Cross-Posted from: here

I happened to catch the opening part of President Barack Obama’s health care town hall meeting in Bristol, Virginia. At the beginning of these, local politicians are usually acknowledged by the President. So Obama thanks the Virginia Senators and the Governor, and then mentions that the Congressman of this area is Rick Boucher. Now, Obama could leave it at acknowledging Rick Boucher like the others, but instead he goes on an elaboration of energy, saying Boucher was an early supporter of his campaign, and has worked to ensure an energy policy where clean coal is part of Virginia’s energy future, which will create jobs. Because of this, Obama proclaims “I love Rick Boucher.”

Now, as whole I’m a supporter of Obama’s presidency. After 8 years of Bush I’m infinitely happier with Obama as president. I think Obama understands the critical issues around clean energy and climate change. Although he needs to show much stronger leadership and be more vocal with the media, I have considered the stimulus investment, stronger fuel economy standards, as well as his administration’s aggressive behind the scenes arm-twisting over the Waxman-Markey bill(which I support) to be pretty good. At the same time, I’ve criticized his administration over the EPA ruling on mountaintop removal, as well as his stance on clean coal, which is no secret at this point. The tar sands aren’t looking too good either.

But the notion that Obama can stand there and proclaim such outstanding support for a bought out Congressman is absolutely disgraceful and damaging. Not just because of Boucher’s efforts to drain what should be clean energy funding into longshot carbon capture and sequestration. That you would expect Obama to support. It’s the fact that Boucher was the leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee in weakening Waxman-Markey’s emissions targets and he pushed to weaken them further. It’s that Boucher took a 25% renewable electricity standard and a 15% efficiency standard and turned them into 20% combined together. These were the two biggest weakening effects. Although permit allocations and EPA authority are not at the top of my complaint list, Boucher had a big hand in those tamperings as well. If you could pick one member of the House that’s done the most damage to our efforts to pass a strong climate bill, it’s Rick Boucher. That’s why back in May, I was present at a direct action protest in the halls of Congress, where some blocked Boucher’s office and were arrested. At that event, one of the organizers Mike Tidwell, the director of CCAN and a friend talked about how Obama had all these goals for a good climate bill, and that Boucher was ruining Obama’s plan. If this really was so, Obama would not have such kind words for Boucher.

These kinds of remarks along with the EPA’s inability to block mountaintop removal mining makes me quite perplexed when I hear activists say we should kill the current bill so EPA can work its magic. I seriously doubt EPA would do better even if it moved in a timely fashion and cleared all the legal hurdles.

So, some general points I’m making to take away…

- I wouldn’t bet the planet on the EPA, and I doubt China or India would either. Let’s do our best to get a bill passed and improved out of the Senate that we can take to Copenhagen.

- I don’t like Rick Boucher.

- President Obama is doing some good things and some bad things. However, if he doesn’t adopt a much stronger public stance to pass a Senate bill and get a treaty in Copenhagen, his Presidency will go down in history as a colossal failure despite some of the good things he does.

- You can’t take a stronger public approach if you’re holding hands adoringly with Rick Boucher.

Posted in Climate Policy

Cross-Posted with Mass Climate Summer Blog.  Posted on behalf of Jeff Gang, Mass Climate Summer participant.

For the past two months, I’ve been spreading the word about the climate emergency as part of Mass Power Shift’s Massachusetts Climate Summer, a program of twenty student volunteers biking around the state.  (You might have already read about us!)  We’ve been in cities and towns, past beaches and through slums, under the rain and sun, and on ferries, trains, and subways. We canvass every weekday, not asking for money, but building support for a movement and engaging leaders. And since our project is almost through, I thought I’d share some of the lessons we’ve learned during our time in the Commonwealth.  First, I’ll talk about the canvassing experience, and then I’d like to share some impressions about getting the message across.

