This past weekend, something remarkable happened — more than 35,000 people came to Washington D.C. from all over the country to make sure President Obama heard our message: take action on climate, reject the Keystone XL pipeline. So, was President Obama listening while we took to the streets in the dead of winter? It’s hard to tell. While thousands of Americans marched in the cold to call for action on climate, the President was in Florida ‘on the green’ with leading figures in the Texas oil and gas execs. For most Washington insiders this can be chalked up to par for the course, but for a president who has stressed the urgency of addressing climate change this is a bogey.

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An Invitation to the President

The President’s golf game got us to thinking, how willing is he to check out things from our perspective? Jim Murphy, National Wildlife Federation’s senior counsel and tar sands campaigner, issued an invitation:

“President Obama, we realize that this is how business gets done in Washington, which is why we’d like to formally invite you to trade in your golf spikes for some hiking boots. So next time you’re down in Florida, come with us on a tour of the Everglades, where wildlife like sea turtles and Key Deer are losing crucial habitat due to climate change. Or if you’d like something closer to home, hang out with us at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, one of the country’s best waterfowl habitats that’s facing catastrophic sea level rise.  We can’t promise a caddy, but we guarantee it will be a lot of fun.”

President Obama says he’s serious about combating climate change, but he needs to show his commitment by rejecting Keystone XL. If 40,000 people marching in Washington D.C. wasn’t enough to make our message loud and clear then we’ll get louder.  This past week is just more evidence that we need to raise our voices to make sure he is standing up for people and wildlife.

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On Sunday, the National Wildlife Federation and our supporters took part in the largest climate rally in history. And that’s exactly what it felt like: being a part of history. Over 35,000 people came out in the blistering cold to show their unwavering devotion and commitment to our planet and its wildlife. Thousands of us stood in solidarity to push the most powerful man on earth to stand on the right side of history.

If President Obama is serious about tackling climate change, he needs to reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Scientists have overwhelmed us with evidence that climate change is happening now and that we need to take serious steps to mitigate its effects. Wildlife all across the country are already feeling the impacts of climate change, and the upstream emissions alone from filling the Keystone XL pipeline would be equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 6.3 coal-fired power plants or more than 4.6 million passenger vehicles. This project is moving America in the wrong direction. We have a moral obligation to protect our children’s future from climate change.  So, what do people do when they want change but their elected officials don’t, won’t or can’t: we move, we march, we build, we take action.

On February 17th, we took to the streets. In a historic moment for the climate movement we stood up and said “yes we can” solve the climate crisis. However, the fight is not over, and the President still needs to be pushed.  In order to move towards a clean energy future we need to reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Make your voice heard by telling the President that it is his turn to take action.

Share on Facebook to add your support for wildlife threatened by climate change and dirty energy.

Here are some more photos from the rally — if you attended, please add yours to the pool:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Especially since 2012 was the hottest year ever recorded, the arctic sea ice extent set a new record low in recorded history, the northeast was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, and drought and wildfires struck all over the western part of the United States.

But there is one group who may just need a report to actually show them that climate change is real and is happening now. You guessed it, it’s Congress.

Back in 1990 when the U.S. Congress passed (and President George H.W. Bush signed) the U.S. Global Change Research Act, it actually mandated that federal agencies produce just such a report every four years. The latest installment of this National Climate Assessment was recently released in draft form for public review.  This draft report is the most comprehensive review of U.S. climate impacts to date. It includes analyses of how climate change is already affecting specific regions and sectors of national relevance, from agriculture to health to transportation.

Flickr simm0ns777

It’s like the kid who has a math book with all the answers in the back, but refuses to do the work to find the solutions. That kid usually fails the class. In this case, Congress is failing its country. Let’s make them do the math.

So when the President addressed climate in his Inauguration speech, saying,

“We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity.We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.

“Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.

“The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries—we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure—our forests and waterways; our croplands and snow-capped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.”

I think he’s saying, “Hey, we can’t deny or ignore science any longer. It is time to take action.”

As we know, action is not something that Congress is particularly keen on these days. That’s why we’ve got to push them. Right now is the time to raise our voices so that when the report lands on their desks next year they know what to do with it. And they know we’re paying attention.

Tell Congress to limit carbon pollution contributing to climate change!

