NoKXL Victory Party Tue 7pm in New Haven

Hi All,

Many of you have heard by now of the huge victory we had in our fight against the Keystone XL pipeline: President Obama sent the project back to the drawing board and blocked it for a year with strong words about re-evaluating the route and the climate impacts of a pipeline like this.

This is a huge win for us!  It’s not perfect, it’s not final, and it’s got some politics embedded in it, but in our movement we’ve also got to take a moment every now and then and call it like it is: we worked HARD to fight this and won on some really important pieces.  A year from now TransCanada will have lost thousands or millions on the project, it may lose its backers, it may have to change its route, and the State Dept may have to admit that building a pipeline like this is a climate change disaster in the first place.  No matter what, we’ll be back and stronger than ever to continue to fight for justice for people and our planet.

So come celebrate with us!

NoKXL Victory Party, tomorrow night Tue 11/15 at 7pm at BAR @ 254 Crown St, New Haven, CT.  BAR has great pizza and brews some tasty beer.  We’ll be in the back room — ask at the front if you can’t find it.  Bring some money for pizza, and come ready to hang with some stellar, hard-working people. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174875002607026

A special thanks to Diane who booked us the space at BAR and did some great organizing on this Tar Sands project.

 

In endless appreciation,

Justin and the 350 CT Organizers

 

 

———- Forwarded message ———-

From: Bill McKibben, 350.org <[email protected]>

Date: Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 4:59 PM

Subject: BIG NEWS: We won. You won.

 

Incredible news: the President just delayed the decision on the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, effectively killing the project! This is an amazing victory for our movement, and a demonstration of people power in action. But we can’t back down now — we need to pledge to take this fight forward, and stand up to Keystone and other tar sands projects as we take this movement forward.

 

Dear Friends,

Um, we won. You won.

Not completely. The President didn’t outright reject the Keystone XL pipeline permit. My particular fantasy — that he would invite the 1253 people arrested on his doorstep in August inside the gates for a victory picnic by the vegetable garden — didn’t materialize.

But a few minutes ago the President sent the pipeline back to the State Department for a thorough re-review, which most analysts are saying will effectively kill the project. The president explicitly noted climate change, along with the pipeline route, as one of the factors that a new review would need to assess. There’s no way, with an honest review, that a pipeline that helps speed the tapping of the world’s second-largest pool of carbon can pass environmental muster.

And he has made clear that the environmental assessment won’t be carried out by cronies of the pipeline company — that it will be an expert and independent assessment. We will watch that process like hawks, making sure that it doesn’t succumb to more cronyism. Perhaps this effort will go some tiny way towards cleaning up the Washington culture of corporate dominance that came so dramatically to light here in emails and lobbyist disclosure forms.

It’s important to understand how unlikely this victory is. Six months ago, almost no one outside the pipeline route even knew about Keystone XL. One month ago, a secret poll of “energy insiders” by the National Journal found that “virtually all” expected easy approval of the pipeline by year’s end. As late as last week the CBC reported that Transcanada was moving huge quantities of pipe across the border and seizing land by eminent domain, certain that its permit would be granted. A done deal has come spectacularly undone.

Our movement spoke loudly about climate change and the President responded. There have been few even partial victories about global warming in recent years so that makes this an important day. We need to let the president and oil companies know that we’re ready to take action should they try to push this pipeline through in a couple of years. There’s a pledge to take bold action against the pipeline up on our site, and I’ll be keeping your names an emails safely stored away so that you’ll be the first to know about anything we need to do down the road.

Please sign the pledge here.

The President deserves thanks for making this call — it’s not easy in the face of the fossil fuel industry and its endless reserves of cash. The deepest thanks, however, go to you: to indigenous peoples who began the fight, to the folks in Nebraska who rallied so fiercely, to the scientists who explained the stakes, to the environmental groups who joined with passionate common purpose, to the campuses that lit up with activity, to the faith leaders that raised a moral cry, to the labor leaders who recognized where our economic future lies, to the Occupy movement that helped galvanize revulsion at insider dealing, and most of all to the people in every state and province who built the movement that made this decision inevitable.

