Virginia Power Shift 2009 and the 350 Day of Climate Action!

cross posted from thinkaboutit.eu

This weekend, in conjunction with 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action, more than 100 students from across the Commonwealth of Virginia converged on the campus of George Mason University in order to plan the next phase in the fight for a clean and responsible future for Virginia the United States, and the globe.

Virginia Power Shift 2009 was marked by a wide array of workshops, panels and speakers, ranging from greening your daily living, political and direct action training (with help from the folks at AVAAZ), and new and diverse ways to spread and grow the youth environmental movement.

The phenomenal lot of keynote speakers included Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Jessy Tolkan, director of the Energy Action Coalition, and Gillian Caldwell from the 1Sky campaign, all key personalities in the struggle to end human-caused climate change. Representatives from Repower America and SustainUS offered valuable insight into the role of youth within America’s nonprofit and NGO culture.

Tom Dawkins from the social entrepreneurial nonprofit, The Ashoka Foundation, presented a discussion on new media, web 2.0, and the power of user and community-driven media in the environmental movement. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, and blogging are all immensely powerful tools, if you know how to use them properly. Focusing on refining how new journalists diffuse their stories, the workshop was undeniably crucial to the aspiring eco-writer.

Chelsea Harnish of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network highlighted the campaign against a proposed coal fired-power plant to be built in southeastern Virginia. The carbon-belching monster will be the largest built in the state if completed, and locals as well as outsiders have mobilized in resistance to the proposal. This workshop gave students an opportunity to plug in to the fight against new coal in the Commonwealth, offering updates on the current fight and suggesting new ways to take action against the plant.

Of course, the high point of the conference revolved around Saturday’s 350.org action, held in George Mason’s student center. The call for 350 parts per million, considered the maximum amount of CO2 allowed in the atmosphere before global warming threatens to become a runaway threat, has galvanized the international "green" community. As power-shifters eagerly wrote hand-written notes to each of Virginia’s Senators, calling for bold moves to combat climate change, volunteers and staff handed out large signs, each with tailor-made demands for cleaner energy, green jobs, and to separate ourselves from a dying fossil fuel regime.

Overall, the relative size of our human “350” paled in comparison to those thousands of actions across the planet, in every major city and in dozens of countries, but for those 100 or so in attendance, the image was an extremely powerful one. Saturday, the world found solidarity in a number that may seem ambiguous at first, but one that carries heavy and urgent implications for our planet.

Virginia leaders left Power Shift with a renewed sense of purpose and community, one that seeks to remind us all that we are not alone in this fight. We can rally around three simple digits, we can chant, shout, write, organize, motivate and inspire. We can attend workshops, marches and powerful speakers. We can bombard the halls of Congress with a pleading, ceaseless call for a new energy future. We can take that call to Copenhagen -- but not without the most critical element of the battle for a better planet: its people.

Hope for Surry shines through smog

Surry, Virginia, is about as picturesque as they come. A portrait of the rural south, Surry and its neighbor, Dendron, offer testament to the unique charm and unavoidable beauty that accompanies the idea of small-town America. Wary of outsiders and exceptionally warm toward neighbors and friends, the residents of Surry County understand the inherent splendor of a life that is unhindered by external influence. Naturally, it comes as no surprise that Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s proposed dirty, unhealthy, coal-fired power plant has been received with very few open arms in the community. Of course, this has not dampened the large cooperative’s desire to take advantage of a small town with its share of economic difficulties. With the promise of new jobs and increased tax revenue, ODEC has repeatedly stressed the so-called benefits to be won from the massive plant’s construction. On Monday evening, Dendron’s town council brought these claims to task during their regular meeting. Dendronites are engaged in a fight to save the health of their community, their children, and the irreplaceable beauty of the surrounding environment.

