Duff’s Parting Words

Sep 22nd, 2009 in Newswire, Tour Blog Kudos to all for embracing the centrality of NVCD to SOS. I love Rachel’s language: “…unabashedly stating our intent to employ NVCD in service of our demands for real climate legislation.” Which brings me to the just-completed Heartland Tour. I write this from Cleveland, head home on the train starting at 3:45am tomorrow (Sat.). TOUR SUCCEEDS! TOUR FAILS! The Tour succeeded beyond my expectations in engaging folks close to key senate decision-makers, decision-makers who will determine if the U.S. starts to lead the world in climate laws and behavior or continues our wanton...

Day Nine: Indiana to Chicago

Sep 18th, 2009 in Tour Blog We left at 6:30 am on the first leg to Chicago. It was a visually interesting ride, if you like endless fields of corn and soy.  “Biofuels,” said Duff, with contempt.  I noticed many corn fields that had an almost pinkish shade in their dryness.  Also noticed variations of color in the soy plants that brought this odd question to mind:  Is there any chance that such vast acres of non-food crops are being watered with pollution perhaps not allowed when the land was used for food crops?  I know agribusiness is a chemical business, and I know the energy business is in many places related...

Cleveland, Ohio: Senator Sherrod Brown

Sep 18th, 2009 in Tour Blog Thursday, September 17, 2009. Meredith Turner met with us on behalf of Senator Brown. She paid close attention, asked questions, and told us very clearly that she doesn’t often get proposals that are as thorough and sensible as what we gave her. Tim Krueger, an Ohio native and Cornell graduate, is the Coordinator for the Ohio Students Environmental Coalition. He attended the meeting with us, and spoke with Meredith about organizing a roundtable discussion that Senator Brown might attend to hear from his constituents about the problems with cap & trade, the error of including biomass with...

Life on the Rails

Sep 15th, 2009 in Tour Blog We’re speeding along and then all of a sudden we have to stop. The conductor comes on the loudspeaker and says why: freight trains get priority on the rails. Duff Badgley has plenty to say about this. Check back again for an audio clip of the Badgley rant. Share this:EmailPrintFacebookStumbleUpon

Climate SOS Meeting with Arkansas Senators’ Top Aides

Sep 15th, 2009 in Tour Blog Duff Badgley, Randy Massanelli (for Senator Pryor), Dr. Bill Sammons, Donna Shade, and Donna Kay Yeargan (for Senator Lincoln)  September 15, 2009 [Photograph by Susan Laing] Randy Massanelli, speaking for Senator Pryor, expressed concerns for “harnessing and improving technology and efficiency,” as well finding a “global solution.” Senator Pryor is also very interested in geothermal, and Bill Sammons mentioned that he has had geothermal working very well in his home for twenty years. Donna Kay Yeargan said that Senator Lincoln has not yet addressed the 450 versus 350...