Ten years in prison? Your career? Or just your permanent record?

A little over two years ago, our friend and comrade Tim DeChristopher put it all on the line when he entered a federal auction and derailed it so that oil and gas companies could not destroy the planet.

Tim is now facing ten years in prison on two felony charges for stopping that illegal sale of public land. Furthermore, federal prosecutors have decided to make an example of Tim, so that anyone speaking out or taking effective action to save their community or the planet will be intimidated into staying home.

Rising Tide North America is proudly standing with Tim DeChristopher, and anyone else who takes bold action in the defense of the planet. At his trial on Feb. 28, we’re joining Tim’s group and Rising Tide affiliate, Peaceful Uprising as they mobilize outside the courthouse in solidarity with Tim.

If you able to join us, please come to Salt Lake City for the Uprising Summit on Feb 25-27 and Tim’s trial on Feb 28. If you can’t join us, consider organizing a solidarity action in support of Tim in your home town.

Thanks for all your support.

]]> http://www.beyondtalk.net/2011/02/what-would-you-risk-to-save-the-planet/feed/ 0 http://www.beyondtalk.net/2011/01/action-is-our-new-years-resolution/ http://www.beyondtalk.net/2011/01/action-is-our-new-years-resolution/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:18:54 +0000 deadlyvine http://www.beyondtalk.net/?p=526

The 5 demands for Climate Justice:

• The International Tar Sands Resistance Summit will be held from November 19th to 22nd, in Montana.
• The Everyone’s Downstream conference, from November 25th to 28th, in Alberta

International Tar Sands Resistance Summit: Nov. 19-22

Strategizing Globally to Win Locally: Building an international, grassroots movement to shut down the Tar Sands

The Summit will take place at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest conference center, 30 miles east of Missoula, Montana, USA. The summit is designed to be a place where individuals representing tar sands-impacted communities can come together to strategize, learn skills and network in order to grow and strengthen the international effort to effectively resist the most destructive industrial project on the planet, the Alberta tar sands. The four-day convergence will focus primarily on connecting individuals and communities affected by the Alberta Tar Sands, the XL Energy Pipeline, and the proposed mega-load shipments. This event is free and open to the public, but due to limited space we will have to cap the number of attendees. Feel free to register online, but please be sure to read the information provided on the form.

See the event web site for information about the schedule, food & housing, and other aspects of the gathering.

A ride share board is available on a separate web site.

You can contact the event organizers at TarSandsSummit [at] gmail.com

In Edmonton, Alberta, this annual conference will bring together community members, activists and others fighting the global infrastructure of the tar sands gigaproject.

This year’s themes include:

• The Tar Sands go Global: reports from Madagascar, Trinidad and more
• Environmental NGOs, secret deals, and how to build a democratic, transparent environmental movement
• Ongoing resistance to pipelines, refineries, and other tar sands infrastructure

During the gathering, activists will be taking further steps toward building a Climate Justice Co-op that can support direct actions, and a wider range of climate justice mobilizations.

See the conference web site for the schedule, and for other conference material.  Directions also are posted there, and a ride share board has been set up on another web site.

For more information, or to get involved, email the organizers at info [at] everyonesdownstream.org

In this message from Climate Justice Action:

1. Why take action from October 12th?
2. Day of Action website
3. Tell the world – action newsletter
4. Contribute to the October 12th Video
5. Pass this on!

1. Why take action from October 12th?
In 2009, indigenous peoples throughout the world called for a global mobilisation ‘in defence of mother earth’ on October 12, reclaiming the day that used to be imposed as ‘Columbus Day’. Responding to this call, and the demand for a day of action for ‘system change, not climate change’ issued by the global movements gathered in Copenhagen last year, Climate Justice Action is proposing a week of direct action for climate justice from October 12 – 16, 2010.

