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VCCool Newsletter
March 26, 2007
Dear Global Warming Activists,
This newsletter issue has a special focus on national global warming news and actions. The big, rusty wheels in Washington D.C. are beginning to move, and we need every shoulder to the wheel to help it keep turning in the right direction - away from the cliff!
Also some local updates, a big, big, call for help on Ventura's Earth day Celebration, April 29th, and more on the "S" project.
-Rachel of VCCool
www.vccool.org
Senate: Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act - S 309
House: Safe Climate Act - H.R. 1590
It's finally happening. The United States House and Senate, are reviewing two bills that support the scientific community's understanding of climate change crisis. They both seek to cut carbon emissions to 80% BELOW 1990 levels by 2050, nationally. These bills don't just stall till it's someone else's watch. They are effective immediately (after a two year review), with milestones every five years.
- June 2006 "An Inconvenient Truth" opens- and VCCool is conceived.
- January '07 Sanders and Boxer introduce "Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act" in the Senate.
- February '07 Waxman blows the lid off the global warming cover up in the US.
- March 21, Waxman introduces the "Safe Climate Act 2007" in the House.
- March 22, Al Gore goes to congress with over half a million signatures (thank you everyone who signed!!) demanding "...real action now to stop global warming."
- April 14th is national Step-it-Up day. Telling congress to "Cut carbon 80% by 2050." More about this below.
Let's join many of the nations around the world in staving off climate change crisis! Please consider voicing your support for these powerful bills, on-line.
Sign-on to support both bills!
National Step-it-Up day is April 14th. Tell congress to "Step-it-Up" and cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050.
Join an action or start one of your own!
There are over 1000 actions across the county. There are many ways to support the movement: education, talk to the press. VCCool and other organizations will also use this day to gather petitions for the two specific bills that cut carbon 80% by 2050.
Here is one petition you can use at your action! Be sure to mail (or possibly hand-deliver) your petitions to your representatives as soon as your action is over. We need all the momentum we can get!
Congratulations Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Ojai, and Newbury Park - for posting one or more step-it-up actions!
Another way to support national awareness about climate change, is to support NRDC's national Polar Bear SOS add.
Click here to watch the add and to donate.
March 15th, 2007
With Climate Change bearing down on us, everyone needs to be involved, and that means everyone needs to be informed. This gets a little difficult when our top scientists are getting the gag order.
This month the House passed a bill (331-94) to protect scientists' amendment right to speak against political interference with their research.
Union of Concerned Scientists,
Complete Article
Organizers, artists, marketing people, are all hard at work putting together a truly fun, and Truly Green, Earth Day Celebration 2007. VCCool is teaming up with the City of Ventura and with the amazing Ventura Charter School to present an all-day event at Mission park.
But we really need your help!!
Can you pitch in for a two hour shift during the April 29th event?
Please look over the shift slots. We need folks to help stand at the VCCool booth with us and give out flyers, talk about actions people can take, and bring climate change information to a broad spectrum of Venturans, young and old. Each time shift will have a team, so no one will have to stand alone. We sure hope you show up, to give our core members some relief, and to share your bright spirit. 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
& clean-up
We also still need people to help coach new-games. Use the same time slots listed above. You just need to enjoy playing in the park and showing people how to have fun. Don't be shy! We'll get you caught up on which games we're planning to play in no time.
If you can take a booth shift during the Earth Day Celebration, e-mail elzbet@vccool.org.
If you want to learn new-games and take a new-games shift, e-mail rachel@vccool.org.
The Sustainability Council is refining what they call the "S Project." It's a way for local business to let us know that they are going the extra mile to be sustainable. This rewards green businesses, and it also helps shoppers know how to vote with their dollars.
To display the "S" sticker, a business would need to check off some items from each of the three categories: Environment, Equity, and Sustainable Economy.
The "S" project volunteers have put together a list of some of the items that businesses could use to qualify for the big "S." You could get high marks, for example, if you use compact florescent bulbs, have secure bicycle parking, or provide a living wage.
If you are a business owner or a shopper, and have ideas about things businesses can do to be more sustainable, please e-mail them to collart@west.net. Here is the current list of ideas.
The battle over Billiton's proposed off-shore Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
terminals in the Oxnard and Malibu areas rages on. While specific emissions figures are hotly debated,
a number of core questions arise.
Should we as rate payers spend billions of dollars on a new infrastructure that is based on non-renewable, foreign fuel, which must be shipped over six thousand miles before it is used? Could our time and capital be put to better use in our effort to respond to climate change crisis?
While natural gas is touted as a relatively clean fuel, an additional red flag was raised with the recent allegation by Representative Waxman that the EPA was pressured by Billiton's lobbyists when it exempted Billiton from local clean air standards. This is particularly disconcerting for those of us who attended our local hearing in November, where the Air Pollution Control District voted unanimously that the LNG plant should meet air quality standards.
For those who do feel strongly that this project is not the direction we should be going, organizers are asking people to gather on Monday, April 9, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, for what they hope will be the final hearing on this issue.
For More Information
Art submissions for the Ventura Cloth Bag Project design contest can now be submitted up to April 22.
Also, all entries are eligible to be in the "Green Venturan and Proud of it!" art Exhibit on Art Walk, April 28th, at 327 Main St., downtown Ventura.
Contest Guidelines and Business Sponsorship information
How Your Home Can Be Sexier,
Healthier and Save Civilization!
Thursday, March 29th
6:30-8pm
at The Farmer and The Cook
339 W. El Roblar Drive , Meiners Oaks
Cost: $10 and up Donation.
A scrumptious Indian Dinner or soup/salad
bar will be available at an additional cost.
By Jack Stephens, Director of the Natural Building Network
Natural Building offers real solutions to the global problems of climate change, fresh water
access, natural resource depletion and human rights abuses. Discover simple solutions you can
apply to make your buildings safer, healthier and sustainable for yourselves, your neighbors
and the global community.
Energy Efficiency & Climate Change Issues for Land Use Professionals
Wednesday, April 4
9 a.m. – 12 noon
1000 So. Hill Road, Suite 230
Ventura, California 93003
VCREA Conference Room
Free Event
Continental Breakfast Included
Learn how energy efficiency can be made the centerpiece
of climate change policy through the land use planning process. This seminar will survey specific options for enhancing energy efficiency in both residential and non-residential building and development with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas production.
Register for the event.
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