"We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs."
-- President Barack Obama in the State of the Union
In this issue:
1) Take Action: Protect Clean Air and Public Health
2) Take Action: Support Creating Jobs by Saving Energy
3) Victory: Toxics Stopped in Port Arthur, Texas
4) Green Jobs: Early Registration Open for Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference
1) Take Action: Protect Clean Air and Public Health
The Clean Air Act is under attack. Proposals have been offered in Congress that threaten to block the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to protect the public's health and safety by enforcing limits on global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act -- limits reaffirmed by the Supreme Court almost three years ago.
These proposals put our communities at risk, undermine a clean energy economy, and inappropriately inject Congress into scientific decisions.
Ask your Representative to support clean air and public health by opposing these proposals.
2) Take Action: Support Creating Jobs by Saving Energy
During his State of the Union address, President Obama urged Congress to pass legislation to create American jobs. In particular, he called for the creation of a program to enable Americans to retrofit their homes to save energy and create jobs.
Not only will renovating our homes save money and put people back to work, saving energy is also one of the fastest and cheapest ways to cut global warming pollution. Right now the Senate is writing legislation to create jobs.
Contact your Senators today and urge them to help you invest in energy efficiency in your own home.
The Sierra Club and Port Arthur-based organization Communities In-Powerment Development Association (CIDA) celebrate the announcement last week that Veolia withdrew a proposal to import and burn up to 20,000 tons of highly toxic chemicals in Port Arthur, Texas.
"The people of Port Arthur spoke out, and we had a lot of support for preventing this from going through and we got it stopped," said Hilton Kelley, CIDA Executive Director. "What this means for our area is cleaner air -- there's going to be fewer emissions in our air for us to breathe and it means a safer environment for our kids."
Learn more about this victory.
4) Green Jobs: Early Registration Open for Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference
The 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference is the leading forum for transforming ideas into action and building a green economy that creates good jobs, reduces global warming and preserves America’s economic and environmental security. Past GJGJ conferences have included speeches from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, national union leaders, and many elected officials -- not to mention all the workshops led by prominent leaders in the government, private and non-profit sectors.
Early bird registration is now open for the 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference for a fee of just $125. But act fast: early bird registration will only last until March 15, when the price will increase to $165.