We invite all those who fight for social and ecological justice to organise direct actions targeting climate criminals and false solutions, or creating real alternatives. This means taking direct responsibility for making change happen, not lobbying others to act on your behalf, but through actively closing things down and opening things up. This is an open callout, we are not picking targets. But it is not a day for marches or petitions: it is time for us to reclaim our power, and take control of our lives and futures.

For more information about the Week of Action visit the CJA OCT12 Info page

2. Days of action website
It’s absolutely crucial that we tell each other about our actions! Through communicating and documenting the diverse actions that we are taking, we can show great solidarity to one another in our struggles and inspire others to start taking action. CJA have set up a website specifically for the Day of Action, where we hope to map all of the actions happening world wide. For this to work, it relies upon all of us submitting actions that are happening world wide. To see the map, visit: http://global.climate-justice-action.org/

There are three ways you can submit your action:
1. By sending an email to web@climate-justice-action.org
2. By sending a tweet with the hashtags #cja2010 and #mingaglobal
3. By filling this form – http://global.climate-justice-action.org/reports/submit/

3. Tell the world – action newsletter
Following the week of action, we are going to produce an ‘action roundup’ newsletter to send to all our friends worldwide. If you have participated in an action, please send us a paragraph explaining what you did and why! Of course, this can be anonymous, and you can link to websites or news articles about your action.
Also, remember to take photos – a picture can be worth a thousand words!
Please email your report to: info@climatejusticeaction.org

4. Contribute to the October 12th Video
We want to encourage everyone to film as much of their action as they can – so we can produce an ‘action round up’ video!  If you have any footage, or you would like to help with video, get in touch: info@climatejusticeaction.org

5. Pass this on!
We need this email to reach as many people as possible. Please send it out to your networks – especially to compañeros in different countries. We don’t want to miss a single action off our map!

— en francais–

12 Octobre 2010: Changeons le système, pas le climat ! Appel à des actions directes pour la Justice Climatique.

Dans cette newsletter…

1. Pourquoi agir la semaine du 12 Octobre?

2. Un site web dédié à cette journée d’action

3. Diffusion des informations – le bulletin d’action

4. Participer à la vidéo du 12 Octobre

5. Faites circuler ces informations!

1. Pourquoi agir la semaine du 12 Octobre?

En 2009, les peuples autochtones ont appelé à une mobilisation mondiale pour la ‘défense de la Terre Mère’ le 12 octobre afin de se réapproprier ce que l’on nommait le ‘Jour de Christophe Colomb’. En réponse, l’organisation ‘Climate Justice Action (CJA)’ appelle à une journée d’action directe pour la justice climatique la semaine du 12 Octobre 2010.

Nous invitons tous ceux qui luttent pour la justice sociale et écologique à organiser des actions directes ciblant les “criminels” responsables du changement climatique et qui proposent de fausses solutions. Nous vous invitons aussi à proposer de réelles alternatives. Cela veut dire prendre nos responsabilités et agir directement, sans compter sur d’autres qui pourraient agir en notre nom. CJA n’a pas pour vocation à décider des objectifs ou des actions spécifiques à mener, mais lance un appel à choisir vos cibles. Ce n’est pas une journée de manifestations ou de pétitions: il faut agir car le temps est venu de récupérer notre pouvoir, et de reprendre le contrôle de notre vie et nos futurs.

Pour plus d’informations sur cette journée d’action: http://www.climate-justice-action.org/mobilization/system-change-not-climate-change-taking-direct-action-for-climate-justice/

2. Un site web dédié à cette journée d’action

Il est absolument crucial que nous échangions les informations relatives à nos diverses actions! Grâce à cette communication et la documentation de nos différentes actions, nous pourrons faire preuve d’une grande solidarité dans nos luttes et inspirer d’autres personnes pour qu’ils commencent à agir. A cet effet, CJA a mis en place un site web dédié à cette journée d’action, où nous planifions de “cartographier” l’ensemble des actions qui se dérouleront à travers le monde. Pour que nous réussisions, il appartient à chacun d’entre nous de relayer ces différentes actions. Vous trouverez cette “carte” sur notre site web: http://global.climate-justice-action.org/

