Hunger Strike on 27th Day

As I write this Brian Eister is on the 27th day of a water-only climate hunger strike outside the American Petroleum Institute in Washington, D.C. The only thing he has consumed since April 1st is water, sodium and potassium.

Brian’s latest posts on his website, http://www.1future.net, report on both his continuing resolve but also the hunger and physical difficulties he is experiencing. On the 26th day he wrote, “The days are dragging on and hunger has become quite intense, but the sacrifice I am making here is modest. . .”

Continue reading

Tell President Obama: Stop Keystone XL

Our movement sent more than one million comments on the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline to the Obama administration in just 45 days this spring. With a decision nearing, we must keep the pressure on President Obama to reject this climate and health disaster.

Continue reading

#ForwardOnClimate!

This post was written by CCAN Communications Fellow Annie Mackin.

Superstorm Sandy. Drought. Raging wildfires. It’s time to act on climate change, and President Obama knows it. During his second inaugural speech, he admitted that “failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.”

Continue reading

Superstorm Sandy

Much of New Jersey, New York City and elsewhere definitely got hit very hard by Superstorm Hurricane Sandy yesterday: several feet of sand covering roads close to the ocean in Point Pleasant and probably elsewhere—50 or so homes burned down in Queens—extensive flooding of the lower Manhattan NYC subways—7 million or more customers without power—blizzard conditions in the Appalachians—and much more, without question.

I live in NJ, about 12 miles west of Manhattan. We didn’t get much rain but we did get very high winds, probably 80 mph or so, and as my wife and I huddled together on the couch last night, we held our breath more than once as the strong winds howled outside. Was a tree or a huge branch going to be uprooted or broken off onto our house or the electrical wires?

Continue reading

Crying Over Colorado

Reading the article below by Julia Olson made me cry.

One of the big memories of my childhood is a one-month vacation trip my family took when I was 14 years old, driving from Lancaster, Pa. to Colorado and staying in Manitou Springs, just outside of Colorado Springs, for two weeks. Now, Manitou Springs is burning.

Continue reading

The OTHER federal court decision this week

As the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on President Obama’s Affordable Care Act came down today, I was reminded of how remarkable our justice system really is.  It’s a system of finely-tuned checks and balances that determine every branch of government’s role and boundaries within the Constitution.  Regardless of your own personal beliefs about the validity of said law, we can all applaud the foundation upon which our country rests…the rule of law.  Where facts still matter and justice prevails.

Continue reading

Fracking, Climate Action and July 28

“On July 28th, 2012, we invite community members and organizations everywhere to join us in Washington, D.C. for a rally at the Capitol to demand no more drilling that harms public health, water, and air. . . Elected officials and public agencies must insist that the industry stop all drilling that is dirty and dangerous, and put communities and the environment first, starting by removing special exemptions and subsidies for the oil and gas industry. Join community leaders, celebrities and policymakers and add your voice to the call for a clean, fossil fuel free energy future.” -Call to Action at www.stopthefrackattack.org

Continue reading

The Moral and Climate Crises

I can’t remember ever participating in so many actions on an issue organized by religiously-based groups over such an extended period of time. It is a very hopeful sign that among people of faith, many different faiths, there is a clear stirring into action on this huge moral issue, this threat to human civilization and the ecological systems that have allowed for its development over the last 10,000 years.

Continue reading

For Rachel Carson

Water makes its way, through fields, hills and mountains
Water makes its way, it has its ups and downs
Water makes its way, it ends up in the oceans
Water makes its way, it really gets around.

I must make my way, no matter what life throws me
I must make my way, must do the best I can
I must make my way, my faith and hope they guide me
I must make my way, together we all must stand

 

Continue reading