Photo: Lou Gold

How Tar Sands Impacts Our Changing Climate

Tar sands production in Canada’s Boreal Forest is fueling the climate crisis (not to mention destroying wildlife habitat in the largest terrestrial ecosystems in the world). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline has the potential to increase carbon pollution by 27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of 6.2 million cars on the road for 50 years.  Woah! That’s a lot of emissions. This project would lock us into decades of dirty fuel dependence at the exact moment in history when we need to take serious action against a rapidly changing climate and embrace our clean energy future. We need to get it together. Our future depends on it.

What This Means For Wildlife

Scientists warn that without significant new steps to reduce carbon pollution, our planet will warm by 7 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, with devastating consequences for wildlife. The climate crisis is already changing the playing field for wildlife and urgent action is needed to preserve America’s conservation legacy, according to our new report: Wildlife in a Warming World: Confronting the Climate Crisis.

“We know what’s causing the climate changes Americans are seeing in their own backyards and we have the solutions to secure our climate and safeguard our wildlife for future generations,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “What we need is the political leadership to make smart energy choices and wise investments in protecting our natural resources. We can’t leave this problem for our children and grandchildren to fix – they’ll judge us based on what we do now.”

How We Can Transform Our Energy Future

Photo: Marine Jaouen

On Sunday, February 17th, join thousands of Americans at a historic rally in Washington D.C. to protect polar bears and other wildlife at risk from climate change.

Protect wildlife from dirty fuel that is contributing to climate change!

Photo by Todd Powell

It’s expensive to produce, and difficult to transport. Thousands of people—from Alberta, Canada to Winnsboro, Texas to Portland, Maine—have been fighting pipeline developments in their backyards, but too often oil companies have been unabashedly ignoring the environmental and health concerns that residents and scientists alike share about pipelines and the development of this dirty fuel.

However, the conversation is changing, and this time it’s including voices that TransCanada, Enbridge, and other corporate tar sands giants can’t ignore. In addition to the investor action this week, markets showed a case of the jitters over tar sands in two separate incidents last week. Both major tar sands pipeline companies, TransCanada and Enbridge are under tight scrutiny and being watched closely.

When TransCanada announced it was shutting down the original Keystone pipeline over a safety concern, oil prices bounced downward for several hours. And when NWF issued a report that was critical of Enbridge’s operation of the aging Line 5 Midwest pipeline, NASDAQ noted Enbridge’s stock dipped downward.

Reining in Growing Giants

“Oil sands development is the fastest growing industrial source of GHG emissions in Canada, projected to approximately double by 2020.” -Environment Canada, Canada’s Emissions Trends, July 2011

Alberta Tar Sands

“When Wall Street says there are serious problems with tar sands development, it should send a clear message that betting on a dirty oil future is a loser for everyone.”

Make your voice heard! Take Action to protect climate and wildlife from the development of the dirtiest fuel on the planet!

Wealthy polluters are pouring unprecedented millions into advertisements in an effort to influence this election. Ordinary Americans who care about conservation and wildlife may not have the deep pockets of polluters, but they are speaking out.

Just this week, NWF’s Campus Ecology Program released a report: A Student’s Guide to How Corporate Oil, Gas and Coal Money Influences U.S. Energy Policy. Which is about—you guessed it—how polluters have bought their way to the front of the line on Capitol Hill. The effort is teamed up with Energy Action Coalition’s “Power Vote,” which aims to register youth and first time voters who want a say in our energy future.

Checking the Ads

Anyone who watches Mad Men knows advertisers are plugged into our psychology. How do we know what the truth is? Political transparency has become an issue on more and more radar screens, especially after Citizens United v. FEC. But how can you find out the truth during this election cycle? You’re in luck, there’s an app for that.

It’s called the SuperPACApp, and is available for iPhone users. It’s the Shazam for political advertisements. The phone listens to the ad and within seconds reports on:

1. What group funded the ad;
2. How much it costs and
3. Information on the accuracy of the ad.

This app makes the unprecedented spending on political advertisements more transparent—allowing the viewer to gain clarity on what they are actually watching and where it is coming from.

So the next time your eyes start glazing over after yet another attack ad, break out your iPhone. But be careful, you might find yourself looking forward to the next commercial break, just not for the reasons the oil industry wants you to.

Here are some other great resources that peel back the curtain on dirty money:

• Campus Ecology Report
• Sunlight Foundation
• Dirty Energy Money
• Center for Responsive Politics

The Proposed Alternative

The proposed route changes for the Keystone XL pipeline, as announced Sept. 5, 2012.