Il existe trois possibilités pour soumettre vos actions:

1. Envoyer un courriel à web@climate-justice-action.org

2. Envoyer un tweet avec les “hashtags” ##cja2010 et #mingaglobal

3. Remplir le formulaire disponible sur: http://global.climate-justice-action.org/reports/submit/

3. Diffusions des informations – le bulletin d’action

Après cette semaine d’actions, nous allons produire un bulletin d’information que nous allons envoyer à tous nos amis à travers le monde. Si vous avez participé à une action, merci de nous en envoyer un bref résumé! Bien sûr, cela peut être fait de manière anonyme. Vous pouvez aussi nous envoyer le lien à des sites internet qui montrent et expliquent votre action. N’oubliez pas de prendre aussi des photos – une photo est parfois plus efficace que de longues phrases! Merci de nous envoyer votre résumé et vos photos à cette adresse: info@climatejusticeaction.org

4. Participer à la vidéo du 12 Octobre

Nous voulons encourager tout le monde à filmer autant que possible leurs actions, afin que nous puissions créer une vidéo rassemblant l’ensemble de nos actions! Si vous avez des images, ou si vous voulez participer à l’élaboration de cette vidéo, merci de prendre contact avec nous: info@climatejusticeaction.org

5. Faites circuler ces informations!

Nous avons besoin de faire circuler ce mail et ces informations au plus grand nombre. Merci d’envoyer ce message à vos réseaux – surtout à nos compañeros à travers le monde. Nous voulons répertorier l’ensemble de nos actions sur notre carte!

late september introductory letter:

In 2009, indigenous peoples called for a global mobilization ‘in defence of mother earth’ on October 12, reclaiming what used to be ‘Columbus Day’. In response, Climate Justice Action is inviting activists across the world to join a week of direct action for climate justice starting October 12, 2010.

The climate crisis has reached a new level. The 2009 UNFCCC Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15) was a complete failure, and ‘our world leaders’ are refusing to work together towards real solutions to the climate crisis.

The insanity of such inaction is becoming more and more obvious as extreme global climate catastrophes become more frequent. Right now an estimated 18.7 million Pakistanis are affected by the worst floods in Pakistan’s history. Just last month in Moscow, gas masks were worn on the streets and in homes as a result of the poisoned air caused by fires, pollution and the highest recorded temperatures in the country’s history. This is, of course, in addition to the ongoing environmental exploitation that severely threatens the livelihoods of the global south and all indigenous communities.

However, worldwide activists, organizations and many others are not just standing by. Indigenous communities experiencing climate change catastrophes and all people who care for the health and well being of the rights of Mother Earth are taking the lead towards real change.

We know the fight for climate justice is challenging, but our successes are many and we are building strength! In the last year alone we have seen a series of mobilizations that have turned off production at coal factories, occupied spaces planned for airport construction, dropped banners from sky high locations, held fierce massive public rallies, marches and demonstrations, and numerous more actions.

In an effort to reclaim the day that has traditionally been imposed as ‘Columbus Day,’ indigenous peoples around the world have called for a global mobilization ‘in defence of Mother Earth’. Climate Justice Action has taken up this call and is proposing a global day of direct action for climate justice on October 12, 2010. CJA is not picking specific targets or actions, but is rather calling for all of us to engage, plan and take direct action on this day.

If you are already prepared to take action, let us know what you’re you to by submitting it to the ATLAS OF CLIMATE RESISTANCE. If you haven’t started there’s still time. Mobilize and plan an action in your city, town or village. Don’t forget to film it and take photos and send them to CJA so we can show off our global force!

There is power in numbers and together we can achieve system change in response to climate change!