Our fight, of course, is barely begun. Some in our movement will say that this decision is just politics as usual: that the President wants us off the streets — and off his front lawn — until after the election, at which point the administration can approve the pipeline, alienating its supporters without electoral consequence. The president should know that If this pipeline proposal somehow reemerges from the review process we will use every tool at our disposal to keep it from ever being built; if there’s a lesson of the last few months, both in our work and in the Occupy encampments around the world, it’s that sometimes we have to put our bodies on the line.

In the meantime, since federal action will be in abeyance for a long stretch, we need to figure out how best to support our Canadian brothers and sisters, who are effectively battling against proposed pipelines west from the tar sands to the Pacific. And we need to broaden our work to take on all the forms of ‘extreme energy’ now coming to the fore: mountaintop removal coal mining, deepsea oil drilling, fracking for gas and oil. We’ll keep sending you updates; you keep letting us know what we need to do next.

Last week, scientists announced that the planet had poured a record amount of CO2

into the atmosphere last year; that’s a sign of how desperate our battle is. But we take courage from today’s White House announcement; it gives us some clues about how to fight going forward.

And I simply can’t say thank you enough. I know, because of my own weariness, how hard so many of you have worked. It was good work, done in the right spirit, and it has secured an unlikely victory. You are the cause of that victory; you upended enormous odds.

I’m going to bed tired tonight. But I’ll get up in the morning ready for the next battle, more confident because I know you’re part of this fight too.

Onwards,

Bill McKibben for the 350.org Team

P.S. Victories need to be shared. Let’s make this one fly all over the web: share it on Twitter here and share it on Facebook here.

 

 

MORE INFORMATION AND LINKS

U.S. to Delay Decision on Pipeline Until After Election – The New York Times

 

 

 

Tar Sands: guide for the weekend

Hi All,

here’s some key info for the weekend, including stuff on social media, photos, etc.  Please read carefully and keep this handy.

Justin

11/6 Tar Sands CT Contingent Info

Don’t forget to set back your clocks on Saturday night. Don’t forget to set back your clocks on Saturday night. Don’t forget to set back your clocks on Saturday night.

We’ll all meet and rally together at 1:30pm at the Northeast corner of Lafayette Square Park in DC (http://g.co/maps/7exwj). Look for our “CT against KXL” signs and Justin or Diane.  Spread the word to other CT folks.

A huge part of what we’re doing is about telling the story about the Tar Sands action and this dirty oil pipeline to the rest of the world, and social media is a BIG part of that.  If you’re the type that tweets/posts on the go, make sure you catch the info below. If you’re not, there are still some important things here.

Twitter:

When you tweet use the #350ct and #NoKXL hashtags (eg The tar sands action is amazing. 4000 people around the White House! #350ct #NoKXL)

follow @350ct

follow @justinhaaheim if you like

If you’d like to get our 350CT updates on your cell phone, text follow 350CT to 40404.

 

Facebook:

Like 350CT by going to https://350ct.org/like

Post photos, updates, stories, media to 350 Connecticut’s wall or tag 350 Connecticut in the pictures.

 

Photos:

Send to [email protected] during or after the event. Put the title of the photo in the subject line, and put “Photo: <your name>” and a description in the body.  Do not include personal messages as they get posted directly to Flickr.

 

Contact:

Justin’s phone: —, txt is best

Diane’s phone: —, only calls

Please use discretion and only contact us if it’s necessary. If anything comes up, we’ll try to keep 350ct.org/tarsands updated.

 

Afterwards:

Check 350ct.org/tarsands for pictures, updates, media

Write an op ed!

Share this with your friends.

 

11/6 Tar Sands Action – we’re taking a bus to DC

Friends,

The project to build the Keystone XL Tar Sands pipeline is poised to be a monumental human and environmental disaster, and we have the chance to stop it.  That’s why 63 of us from Connecticut (and counting) are traveling to Washington DC on Sunday 11/6 for the Tar Sands Action to surround the White House and make our voices heard, and I want you to join us.