The Coalition to Keep Surry Clean, spearheaded by a group of energized residents and neighbors, has brought the fight against dirty coal to a national level. The evening kicked off with an outdoor potluck, featuring democratic gubernatorial candidate, Brian Moran (the only of the three in opposition to the plant). Under the watchful eye of national and local media, citizens called for a Surry that would be free of excess pollution, harmful chemicals and obtrusive, dangerous, 600-foot smokestacks. Coalition spokeswoman, Beth Roach, cast an air of humility over the audience as she called on all people to consider and ensure the health and happiness of future generations. Through the timeless words of Iroquois leader, Peacemaker, the message requires little interpretation:

“Think not forever of yourselves, O Chiefs, nor of your own generation. Think of continuing generations of our families, think of our grandchildren and of those yet unborn, whose faces are coming from beneath the ground.”

Enough said.

Potluck dinners bring a certain level of warmth to any occasion. However, on Monday, the positive energy surrounding Dendron’s monthly town council meeting greatly exceeded the sense of community and trust that one garners from a sunny afternoon spent with friends. With attendance toppling 300 people, the Surry County recreational center played host to what is likely the single largest crowd ever assembled in the county. Many of the host sported signs reading “No coal is clean coal,” and, “Stop the coal plant” as town council members filed into the room.

This is not to say that ODEC’s presence was not felt. While the cooperative’s headquarters in Glen Allen, Virginia lay empty, a crowd of sharp-dressed men, sporting Italian loafers (read: “you aren’t from around here, are you?”) began to slowly file into the recreational center’s backmost seats. Donning stickers reading, “I support Cypress Creek Coal,” the out-of-towners reminded most that ODEC was an organization of “loud voices and deep pockets.” A phony and feeble show of force, ODEC’s decision to import supporters from 90 miles away sent a clear message to residents and local organizers; the cooperative reeks of desperation.

ODEC’s death throes have been characterized by more than one instance in which the cooperative has undercut, balked, and downright avoided altogether any legitimate form of engagement with the Dendron community. From reprinting already refuted newspaper articles to holding invitation-only meetings to gain support for the plant, the cooperative has come to the realization that their battle will not be won by winning over the community, but by running it over.

Most recently, the cooperative announced a bus tour of the neighboring coal-fired plant in Clover, VA (one that has been fined more than $5 million for environmental violations) in order to showcase the cleanliness of their facilities. Originally scheduled for June 6, ODEC chose to move the tour forward one week to May 31. No one was informed of the change, and ODEC has since denied the existence of the original tour date. Instead, the coop chose to direct its attention local low-income families and minorities, many of which are unemployed. With the promise of new jobs (the Clover plant has eight full-time employees) and outlandish claims such as the promise of a new municipal water system, the shift in the tour schedule allowed ODEC to mislead, and outright lie, to a large portion of Dendron’s population. The move was underhanded, citizens were not informed of the change, and ODEC categorically denies the existence of the former tour date.

As the town council meeting progressed, ODEC’s deliberate sidestepping of due process became increasingly prominent. Those opposed to the plant spoke from the heart, expressing a deep seated concern for their community and the health their children, grandchildren, rivers and streams, livestock, and the economic future of a town dominated by dirty industry. Those who testified in support of the plant were not difficult to identify, likely due to the fact they don’t live in Surry.

ODEC’s pithy attempt at frightening the town council into submission was yet again put on hold as the council voted to put on hold the decision to delegate the plant’s zoning to the pro-coal county board of supervisors. Needless to say, the out-of-towners weren’t pleased, and it wasn’t long before the ODEC mob had begun its return to Glen Allen, where it belongs. Citizens and members of the Coalition to Keep Surry Clean smiled and laughed quietly outside the meeting hall, but Surry’s future remains uncertain as long as the ordinance stays tabled.

No one will deny that these folks are in it for the long haul. A minor victory on Monday marks one of many steps that must be taken to ensure that Dendron maintains its status as a beautiful, tiny piece of rural America. ODEC walked away disappointed, but far from beaten. “Loud voices and deep pockets,” echoes Surry resident, Betsy Shepard, “Well, we’re louder.”

