday June 16, 2010 and space is limited (hurry don’t miss out on that continental breakfast!)
4. Senate decides to support Obama and save the Clean Air Act-
Lisa Murkowski, a republican Senator from Alaska has had a hit out on the 40 year old Clean Air Act for months and has tried to use every legislative tactic to gut the act and take away the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate Carbon emissions (you know one of the main causes of climate change). This past week the senate voted and told Murkowski to sit her hating behind down. Unfortunately the vote was SUPER Close (53-47). The Republicans are sticking together in their hate of anything connected to Obama, but unfortunately there were 6 democratic senators that thought it would be cute to join the I hate the planet club. Those senators are: Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and John Rockefeller of West Virginia. Supporters of the resolution by Murkowski feared that carbon regulation by the EPA would lead to higher taxes on business. For more on the death of the Murkowski Amendment visit this link- http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/10/murkowskis-amendment-to-stop-epa-from-regulating-greenhouse-gases-fails-4753/
3. Another Oil Spill, This Time it’s Chevron’s Fault
Gosh the birds and the endangered wildlife can’t catch a break! This past friday an underground pipe owned by Chevron Corporation broke spewing oil into a creek near the University of Utah. Crews are rushing to stop the oil flow so that it does not spread all the way to the Great Salt Lake. For more check out this article from CBS News http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/13/national/main6577768.shtml
2. Leaders from Around the World met in Bonn, Germany to discuss Climate.
World Leaders got together once again this time in the beautiful spring/summer weather of Bonn, Germany rather than in the frigid cold of December in Denmark. This time talks were still tense but a lot more cordial than during the UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark (i.e. -no one got hit with a police batton and there were no walk-outs). Tcktcktck.com reports that the majority of the countries represented agreed to work towards making sure increases in global warming do not exceed 1.5 degrees celsius (34.7 degrees fahrenheit). However, draft language that came from the meeting in Bonn was criticized by developing nations for not being balanced and for not allowing the voice of the people in the draft language. The People’s agreement an agreement created by attendees at the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth (PWCCC) was not admitted into the language of the draft text. The PWCCC had over 20,000 registered participants many coming from developing countries. For more information check out this video courtesy of alter-echos.org De Bonn à Cancun, un besoin criant d’alternatives ! from Alter-Echos on Vimeo.
1. Guess What the Oil Is STILL SPILLING in the Gulf Coast!
And President Obama would like to know whose “ass to kick”. The Engineers at BP have tried a topkill, they tried filling it with cement they tried everything however, nothing seems to stop the massive oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. More animals are being found dead covered in crude oil and the people of the Gulf Coast are growing in frustration over the loss of precious land, wildlife and of course business revenue (sorry Biloxi those white sandy beaches look a little too greasy right now). The Obama administration is also looking for BP to pay up and pay up soon. Stocks for BP fell this past weekend and Obama administration is asking for BP to put funds in a private account that would go specifically to compensate businesses and residents impacted by the oil spill. To follow the money check the link for the Wall Street Journal article below and check out our oil spill widget to your left courtesy of the the EPA http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703389004575304650090670686.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTWhatsNews
Don’t get a case of the Mondays! Looks like we have a lot of work to do….