You can sign up at 350ct.org/tarsands, and you should do that even if you’re not planning on taking the bus so we can tally and organize the CT Contingent.  Read more below.  Help spread the word by liking and sharing this post on Facebook and passing this email on to friends and family.  Watch this amazing youtube video with David Strathairn to learn or remember why we’re doing this in the first place.  And write to us at [email protected] with any questions.

See you soon.

Justin, Diane and the 350 Connecticut Organizers

 

11/6 CT Contingent to the Tar Sands Action in Washington DC (350ct.org/tarsands)

On November 6th, activists from all over the country will be gathering in Washington D.C. to protest the proposed Keystone XL pipeline as part of the Tar Sands Action (tarsandsaction.org), and we want you to join the Connecticut contingent (350ct.org/tarsands). Holding signs reminding President Obama of his campaign pledges, demonstrators will encircle the White House, urging him to reject the Tar Sands pipeline.

The Keystone XL pipeline is a massive project that, if built, will carry oil from the Tar Sands of Alberta, Canada down to the Gulf Coast and will carry 700,000 barrels of highly toxic crude oil per day through some of the world’s greatest environmental treasures, including Yellowstone Park and the Ogallala aquifer. The Tar Sands in Alberta are one of the most dangerous, environmentally devastating ways of harvesting oil from the earth, and the pipeline will have the capacity to carry so much oil that Dr. James Hansen, one of the world’s most respected climate scientists, has said that going through with the project is essentially “game over” for the climate, as our our climate is already unstable and being pushed past dangerous tipping points. Think of the Keystone XL pipeline as the fuse to a giant carbon bomb.

A donor to 350.org has offered to subsidize a bus for CT demonstrators to go to the protest, traveling there and back will cost only $10. The bus will leave New Haven at 6:00am and return the same day by 11:00pm. The cost is $10 if you pay before October 28 and $20 if you pay after October 28. We recommend you RSVP and pay as soon as possible, so that we can give an accurate headcount to the bus company. If you would like to reserve a seat on the bus, please visit www.350CT.org/tarsands to sign up. Feel free to contact Diane Lentakis at [email protected] with questions.

CT is on the moving-planet.org global homepage!

Planet movers,
A quick update: Moving Connecticut is featured on the moving-planet.org homepage — one that features major actions from around the globe, and that is seen by thousands a day.  Scroll through to see our picture come up.  With 800+ people in New Haven on 9/24, our rally measured up next to the major rallies in Boston, NYC, San Francisco and Minneapolis.  We should be proud!

Lela Florel put together a great video from the day that’ll pull at your heart-strings a bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evel-9Sec9s  Thanks Lela!

Lots have asked where you can get/download photos. Do that on Flickr.

Updates, more photos, media coverage and ways to get involved are all at 350ct.org/moveAnd take a moment to share your favorite moment on Facebook from 9/24 Moving Connecticut and celebrate an amazing day of action!

Excited for what’s up next,
Justin and the 350 Connecticut Team

p.s If you missed the big followup email Doug sent on 9/25, you can check it out here.

p.p.s. We’re working on setting up our email list, so for all those that wanted to join us keep your eyes peeled in the next few days.

9/24 Moving Connecticut: big success

Hey Planet Movers!

Yesterday you did it. You moved, and you moved big, and things aren’t going to be the same anymore in our state. Moving Connecticut was a great success. Together we sent our message that it’s time to get past fossil fuels, to bike and walk and take the train, to use more solar power and live more efficiently–and to make a lot more noise about it. A huge collection of sister events around the globe, all part of Moving Planet and all sponsored by 350.org sent the same message at the same time.

On the New Haven Green the weather was great. Our leaders spoke with passion and our musicians played with soul and more than 150 of us cycled together through the heart of the city. You can see photos on the 350ct Flickr stream, including our giant “350” as seen from high above the Green. We’re also getting a lot of great coverage in the media, much of which is collected on our media page.

