DivestUK says "gofossilfree.org" (7/11/15)
Letter from Laurie David, Founder of “The Stop Global Warming Virtual March”
Dear Fellow Marcher (July 30, 2015):
Ten years ago, I had an idea to build a large grassroots movement demanding solutions to global warming. With the help of friends and mentors including NRDC founder John Adams, former NRDC president Frances Bienecke, Senator John McCain, and Robert Kennedy Jr., a giant march on Washington to stop global warming was born, but on the internet instead of on the streets, combining our voices into one loud, clear cry for action.
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March has had three basic goals: to get Americans to admit that global warming is real; to acknowledge that we are causing it; and to demand meaningful solutions from our government and business community. We have been driven by a belief that the issue of climate change is not political, it is moral, and by a faith that large numbers of people acting together can change the world.
We have fulfilled our mission to help raise awareness, but it is clear there is more work to be done to put the country on a path towards a renewable energy future. Work that requires new tactics, and a new partner on the front lines of the next phase of this fight.
I am pleased to announce that StopGlobalWarming.org will be joining forces with 350.org, who will be taking the lead to continue our work.
The 350.org, co-founded by author Bill McKibben, is working to build a global movement to take on the climate crisis. Their online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions are coordinated by a global network active in over 188 countries.
You might know 350.org from their campaign to stop the Keystone XL pipeline and their work to divest public institutions everywhere from fossil fuels. All of 350.org‘s work leverages people power to dismantle the influence and infrastructure of the fossil fuel industry, and to develop people-centric solutions to climate change. New tactics for a new day.
I am so grateful to everyone who has contributed to our efforts from the beginning, all of the friends, co-workers, featured marchers, and partner organizations, especially Tides. But most of all I am thankful for you.
We started StopGlobalWarming.org with the idea to use the power of the internet to build a coalition, but the true power of our movement is you, individuals who recognize that we are all contributors to global warming and we all need to be part of the solution.
Thank you. Keep marching, Laurie David, Founder of StopGlobalWarming.org
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Fossil Fuel Divestment: Building the Movement Around the World
>>> Update article from gofossilfree.org & 350.org, July 11, 2015
On Saturday 11th July, over 250 divestment activists came together in London for ‘Fossil Fuel Divestment: Building the Movement’, sharing their campaigning skills, inspiring stories from across the country, and the occasional cup of tea.
Really great images emerging from the big meeting in London today! You guys are leading the world! — Bill McKibben, July 11, 2015
The event was organised by 350.org in partnership with The Guardian and hosted speakers from Carbon Tracker, BP or not BP, Divest London, ShareAction and Community Reinvest and many others.
If you had a company with a warehouse where 2/3 of the stuff inside couldn’t be sold, would you invest in it? — Sam Gill, July 11, 2015
The day opened with an introduction to the divestment movement so far – featuring talks from activists involved in local government, university and faith campaigns, as well as The Guardian discussing their “keep it in the ground” campaign. In the afternoon, 15 workshops explored divestment in detail – from finance to creative action planning to media training. A colour-coded sticker system (don’t ask!) and plenty of refreshment breaks allowed campaigners to find each other and have the conversations vital to building our movement!
“I’ve seen the apartheid movement, this is much bigger” – Keith (member from the audience) — divestlondon, July 11, 2015
Missed the event? No fear! We have collated all of the resources from the day so they are publicly available.
See also: www.FrackCheckWV.net
Point Your RSS Reader to FrackCheckWV.net/feed/
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Interfaith Power & Light (July 31, 2015)
This is a critical hour for our movement. We urgently need your assistance!
Next week, the Obama administration is expected to release the final Clean Power Plan: the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants. Power plants are the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., generating up to 40% of the nation’s CO2 emissions.
Yet Congressional leaders are threatening to block these rules, and defund the EPA. IPL and our partner organizations must launch an all-out campaign to defend the Clean Power Plan this summer.
We are up against the most politically powerful and deep-pocketed interests in the country: the fossil fuel industry. While the Clean Power Plan is projected to save money for consumers, as well as clean up our environment, there is no doubt that it will cut profits for the heavily polluting coal industry as we transition our power towards renewables. Our opponents may have industry money and political influence, but we have the moral imperative, and people power.
Recently, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sent a letter to every governor in the country telling them to ignore the EPA and continue running their polluting power plants. It’s outrageous to have a Congressional leader actively undermine a federal agency and encourage others to violate the law.
Already there are 14 states set on filing lawsuits against the implementation of the Clean Power Plan and several states that say they won’t comply – even though the plan allows states great flexibility in compliance. (The State of West Virginia is leading the lawsuit activities).
We must engage people of faith in every corner of our country in supporting the Clean Power Plan.
The new film Merchants of Doubt, (based on the book by Naomi Oreskes and Erin M. Conway) shows how spin-doctors have manipulated public opinion with an illusion that the science of global warming is “inconclusive”. But we know that 97% of climate scientists, the National Academy of Sciences, and other major scientific institutions agree that global warming is real and very likely due to human activities.
We don’t have time to continue listening to misinformation from climate denialists, and we need to break their hold on our Congress.
With your support, we will mobilize people of faith across the country to speak out in support of the Clean Power Plan. Among our activities this summer and fall:
>>> Generate thousands of letters and calls to U.S. Senators to urge them to let the EPA do its job
>>> Testify at public hearings around the country in support of Clean Power Plan implementation
>>> Hold vigils at Congressional offices to urge our representatives to listen to Pope Francis’ message of our moral obligation to protect Creation
>>> Broadcast the moral message for climate action in the news media
>>> Hold screenings of Merchants of Doubt to help people understand the concerted industry strategy manufacturing doubt in order to hinder climate action
This movement would not be possible without the commitment, passion, and generosity of people like you. Will you help at this critical time?
Sincerely, Susan Stephenson, Executive Director
http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org