Playing fair oftentimes involves dealing with those who do not. If you have your doubts, look no further than Dendron, Virginia. Dirty coal has its money, its massive legal entourage, and dozens of hands in even more pockets. Coal does not play fair; it is impersonal, cold, and dangerous. Taking the high road means fighting a tougher fight, but the children of Surry remain vigilant, awaiting ODEC’s next move. Bring it on.

Birds of a Feather...

As the G-20 continues work in London this week, the primary goal of the conference has already been well-established: facilitating continued global cooperation in the exchange of goods and services, maintaining already lowered trade barriers and discouraging the type of protectionist policy that stifled growth in the inter-war period.

As Obama's stimulus package begins to take effect, Europe has offered mixed reactions to the prolonged spending spree designed to revitalize the world economy. Germany is avoiding further stimulus, as the country has so far avoided the major shocks that have shaken the US, in particular the housing bubble and burst. The Germans remain hesitant to encourage further spending, as illustrated by their current take on GM subsidiary, Opel.

"Speaking to 3,000 Opel workers, Merkel brushed off calls from labour bosses and her coalition partners the Social Democrats for the state to take a direct stake in Opel, stressing that the government is not in the business of running companies.

Opel employs about 25,000 people in Germany and has said it needs 3.3 billion euros (3 billion pounds) in state aid from European governments to save jobs and keep plants open" (Reuters UK).

The problem is, of course, that the United States has already dispensed an enormous sum of money in order to thaw credit and restore trust in the auto industry. Any positive effect gleaned from that move will ripple into Opel's coffers, with or without help from the Germans.

This reluctance to go along with US policy is not new, nor is it too telling in either direction as to what line the EU will take in the future with regards to continued financial stimulus.

"For half a century and more, in good times and bad, European leaders have advised new American presidents not to bother them with big, risky, expensive Washington ideas. They almost always prefer the status quo -- or, at most, very incremental change. But, having said their piece, they then usually come around (Sometimes -- very rarely, it has to be said -- they're right to begin with.)" (Foreign Policy).

Europe, like the United States, prefers to handle its business in its own particular "idiom," meaning that there is nothing atypical about the EU's resistance to shell out as much cash as we have in recent months. The Keynesian model of deficit spending has not been granted a real opportunity to shine since the Great Depression, and governments remain wary of its effectiveness.

The real problem here is that Europe and the US live in a very much unified economic world, and we are bearing the brunt of thousands of bad decisions, domestic and abroad, here at home. EU leaders are waiting for our next move; will we continue to prop up floundering multinational firms in the name of global cooperation without any outside support, or will we seek out a more cooperative method with increased assistance from our European counterparts?

With the conclusion of the G-20 this week, there are a few bright spots that have risen to give hope to international economic coordination. Most importantly, the G-20 has renewed the importance of the IMF in combating the economic crisis. The bank expects to undergo significant reform, including a re-hash of its management structure based on current financial figures: Asia will begin to play a much larger role in its operations. The IMF hopes to resume its role as a lender of last resort to struggling economies, as well as its regulatory role in managing currency exchange and liquidity among states.

"After the World Bank said 17 of the G-20 nations had reneged on a November promise not to pursue restrictive trade practices, leaders reiterated their commitment not to resort to protectionism. They also promised to avoid competitive devaluations of currencies" (Bloomberg.com).

As the United States struggles with a lessened stance in the international arena, its economic policy has shifted to encourage the continued growth and deepening of established multilateral institutions, signifying a major departure from the protectionist policy that followed the great depression.

History is our greatest teacher, and US and EU leaders must work to prevent the isolation and closure that trapped the developed world for much longer than necessary. We must continue to advocate the ideal that cooperation trumps conflict, and that we are more capable of weathering this crisis when we all do it together.

