If our goal as a species is to reduce greenhouse gases in order to tackle global warming, we're definitely behind the eight-ball. A new study reveals that worldwide carbon emissions increased last year, and scientists are scared:
The world pumped up its pollution of the chief man-made global warming gas last year, setting a course that could push beyond leading scientists' projected worst-case scenario, international researchers said Thursday.
The new numbers, called "scary" by some, were a surprise because scientists thought an economic downturn would slow energy use. Instead, carbon dioxide output jumped 3 percent from 2006 to 2007.
That's an amount that exceeds the most dire outlook for emissions from burning coal and oil and related activities as projected by a Nobel Prize-winning group of international scientists in 2007.
Green Jobs Now is only hours away. I can feel the excitement in the air! Here in Washington DC we're helping with art supplies and tents for the event in Southeast Washington organized by Nydria Humphries. and can't wait to see DC council members and others rally the crowd!
While we ramp up for our actions, I think it's important to contextualize what we're working for. We are collectively calling for an economic transformation that would create jobs for low income and communities of color along with others. And within both of those communities, women have the most to gain.
The latest firestorm, outside that of the ginormous financial bailout, is crackling around impromptu remarks by Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden who, in taking a stance against the building of new coal-fired power plants in the U.S., expressed general opposition to "clean coal" technologies.
For today only, 1Sky Campaign Director Gillian Caldwell is being featured on YouTube's homepage today as part of a series of videos about the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Gillian speaks in the video about MDG #7, "Ensuring Environmental Sustainability," and the importance of solving the climate challenge in order to build a sustainable world. You can watch the video only today on YouTube's homepage, or at any time on the 1Sky YouTube channel.
This is a guest post by Colin Beavan, a.k.a. No Impact Man. It was posted originally on his blog last week and we're cross-posting it here today with his permission. -- Luis
When I allow myself to lapse into know-it-all-ism, it is a mistake. In fact, I don't know the answers to this catastrophe that threatens our health, happiness and security as it depends upon our planetary habitat.
And I've never met anyone else who knows the answers either.
We've been beating the drum pretty hard here around the Green Jobs Now day of action (hate to nag, but did you sign up yet?). But as David Sassoon at SolveClimate points out, Saturday is shaping up to be a showdown between Big Oil & Coal vs. a grassroots movement fighting for green jobs and a clean economy:
In one corner, weighing in with the blood and burden of 150 years of the fossil fuel era, wearing a business suit, is Newt Gingrich. And in the other corner, almost weightless with the audacity of hope, wearing work clothes and holding a caulk gun, is....Patrick!
Have a look at the video yourself.
The showdown reaches a head this Saturday, September 27th.
Gingrich's group - called American Solutions for Winning the Future -- is promoting a national day to broadcast more of the same old uber-macho approach to energy: Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less. -- even though the "pay less" part is a lie. His strategy relies on a communications strategy akin Chinese water torture. Repeat something often enough and people lose their minds.
The Green Jobs Now coalition -- Green For All, 1Sky and the WE campaign working together -- already has almost 600 events lined up in all 50 states to counter the fossil fuel machine and stop the torture.
It's "campaign update day" on the blog today, so here's another one. With only two days to go for Green Jobs Now, we have nearly600 events planned in all 50 states—and counting!
The response to this call to action by 1Sky, Green for All, the We Campaign and many other organizations has been simply amazing: It shows that the American people really ARE ready for green jobs and a new economy powered by clean, renewable energy. If you haven't signed up for an event yet, you still have time—sign up today!
I just wanted to send a big "thank you!" to all of you who participated in the Climate Matters video contest. The September 22 deadline has come and gone, and I'm glad to report we've received a large number of highly creative and powerful entries. Our judges will start reviewing the top entries soon -- I can guarantee they'll have a tough time choosing the winners!
If you haven't made your way to the contest page, be sure to click through and check out the entries and maybe even pass along the ones you think send the most powerful messages about climate change.
There's sadness across the environmental movement this week, as we mourn the untimely passing of Phil Clapp. You may have already seen David Sassoon's moving post on Phil's life and the many contributions he made to environmental protection, but if you haven't it's worth a read.
