General

While the capture and storage of emissions from coal-fired power plants is sometimes touted as a cost-effective way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, an article published in today's New York Times emphasizes the rising costs and growing uncertainty behind the technology. The front-page article highlights cancellations of high profile carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects like FutureGen, and notes that

One of the best features of the American system of government is that it provides for more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. If one level of government isn’t doing its job to solve a problem, others can step in and tackle it, however imperfectly. We’re seeing this pattern once again with climate change. Since the feds show no inclination to take the sort of bold action that so many organizations—like 1Sky, to pick one at random—are calling for, the states are filling the void.

Here’s a compelling illustration of just how far ahead of the feds the states have moved: The Sea Studios Foundation has produced a compelling 14-minute movie called “Ahead of the Curve,” which chronicles what the states are doing to tackle climate change. It’s definitely worth checking out.

The insurance industry is one of the largest in the world, with yearly revenues around $3 trillion. Put another way: If the insurance industry were a country, it would have the third largest economy in the world. This year, Ernst & Young’s report on business risk cited climate change as the greatest threat to the industry with “long-term, far-reaching” and significant negative impacts.

There’s a misconception among many that the climate change movement is made up exclusively of environmentalist. Nothing could be further from the truth: In fact, our movement draws from a wide variety of communities and social movements, including the religious community. Throughout our history, communities of faith have always been at the forefront of sweeping social change. Why should climate change be any different?

On Tuesday night, Majora Carter, KC Golden, and our own Betsy Taylor rocked the house at the National Cathedral, talking about their work on the climate problem and answering questions.

Hey everyone; I'm Eli a new intern at 1Sky. Monday was my first day so I’m just about as new as they come. When I walked into the office my first morning, phones were ringing, people were running, and the feeling of energy and excitement was tangible. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, there was no time to start slow or ease into my internship.

QUIZ: Who said the following?

“Indeed, the challenge of climate change is at once individual, local, national and global. Accordingly, it urges a multilevel coordinated response, with mitigation and adaptation programs simultaneously individual, local, national and global in their vision and scope.”

a) Stephen Johnson, Head of the EPA
b) Gillian Caldwell, Executive Director of 1Sky
c) Arnold Schwarzenegger
d) United Nation representative for the Pope
e) Van Jones, Green for All

We've very happy to announce an exciting new partnership with an association of more than 400 local governments working on climate solutions. To help introduce some of the work we're embarking on together, we've invited Michelle Wyman, Executive Director of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, to join us here on the blog with the following guest post. Welcome, Michelle!

The following is a guest blog from Anne Marie Treger, a climate organizing all-star from Summit, NJ. A big-time Step it Up organizer, Anne Marie has thrown herself full-time into getting her community and beyond involved on the climate issue this Mother's Day