A Variety of Clean Energy Videos You Should Watch

It's Friday, so perhaps you're slacking off at work looking for something to watch online. Well you're in luck, I've got some ideas for you.

First up, the Sierra Club's Cool Cities Campaign now has its own YouTube Channel, featuring a video on the basics of Cool Cities, one on what it's like to have your own Cool City, and lots of videos introducing the great staff members on that campaign.

Second, a few weeks ago I was live-blogging from the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference here in Washington, DC, put on by the Blue Green Alliance. That conference featured some phenomenal speakers from a variety of backgrounds and organizations. The Blue Green Alliance now has all those videos on their YouTube channel - including Van Jones, Winona LaDuke, Richard Trumka, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Senators Amy Klobuchar, Debbie Stabenow and Sherrod Brown - and many many more.

I would link them all here, except that many of the speeches are too long for one YouTube video, so just go to the main Blue Green Alliance Channel page to watch them in order.

Finally, Sierra Club Board President Allison Chin gave me an interview during the conference about what it all meant to her and the Sierra Club, and then I also spoke with Dr. Donald Kennedy about the Sierra Club's new six-tier Climate Recovery Campaign.

Leadership Responds to Activism: Coal Leaves the Capitol

Another post from Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club's Move Beyond Coal campaign.

Twenty four hours before 10,000 students are slated to descend on Washington urging Congress take strong and immediate action on global warming (Power Shift 2009), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have requested the Capitol Power Plant stop burning coal and instead switch to clean burning natural gas.

As the coal burning facility remaining in Washington D.C. the plant is a symbol of our country’s dependence on out-dated, dirty and dangerous energy sources. Sierra Club and our allies Friends of the Earth and Earthjustice, have been investigating this plant and just yesterday had sent a letter to Congressional leaders requesting their support to end coal burning in the District.

Today’s action shows change is here in Washington.  We have responsive leaders who are listening to Americans’ desire for clean energy and green jobs.  They can continue to build on this and show that we can and will solve climate change.  Today’s action also shows 10,000 young Americans that are coming here to the Power Shift 2009 gathering this weekend that democracy is alive and well in the Nation’s capitol.(We are a supporter of the conference).

"Quick Cash a Backlash?"

This post is by Kyle McEvilly, Intern for the Sierra Club's Energy & Global Warming Team.

With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act officially signed into law last week, the appropriated money will now begin its long-awaited journey to the states.  With $40 billion of the funds being directed toward energy, this bill contains high potential for transforming the relationship between communities and their energy usage.  The stimulus package affirms that money is to be allocated to weatherization efforts, federal building updates, and other energy efficiency measures.

I recently read an article that discussed a particular case study pertaining to this topic.  Tennessee is one state that has already begun to explore the ways in which it can spend the stimulus money most appropriately.  Nashville has formulated plans to invest their share of the cash in updating energy aspects of fire stations, libraries, and several city buildings.  Other parts of Tennessee are going to arrange for insulation improvement and light bulb replacement in order to produce more energy efficient buildings.  I commend Knoxville for taking the critical initial steps in devising a plan to spend the funding from the federal government.

But what about other states?  How have they been preparing for this massive influx of money?

The dollars now rest in the powerful palms of state government officials.  But these governmental bodies have a duty to spend that money correctly, in terms of producing green jobs and fostering a clean energy economy.  Under economic constraints, it is tempting to pour the funds into the system immediately, but this would ultimately be a "loosey-goosey" application of resources.

In order to gain public trust, state governments across the nation must ensure that the money is spent in the most effective manner possible.  Who knows--by ensuring tangible results, the citizens of the United States just may begin to rethink their attitude toward the federal government.

New Coen Brothers Video Shows Truth Behind “Clean” Coal

This is this week's post from Bruce Nilles, director of Sierra Club's Move Beyond Coal campaign.

Earlier today I took part in a press conference unveiling the latest ad from the Reality Campaign. The ad, entitled “Air Freshener,” was directed by the Coen Brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowksi).

We support the Reality Campaign because it gets the truth out about “clean coal”: The reality being that there is no such thing as “clean coal”.  Not a single home is America is powered on coal that does not contribute to global warming. And instead of researching whether it is possible mine and burn coal more responsibly, the coal industry is spending tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and advertising to mislead decision makers and delay strong action on global warming.

The ad uses humor about a serious topic. The coal industry wants you to think they can clean it up – but they’d rather just keep things the way they are and hope we don’t notice enough to do something about their dirty habits.

