Footnotes Issue #66: October 31, 2012
Climate Change Spooks Us
"Romney mocked Obama for promising to 'slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet,' saying 'my promise is to help you and your family.' Hurricane Sandy says you can't do one without the other."
--Mike Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director
I took the Georgia Chapter Director position about a month after the climate bill had failed in the US Senate, summer of 2010. It has been dispiriting to watch the consequences: the U.S. handcuffed at international climate negotiations, and the long and drawn-out public disillusionment has prevented other climate policy solutions from gaining any traction.
Here in Georgia, I felt we didn't need to frame the issues we are working on in the climate context because there are so many other reasons to embrace energy efficiency, clean energy, transportation options and land protection. Benefits include job creation, saving consumers money, lessening the strain on our water resources, and cleaner air, just to name a few.
As we keep friends and family in Sandy’s path in our thoughts and prayers, it is hard not to connect the dots: extreme weather is becoming more frequent and severe all over the planet because we are changing the make-up of the atmosphere in the biggest most dangerous experiment ever. In Georgia, we have already seen increased flooding and drought, and climatologists warn that sea levels will rise, and diseases will spread.
Recent reports that US carbon emissions are down 7.7% since 2006, and we may well achieve deeper reductions by 2020 than we would have under the climate bill. And we see climate solutions popping up all over the place. In September, all the new electricity that came online was from wind and solar. Other states are setting good examples: Iowa gets 23% of its electricity from wind, which has created 7,000 jobs. Michigan is considering a ballot initiative to get 25% of its energy from renewables by 2025. New Jersey is a leader on solar megawatts installed. We need to make sure the solutions reach the scale that will stabilize the climate, and the Southeast presents the biggest challenge, and also the biggest opportunity.
Bill McKibben, the Bruce Springsteen of the climate movement, is taking his 350.org "Do the Math" show on the road, stopping in Atlanta at the Variety Playhouse on Tuesday, November 20th. Come get inspired to take action, and then visit us at the official after-party to join the movement to solve the climate crisis and creating thousands of clean energy jobs for Georgians.
Sierra Club Endorsements
President Barack Obama - click here for more in our voter guide
US Congress - District 4: Hank Johnson, District 5: John Lewis, District 13: David Scott
Public Service Commission - District 3: Steve Oppenheimer, District 5: David Staples
Georgia State Senate - SD 5: Curt Thompson, SD 6: Doug Stoner, SD 15: Ed Harbison, SD 38: Horacena Tate
Georgia State House - HD 12: Barbara Massey Reece, HD 16: Rick Crawford, HD 39: Alisha Thomas Morgan, HD 53: Sheila Jones, HD 58: Simone Bell, HD 59: Margaret Kaiser, HD 75: Yasmin Neal, HD 77: Darryl Jordan, HD 81: Scott Holcomb, HD 86: Michele Henson, HD 93: Dar'shun Kendrick, HD 96: Pete Marin, HD 125: Earnest Smith, HD 132: Carl Von Epps, HD 136: Carolyn Hugley, HD 137: Debbie Buckner, HD 142: Nikki Randall, HD 153: Carol Fullerton, HD 169: Chuck Sims
Sierra Club Meetings
Smart Energy Team Meeting, Monday, November 5, 7:00 p.m. Wildlands Committee Meeting, Tuesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m. RAIL, Monday, November 26, 7:00 p.m. Atlanta Inner City Outings (ICO), Tuesday, November 13, 8:00 p.m. Fundraising Committee, Wednesday, November 28, 7:00 p.m. |
Upcoming Events
November 4 – Hike to Shoal Creek
November 6 - Sierra Club & Beer
Sierra Club & Beer is back! On election night, we will hear from MARTA CEO Bev Scott and Georgia Conservation Voters' Rob Teilhet about politics and the environment. Play environmental trivia, watch the results. Event is from 7-9pm at the Music Room, 327 Edgewood Ave, upstairs in the Speakeasy after that, $5 suggested donation.
November 11 - Beltline Bike
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Wildlands and Wildlife Committee Meeting, Tuesday, July 19, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Murdock - Chair, murdock1@mindspring.com