veronica

Since the beginning of September, the NC Conservation Network staff, our allied organizations and 67 concerned citizens have been collecting postcards to Sen. Kay Hagan. The postcards call on Senator Hagan to ask her to support legislation that:

1. puts North Carolinians back to work by creating thousands of new green jobs;
2. takes strong action to reduce global warming pollution; and
3. continues NC's transition to a clean energy economy by investing in renewable energy.

Yesterday myself, fellow 1Sky NC Organizer Chris Gianino, along with John Bonitz (with Southern Alliance for Clean Energy) walked over to Sen. Hagan's Raleigh office and delivered 1,696 of these postcards! This brings our total postcards delivered to date to 2,196 with more coming in each day!

The picture is of Sen. Hagan's staffer Patrick Ayers who was a good sport about receiving the huge stack which he will now have to enter.

While we were there we had a good meeting with Sen. Hagan's Deputy State Director, Tony Caravano. We covered a lot of ground, Chris talked about his travels across the state where he worked with a lot of you to make phone calls and collect postcards. John talked about his work with North Carolina's farmers and woodland owners and the economic benefits that are available to help boost our rural economies. We really appreciated Mr. Caravano's time and we came away from the meeting knowing that while we make slow progress towards a climate bill, Senator Hagan is aware that strong clean energy and climate legislation will greatly benefit North Carolina’s economy.

We all have to continue make sure that our elected officials, our friends & family, and the media knows that there are economic benefits to federal climate and energy policies. We also all have to continue our emails, calls, and face-to-face meetings with members of North Carolina's Congressional delegation as the fight for strong energy reform that addresses climate change moves into 2010.

Calling all crafty & artistic folks! Art is a powerful visual for elected leaders who may be a little disconnected from constituents. Across the country, volunteers decorated murals last year and we dropped them off in Congressional offices on the Hill. This year when we returned, those murals were hung up in many offices throughout Capitol Hill. That's some grassroots impact!

As we lead up to the holidays and continue with hearings in the Senate on a climate bill, it's the perfect time to host something festive - including anyone ranging from you, your friends, or your kids to inviting new people to join your efforts.

Between now and November 23rd, we're asking you to hold a small art gathering where you decorate a piece of fabric (or old sheet) representing the urgency of acting now. We're recommending writing Tck Tck Tck on it to tie it into an international movement leading up to climate talks in Copenhagen.

Sign up today by following this link to our online network: http://1sky.org/art or just shoot an email to local[at]1sky.org.

We'll reach out to you and make sure you get an envelope with pre-paid postage to mail your mural back in.

Last fall people across North Carolina and the nation spoke loud and clear: they wanted change. Not even a year later it seems that the national media and our elected officials are losing sight of the electorate’s decision to take our country in a new direction. They seem to be falling for big polluters’ high dollar distraction show that’s now touring the nation to stop comprehensive clean energy legislation in Congress.

Recently, the New York Times, Washington Post, and MSNBC ran stories highlighting the extreme tactics the energy industries are using to ensure that our country continues with “business as usual” energy and oil usage. The dirty tactics in this multi-million dollar campaign include stealing letterhead from senior citizen centers to forge letters sent to members of Congress, hiring actors to play average Americans for a video against energy reform, and providing detailed instructions on how to interrupt civil discussions by disrupting public town hall events. 

Average Americans and even renewable energy businesses can never compete with the tens of millions of dollars big polluters are spending to convince you, me, and the media that we can't change. They say we can't afford to move toward the safe, clean fuels of the 21st century. They say we can't afford to create new jobs that help us to restore prosperity to our country. The truth is, we can and last fall’s election demonstrated that Americans want to move forward with a new clean energy economy.

In a time of serious economic hardship, the Washington Post reports “In the first six months of 2009, the Center for Responsive Politics found [oil and natural gas companies] spent $82.1 million lobbying Washington on various issues, including energy policy.”  The irony is that the big polluters spent tens of millions of dollars—in less than a year—to argue that national energy reform will cost consumers and their companies too much. They chose to invest in lies and propaganda instead of investing in putting people back to work.

These days I hear people asking: will national energy legislation help save money, or will we end up paying more for energy? The answer is, it depends on who writes the policy. If we sit back and let the well-financed energy industries write the bill, we can expect to see massive giveaways to polluters, consumers paying more for energy, and mediocre goals that let polluters off the hook and don’t halt climate change. Wise climate policy can and should offset any increases in cost with rebates for low and middle-income households, targeted energy efficiency investments in low and middle-income communities, and new job opportunities. 

Saving the earth and growing North Carolina’s economy doesn’t have to be a contradiction. In fact, we have great potential in this state to benefit from national energy legislation. Right now only 4% of North Carolina's current electric power generation comes from renewable energy sources. However, according to a report from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy our potential for generating renewable energy within the short-term is 29% and within a decade it’s 42%. We need to tap this potential for renewable energy and create homegrown clean energy jobs in North Carolina. 

