CheckTheWeather

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.

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- Matthew J Miller

Note: I am an environmental justice advocate so this is certainly not a break from the environmental movement. It is my realization that I have a responsibility to do some cultural brokering. I intend to offer alternative and relevant perspectives, not to divide. Consider this an acknowledgment of the socioeconomic, racial, political, psychological, and even spiritual challenges that need to be hurdled and taken head on in striving to “green” communities, oppressed and liberated alike. Since this piece is slightly creative, take the personal pronouns as me speaking from a group perspective informed and inspired by personal accounts and my ethnic studies.

I get it: the world is crumbling. Boo-hoo. Did you think my world was in tact before? Oh yes, this is going to be one of those cups of tea. I hope you like it hot. (more…)

On Day 2 of UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen, a major wave of reactions was caused by the ‘leak’ of a draft proposal written by Denmark, US and other developed countries. The proposal, written and negotiated by only a few select rich countries and largely leaving out any voice from the Global South, has been deemed unfair and dangerous.  You can read the full text and read more background information on the proposal at the Guardian, click here.

Here are some immediate reactions to the text:
–A press release statement from over 25 civil society groups of the Global South: “They are an attack on the democratic processes of UN negotiations. And they are an affront to the interest of small and poor countries in the negotiations.”
–Friends of the Earth: “grossly unfair and a non-starter”
–International Rivers: “The end result is lots of offsets, few real emission reductions.”

A video from NTV Kenya on protests held at the Bella Center in reaction to the proposal.  Also check out ChecktheWeather contributor Kari Fulton’s account of the protests here.