October 12th Event on Facebook

Minga Global por la Madre Tierra – 12 de Octubre de 2010 – Levantemos nuestras voces

September 27 – Appalachia Rising, a mass convergence on Washington D.C. calling for an end to Mountain Top Removal (MTR) culminated with a march of roughly 2,000 people and arrests of over 115 people. There were actions at the White House, PNC Bank, Department of the Interior, and the Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters. These actions come at a time when MTR has been thrust into the national spotlight by Appalachian communities facing poisoned drinking water, increased cancer, and destruction of some of America’s most pristine mountains.

Here are some of the highlights:

Media Hits:

CNN: Protesters arrested outside the White House

The Hill: More than 100 arrested at coal mining protest in front of the White House

Washington Post: About 100 arrested in mountaintop mining protest

NPR: About 100 Arrested in Mountaintop Mining Protest

It’s Getting Hot in Here: Appalachia Rising up in DC

Huffington Post: Mass Arrests in DC: We Shall No Longer Be Crucified Upon the Cross of Coal

Photos/Video:

Rally and March – Friends of the Earth

Sit-in at PNC Bank – Rainforest Action Network

Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Occupation – DC Rising Tide

Appalachia Rising Flickr Pool

(Protesters sit down at 6:30).

At a recent climate camp in North America, activists began collecting signatures for a tar sands pledge of resistance.  We invite you to sign on to commit to action against a fossil fuel pipeline and pumping project (”Trailbreaker”) that may bring tar sands bitumen through infrastructure across several American states and Canadian provinces.  If we cannot overturn these industry plans, tar sands bitumen will be sent through Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ontario, Quebec, Vermont, and Maine — before tankers bring this sludge to the Gulf Coast of Texas!

These and other tar sands operations amount to the single-most destructive and unsustainable project on earth.  (See this brief H2oil segment for an excellent introduction.)

Just north of Vermont, over 200 people recently joined the resistance as they passed through the Quebec Climate Action Camp in Dunham. The camp was erected to strengthen growing resistance toward the construction of a pumping station, which would be part of the Enbridge Trailbreaker project, cutting across the community. At the end of the climate camp, activists and community members launched the next step in the campaign against dirty oil’s eastward expansion: a Pledge of Resistance. Activists in the region around the climate camp will continue creating a broad network of community members and supporters to educate about the dangers of the Trailbreaker project, and take action to stop it.

—

The Quebec Climate Camp Pledge of Resistance

Enbridge and the Portland Montreal Pipeline’s proposed pumping station threatens the health, water, environment and lands of the people of Dunham and the region.

The pumping station, part of Enbridge’s Trailbreaker pipeline project, is intended to carry dirty oil from the most environmentally destructive enterprise in human history, the Alberta tar sands.

The companies and government-backers behind this proposed pumping station are ignoring community wishes and concerns, including demands for an independent environmental assessment.

The community has never consented to the project. All along the trail of the pipeline, opposition is growing.

Between August 7 and 23, 2010, community members joined forces with supporters from across Quebec, Canada, and North America to hold a Climate Action Camp. to strengthen the campaign against the Trailbreaker. We gathered to educate, create new ties, and mobilize a diverse movement to stop oil companies from polluting our communities and contributing to climate catastrophe.

Because of the grave threat the Trailbreaker project poses to the climate, the community and all others in its path, we pledge to engage in non-violent direct action to stop the pumping station should they ever attempt to follow through with its construction without community consent.

Sign now!

—

While this trail breaking pledge is local, the context and needed responses are global, with connections to your home.  There are many points of intervention against tar sands infrastructure, but we also must form a united front!

The Mobilization for Climate Justice West (MCJ-West) turned out 150 people on a Monday afternoon and marched to the SF financial district offices of Chevron, the Environmental Protection Agency and BP calling for Big Oil to stop harming our environment and communities and pay up for the damage they’ve caused.

A coalition of national, regional and local groups, activists with MCJ-West) blockaded the doors of the SF BP offices and the intersection in front of the building.

With a set of demands, MCJ-West organized one of the largest direct actions at BP to date with 15 arrested.