What is it like going door-to-door? Well, as anyone with canvass experience can tell you, it can be difficult.  But I’ve found that as soon as I tell folks, “we’re not fundraising” or “there’s no money involved” they loosen up, and begin to seriously listen to me.  I’m not some kid with a fundraising script; I’m a volunteer, giving my time because I care about climate change.  The message is clear: they should care too.  Our efforts have been very successful – 4,000+ signatures thus far.  I’d suggest that this sort of canvassing holds good potential for our movement across the country.

What does real America think about climate change, and how do they respond to it?

First, the bad news: there is a lot of work to be done.  Many people can’t be bothered to think about climate change. If they are aware of it, it is on a very superficial level – an understanding that driving a Prius is good and SUVs are not (to which I respond, “why not ride your bike?”) – and it’s thought of as something that does not concern them, that they cannot change.  At one house, a husband came to the door as his wife was signing our petition, and she told him it was about “climate control.”  It’s going to take much more effort to get the message through to the crowd that gets all their news from TV.

I’m reminded of a phrase I picked up from the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposium, which we have been presenting in each town.  The phrase is from Maude Barlow – “the right not to know.”  It’s the feeling that allows some people to “check out” and ignore the world’s issues.  She summarizes it:

“I don’t have to know about poverty, I don’t have to know about racism, I don’t have to know about environmental degradation or environmental justice or injustice because it’s not me, I’ve got my life and I’ve got my family and I can do what I want.”

Especially in certain affluent neighborhoods, this feeling is tangible in the way people occasionally react – as though I’m somehow bothering them by reminding them that our way of life is affecting the climate, harming the poor, indebting our children.  What can we do?  We need to keep trying, but I’ve also come to realize that my efforts are better spent elsewhere .  And while there are some folks (even in Massachusetts!) who aren’t “on the same page” about climate change, our very presence – as students, as volunteers, as young people doing their civic duty – makes an impression on doubters, gets them to think again, drives them to learn more.  Some of them even have CFLs in their porch lights!

The good news? People really respond to the Repower America goals on our petitions: 100% clean electricity in 10 years. Whether a retired nuclear power plant worker, a third-grade teacher, a national park ranger, or a building contractor, almost everyone “gets it” – that is, they understand that we’re burning too much coal and oil, and we have abundant alternatives here that are a good solution.  Even those that don’t know the terminology, who don’t read or listen to the news, who have never thought about the greenhouse effect – all these people understand that polluting is bad, and solar and wind power make sense, and they may even have some inkling that we’re affecting the global climate system.  And they’ve all signed.  Whatever their reasons for signing our petition, I’m glad that they are joining us.

Beyond that, we’ve found networks of engaged citizens who are educated on these issues, who understand that we need to live more sustainably.  These folks are already involved in other issues – civic education, peace rallies, community health and social services, recycling, and local food – and they want to know what should be done about climate change.  Yes, it’s important to change your light bulbs, insulate your house, and begin to think about personal sustainability.  But it is essential to change the laws, pressure your legislators, and give our industrial emitters a wake-up call – and before Copenhagen!  These people immediately understand the power of an October 24th action, and with their help we’ll keep pressure on as we move forward into the fall.  These are the folks who give me hope, who have really powered this program by helping us find places to stay, groups to talk to, and supporters along the way.  It’s great to see that there are so many different roles to play, and each of us can find one that engages our strengths.

To sum up, I’ve learned that people in Massachusetts mostly understand the need for clean electricity, and want to do something about it.  Our job has been to empower them.

We’re finishing up soon, with a big rally in Boston.  But the work is not done.  Of course, we need to continue educating the public, presenting a credible message, explaining why climate change matters.  And we need to continue to strive for sustainability, both personal and institutional.

More importantly, though, we need to strengthen the movement to push government in the right direction!  The last presidential election showed what 1.2 million volunteers can do – and it’s more than just clicking and donating.   We all need to see people not as just names on mailing lists with checkbooks, but as individuals with ideas, energy, and commitment to offer.  By channeling that energy, we inspire more and more action, rather than just asking for a click on an online petition.  There’s a need for boots on the ground, for voices that are concerned, for people to be engaged.  And that’s why I think the Mass Climate Summer model is a good one, and I hope you can use your energy to build change, starting right in your neighborhood!

