Climate SOS Tour: The Real Deal

Climate SOS steps up with a response to the excellent points made by Washington Post columnist David Farhrenhold in his August 31, 2009 column. Mr. Farenhold’s column “Environmentalists Slow to Adjust in Climate Debate” asserts that the mainstream environmental movement is confused about how to respond to the much anticipated Senate climate change bill. We at Climate SOS points out the reasons the bill should get a luke warm reception by anyone concerned about doing something real about climate change and climate justice: the bill does more harm than good – to the planet and our most vulnerable communities. Members of Climate SOS submitted this Letter to the Editor of the Washington Post. Read on.

Letter to the Editor, Washington Post, September 1, 2009

Columnist David Fahrenthold’s article (Environmentalists Slow to Adjust in Climate Debate, 08-31-09) on the swing-state climate bill “activism wars” misses an important point. Not all “environmentalists” support the bill—in fact, a growing network of social justice and environmental groups, whose message has been endorsed by climate scientist Dr. James Hansen, are working for its defeat.

The fake, industry-sponsored grassroots organizations cropping up in Elkhart, Indiana and other locations have nothing in common with groups such as Concerned Citizens of Crawford County, who are fighting large-scale regional biomass burners with their own pocket change. This group and many others nationwide oppose the climate bill because they believe that it will do more harm than good.

On August 25, 2009, over 300 local and regional organizations led by the Center for Biological Diversity wrote to Senator Boxer, Chair of the Energy and Public Works committee, to express opposition to any climate bill modeled on the Waxman-Markey ACES bill. These groups and others have since organized under the banner of Climate SOS. [www.climatesos.org].

Supported by real climate science and authentic grassroots involvement, the Climate SOS message is clear: Kill the Senate climate change bill. Say no to a carbon-trading Ponzi scheme that will make Wall Street rich; say no to the substitution of dubious offsets for direct emissions reductions, say no to carbon-accounting loopholes specific to the biomass-burning industry, no the continued proliferation of polluting coal plants, and no to energy policies that will site more incinerators in our nation’s poorest communities.

The Climate SOS National Tour launching on September 8, 2009 will feature meetings with US Senate staffers in North Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, and Arkansas. Climate SOS is asking Senators to either radically change the legislation or to actively block its passage.

Look for more news from Climate SOS as the tour hits the road. No astroturf here—we are the real deal.

Margaret E. Sheehan, Esq. and Bill Sammons, M.D. EcoLaw/Massachusetts, members of Climate SOS

One Response to “Climate SOS Tour: The Real Deal”

1. Tom Blakeslee says:

   December 14, 2009 at 12:28 pm

   Clearlight Foundation has a free book available for download which discusses biomass in detail. Please look at: http://www.clrlight.org/fuel.htm

   Reply