MCJ-West’s demands include:

* Moratorium on New Offshore Drilling. No Use of Dispersants. Full Access to Media and Civil Society.

* Big Oil corporations pay their debt to all impacted communities – Gulf Coast to Richmond, CA and around the world.

* Big Oil pay for community livelihood and ecosystem restoration, clean energy, public transportation, and health care for impacted communities.

* Big Oil Out of Politics!

Activists also delivered a letter from it’s coalition to BP.

Here’s the letter:

To: CEO’s of British Petroleum, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Tesoro, and Valero

August 30, 2010

In the wake of the recent BP disaster, we are writing to express our concern over the oil industry’s continued disregard for the health of communities and ecosystems around the world. Mobilization for Climate Justice West is a coalition of organizations, some of which represent communities directly impacted by the oil industry’s extraction and refining operations; we are dedicated to promoting effective and just solutions to the climate crisis.

We call on the oil industry to accept responsibility for the damages your operations have caused worldwide and specifically to:

1. End the use of dispersants in cleaning up oil spills. Dispersants, such as the Corexit used in the BP disaster, are toxic chemicals whose long-term impact on ocean life is unknown. Using dispersants allows for better public relations for the oil industry since they make the oil less visible, while possibly making the long-term impact of spills even worse.

2. Grant full access to media and civil society in covering oil spills. During the BP disaster, there have been many complaints from journalists that BP restricted their access and ability to gain information. In July, the Society of Professional Journalists issued an open letter expressing their concerns over restrictions of press access to beaches and other sites in the Gulf.

3. Pay your debt to the communities that have been impacted by your operations. In the Gulf Coast, the oil spill has destroyed the livelihoods of many fishing and oystering communities. Communities are also impacted by oil extraction and refining in places like Nigeria, where an Exxon Valdez-sized spill has occurred every year since 1960; in Alberta, Canada where First Nations indigenous communities are experiencing abnormally high rates of cancer and a destruction of their traditional ways of life due to extreme water pollution from upstream tar sands operations; and in refining communities like Richmond, California where more than 25,000 people live within 3 miles of the refinery and the community suffers from high levels of asthma and other respiratory diseases. The oil industry must pay for the the restoration of ecosystems and community livelihoods, for the development of clean energy and public transportation solutions, and for healthcare to treat those whose health has been impacted by your pollution.

4. Stop funding fake “astro-turf” rallies. Last year the American Petroleum Institute, of which British Petroleum, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil are members, launched a fake grassroots campaign called “Energy Citizen” and bussed employees to lobbyist-organized rallies to oppose climate legislation that might limit climate pollution. Shell, publicly stated last year that it would not participate in “Energy Citizen” rallies. Now API is up to it again with a series of fake rallies to oppose removing billions in oil company tax breaks and opposing limits on offshore drilling. Will you join Shell’s pledge not to participate in what have been called “glorified company picnics”?

5. Stop lobbying against solutions to climate change and against regulations to protect our communities. Instead of using its profits to re-pay the debt to communities impacted by its operations, the oil industry funnels billions into lobbying to ensure that it will not be held responsible for its pollution. During the BP disaster, from April-June, 2010, the American Petroleum Institute spent $2.3 million on lobbying. According to the Washington Post, three fourths of all oil and gas lobbyists used to work for the federal government; the poor regulatory oversight of deepwater drilling is one result of this revolving door. The oil industry also lobbies against solutions to climate change; members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee who voted against the Waxman-Markey climate bill in 2009 received almost 3 times more in contributions from carbon-intensive industries than members who voted in favor of the legislation. In California, Tesoro and Valero are funding Proposition 23 on this November’s ballot to derail the implementation of California’s climate change legislation.

Sincerely,

Mobilization for Climate Justice West, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Communities for a Better Environment, Global Exchange, Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network, West County Toxics Coalition, Gulf Restoration Network

[ view article @ It's Getting Hot in Here -- add your comments!]