Posted in global warming

Yesterday, indigenous rights activists coordinated a major action at the Royal Bank of Canada’s Headquarters in Toronto, to appeal to Mrs. Janet Nixon, the wife of RBC CEO Gordon Nixon, to lend her strong and influential voice to those fighting to protect Canada’s clean water and respect Indigenous rights by pushing RBC to stop bankrolling the tar sands.

See the full post here.

Posted in Oil

Cross posted from Solve Climate, by Alisha Fowler

Back on May 18, nine cyclists left their homes in Seattle and headed out for a bike ride. Now, this might not sound like much of a story at first.  But the thing is, these cyclists are still on the road. They have gained a few more team members since they began — cyclists from 11 other states have joined in — and they just arrived in the nation’s capitol.

The riders are young activists on a Trek to Re-Energize America. This week, they are meeting with members of Congress and calling for strong, immediate action on climate change.

“We started out saying we were ‘building a movement from the seat of a bike,’” said Jolene Brink, the lead Minnesota Trek Organizer.”What this has turned into is recognizing the movement that is already growing in towns and cities across the country, and the desire out there for change.”

Over the past two months, the Trekkers have gathered hundreds of stories from American cities and towns about sustainability, climate change, energy and the future of life in America. They have found that Americans from all walks of life are ready for a clean, green economy but that they need more government support to make a full transition to a more sustainable future.

The riders are now taking that message from the streets to the halls of Congress.

Check out below the fold to read about Kokomo, Indiana, the Twin Cities, and a rally in D.C.!

Kokomo, Indiana

When JP Kemmick, one of the Trek’s main organizers, rode into Kokomo, he found a city fearing it could lose its main industry — making transmission parts for Chrysler. Kokomo was hit hard by the economic slump, as transmission orders sank and a stream of layoffs ensued. Rather than get stuck in the past, however, Kokomo began working to reshape itself into a new, greener hub of innovation.

Kemmick toured the city’s new sustainability initiative, a biodiesel facility that turns used vegetable oil from local restaurants into public and government fuel. The project began in response to climbing gas prices last year and stuck as residents reaped the benefits of a local, inexpensive fuel source and less waste in their sewers.

The city is now developing a blueprint for a sustainable economy and future, with residents and officials planning a transformation into a center of green innovation in the Midwest.

“The new green economy is coming. Towns like Kokomo, unafraid to be the first to experiment with new methods and approaches, are also going to be the first to see the benefits of going green,” Kemmick said.

Minneapolis and St. Paul

In Minnesota’s Twin Cities, the Trekkers found another community searching for a clean, sustainable way forward.

The Summer of Solutions is comprised of high school students, college students and recent college grads who are experimenting with sustainability solutions on a variety of scales with targets ranging from urban agriculture to making neighborhoods more efficient to tackling green jobs and green manufacturing opportunities.

Kemmick sat in on one of their green jobs brainstorming sessions and was struck by how intrepidly the group explored the process of transforming a Ford plant into a green jobs manufacturing center and what such a change could mean for the community’s future. The energy in the room was palpable as the group discussed strategies for success, Kemmick said.

Innovators like these would go farther more quickly, he said, with stronger support from the federal government for research and transformation.

Kayford Mountain, West Virginia

Further east, mountaintop removal activist Larry Gibson hosted the Trekkers at his home on Kayford Mountain, a site his family has lived on since the 1700s. The area around Gibson’s home has been devastated by mountaintop removal coal mining, a process that is literally leveling chunks of Appalachia, filling valleys with debris, and polluting the streams that area residents and wildlife rely on.

Amid the hardship found in so many communities, the Trekkers noticed a passion for innovation and sustainability, said Lucy Richards, Colorado Trek Organizer.

