Archive - Jun 2010

By Climate Rider Carolynn Shaut. The Brita Climate Ride-California will take place on September 21-25, 2010. Register today! -- Luis

I first read about the Brita Climate Ride from a recent 1Sky email. Like many people, I rely on my keyboard for political expression and the Internet for most of the news. This bit of news about Climate Ride pulled on me, like a subtle string.

Yesterday, Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change held a live video chat on the White House web site to answer questions about clean energy, reducing our dependence on oil and on President Obama's efforts to pass a comprehensive climate legislation.

After an "inspiring" Democratic caucus meeting last Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) affirmed that the Senate is ready to move forward with a climate and energy bill this summer. Senate leadership has discussed plans to draft a bill over recess, but it's not clear what form the final legislation will take. President Obama is meeting with a bipartisan group of senators this week to try and incite collaboration on the new bill, as oil continues to pour into the Gulf.

By 1Sky intern Florencia Foxley. -- Luis

Saturday's Hands Across the Sand events united thousands of citizens at more than 900 events world wide -- including nearly 800 in the U.S. -- with one message: we need a clean energy economy, not more drilling. It was an incredible demonstration of Americans’ demand for our leaders to end handouts to Big Oil and invest in clean energy.

It's finally here! Hands Across the Sand takes place this Saturday in a town near you. Check out the link to locate an event. It comes at a good time, with plenty more happening with regards to the oil spill.

By 1Sky blogging working group member Andy Silber. See Andy's bio at the end of this post. -- Ines

On Father’s Day, my wife asked want I wanted to do. I’m such an energy geek that I told her that I wanted to visit one of the wind farms that are popping up near Ellensburg, WA , just across Snoqualmie Pass from Seattle. So we loaded up our son and two dogs and drove two hours along I-90.

By 1Sky intern Emma Fernandez. -- Luis

The latest disappointment in the Gulf oil disaster saga: Martin Feldman, a federal judge in Louisiana, struck down President Obama’s moratorium on offshore drilling today in his ruling on a lawsuit filed by Hornbeck Offshore Services.

Last week's legislative developments were framed by President Obama's prime time speech from the Oval office on Tuesday night. Obama discussed measures being taken to address the devastation in the Gulf, but also made the broader connection between the Gulf disaster and our nation's reliance on fossil fuels, and the need for new legislation that will encourage clean energy. His challenge to the Senate was not as specific as it could have been, but it was enough to keep pressure on the Senate to continue work on comprehensive energy and climate legislation.

By Jennifer Niese, a Climate Precinct Captain in Maine. -- Luis

Last Wednesday (June 16th), I joined up with a group of a dozen other Mainers in front of our U.S. Senators offices in Portland, Maine. Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe were among 47 Senators to vote in favor of Senator Lisa Murkowski’s resolution which would have gutted the EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from the fossil fuel industry. Fortunately, 53 Senators voted to defeat the proposal and the Clean Air Act remains intact.

By 1Sky summer intern Amy Plovnick. -- Luis

Yesterday afternoon, some volunteers from Massachusetts and 1Sky interns walked into Senator Scott Brown’s (R-MA) D.C. office armed with a stuffed flamingo covered in what looked like oil. The look on the staffer’s face shifted from amusement to dismay as we presented her with this “Oily Bird Award” to condemn Senator Brown for voting in favor of the Murkowski resolution, which would have gutted the Clean Air Act and increased our dependence on dirty fossil fuels like coal and oil. Here's a video capturing the moment: