"I am tired of human life being worth less than a piece of coal."
"We are human beings and we are demanding our human rights over corporate rights!"
"We need to stop allowing the rich to get richer and the poor to keep dying, because that's what this is. It's all about money."
GreenpeaceUSA
2010 by the numbers-- Coal Industry Taking Its LumpsSo what's the best way to accomplish the phase-out of coal? That question, with its use of the singular "way," may be wrongly phrased. One mistake that activists tend to make is "marrying" a particular solution to a problem. Not only does this result in unnecessary infighting, as factions line up behind their favorite options, it also ignores the reality that changing the world is always a messy endeavor, and tactics often work better in combination than in isolation.In researching my book Climate Hope: On the Front Lines of the Fight Against Coal, I investigated why investor Warren Buffett decided to cancel six new coal plants that his company PacifiCorp was planning to build as recently as 2007. The answer turned out to be surprisingly complicated, involving no less than 10 different causal factors working in combination, including direct action protests, petition drives, renewable portfolio standards, rising construction costs, competition from wind power, lawsuits, the prospect of climate legislation, and more.Across the country, the Buffett story has been repeated again and again, as underdog grassroots activists in state after state have taken on and defeated Big Coal and King Kilowatt. As of late February, activists had derailed 97 of the 151 new plants that were in the pipeline in May 2007. Since 2001, according to the Sierra Club, 126 coal plants have been stopped. In 2009, not a single new coal plant broke ground. All this was accomplished even though the U.S. still lacks any sort of comprehensive climate policy. Rather than one overarching tactic or policy, the rush to build new coal plants was stopped by a broad, feisty movement that inflicted a "death of a thousand cuts."
“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
Frederick Douglas
Success will only be achieved by an informed public using the power of numbers. The more you know the madder you get.
ReplyDeleteACT UP ACT OUT!
Don't you think that political correctness and turf wars impede the environmental movement to a great degree? We're so concerned with stepping on toes and offending a less than helpful press that we hold back. Extremists in the movement often result in our message being dismissed and downplayed I think.
ReplyDeleteNow, now we fix that is the real question, but we would all benefit our causes by worrying less about personal credit and individual glory and realize we are supposed to be fighting on the same team.
Just my two cents on it and keep up the good work!
SW--
ReplyDeleteThank you for great comment! We agree with everything you said and will add something more: the other impediment is singular issues by the groups that claim they care about all of the issues.
We understand core issues for some, but it seems many times that's the sole focus and nothing else is worth participation and involvement outside of specific causes.
The environmental movement must be a big tent and any like minds need to support others efforts too. Consistently.
That's our two cents.
MAX & WINGER
You're both onto a fundamental problem with the environmental movement, a lack of organizing and cohesiveness. The human condition makes us a slave to our own egos and that gets in the way more often than not.
ReplyDeleteKing Koal is a mighty opponent and we have to keep fighting it everyday. But there are so many worthy fights going on that also need to be supported maybe it is too overwhelming for some.
That said, if all the activists would simply take an hour of their day to support something either through signing a petition, an email of support, commenting in forums or adding something to their sites we could go further.