Don’t petition the White House, Use Change.org
The Country Moved to the Left Last Night
Republicans, Rape, Life, and Control of Women
17-year old Tells World Leaders How it is!
For this 17-year old the political really is personal. Her future depends on the decisions made by world leaders. The same goes for the rest of her generation as well. This isn’t just about her school loans or a job down the road. It is about the condition in which current leaders will leave the earth for us and for her.
What would you say if given the opportunity to tell world leaders your thoughts on climate change? For 17 year-old New Zealander, Brittany Trilford, that opportunity became a reality this morning at the Rio+20 Earth Summit. Invited to provide the opening speech, Trilford delivered a polite, but stern address to the 130 heads of state and representatives in attendance. Her demand: Do something.
The opportunity for action is now. Brittany realizes it. You do too. Why can’t they?
“I stand here with fire in my heart. I’m confused and angry at the state of the world and I want us to work together now to change this. We are here to solve the problems that we have caused as a collective, to ensure that we have a future.
You and your governments have promised to reduce poverty and sustain our environment. You have already promised to combat climate change, ensure clean water and food security. Multi-national corporations have already pledged to respect the environment, green their production, compensate for their pollution. These promises have been made and yet, still, our future is in danger.
We are all aware that time is ticking and is quickly running out. You have 72 hours to decide the fate of your children, my children, my children’s children. And I start the clock now… tck tck tck.”
Those 72 hours passed with little movement from the leaders. Luckily for them there just might still be time to act. The clock continues to tick… only a few more remain.
Residents Inspire, Create Change, Shut Down Coal Plants
Ten years ago community activists started to come together and do something about the pollution coming from their local coal-fired power plant.
The plants located in mostly Latino neighborhoods of Pilsen and Little Village finally received their closing papers following the decade long battle. The closing also comes on the heals of community deaths and illnesses directly related to the power plants.
“I want to see remediation,” said Leila Mendez, a resident of Pilsen. “I’m happy, I’m excited, I think about the one’s that didn’t’ make it to this victory and I’m sad.”
The data is there to support the claim and of course the range of emotions.
A 2010 study by the Clean Air Task Force revealed that pollution from Midwest Generation’s two plants leads to 42 premature deaths, 66 heart attacks, and 720 asthma attacks each year.
The Fisk plant will close by the end of this year leaving Pilsen residents to wonder what will become of the location. Little Village’s Crawford plant won’t come offline until the end of 2014. In response, community activists maintained their organizing power by launching a series of public forums to ensure their voices are heard on what happens in the future.
All of this comes after the build up of their movement. For years their concerns fell on deaf ears at their local aldermanic office. An upstart challenger forced the established candidate to change his position on the plants. Their power in the electoral realm put the new mayor on notice – Rahm entered office supportive of the local residents’ cause.
Matthew Blake did some nice reporting for Progress Illinois on the first hearing.
What Emanuel has done is vow that out of the Fisk site – still mainly owned by Midwest Generation parent Edison Electrical Institute – will arise economic development and job creation.
The mayor said March 8 that the Sierra Club and the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation would give $50,000 each to fund the redevelopment process. And the Delta Institute, a Chicago non-profit that touts its work cleaning up and also redeveloping polluted sites, would produce a final report.
Emanuel also announced both a community advisory council and a task force to look at the Fisk, and also, Crawford sites. Tom Alexander, a spokesman for the mayor, says there are no details yet as to who will be on these committees, or when they will meet. “This is still in progress,” Alexander says.
But there is something much more special in all of this. The joy on the residents faces at the press release earlier this month felt inspiring. I’ve told others that it was like seeing a five year old walk into their surprise birthday filled with the toys they wanted and their favorite cartoon characters holding them. It was just that unbelievable giddiness bordering on the too good to be true.
But it is true. Fisk will cease polluting Pilsen in the coming months. In the near future demolition will start, followed by construction. The residents want a say in it. If their ten year determination is any indication then I know they will succeed.
Are Light Bulbs REALLY The Most Pressing Issue In The Country??
Lee Camp delivers an epic rant with some great laughs.
Sadly, Congress really did devote time debating light bulbs. A distraction from the real issues if I have ever seen one.
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