We can't afford to wait to restore American leadership in the global marketplace. Europe, China and Australia—just to name a few—are already way ahead of the U.S. in developing the clean energy technologies of the future. But it’s not too late. We can lead the first technological revolution of the 21st century the way we led the major technological revolutions of the 20th century—but only if Congress acts on energy legislation this year.

As our elected officials continue to work to develop legislation, I pray that they do not allow themselves to be swayed by the multi-million dollar polluter propaganda show. Instead, I hope they will remember the mandate that they received from voters to pass a clean energy plan for America. One where energy legislation puts people back to work with green jobs, reduces global warming pollution, and invests in clean, safe energy that never runs out.

Join me in calling on Senator Hagan to support strong action this year on energy reform that addresses climate change and puts people back to work. Take action here now by clicking here.

A group of about 50 concerned citizen activists came out to the Greensboro Coliseum tonight to show their support for clean energy and green jobs legislation. They came out because of the event being held inside the coliseum organized by Energy Citizens—a front for the American Petroleum Institute—who paid to bus people in who work for the organizations they represent. The group is also actively opposing federal energy reform that addresses climate change. Local folks gathered on the sidewalks surrounding the coliseum to make sure that voices in support of federal action on energy were heard. While a drum corps provided the entertainment, the citizen-activists held signs and banners calling on Senator Kay Hagan (North Carolina) to support efforts in the US Senate to pass strong clean energy and climate legislation this year.

State Representative Pricey Harrison (from Greensboro) was there as well as representatives from clean energy businesses, labor and faith communities. State Representative Harrison along with U.S. Representative Howard Coble attempted to enter the event. While Representative Coble was allowed entry, Representative Harrison (who represents the district in which the event was held) was denied access. Also allowed into the event were activists from FreedomWorks, a right-wing  group that has ties to big business and the oil industry.

See below to watch a short video on the rally and Rep. Harrison's experience.

Two folks with our group were able to get inside the event. At the door they were asked if they had tickets or if they were invited to the event. They were also asked if they had taken a position on cap and trade.  After telling the door folks they were just checking out the event and wanted to learn more they were let in to enjoy the hot dogs, hamburgers, and sweet tea. Once inside, event organizers were asking folks to take materials and sign postcards. Howard Coble was invited to speak because “he got it right with his vote” against the American Clean Energy and Securities Act. One speaker told the crowd about how climate change was not caused by human activity. The event had all the bells and whistles of a pricey corporate event although it was marketed as an attempt to put a “human face” on efforts to derail clean energy and green jobs legislation.

In true grassroots fashion 50 citizen activists braved the August heat and were able generate a lot of support from the general public.

[This blog entry was guest-written by Mark Kimbrell of Focus the Nation.]

On April 18, 2009, at the end of the first one hundred days of the new administration and congress, students, community leaders, activists, citizens and elected officials will convene in congressional districts across the country for a Nation-Wide Town Hall Meeting on climate change and America's clean energy future. These events will bring communities together with their elected representatives to discuss ideas and solutions for building a just and sustainable clean energy economy.

Focus the Nation is working on bringing these empowering events to North Carolina, but needs organizers and volunteers to join the effort. The town hall campaign seeks active individuals, to step into leadership positions, and organize an event in their community. By getting involved you can make sure the North Carolina delegation is engaged on climate change, amplify the voice of your community, and distinguish yourself as a leader within the climate movement.

Those who join the effort will have access to the Focus the Nation online organizing community, and will work in solidarity with organizers from across the country, giving each event a national impact. Multiple organizing resources will be provided by the Focus the Nation staff, and organizers will receive support as they plan their event, execute it, and build momentum afterwards. You can find more info about becoming an organizer, or about attending events near your community at www.focusthenation.org.

Will you become a part of the clean energy movement? If so, contact Mark Kimbrell, Focus the Nation’s Southeast Organizer, at 503-241-4368 or mark[at]focusthenation.org.

There has never been a better time to engage your community on these incredibly important issues. Make clean energy solutions and green jobs a reality throughout North Carolina.

I have some exciting news to share: President Obama just signed into law an economic recovery bill containing $87 billion in green investment funds--the largest investment ever in clean energy solutions!

It was the passion and commitment to bold climate action by thousands across the country that made this day possible. For the last two weeks, folks across the country phoned Congress for more than 121 hours through the 1Sky website--the equivalent of five days of nonstop calling on behalf of a green recovery. Kudos also to our allies who flooded congressional inboxes with emails.

President Obama and the members of Congress who supported the bill heard you loud and clear and took bold action. If we want them to do so again in the future, they need to know we have their backs today.

Please send a 'thank you' note to President Obama and the 306 members of Congress who voted for a green recovery by clicking here.

The green investments in the recovery bill will not only create over 1.7 million green jobs our country needs urgently: they are also a critical down payment on a clean, renewable energy economy.

President Obama and the bill's supporters in Congress took a bold step towards real climate solutions, and they deserve our thanks for a job well done on backing a green recovery.

This is only the first step of many to solve the climate challenge and build a clean economy. In the months ahead, we'll have to keep pushing Congress and the President to enact strong caps on carbon pollution and a halt to new coal power plants.

