Energy: A tar-nished reputation

This is a crosspost from this blog: http://madrad2002.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/tar-sands-column/

So I have a column in the Diamondback today. I want to correct a couple of small things that the editors changed. I put “tar sands” everytime I discussed them, but they were changed to “oil sands” for some reason. Other thing is when I mention natural gas is being used to extract the oil from the sands, I say I would rather us be using that natural gas to replace coal plants because it is cleaner than coal. For the record I do recognize natural gas is not clean and not what we should be pursuing, I just would rather us burn it to replace coal rather than burn it to extract tar sands oil.

http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2009/03/03/Opinion/Energy.A.TarNished.Reputation-3656037.shtml

Energy: A tar-nished reputation

Matt Dernoga

Issue date: 3/3/09 Section: Opinion

Last week, President Barack Obama met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss energy. The United States and Canada share the largest energy trade partnership in the world, with Canada supplying the United States with more oil and natural gas than any other country. A major point of interest has been the Canadian oil sands, from which Canada is extracting increasing amounts of oil to export to the U.S. Continue reading

"We're doing this for you!"

captiol climate action

When I arrived at Spirit of Justice park, at least four inches of snow were on the ground and more was coming down. On the largest day of civil disobedience on climate change in history, an unusual March snowstorm hit the region. Braving the cold, frozen toes and wet snow, thousands of activists still came out to participate in this action. They were joined by the “stars” of climate activism: Bill McKibben, Gus Speth, James Hansen, Wendell Berry, Mike Tidwell and others, and by stars in other realms: Robert Kennedy and Daryl Hannah. Check out pictures and video on the Capitol Climate Action site.

As we marched around the plant, residents in the neighborhood came out to yell cheers of support. Standing in the doorway with her young son, a woman shouted, “Thank you!” Continue reading

Artists for the Climate Event

Artists for the Climate: A Night with Wendell Berry, McKibben and Speth

We are honored to host Wendell Berry, one of the giants in environmental literature

Join the twitter feed #art4clim

People talking about Artists for the Climate on Twitter

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