In Washington, D.C., this week, the group is taking that message into meetings with more than 30 members of Congress. They’re sharing the stories of the American towns and cities they visited, and they’re asked the federal government for strong, immediate action on climate change. Supporting clean energy innovation that can take the place of destructive and climate-changing fossil fuel use is a step in the right direction, Kemmick said.

“We let them know that all across the country, ordinary people are working in their communities to ensure a better, more sustainable future for everyone, and they need the federal government to get on board.”

Posted in Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Events, Impacted Communities, Summer of Solutions

Jason Kowalski, a policy expert with climate advocacy group 1Sky, has an excellent and handy update on the climate bill “situation report” from DC. Here’s the skinny on upcoming Senate committee timelines, political posturing from critical moderates, and how the health care debate is impacting the climate scene:

1. Timeline

Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has promised the release of her committee’s discussion draft on September 8, the first day back from recess. By releasing a discussion draft after recess, EPW has the potential to positively influence other committee processes as titles get marked up before the September 28th deadline. The current schedule:

• 8/8 – 9/7: Senate August recess;
• 9/8: EPW discussion draft to be released;
• 9/8 – 9/25: Committee mark-ups held;
• 9/28: Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) mark-up deadline for all Senate Committees with climate jurisdiction.

2. EPW and Finance Committees

Aides from the EPW Committee have said that their draft of the bill will not include “detailed language” on allocations, as they may wait until the markup process before they tackle the allowance scheme (like Energy and Commerce Chairman Waxman (D-CA) did in the House).

Chairwoman Boxer is being pushed by climate champions like Sens. Sanders (I-VT), Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Whitehouse (D-RI) to strengthen short-term emissions reduction targets “beyond 17% by 2020″ (in anticipation of attempts at weakening on the floor), while Sens. Carper (D-DE), Baucus (D-MT), and Specter (D-PA) want a more moderate bill from EPW. Carper has specifically said he wants a more “centrist” EPW draft.

Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has been clear that his committee will mark-up the international trade and allocations provisions of the climate bill.

3. Posturing amongst the Moderates

Senators have begun posturing in anticipation of what will take place in September. Here’s a brief rundown of some public comments we’ve seen since ACES passed in the House:

• Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) called ACES a “complete non-starter” this week.
• Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) ran an op-ed on his concerns about ACES that (unbeknown to him) were actually addressed in the bill. Read responses from Joe Romm and Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman.
• Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) supports a “very gradual implementation” of a climate plan. Also, see her negative Twitter posts on ACES.
• Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), who recently announced a 2010 retirement, said he opposes climate action, but also opposes offshore drilling.
• Sen. Sherrod Brown(D-OH) said recently that he won’t filibuster a climate bill; however, it’s not uncommon for a senator to vote for cloture and then against the bill.
• Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) says that he cannot support the bill without greater recognition of CCS as a “green” resource.
• Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) says he will filibuster a climate bill if it doesn’t preserve a wide offshore drilling buffer.
• Grist has created profiles of other key climate swings.

4. How Will Healthcare Delays Affect Climate?

Though healthcare floor action has been pushed until after the August recess, climate champions are insisting they will hold a vote this year. EPW Chairwoman Boxer and Agriculture Chairman Harkin (D-IA) have promised to stay on track with their committee pieces of the bill, and Foreign Relations Chairman Kerry (D-MA) is denying that the healthcare calendar will have any effect on climate (E&E). The White House is maintaining that both agenda items are the “valued children” of the Administration, and they will continue to press Congress to pass both this year.

Read more on:

• Problems both bills have encountered.
• The role the CBO could play in helping climate, and hurting healthcare.
• Why both agenda items need to be pushed this year.
• Healthcare vs. Climate.

Bottom line: Wins beget wins. A win on healthcare helps raise the political capital necessary to pass a strong climate bill before Copenhagen.

Thanks to Jason and 1Sky’s Rhiya Trivedi for the update. Check out the 1Sky “Skywriter” blog for frequent updates.

Posted in Climate Policy, global warming, Government, Politics, United States