But in the meantime, take a moment to appreciate what we've accomplished today. Thank you for taking ownership of this movement!

For the past several years I have attempted to send out holiday cards to my friends and family. Every year I fail miserably. I usually get one or two off but inevitably after the holiday season I am left with a pile of cards and a pile of self-inflicted guilt that started with good intentions.

This year will be different because 1Sky has created a series of cool holiday cards with a message. What's better for environmentally-minded folks like me and you than an e-card that supports the movement for bold action on climate change!

Join me in spreading holiday cheer and build a movement at the same time! Click here to send your holiday e-card today!

Next year, we'll have a historic chance to remake our economy and solve the climate challenge. But to make the change we were promised in November a reality, we'll need to rally millions of citizens around the promise of a clean, fair and prosperous economy that will finally begin to heal the planet. Help us start doing that today by sharing these holiday e-cards with everyone you know.

Two years ago, I had the privilege of touring North Carolina with filmmaker Jeff Barrie to bring you his documentary Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America. In one week, we traveled from the coast to the mountains and met over 1,500 of you! At the time the film's focus was on the Southeast, and today I am excited to tell you all that the national version of the film is being released on PBS this month.  The broadcast schedule in North Carolina as of 9/30 is as follows:

• Asheville, NC, SCETV, 10/19 at 10pm
• Charlotte , NC, WNSC-DT2 , 10/23 at 2pm 
• Greensboro/High Point/Winston Salem, NC, UNC-TV, 10/23 at 10pm
• Raleigh/Durham, NC, UNC-TV, 10/23 at 10pm

Please note times and dates are subject to change so please check your local listings.

Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America is an award-winning film that provides simple, practical, affordable solutions to America’s energy crisis and shows how we can save electricity, save money and make a difference for ourselves and the planet.  Visit www.KilowattOurs.org for a short sneak preview.

If a broadcast is scheduled in your city, the Kilowatt Ours organization has several opportunities for you to help get the word out about this important documentary: 

• Email this announcement to your community contacts and/or post it in your organizations’ newsletter and website Kilowatt Ours has materials to support the following efforts at www.KilowattOurs.org/toolkit.php
• Host a viewing in a home or community setting. Please contact Screening@KilowattOurs.org
• Consider a donation or sponsorship to support this effort and bring this film to a wider audience. Donations of $25 entitle you to a DVD and bulk rates are available.

If the film is not currently scheduled in your community, you may wish to contact the viewer services department at your local public television station to find out if they are planning to show this hopeful film that inspires energy conservation and change for most people who see it.    

As a part of the national call to action on green jobs, the NC Conservation Network is partnering with organizations to host two different events in the coming week (in the Triangle). We encourage you to attend, volunteer, and/or spread the word about these events! Details are below.

"Growing A Just, Green Economy" (which will be held Saturday September 20 from 8:00am - 4:00pm at NC Central University) is a statewide conference with public, private, and community stakeholders who share a vision for an equitable, environmentally sound economy. During the conference they will investigate the future of sustainable communities, businesses, and jobs in North Carolina. Featured speakers include Majora Carter, founder and former Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx, and Rev. Dr. William J Barber II, President of North Carolina's NAACP branch. For a complete list of speakers visit www.bbgalliance.org.

Join the NC Conservation Network/1Sky NC and Greenpeace for the North Carolina stop of the Global Warming Rolling Sunlight Tour on Wednesday September 24th from 11:00am - 3:00pm at the NC Museum of Natural Science. The tour has been all across the country and features the Rolling Sunlight Truck which is equipped with a solar array! Volunteers are needed for an hour or two between 10:30 am - 3:30 pm. Volunteer now by emailing veronica [at] ncconservationnetwork.org. You can also help by spreading the word, here is a downloadable flyer to post in your community.

North Carolina can employ an economy that provides quality local jobs and improves our communities, all while protecting our health and our environment. You're invited to attend this "Growing A Just, Green Economy" conference to learn how NC can do just this.

Featured speakers include Majora Carter, founder and former Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx, and Rev. Dr. William J Barber II, President of North Carolina's NAACP branch.

Come use your voice! Help shape how North Carolina will take steps toward a just and green economy. Attendees will participate in discussions focusing on policy, business development, job assessment, education and training, and resource security.

Who should attend? YOU, your friends, anyone who wants better quality jobs, and people interested in businesses that protect the environment.

Conference Sponsors: North Carolina Central University, Elizabeth City State University, NC NAACP, HKonJ Coalition, The Conservation Fund, NC Conservation Network/1Sky NC, Good Work, SURGE, NC Fair Share, NC WARN, Eartheal, NC Environmental Defense Fund, Green Bridge Development, The NC Institute of Minority Economic Development, NC Council of Churches, NC Interfaith Power & Light, Green Durham, ReCyclery, NC Sustainable Energy Association, Clean Energy Durham, Grassroots Energy Alliance, Synergy Development & The Fenwick Foundation.

YOU MUST REGISTER ONLINE BY SEPTEMBER 12th AT:

www.bbgalliance.org

Student Cost (with ID): $10

Early Bird Cost: $20 (before September 5th)

Regular Cost: $30