Footnotes Issue #86: August 1st, 2014
We Made History!
This past week has been an exciting and inspiring one. Over 700 people--coming from all over the southeast U.S. and throughout the state--prayed, rallied, played, marched, and testified together in downtown Atlanta to send a powerful message to the EPA on the first day of it's public Clean Power Plan hearings.
Over the course of two days, 248 civil rights leaders, health professionals, first responders, clean energy business-people, laborers, mothers, fathers, miners, and young people shared public witness in support of a strong standard to reduce dangerous carbon pollution. Only 83 people testified against the plan.
We worked with partners from Greenlaw, Environment Georgia, the Climate Action Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, the American Lung Association and many others to host a morning press conference that featured 200 concerned citizens, Civil Rights veteran Rev. Gerald Durley, NAACP-GA President Francys Johnson, NobelPeace Prize winner and Tennessee Vally Authority board member Marilyn Brown, Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran speaking for Mayor Kasim Reed, League of Women Voters national president Elisabeth Macnamara, Business Forward national president Jim Doyle, and environmentalists Laura Turner Seydel and our very own Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign.
Mary Anne lead the powerful march through the business and legal district of Atlanta, alongside Georgia State Rep. "Able" Mable Thomas, Rev. Gerald Durley, Louisville city councilwoman Attica Scott, Atlanta city councilman Kwanza Hall, Garry Harris of the Emerald Cities Collaborative, leaders from Jobs with Justice, SCLC, the Moral Monday Movement and many more.
It was a powerful moment to see so many people taking to our southern streets demanding clean air for our kids, clean energy for our workforce, and climate action now. These new rules will continue to clean up our air, create jobs and strengthen our economy while stabilizing our climate for future generations!
Click here to see pictures of the day's events. You can also watch the video of the march here!
50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act
On September 3, 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act. This historic bill established the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for the use and benefit of the American people. Over the past 50 years, and as a result of America's support for wilderness, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system.
In 2014, our nation will celebrate "50 Years of Wilderness" and a website has been created that provides a map and listing of all local, regional, and national 50th anniversary events that are occurring nation-wide, including the National Wilderness Conference. Click here to find events in Georgia.
Sierra Club Meetings
Smart Energy Committee Meeting, Monday, August 4, 7:00 p.m. RAIL Committee Meeting, Monday, August 11, 7:00 p.m. Wildlands Committee Meeting, Monday, August 18, 7:00 p.m. Fundraising Committee Meeting, Thursday, August 28, 7:00 p.m. |
Other Events
August 2nd - Sierra Club 101 - You joined the Sierra Club to help protect the environment -- now what? Come learn about the Sierra Club and how to get involved in our local efforts. Open to members and non-members alike--bring a friend! Please register here so we can bring enough refreshments for everyone!
August 17-20th - 23rd Annual Georgia Recycling Coalition Conference - Join the Georgia Recycling Coalition in beautiful St Simons Island for their 23rd Annual Conference, Trade Show, and Membership Meeting. The theme of this year’s event, Recycling Lives Here!, will focus on Georgia-based businesses that support our state economy through involvement with the recycling industry. The event will feature speakers, exhibitors, plenary and breakout sessions, a golf tournament, and a silent auction fundraiser. Click here for more information.
August 23rd - Moral March on Georgia - Come together for a massive Moral March on Georgia from Woodruff Park to our state Capitol. The Moral March on Georgia is part of a southern wide strategy to build power against extreme, economically unsound policies. Forward Together means that all of our destinies are connected, that we can't afford to work in issue and organizational silos. It's not about left and right; it's about right and wrong. Georgians deserve better. Click here for more information.
Save the DATE! September 21st - People's Climate March - In September, heads of state are going to New York City for a historic summit on climate change. With our future on the line, we will take a weekend and use it to bend the course of history. In New York City there will be an unprecedented climate mobilisation – in size, beauty, and impact. Our demand is a world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet. In short, a world safe from the ravages of climate change. Click here to get more information about the march.
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