If you have photos or videos you’d like to share, send them (full resolution, multiple-per-email is fine) to [email protected]. We’ll add them to our photo stream. Put the title of the photo plus “New Haven, CT, USA” in the subject line, and put “Photo: <your name>” and a description in the body. Photos from around the world are available on moving-planet.org.

Today is a day for gratitude. Together we are grateful for our partners,  sponsors, and organizers, the folks who invited their friends and family, and the people who were present in New Haven and at the many other events around our state. And we’re grateful for you and your support!

But today is not the end of anything. Though 9/24 is done, the work of reshaping our future is not, and 350 Connecticut is just getting started. We’ve shown that we can do amazing things, and now it’s time to do some more. So get involved! Three great things to do right now: 

  • Share your favorite moment from the day on our Facebook wall or in the comments section at 350ct.org/move.
  • Show your support and appreciation and Like us and our partners!
  • Spread the word about 9/24 Moving Connecticut and all the important work we’re going to do together going forward. Post some pictures on Facebook or write an op-ed.

Those of you who requested to be added to the 350ct mailing list will get invites soon–don’t forget to confirm. Be assured: you’ll hear more from 350 Connecticut!

–Doug and the 350ct organizers

We’re MOVING CONNECTICUT rain or shine! 9/24 4pm New Haven Green

Planet Movers,

Tomorrow’s the big day, and we couldn’t be more excited.  We have heard from so many of you about how important this event is to you and how eager you are to come — it’s truly inspiring to be coming together like this with all of you.

Moving Connecticut will happen rain or shine.  Please tell your friends and co-workers and neighbors that we’ll meet 9/24 at 4pm on the New Haven Green regardless of weather.  Our critical mass bike ride will leave from the Green at 4pm sharp rain or shine.  If it’s nasty out, we’ll move the rest of the festivities indoors to 57 Olive St, New Haven CT — St. Paul and St. James church, which has generously opened their doors to us in case of rain.  In all cases, the definitive place for updates is 350ct.org/move, and we’ll be cross posting updates on facebook and twitter.  To get up-to-the-minute updates on your phone, text “follow movingplanetct” to 40404 (no quotes).

Don’t forget to check out all the great events happening during the day.  See 350ct.org/move/events or check out the map at moving-planet.org.

Tomorrow is a critical day for us to stand together in-person and show the world that we’re organized and ready for action.  If you absolutely cannot join us in person, please stand in solidarity by sending us some pictures!  Make some signs, grab some friends and family, and send some pictures of you all to [email protected].  If you can send them by 5pm EST, we’ll do our best to show them to the whole crowd here.

Metro North has given us special approval to take all our bikes on the train tomorrow on the 2:07pm train out of Grand Central towards New Haven and the 10:10pm train out of New Haven toward Grand Central.  More info here.

Two important things you can do now:

  • Send out a personal note to your friends and family and tell them why you think 9/24 Moving Planet is important.
  • Make this picture your Facebook profile picture and post the 350ct.org/move link on your wall.

Write us at [email protected] if you have any last-minute questions, and be sure to check our Frequently Asked Questions page.

See you tomorrow!

Justin and the Moving Connecticut Organizers

 

9 Days to Moving CT – Things You Can Do

Friends and Planet Movers,

CT Communities Moving Beyond Fossil FuelsWe are 9 days out from Moving Connecticut on 9/24, and the momentum is building faster than we could have imagined.  Across the state, organizers are working on all sorts of great events in their communities — bike rides and cleanups and solar tours and parties that will all then converge in New Haven at 4pm for a rally that is going to be huge.  I’ve met with grassroots leaders across the state this last week, and the energy is high — higher than I’ve ever seen it before.  By all accounts, 9/24 is going to be a truly incredible day.

We’re in crunch time now, and that means the need for help is even greater than before.  Whether you’re getting involved for the first time or have been helping out since the beginning, there are a few things below that we are asking everyone to help with.  If you have other ways you can help, please offer.