[DOWNLOAD FLIER JPG | PDF ]

Map of actions up soon.  Let us know about your action here!

Take action Friday May 14 to demand:

-An immediate ban on all offshore drilling

-A rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels

-No bailouts for the oil industry. All recovery costs must be paid for by BP, Halliburton, Transocean and other implicated companies.

-The federal government must remove any caps on liability for oil companies.

-BP provides full compensation for impacted communities and small businesses.

-BP provides full funding for long-term ecosystem restoration for impacted areas.

-Oil companies operating in the Gulf fully fund restoration of coastal ecosystems damaged by canals, pipelines, and other industry activities.

Take action at:

-BP gas stations and offices

-Halliburton and Transocean offices

-Federal buildings

-Offices of members of Congress

-State government officials in states affected by Obama’s offshore drilling proposal.

-Critical Mass bike rides

-Vigils to mourn the unspeakable loss brought by this spill

-Get creative!

Get connected. Pledge resistance and report your actions using the form HERE or write to oilspill@risingtidenorthamerica.org

Boulder Activists Unfurl Banner and Erect Wind Turbines on Top of Giant Coal Pile

Boulder, CO – At approximately 12:45 today, four activists climbed onto the massive coal pile in front of the Valmont Power Plant.  An enormous banner was deployed down the front of the coal pile reading “RENEWABLES NOW” and two large mock wind turbines were erected on top of the coal pile.  The activists reclaimed the coal pile to display their message for approximately 1.5 hours, before they were taken into custody.

Meanwhile a rally took place on outside of the Valmont Power Plant.  Bill McKibben, a leading climate change activist and founder of 350.org, who happened to be in Boulder for a speaking event, came out to the rally and expressed his support for those on the coal pile.
“Our leaders have been listening to the coal industry instead of the science and now people need to take the lead and that is what they are doing.  The action today is great and what is so great about it is that the same thing is happening all around the world. Everywhere people are showing the same kind of courage,” said Mr. McKibben.

The protest, which occurred less than one week after the 40thAnniversary of Earth Day, comes as Boulder is considering whether to renew a 20 year franchise agreement with Xcel.  Recently, the Boulder City Council and City Manager suggested that Boulder should delay signing a new franchise agreement to allow more time to negotiate with Xcel about implementing a stronger renewable energy plan.
Approximately 90% of Boulder’s electricity is generated from fossil fuels, with only 10% coming from renewable sources.  Many local environmentalists and community leaders are calling for electricity generated from renewable sources to increase by 10% each year, reaching 30% renewable by 2012 and 100% renewable by 2020.

“Boulder is ready to move forward with 100% renewable electricity. If Xcel is not willing to partner with the city to make this happen, then Boulder officials and citizens needs to take our energy future into our own hands,” said Tom Weis, a Boulder resident that communicated from atop the coal pile.
While the recent ‘Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act’ will require that Xcel modify three Front Range coal plants by 2017, Xcel is simultaneously planning to open the Comanche 3 coal-fired power plant in Pueblo, which will be the largest coal plant in the state.

Beyond that, three Front Range coal plants are likely to be replaced by natural gas, instead of renewable energy sources.  In fact, the legislation may allow Xcel to sign 20 year contracts on natural gas, effectively locking Coloradans to the high cost and environmentally destructive fuel, at a time when renewable energy technology is rapidly advancing.

“There couldn’t be a more important place for these kinds of protests. Boulder has provided more information about the deteriorating climate than any other town and yet there is a mountain of coal behind me. It is pathetic,” said Mr. McKibben.

At the same time, Mr. McKibben believes that Boulder is the right place to change directions:
“There is no better place for 100% renewable electricity. Boulder’s combination of wind, sun and brain power makes it uniquely suited for just that kind of progress.”

Photos available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/49717025@N06/

Initial media reports:
Video and Article: http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_14968436#axzz0mLAxuWwK
Article: http://cbs4denver.com/wireapbusinessco/5.arrested.at.2.1660009.html