Take Action: EPA Holds the Key to Clean Cars

Here's a fun take action for you all to participate in - On March 5, the EPA will hold a hearing in Washington, DC, to consider granting California a waiver to implement clean car standards that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and trucks. Fourteen other states have adopted CA's standards and are also waiting for the green light. These states cover 40% of the U.S. auto market. Implementing clean car standards would make a huge dent in our global warming emissions.

While you may not be able to fly your private jet to the hearing, there's still a way for you to be in the room. Just take a picture of yourself, your family and friends, holding car keys and email it to us. At the hearing we'll present 1000s of photos with this message: "EPA Holds the Keys to Clean Cars!"

We've already gotten more than (Update - 300!) photos in two days, so add yours to the group!

New NY Times Section on Energy

The New York Times has unveiled a new energy section - up to date with articles on all aspects of the energy and climate world. I found this article about the failed launch of the NASA climate satellite interesting and thought I'd share. Sad to see a $278 million satellite that took nine years of work to launch end up in the ocean.

Coal Casualties from the New EPA Rules

This is this week's post from Bruce Nilles, director of Sierra Club's Move Beyond Coal campaign.

It did not take long for the first few rejections and cancellations of coal-fired power plants after last Tuesday’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision on carbon emissions. The building blocks of carbon regulation are coming together more quickly these days, and coal is taking a serious hit.

First from Oklahoma, AES announced that it’s pulling plans for its 320-megawatt Shady Point coal plant.

Then on Friday, EPA rejected Northern Michigan University’s air permit for its proposed coal plant in Marquette and ordered Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality to consider regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

All this in response to the EPA announcing that it will reconsider the midnight memo issued by former Administrator Steven Johnson, meaning that new coal-fired power plants could soon be forced address their carbon dioxide pollution, the main cause of global warming.

These cancellations will be the first of many, we imagine, due to the increasing costs related to impending carbon legislation. Harlan Hentges, from our Oklahoma coalition partner Center for Energy Matters, put it well in one news article:

With (the) EPA ruling, the cost to AES to clean up carbon emissions from their existing Panama plant, much less a new plant twice the size, would make any company’s shareholders think twice about using coal to generate electricity, especially when cleaner technologies exist.

This is yet another sign that it’s a bad time to be in the coal business – and a great time to be in the clean energy business.

President Obama is making great strides for a clean energy economy, and more states and companies in the U.S. are starting to realize that’s the way of the future.

International Mercury Treaty Nears Approval

Guest post by Eric Uram, International Heavy Metals Liaison to Sierra Club.

The 25th United Nations Environmental Program Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environmental Forum in Nairobi, Kenya has agreed to initiate negotiations for a legally binding international treaty on controlling mercury pollution.

Sierra Club applauds this outcome. After years of stagnation on this issue, and others like it, President Obama has given a clear indication that the United States is ready to again lead on issues of global concern.

The largest sources of incidental mercury releases to the environment are from refining or combusting mined raw materials such as coal and cement.  Other sources include purposeful uses such as a catalyst for chemical production.

Automakers Come Back for More

This is a guest post by Ann Mesnikoff, Washington Representative for the Sierra Club's Green Transportation Campaign.

GM and Chrysler are back with bowls in hand asking for billions more – perhaps as much as $40 billion – to keep them going.  These two automakers submitted in total 294 pages to the Treasury Department pleading their case. 

If this were a beauty contest, Chrysler would win hands down.  Its 177-page submission (PDF- lots of blank pages) has some very impressive collages and eye-catching graphics, starting with the cover.  GM’s presentation is just ho-hum. (PDF)

Smart Choices for Biofuels (there are some…)

This post was written by Jesse Prentice-Dunn of the Sierra Club's Green Transportation Campaign.

For many people, biofuels are mysterious things that somehow involve putting corn into a pickup truck. The uncertainty doesn’t stop there. At first biofuels were hailed as a solution for global warming pollution from transportation; now it is apparent that some fuels will actually increase carbon emissions.

What is certain is that there will be serious consequences – positive or negative – on climate, land conservation, water use and air pollution from dramatically increasing the production and use of biofuels. In the 2005 Energy Policy Act (PDF), Congress mandated the use of 7.5 billion gallons of biofuels by 2012. In 2007 Congress extended that mandate to 36 billion gallons by 2022.

With a steep increase in biofuels production looming, the Sierra Club and Worldwatch Institute have produced “Smart Choices for Biofuels." Detailing the state of biofuels today and exploring next generation of biofuels, the report offers a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to increase sustainable U.S. biofuel production. Check it out on the Sierra Club website. My favorite point – producing sustainable biofuels can actually reduce global warming pollution, conserve land and water, and create jobs.

It’s clear that biofuels will play a large role in fueling our future. Now it’s time to make smart choices on how to get there.