NWF’s Statement

Joe Mendelson, National Wildlife Federation climate and energy policy director, said:

“The reason TransCanada needs to keep rerouting the Keystone XL map is because it’s just a bad idea. Each new map amounts to a catalog of which property owners will suffer, and what habitat will be placed at risk. The best approach is to ditch Keystone XL entirely and embrace clean energy solutions that don’t spill or explode.”

For more information, visit NWF’s Keystone XL page.

Same Problems, Same Risks

Jane Kleeb with Bold Nebraska says,

“The new route still risks our land, water and property rights. The new route still crosses high water tables, sandy soil which leads to higher vulnerability of contamination and still crosses the Ogallala Aquifer, the lifeblood of Nebraska’s economy.”

Let’s get rid of this project once and for all. 

Let the U.S. State Department know you want to protect people and wildlife from this dangerous tar sands pipeline!

Over 440,000 people submitted comments to the State Department last month asking them to include the project’s impact on climate when assessing the new route. The climate impacts of a project this dirty should be included in what is called a supplement environmental impact statement (SEIS) that is required by the state department in a situation where a project has had major changes.

In KXL’s case, they have had to reroute the northern segment to avoid Nebraska’s Sandhills.  Incredibly, last time TransCanada applied there was no assessment on potential climate impacts. Accordingto the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Keystone XL pipeline has the potential to increase carbon pollution by 27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of 6.2 million cars on the road for 50 years. Let’s do it right this time.

Protesting the KXL Pipeline in DC Photo: Marine Jaouen)

Speaking Out

Millions of people have been voicing their concerns about this project and what it means for future generations. The United States needs to weigh the climate impacts of energy projects before moving forward on them. We know climate change is happening now, and we cannot continue to ignore the impacts we are already enduring. Climate scientist, James Hansen, has warned that developing tar sands would be “game over for the climate.” The Obama Administration has made a commitment to mitigate climate change in his famous speech where he said, “this was the moment when … the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.” So what legacy do we want to leave for our kids?

The development of tar sands means investing in one of the dirtiest forms of energy on the planet.  That is why millions of people have joined together in the fight against the Keystone XL pipeline–a project that would drive a massive expansion of habitat-destroying tar sands operations.

Speak up to protect our climate and wildlife!

AP Photo

Jeremy Symons, senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation, said:

“It’s hard to tell what’s really new about TransCanada’s application, which continues to threaten Nebraska’s iconic Sandhills and its critical Ogallala aquifer. It’s just the latest broken promise from TransCanada, which has threatened to seize Nebraskan lands by eminent domain and claimed its Keystone I pipeline would spill very rarely, then spilled 12 times in its first year of operation.”

The Alberta-based company is already planning to move forward with the project’s southern segment(from Cushing, OK to the Port Arthur, TX). Because the southern segment won’t cross an international boundary, the State Department won’t require a presidential permit for it to be built, but the southern segment still needs water permits from the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). TransCanada wants limited review of this dangerous project and they want to stay out of the public eye after the bruising they took during the first round of this fight.They’re betting that it will be harder for the State Department to say no to the rest of the pipeline if a significant portion of it is already in place — However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already said more scrutiny is needed.

Gulf Coast Project

As NWF’s Jeremy Symons argues,

“The only thing this pipeline would guarantee is billions in annual profit for oil companies, while risking long-lasting damage to our waters and lands. That’s why oil companies have pushed so hard to have their allies in Congress take this decision out of the hands of safety regulators – they know if Keystone XL is judged fairly on its impacts on America’s land, water, wildlife and climate, it doesn’t stand a chance.”

Protesters carry an inflatable Keystone Xl pipeline around the White House during the Nov. 6th rally. (Photo: Marine Jaouen)

Help us make sure this dangerous pipeline gets the scrutiny it deserves. Speak up now for wildlife and people affected by tar sands and the Keystone XL pipeline:

It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when I began to see nature and the outdoors as my own personal refuge, but the video below does share an outdoor moment that I will never forget–when I was a kid and I encountered a mountain lion.  Don’t worry, I was about 30 yards away from the mountain lion so there wasn’t much to be afraid of.  Here are some tips on what to do if you do come across a mountain lion.

This post is broadcasted from the Outer Banks, North Carolina.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At that moment I realized that I was in someone else’s backyard–a species who had been calling those mountains home way before my Aunt and Uncle moved there.  These are the moments that I want to protect for other people, and is a reminder of why I love what I do. Wildlife habitat is being threatened at an unprecedented rate, and many are facing the threat of extinction, please take action!

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of nine NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in the Great Lakes, California, South Dakota, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.