Are you coming to the People’s Climate March in New York City? There will be activities all weekend, and on Sunday, September 21st we will make history! The goals of the march are:
to have the largest convergence of climate activists EVER
to have to most diverse voice of the people POSSIBLE
- to catalyze the most effective inter-group climate solutions NOW!
Bus transportation is already in motion and you can purchase regular and low income tickets here for buses leaving from Amherst.
Our team of organizers is working to secure lots of bus options in the Pioneer Valley and are also working out the details of carpooling and train/metro transportation. If you want to join this group, email karen@innerfortune.com
Carbon Tax
At the last General Meeting of Climate Action Now, we had a wonderful presentation given by the experts at Climate xChange on the topic of a carbon tax. The subject is fascinating and generated some fantastic discussion! If anyone missed the meeting but is still interested in learning about carbon taxes, you are in luck – there is going to be a whole meeting dedicated to just that (see below for details). As well, if anyone in the area is really excited about the possibility of carbon tax legislation in Massachusetts and would like to work on this issue, please contact Susan Theberge.
Are you “off” the grid or helping to increase supply for renewable energy? If you are already using solar/wind/geothermal on your home or through a third party, click here to BE COUNTED in our Switch Campaign!
Our children thank you!
Our Mothers Out Front “Third Monday” Family Picnic is moving to the Amherst Common – come join us for a great time from 5-7pm on Monday August 18th and learn about what you can do to make a BIG difference in just 10 minutes.
Then you will hopefully be inspired to connect mothers and others to our September 6-7 and 13-14 #PowerUpMA weekend of statewide house parties – many throughout Western MA! Look for our Pioneer Valley group on Facebook.
Let’s Get Creative!
Imagine a giant FLOCK OF BIRDS marching in the NYC People’s Climate March with letters on their backs that spell out: “For our children”! Would you like to help create a giant puppet presence for the climate rally on September 21st?
Beth Fairservis from PachaMama Puppet Productions is generously offering children and adults in our community the opportunity to come and build giant puppets with her. The puppets can be made in a day (though painting may have to happen later) and will be easy to transport by buses into the city.
She is offering two dates for puppet builds:
SUNDAY AUG 31ST
& SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH
The builds will happen at her yurt in the Woods studio in Haydenville. We can also have builds elsewhere if folks are interested.
Please contact Susan Theberge if you are interested!
News articles for your reading pleasure:
The Hampshire Gazette, July 25, 2014
By Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
Let’s say you step into an elevator, push the button for the 10th floor, watch the doors slide shut and cast a quick glance at the other passengers in the car. Lo and behold, you spot one of the Koch brothers! No, it’s the CEO of ExxonMobil! Or the CEO of TransCanada, the outfit behind the Keystone XL pipeline! Or maybe it’s President Obama himself! You swallow hard. This is your one and only chance to say in 30 seconds why you care about tackling climate change. What do you say?
The Republican, July 25, 2014
GREENFIELD – Amid shouts of protest from some audience members, Kinder Morgan representatives fielded questions Thursday night at Greenfield Community College. But on some topics, concrete answers were scarce.
…
At one point, Cole said that when looking at a satellite map showing lights, north-central Massachusetts was dark. He compared it to looking at North Korea.
“We can see the stars,” an audience member shouted.
Federal regulators let utilities gouge customers
Al Jazeera America, July 25, 2014
The profit margins that federal regulators set for utilities should be decreasing, given the long downward drift of interest rates and the shrinking cost of capital.
Bizarrely, the opposite is happening: Utilities are raking in stunning profits at the expense of consumers.
Welcome to West Port Arthur, Texas, Ground Zero in the Fight for Climate Justice
The Nation, June 3, 2014
By Wen Stephenson
‘…And yet, here’s the thing: if you live in West Port Arthur and toxic emissions have ruined your health, or your child can’t go to school because she can’t breathe, or you can’t find a job and feed your kids and see no way out of the projects—or all of the above—then you’re probably not thinking about some future apocalypse. You’re living in one. You inhabit an apocalyptic present. And what’s true of Port Arthur is true of frontline communities across the Gulf Coast and across the continent—and the world.’
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