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Stand With Michigan on Prop 3, The Most Important Clean Energy Vote of the Year

Guest Author — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:02:45 +0000

This is a guest post by Whit Jones, Campaign Director for Energy Action Coalition

There’s one vote on climate and clean energy this election that’s pretty clear and simple: Michigan’s renewable energy ballot initiative, Proposition 3. And right now, it needs our help.

Prop 3 is being called “the most important clean-energy vote this year” because it would substantially boost the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) and help further develop Michigan’s clean energy economy, bringing much needed jobs to the state.

Not surprisingly (but still outrageous), dirty energy utilities and fossil fuel-funded front groups are spending million of dollars to defeat Prop 3, running misleading ads, producing faulty reports and spreading disinformation about the initiative. And it’s not just from in-state utilities, Canadian pipeline company Enbridge, which dumped nearly 1 million gallons into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River in 2010 and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (a coal industry front group) also contributed to the campaign to defeat Proposition 3.

Phone bankers are encouraged to use this photo as their profile picture on facebook and Twitter to help spread the word about the importance of Prop 3!

But thankfully Prop 3 has a strong coalition behind it, including thousands of students and young voters. The Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, and students groups across Michigan have been organizing for huge turnout on November 6th, and they’ve been doing a heckuva job doing it. Multiple Michigan campuses are leading the Power Vote Challenge, a national competition to see who can mobilize the most youth power to demand climate action this election.

Battles like Prop 3 are a clear contest between Big Polluters & People Power — and in these final days we need to bring the people power to the polls. We need make sure every young person in Michigan knows what’s at stake with Prop 3.

On Thursday and Sunday nights from 6-9pm ET, Energy Action Coalition partners, the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition, and grassroots activists across the country are hosting phone banks to call over 10,000 young voters in Michigan.

Yes, ten thousand. And yes, that’s a lot. And with a close race in Michigan, these 10,000 young voters could be the margin of victory.

Let’s go for it. With clean energy and the elections under attack by big polluters, Michigan’s Prop 3 is our chance to win a clear victory for clean energy and climate action. It’s time to dig in. Let’s leave no stone unturned.

On Thursday or Sunday night from 6-9 pm ET, organize a phone bank, or make calls yourself, to remind young voters in Michigan to vote YES on Prop 3!

Personal calls are the best way to ensure people get out to vote. Round up a couple friends, or just pick up the phone and join us in calling over 10,000 young voters in Michigan!

To join, go to PowerVote.org/phonebank

Cross-posted from WeArePowerShift.org.

72 Hours to Break the Silence on Climate

Sara Gassman — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:24:28 +0000

Here at Campus Ecology, we talk about clean energy and climate change because those issues are important to us personally, and we know that those issues are important to students on campuses. Not only do we talk about clean energy, we actively promote its use and development. Not only do we talk about climate change, we work with students, faculty and administrators to initiate and maintain projects on campuses across the nation to reduce carbon pollution and increase overall sustainability.

We’re talking about it, we’re taking action…you’re talking about it, you’re taking action…so what about our government? Well, they talk about it…sometimes:

Graphic displaying the number of times representatives used the terms “climate change” and “clean energy” on the House and Senate floor over the past four years. Click on the picture to visit capitolwords.org.

And what about our presidential candidates? As mentioned in our Student Guide to How Corporate Oil, Gas and Coal Money Influences U.S. Energy Policy, their reluctance to discuss the climate crisis probably has something to do with the substantial oil and gas industry contributions to their campaigns: in 2012 alone, the oil and gas industry contributed $2,206,735 to Governor Romney’s campaign, and $372,028 to President Obama’s.

With less than 72 hours to go before the first presidential debate, we are joining in the call to break the silence on climate. The upcoming debate is a perfect opportunity to really make some noise about our concern for this planet, and to push our politicians in the direction of clean energy.

Wednesday, October 3 is the first presidential debate in Denver, Colorado. It will air at 9 PM ET on a variety of basic and cable television networks, as well as online. In addition to coordinated online and “offline” actions between now and then, the Energy Action Coalition’s Power Vote campaign will be hosting an online live chat during the debate–your chance to engage with other green-minded young leaders watching the debate across the country, and to participate in coordinated actions to continuously push the message that the silence on climate will be broken. Check out their toolkit for hosting a debate watch, and make sure to register your event.

To turn your debate-watch gathering into a real party, make sure there are snacks, preferably of the patriotic variety. Uncle Sam ice cream cones, anyone?

Let the countdown begin!

Is your campus or eco-group hosting a debate watch party? Register the event! Can’t find an event near you? Host your own! Either way, join the online action. For more information, visit: http://www.powervote.org/breakthesilence

We’ll be joining in the online fun, so send us a tweet during the debate and let us know your thoughts! @CampusEcology and @YouthforClimate

Not on twitter? Like Campus Ecology on facebook and engage with us there.

CA Student Clean Energy Activist Challenges Polluter to Debate

Miles Grant — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:25:39 +0000

Will billionaire polluter Charles Koch put his mouth where his money is & debate a California clean energy activist?

Until recently, Charles Koch & his brother David Koch had been able to fly largely under the radar. The Koch brothers have pumped millions into climate science denial front groups and even sponsored an outrageously biased exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, all without attracting much public notice.

But that’s changed with the flood of out-of-state Koch money into the polluter-funded Proposition 23 campaign to overturn California’s climate law. The Koch brothers’ meddling has been decried by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), scrutinized by the national media, and mocked by Dirty the Global Warming Denying Sock Puppet.

Now Cal State-Los Angeles senior Joel Francis is challenging Charles Koch to debate California’s economic future & Prop 23. Joel is part of Power Vote CA, a project of the California Student Sustainability Coalition. And if Koch won’t come to him? Joel says he’ll take his challenge to Koch Industries headquarters in Kansas:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Power Vote: The Fight For A Clean Energy Economy

Danielle Brigida — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:48:43 +0000

Building on the energy created by the Campus Climate Challenge, Power Shift 2007 and the numerous other state climate summits and networks, National Wildlife Federation is working with the Energy Action Coalition to launch a new campaign to unite youth voters across the country – Power Vote 2008! – is a national, youth-led campaign to demonstrate to candidates up and down the ballot that people demand action on global warming.

Over 200,000 people from around the country have signed the Power Vote pledge, and more are joining everyday. Anyone can sign the Power Vote pledge. Help us create a clean just energy future, a million Power Voters strong.

This election will decide more than who will lead our nation for the next four years. Our future depends on action on climate today. We are ready to vote and hold our leaders accountable.

On October 29, Power Vote is kicking off 6 days of hard core Get Out the (Power) Vote events with a live webcast with Nobel Peace Laureate Al Gore!

Plan a Gore-Cast viewing party for the night of the 29th and then strategize how you will help Get Out The Power Vote on Election day.

Already signed the pledge? Tell your friends!