"As a defence against the cold, a colony of Emperor Penguins forms a compact huddle (also known as the turtle formation) ranging in size from ten to several hundred birds, with each bird leaning forward on a neighbor. Those on the outside tend to shuffle slowly around the edge of the formation, producing a slow churning action, and giving each bird a turn on the inside and the outside" (Wikipedia).

image courtesy of the World Wildlife Federation

When will it end?! (spinoff of today's IR discussion)

The majority of common people in Israel and Palestine are in favor of a two-state end to the prolonged conflict (Large Israeli and Palestinian Majorities Indicate Readiness for Two-State Solution Based on 1967 Borders).

However, Israel's administration and military (the two are close friends) continue to remain volatile and disproportionately reactionary to Palestinian aggression; aggression that primarily comes as a response to the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestine-controlled areas, continued unpredictability of border crossings, and the denial of foreign aid to refugees and poor in Gaza.

Palestinians will continue to use bombs as long as explosions are their only way to have their voices heard. Israel must come to the table with a willingness to listen. It's hard to hear anything over the sound of bulldozers.

This is a Caterpillar D9R armored bulldozer, used by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Vroom!

This is a typical Hamas rocket:

"lacking any guidance system"

Who looks more frightening?

And if you're wondering why Israeli citizens differ so much from their military counterparts, check this out:
"An Army of Extremists: How some military rabbis are trying to radicalize Israeli soldiers."

Rights optional

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made her first visit to China this week, stressing expansion of human and workers' rights in the socially beleaguered state. In a country where protest is regularly silenced, Clinton promised "frank discussions" on China's hot-button issues, including the global fiasco that is Chinese-Tibetan relations.

"We pretty much know what they're going to say."—Hillary Clinton, on the Chinese reaction to discussions of human rights, religious freedom, and Tibet

Amnesty International is "extremely disappointed," and rightly so. Human Rights Watch's Asia director fears that America's human rights discussions in China will become "a dead-end 'dialogue of the deaf,' " and she has a point. As for the dissident founders of the new Chinese Charter '08 movement—the biggest political protest group in years—we don't know what they thought, because they were all under house arrest during Hillary Clinton's visit to Beijing. (via slate.com)

China seems to believe that they have perfected the smoke-and-mirrors technique of concealing their domestic human rights abuses. The state appears entirely unaware that sheer saturation of the global media, including China's own blogosphere, has made it impossibly difficult to hide anything of the sort.

Yet the United States has opted out of sharp criticism of China's oppressive regime and chose rather to praise increased US-China economic relations, including China's massive holdings in US treasury notes.

President Obama has hailed himself as a progressive, promising a renewed push to serve as a positive example for democracy in the international arena. Ignoring China's atrocious track record shows that when ideals conflict with interest, we tend to take the more pragmatic approach. The same goes for our recently resurrected interest in Uzbekistan, a state whose history of human rights abuses makes China look like a liberal utopia.

Of course, actions speak louder than words. Time will tell on how this administration will choose to approach the hundreds of human rights "hot-zones" that desperately require attention. If current trends are any indication, progress may be slow to come, if at all.

I seriously doubt it.

I'm working on this.

All aboard

#1

I'm setting this up for a variety of reasons. The first, I must note, is because a very close friend of mine started blogging. Today.

Call it inspiration? Mimesis? Something like that.

Secondly, I am about to take part in an independent study course on media writing, which requires a blog; why not get a head start?

Thirdly, I have an immutable desire to try and change the world. I only hope this thing helps me figure out how to do that.

To clear things up, a little about me: I am a white guy from Emporia, Virginia. I believe* in a cruel mixture of markets and socialism, the welfare state, high taxes on wealthy people, freedom of speech, gun control, abortion, democracy, renewable energy, clean air, good wine, indispensable friends, the equity of every single human on this planet and the undeniable power of the written word.

I harbor deep resentment for mass media, fundamentalism, bottled water, and FTZ's.

This is my head-first dive into an uncertain future.



Bienvenue.


*subject to change without warning