Archive for the ‘Live Update’ Category
15 minutes out
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
15 minutes out. Hundreds are gathering in Spirit of Justice park. The atmosphere is charged with hope and excitement. People are bundled up in their warmest coats and staying active by chanting. I hear “Coal can never be clean.” There’s a prayer vigil in the south section of the park.
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Almost there
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
FYI. The action begins at 1 EST. So t-minus 1 hour and 45 minutes. You can also get updates on Twitter. Find us at @climateaction. Our hashtage is #climateaction.
Check out this email I just received:
I don’t want to travel to DC from Frederick in the snow today. However, I am donating my bail money to an organization that fights mountaintop removal. I hope the turnout is a good one for the day. Try to stay warm.Katherine
Tags: twitter
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Why civil disobedience?
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
We just got done with a legal briefing. This seems like a good time to talk about why we are choosing civil disobedience at the Capitol Power Plant. Civil disobedience is a time-honored tactic and strategy of peaceful social movements. It has been used throughout history as an effective way to demonstrate the seriousness of an issue, the morality of a situation, and the commitment people have to bring about change.
The American author Henry David Thoreau pioneered the modern theory behind this practice in his 1849 essay Civil Disobedience, originally titled “Resistance to Civil Government”. On November 2, 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore, speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, urged young people to engage in civil disobedience to stop the construction of coal plants:
“If you’re a young person looking at the future of this planet and looking at what is being done right now, and not done, I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants that do not have carbon capture and sequestration.”
Why the Capitol coal-fired Power Plant?
The Capitol Power Plant, sitting just blocks from Capitol Hill, symbolizes the stranglehold coal has over our government and future. It’s not the largest or the dirtiest power plant in the country, but as the plant that is actually run by and for Congress it serves as an incredibly iconic symbol of what is wrong with our country’s energy and climate policy. From being outdated and inefficient, to burning dirty fossil fuels including coal, to having its clean-up blocked by politicians pandering to coal industry interests, we see this plant as the strategic target to address our concerns.
Tags: civil disobedience, coal, legal briefing
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Dr. James Hansen on coal, civil disobedience
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Tags: coal, global warming, james hansen
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From Amsterdam
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Just got this email…
Dear Daniel Kessler,
In support of the fine civil disobedience action that Greenpeace USA together with Bill McKibben, Jim Hansen and 90 other groups are undertaking today in Washington, there was a modest demo this morning at the U.S. consulate in Amsterdam, organized by Concerned Citizens against Climate Change, Greenpeace Nederland, and the Haags Milieucentrum. We distributed a bilingual leaflet, and left a letter to Obama at the consulate (in attachment) supporting your action. A consular official promised to fax it on to Washington.
The English side of the leaflet, titled “Renewables Yes, Fossil Fuel No. Support Obama and the Washington Mass Protest against Dirty Coal”, is copied below. The letter to Obama is in an attachment. The Greenpeace Nederland organizers have sent photos of our demo to your colleagues.
We admire your courage and that of all the other participants, students and older people, in this highly important action. Good luck.
Fraternal greetings,
Arthur Mitzman, for Concerned Citizens against Climate Change ( www.stopwarming.eu).
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Snow is no wet blanket
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
We’re up and at ‘em here at headquarters. We pushed through the snow, got into the office early, and immediately started taking phone calls from media wanting to know if the event is still on. Of course it’s still on! We expect 2,500 dedicated activists to stand tall at the Capitol Power Plant and demonstrate that the course of history bends toward progress. Make sure to follow the day right here as it unfolds.
Don’t forget you can email me or leave comments on the web site. My email is dkessler@greenpeace.org.
Meanwhile, here’s some interesting reading for you as you sip your coffee.
Schwarzenegger declares California drought state of emergency
Farmers worry as parts of Texas are driest in US
Drought bad for wheat
Tags: artice links, CCA, snow
Posted in In the Media, Live Update | 4 Comments »
Video: Coal Action Heats Up Capitol Hill
Sunday, March 1st, 2009
Tags: american news project, capitol climate action, CCA, power shift 09, students
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Live blogging the Capitol Climate Action
Sunday, March 1st, 2009
This is Daniel, Press Officer at Greenpeace. I’ll be liveblogging the Capitol Climate Action, bringing you as much of the day as I can, as quickly as I can! You can also follow the event on Twitter at our handle: @climateaction.
Throughout the day, I hope you’ll follow my updates and join in on the conversation. You can comment or email me at dkessler at greenpeace.org.
What is the Capitol Climate Action?
It’s a coalition of over 90 groups. These groups come from all corners of the progressive movement – international environmental organizations, grassroots climate justice groups, frontline communities most impacted by climate change and fossil fuels, faith-based organizations and many more. Each group will have its own specific campaigns and issues they work on – but we will unite under a common understanding that confronting the climate crisis has to be the priority for our generation and the new administration. Check out the Endorsing Organizations page for the most current list.
Tags: capitol climate action, CCA, live blog
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AP: Capitol power plant dims clean energy hopes
Sunday, March 1st, 2009
Great AP article by Dina Cappiello on the Capitol Climate Action:
WASHINGTON – As Congress tries to clean up the nation’s energy sources and cut gases blamed for global warming, it is struggling to do so in its own backyard.
The Capitol Power Plant, a 99-year-old facility that heats and cools the hallowed halls of Congress, still burns coal and accounts for one-third of the legislative branch’s greenhouse gas emissions. For a decade, lawmakers have attempted to clean it up.
In recent years, Congress has reduced its energy consumption. The steam and chilled-water power plant has become more efficient. It now burns more natural gasand only 35 percent coal, compared with 49 percent in 2007.
But Congress is running out of options to make the plant fully green. Also, there are questions about whether it can afford to keep paying to use the extra natural gas, which burns cleaner than coal.
The plant’s story is one that is likely to play out across the United States as Congress looks to limit greenhouse gases and require more of the country’s energy to come from wind, solar and other renewable sources.
Tags: AP, capitol climate action, CCA, media
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