Things you can do in the final 9 days before 9/24 Moving Connecticut:

Write a personal appeal to your friends and family asking them to join us on 9/24.  Tell them why this is important to you, and speak from the heart.  It often happens that we support or pour ourselves into things and we forget to tell the people closest to us what we’re doing or why we’re doing it.  If you’re giving your time and energy to help our state move beyond fossil fuels toward a brighter future, your friends should know about it.  See Genevieve’s personal appeal here, and post your own in the comments below when you send it out.

Help build our list of supporters by tabling or talking to friends and collecting names and emails.  Enter the email addresses in (one by one) at https://350ct.org/signup/ or send them to [email protected].  Either way — make sure they get to us!

Bring us more partners.  Partner organizations are ones that support 9/24 Moving CT and agree to publicize the event, though many of our partners are doing much more than that.  Partner organizations are the bread and butter of the coalition organizing we’re doing.  Talk to organizations you’re a part of or know about and ask them if they can partner with us for a day to get beyond fossil fuels.  There’s no money involved.  Let us know at [email protected] so we can put them up on the partners website.

Post fliers.  Post them everywhere!  Talk to coffee shops and ask if they’ll post our flier in a special place as a sign of support.  The fliers can be downloaded at https://350ct.org/move/flier/, and we’ve got printed copies, too.  Artistic?  Design your own flier and send it our way so we can post it on the website.  Just make sure it has 350ct.org/move on it, and the correct date and location (4pm 9/24 New Haven Green).  We’d love to see someone do tree-ribbons again, too.  We’ll buy the ribbon.  And we’ve got tons of Buzz Boxes to be made.

Give us some Facebook love.  Make sure you’re signed up at the Moving Connecticut FB event and that you’ve Liked 350 Connecticut.  Check back on 350 Connecticut and Like some of the posts like this one.  The more people that Like a post, the more it will be seen by the rest of the world.  And don’t forget to invite your CT friends to the Moving Connecticut FB event, too!

If you can help us out on the big day, let us know via the Volunteer Form.  Anything else, get in touch with us directly at [email protected].

Excited and grateful,
Justin and the 350 CT team

help tabling, items we need & meeting minutes

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone who made it to our meeting last night! The meeting minutes are available below. Be sure to scroll all the way to bottom to look at next steps and let us know if you can make any of them happen.

I’m highlighting two things we could really use some help with.

1) We need volunteers to go to other events and sit at the 350CT table. Reply to this email if you can show up for any/all of the time. The events are

9/10 – CT Green Expo. Edgerton Park, New Haven. 11am-4pm
9/17 – East Rock Festival. Orange St @ Willow St, New Haven. 10am-8pm
9/17 & 9/18 – Live Green CT. Taylor Farm Park, Norwalk. 10am-4pm

2) Things we need for 9/24. Reply to this email if you can provide (or know someone who can provide) these items.

Read more

nominate your favorite sustainable restaurant & meeting #4 minutes

Hi climate action supporters,

Thanks to everyone who showed up to the meeting on Monday. A lot was accomplished and I think the way forward is becoming more clear. The meeting minutes are below. An audio recording of the meeting is available here.

As promised, here is the link for a page with resources (it will go live soon): http://www.350ct.org/moveplanning/

Also, look for a followup email with the “big save the date” email and the “personal appeal” email.

Read more

Moving Planet Community Meeting 3: notes and volunteer sign-up

Hi all,

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up at the meeting tonight. I’m psyched about continuing to work with all of you over the next few months.

Attached are the meeting minutes (also pasted below) and a picture of our “tasks” white-board brainstorm. Thanks to Kim and Jackie for taking notes during the meeting!

And now, WE NEED YOUR HELP. Below is a link to a spreadsheet with a list of the tasks we brainstormed that have to be accomplished. Please SIGN-UP anywhere you can help out. And get your friends to volunteer too. Also feel free to add/modify any tasks.

Read more