Coal Action Heats Up

It’s no secret that Virginia’s General Assembly is overly influenced by coal interests. Northern Virginia’s Dick Saslaw has accepted $85,000 contributions from Dominion Power and their investment has paid off. Over the years he has blocked any action to regulate the coal industry, and this year he even stepped up to block an efficiency bill that could have saved Virginians approximately $15 billion on electricity bills by 2025. These efforts have earned him the title, “the poster boy for the Commonwealth’s culture of coal-fired corruption” by Huffington Post. But he’s small beans compared to the federal legislators who are backed by coal.

This video by American News Project connects Monday’s Capitol Climate Acton and Power Shift to the embedded coal interests in congress. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell has taken over a half a million from the coal industry, and has blocked efforts by some congress people, including Virginia’s Jim Moran to convert the coal plant that powers Capitol Hill to natural gas.

“For every member of congress, there are four lobbyists who are working on climate change, many who are opposed to sharp carbon reductions.”

Family Income and Climate Security: We Can Have Both

From the Huffington Post

Which one can crash faster: the American economy or the planet’s fragile atmosphere? It almost seems like a cruel race these days. Thankfully, one Congressional response could help solve global warming while putting serious dollars in the pockets of hurting Americans. And by dollars I don’t mean distant energy-efficiency savings or the vague promise of avoided oil wars. I’m talking about actual monthly wire transfers right now to real American families while the climate heals.

Washington is awash in creativity these days when it comes to the long-ignored problem of global warming. Legislative proposals include everything from a “cap and trade” approach to a carbon tax to a regime to “cap and invest” in green energy.

But only one idea, in my view, meets the critical requirements of fairness, rapid climate results, and guaranteed voter appeal. That idea is the so-called “cap and dividend” concept. Already, the idea of giving carbon dividends to U.S. citizens is supported by a wide spectrum of leaders, including Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), New York mayor Michael Bloomberg (independent), and former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
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Join the Text Loop for March 2!

We’re only three days away from the largest mass civil disobedience for the climate in U.S. history!

More than 2,500 people are planning to meet at Spirit of Justice Park, C St. and Capitol St SE in Washington, DC at 1pm and march to the Capitol Power Plant.

On Monday, when you’re at the action, the best way to get information about what’s going on is by texting “follow capitolclimate” (no quotations) to 40404 and getting updates via text message on your mobile phone.

During the action, we’ll have people devoted to making sure you get the most up-to-the-minute information about what’s happening, where, and when.

It is really easy, just text “follow capitolclimate” (no quotations) to 40404.
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Power Shift starts!

The first person I saw when I walked into the Convention Center today was Tom Owens, CCAN’s former Virginia Student Organizer. Last year he was running around UMD wearing a headband with antennas, trying to get students to sign a petition against the Wise County Coal plant. This year, with another new coal plant being planned in Surry, VA, it seems like history repeating itself. Except this time, we’re in the Convention Center, and we’re not a few thousand, we’re over 10,000. And, we’re not fighting a backward administration, we have Obama, who just a few days ago called for a cap on carbon emissions.

The huge formal rooms that house the Auto Show and corporate big wigs are now hosting the largest gathering of students in the history of the climate movement. All these students share a passion for the environment Continue reading

Less than 100 tickets left for Sunday's event!

berryWe’re nearly sold out for the Wendell Berry event on Sunday, so if you want tickets, buy them now.

Over 1400 people will be attending this event, which makes it the largest event of its kind that CCAN has ever organized. We’re thankful that we’ve been able to draw the lineup of musicians and authors that will be coming to the event, but what I’m looking forward to is the amount of CCAN volunteers, activists and allies that will be there to share in the energy and excitement of this weekend.

This is surely a historic weekend

Save the Ales!

Apparently, catastrophic sea level rise due to global warming is just not enough to destroy our quality of life. Now anthropogenic climate change is messing with my future ability to consume beer. This is just not right.

So some back story. Last weekend, some lovely friends of mine told me that climate change makes it harder to grow hops in traditional hops-growing areas (parts of the US and Europe) because earlier springs and hotter summers make it peak too early, and therefore reduce output.

Senate Committee Passes Global Warming Bill!

Exciting news! The Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Act – GGERA (pronounce that with hard g’s – “gugera”) – was passed by the Senate Education Health and Environment Committee yesterday! That’s the first milestone in getting this bill passed, and it did amazingly well, passing 7-2.

The reason I’m EXTRA excited about this is that Andy Harris (remember him? 9% Andy?) supported the bill, making it officially a bi-partisan effort. It’s about time too, because really, global warming effects all of us, regardless of race or gender or political party.

So what’s next, you ask? The Senate floor. Which is where all y’all awesome grassrootsy folks come in. We expect the Senate floor to take up the bill early next week.