Let’s Get to the People’s Climate March!

In September, world leaders are coming to New York City for a UN summit on the climate crisis. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is urging governments to support an ambitious global agreement to dramatically reduce global warming pollution.

With our future on the line and the whole world watching, we’ll take a stand to bend the course of history. We’ll take to the streets to demand the world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities.

To change everything, we need everyone on board. We have an opportunity to make Sunday, September 21 in New York City a special day. Join us!

Organizers in the Pioneer Valley are hard at work getting buses together for the People’s Climate March in NYC.

We need YOU!

We already have bus captains for Greenfield, Amherst, Northampton, Holyoke and Springfield, but we still need help! Primarily, we are looking for extra volunteers to co-captain in Greenfield, and extra hands for other towns is appreciated. Can you help? Bus captains will reserve buses and help fill them, but are not financially responsible. If you think you would like to be a bus captain, please email climatemarch-pv@googlegroups.com

If you want to join us on a bus to the march, check out our regional signup page: gotoclimatemarch.org

If you have signed up for a 350MA bus from the Haigis Mall in Amherst leaving on Sunday 9/21, but would prefer to leave from Greenfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Northampton or Springfield, please let us know. We’ll put you in touch with Sophie at 350MA, who will refund your ticket; and we will arrange for you to catch another bus.

Don’t forget to RSVP for the march on the official Facebook page!

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Climate Action NOW!/350MA General Meeting

Date: Monday, August 25th
Time: 7 PM
Location: Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, 220 Main St, Northampton (please note change of location from our usual meeting in Amherst)

Topic: War, Militarization and Climate Change: The Urgency of Joining Our Movements Together

Our next Climate Action Now/350MA meeting is focused on exploring the nexus of peace and climate.

Climate Action NOW members are working with national peace and justice organizations to formulate an appeal to peace/justice and environmental groups to work together. Militarism and war take a huge toll on the environment. The use of the military to acquire fossil fuels that are destroying the planet is a truth of our times. We need to disengage from militarism and war in order to save our planet.

This appeal can be found here.

As usual, we will also have updates on all of our campaigns, including the Tennesee Gas pipeline resistance, Springfield climate action plan, divestment, and organizing for the rally in New York City.

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Bird Puppets

for the NYC People’s Climate March, September 20th and 21st.

Make hand-held Bird Puppets from cardboard with theatre artist and activist, Beth Fairservis in three Puppet Building Sessions. We hope to fill Broadway with flocks of birds hand made by groups in Western MA and hand held by individual marchers in the demonstration. Birds will make a visual statement showing our long range awareness of what is happening to our atmosphere and how it will affect our planet and all who inhabit it. The Bald Eagle symbolizes America, awakened to climate change and demanding the skies above our land be forever clean.

Sessions scheduled so far will take place at Beth’s Yurt in the Woods Studio, in Haydenville, and at Heritage Park in Holyoke as part of the Co-op Power 10th Annual Sustainability Summit.

Sunday, Aug 31st, 10am to 3pm, at Beth’s Yurt
Saturday, Sept 13,10am to 3pm, at Heritage Park
Sunday, Sept 14th, 10am to 3pm, at Beth’s Yurt

RSVP to Beth Fairservis: bethbirth@crocker.com

All are invited. Children are encouraged to attend. Materials provided except cutting tools. Please bring your best exacto knives, and sharp blades for cutting out cardboard.

JOIN US TO CREATE A STRONG ARTFUL PRESENCE FOR THIS VITAL PROTEST RALLY!

Please let Beth know if you would like the PDF of the design so that you can work with your community to create your own flock! The design can be altered to create new bird species!

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING BIRDS FROM CARDBOARD

ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A GROUP:

Upon request, Beth will send you the PDF
Print OUT PDF
Lay out pages and tape together (Lines will not meet because of printing border. Either fold or cut one side so that lines touch.
Glue down on flat piece of card board (Big sheets of cardboard can be obtained at furniture stores, or use a large box.
Once dry, cut out with xacto knife, or box cutter. (Trace these pieces onto more cardboard, if you want to make more birds)
Assemble two pieces together
Tape together with masking tape. (Clear tapes will not accept paint well)
Paint!

Co-op Power’s 10th Annual Sustainability Summit is just around the corner and the price for registration will start going up after August 13th.

Register before August 13th to get a 40% early bird discount on the ticket price. As a member, you get an additional 20% discount. Contact Diego for member discount code. Registration at the door will be $45.00 for non-members and $35.00 for members. Register early!

Tentative Schedule:

9:00- Registration and Exhibitor area open. Exhibit area ongoing throughout the day.
9:30-10:30– Workshop Session 1
10:45-11:45– Workshop Session 2
11:45-12:45– Lunch
12:45-2:00– Plenary Session with keynote by Eric Toensmeier
2:00-2:30– Information about Co-op Power’s Products and Services, Member Benefits, and Local Organizing Councils
2:30-2:45 Open Space Networking and Exhibitions
2:45-4:00– Workshop Session 3

The Summit is taking place at Holyoke Heritage State Park featuring a carousel and many displays about Holyoke’s hydroelectric dam and canals.

Eric Toensmeier Will Be Giving the Keynote

Eric Toensmeier is the award-winning author of Paradise Lot and Perennial Vegetables, and the co-author of Edible Forest Gardens. He is an appointed lecturer at Yale University, and an international trainer, presenting in English and Spanish in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean.Eric has studied permaculture and useful plants of the world for over two decades. He managed an urban farm project for five years, ran a seed company, and co-developed a farm business training curriculum that is now used in eight US states and three Canadian provinces.Eric is currently writing Carbon Farming: a Global Toolkit for Stabilizing the Climate with Tree Crops and Regenerative Agriculture Practices.Eric has written books about permaculture including his most recent book entitled Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One-tenth of an Acre and The Making of an Edible Garden Oasis in the City. He has also published a book called Perennial Vegetables and is currently working on a book about Carbon Farming that was funded through a successful kickstarter campaign.

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Put your talent on display! As we prepare for the summit, we welcome volunteers to take charge of overseeing our zero waste efforts, registration, set up, clean up and making sure that the event goes smoothly.Taking a leadership role in the event will not only be a fun and rewarding experience, but will also be a way to connect to members and supporters throughout the region. Volunteering is a great way as well to get free entrance to the event. Register today!

Marty Nathan: A pipeline we don’t need for gas we don’t want

The Hampshire Gazette, July 31, 2014

‘…the threat extends far more broadly than affected communities. Natural gas has been called a “bridge fuel” by well-meaning people concerned about global warming and the outsized effects of coal-burning electricity production and home heating on greenhouse gas production. But in fact, fracked gas may be as bad as if not worse than coal. Natural gas is composed primarily of methane, a greenhouse gas over 20 times as potent as CO2. Methane is extensively leaked into the atmosphere during the fracking process and gas transport.

This is a bridge to nowhere.’

Festival for Our Future in Salem

We’re at a crucial juncture in our campaign against the proposed Salem gas plant. Despite preferential treatment from state and local officials, Footprint’s project is delayed and their financing is uncertain. Now they’re asking energy regulators to give them a break by waiving fines. If we keep the pressure up, we can stop the sweetheart deals — and perhaps halt the plant entirely. We’ll rally at 2 pm and enjoy a “Festival for Our Future” afterwards with music, a giant interactive art piece, kids’ activities, and more. Join us as we work together to envision a future that depends on renewables, not fracked gas! Register here.

WHAT: Rally and Festival for Our Future
WHEN: Saturday, August 16, 2:00-4:00 pm
WHERE: Derby Wharf, Salem, MA (next to the Orientation Center on Derby Street)

RSVP here!

Resistance to the Kinder Morgan fracked gas pipeline

On Tuesday August 12, Kinder Morgan representatives held a public meeting in Athol, and found themselves up against impassioned residents opposed to the pipeline.

Showing up to public forums such as this is only one tactic in our arsenal to fight this dirty, dangerous pipeline. What else can we do, you ask?

ACT NOW!

BEAT’s Action Plan
Our primary researcher partners, Berkshire Environmental Action Team, have come up with key steps that need to be taken now. The great news is – anyone can do them! One idea is:

— Ask Governor Deval Patrick to publicly oppose the Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline proposal by Kinder Morgan, to deny them access to state land for survey, and to keep the currently stalled tariff to pay for pipelines off the table.

For more action items from BEAT and No Fracked Gas in Mass, click here.

Marty Nathan: A pipeline we don’t need for gas we don’t want

The Hampshire Gazette, July 31, 2014

This is a bridge to nowhere.’

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