Howdy!
It’s the lovely spring season that is VERY busy! There are so many events and actions you can take, with many this week!
Peace and love for our beautiful Earth, Karen
April 19, The Power of Big Oil
In the three-part series “The Power of Big Oil,” Frontline examines the fossil fuel industry’s history of casting doubt and delaying action on climate change. Part 1 premieres on PBS on April 19. More information here. In the Triangle area, the program begins at 10 pm.
April 20, BP 12 Memorial:A Day of Radical Reflection
1 pm, online
12 years after the BP Drilling Disaster, the Mississippi Hub of the Gulf South for a Green New Deal is hosting a Day of Radical Reflection to reflect on what has changed and what has stayed the same in our offshore environment. Register here for the virtual event.
April 20, Standing Up to Drax & Vattenfall’s Tree Burning
1:30 pm, online
Join Biofuelwatch and friends to find out more about how we can help protect forests, wildlife, communities and the climate from tree burning by big energy companies such as Drax and Vattenfall. Rita Frost from Dogwood Alliance will be one of the speakers. Register here.
April 20, Interconnectivity: Birds as Teachers
5 pm, online
What can people learn from birds? Learn what that means from renowned birders and authors J. Drew Lanham and David Lindo in a special webinar cohosted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Thoreau Society, and College of Idaho. These world-famous birders will share what birds can teach us about interconnectivity, following up with a Q & A session for participants. Register here .
April 21, NC DEQ Virtual Public Meeting on Digester System General Permits
6-9 pm, online
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Division of Water Resources will hold four public meetings in April on draft Animal Waste Management Digester System General Permits. Three meetings were held in-person and the last one will be online via Webex on April 21.
https://bit.ly/3FFGRLL | Event number: 2436 024 6769
Event password: NCDEQ (62337 from phones)
Join by phone: 415-655-0003 | Access code: 2436 024 6769
People who wish to speak at the virtual meeting should sign up online by 4 pm on April 21.For those who cannot attend the meeting, public input can be submitted until May 2, via email to [email protected], or by leaving a voicemail at 919-707-9129. To learn more and to help with comments read Speak Out Against Hog Waste Pollution! from Clean Water for NC and ‘This plan is a lie’: Biogas on hog farms could do more harm than good.
April 22, Earth Day Celebration in Carrboro
5-7:30 pm, Town Commons in Carrboro
A joint event with the Town of Carrboro and Climate Reality Orange County. There will be vegan and vegetarian food, art, live music, children’s parade, information tables, electric cars, free plants, and book swap.
April 22, Earth Day Virtual Town Hall w/ Kathy Egland
7 pm, online
Kathy Egland, the Chair of the NAACP Board Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, joins us to discuss the Health and Climate Impacts of the Biomass Industry. Hosted by Erniko Brown, Director of Organizing and Partnership Engagement at Dogwood Alliance. Register to attend here.
April 22, Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour
10 pm, online
The “On Tour” version of the festival is a curated assortment of the top films and lasts approximately 2-1/2 hours with an intermission. It will be broadcast live from California on Earth Day starting at 10 pm EST (virtual doors open at 9:30 PM for live-chat) and is available on demand through April 29. This year’s theme is “A Current of Hope”. The festival not only highlights environmental concerns but also provides solutions, reaching people through beautiful imagery, and inspiring individuals to take action. Use the discount code CCLNC and part of the proceeds go to support the NC Central and Cape Fear and Raleigh Durham Chapters of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Tickets and more information here.
April 23-24, 25th Piedmont Farm Tour
The Piedmont Farm Tour is the nation’s largest sustainable farm tour, welcoming visitors each year to 20 working farms across North Carolina’s piedmont region to learn more about where their food comes from, build relationships with farmers, and cultivate a love for the land and our environment. It’s $30 for both days for a car full of people. More information and buy your pass here.
April 23, Eno River UU Fellowship Sustainable Living Fair: Transforming Ourselves, Transforming Our Communities
9:30 am – 3 pm, Eno River UU Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Road, Durham
See details on speakers and registration here.
April 25, What the War Against Ukraine and the Climate Crisis Have In Common
7 pm, Immaculate Conception Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill Street, Durham
Co-sponsored by Duke’s Center for Reconciliation. A panel discussion will be followed with Q&A. You can also watch the Livestream on Immaculate Conception’s Facebook page.
April 26, Congress Can Act on Composting
7-8:15 pm, online
Worldwide about 33% of soil is degraded. In the United States, soil is disappearing 10 times faster than it’s being replenished naturally. Join Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle for a program on building healthy soil, protecting water resources, and increasing agricultural productivity while increasing the ability of soils to store carbon and help combat global warming. Register here.
7-8:15 pm, online
Worldwide about 33% of soil is degraded. In the United States, soil is disappearing 10 times faster than it’s being replenished naturally. Join Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle for a program on building healthy soil, protecting water resources, and increasing agricultural productivity while increasing the ability of soils to store carbon and help combat global warming. Register here.
April 27, The True Cost of Single-use Bags in Durham
12- 1 pm, Durham Bottling Co., 506 Ramseur St., Durham and Livestream
Don’t Waste Durham presents a presentation of new research and results. This study is ongoing, but the map is starting to show that the burden of litter – much of it from single-use plastics – is spread disproportionately across Durham. This reveals hidden inequities, such as correlations with historic redlining, as well as new opportunities for care of our community’s health and environment. You can watch the Livestream here.
April 29, YOUTH v GOV is the story of the Juliana v. The United States of America constitutional lawsuit and the 21 American youth, ages 14 to 25, and their landmark case against the U.S. government “for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, personal safety, and property through their willful actions in creating the climate crisis they will inherit.” The movie will be available to watch on Netflix beginning April 29. Movie trailer and more info here.
April 30, 4th Annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Rally
10 am, Northeast Park, 3421 NE Park Dr, Gibsonville
To bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered epidemic that we have not only in the United States, but in our own backyard. It is time we take a stand and bring awareness to those who are still missing, or whose murderers have not yet been brought to justice. Register here .
10 am, Northeast Park, 3421 NE Park Dr, Gibsonville
To bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered epidemic that we have not only in the United States, but in our own backyard. It is time we take a stand and bring awareness to those who are still missing, or whose murderers have not yet been brought to justice. Register here .
May 5, Climate Justice and the Question of Reparations
3-4:30 pm, online
In his new book, Reconsidering Reparations, Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò makes the moral and political case for reparations for the harms of slavery and colonialism. Reparations, Táíwò argues, are equally essential to delivering climate justice. In this panel, Táíwò will summarize his case, and will be joined with Naomi Klein, Sabrina Fernandes, and Jackie Fielder. More information and register here.
May 7, Annual Haw River Festival
4-8 pm, Saxapahaw
The festival is an annual fundraising event for the Haw River Assembly and includes live music, canoe rides, river walks, educational activities, river monitoring, a silent auction, and a Paperhand Puppet parade. More information here.
May 10, Climate Change as Spiritual Practice Gathering
3-5 pm, online
With Joanna Macy, author of Active Hope, and Jonathan Gustin, Founder of Purpose Guides Institute. Transforming anxiety into empowerment. More information and register here.
May 24th-June 6th, Walk for Appalachia’s Future!
Community members, land defenders, activists, and people of all walks of life are joining the Walk for Appalachia’s Future. We will be traveling along the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and will seek to amplify the voices of frontline Appalachian communities and others in their fight for environmental justice and renewable energy. More information and register here.
ACTIONS TO TAKE!
President Biden violated his promise to end drilling on public lands with yet another handout to the fossil fuel industry on Friday afternoon! UGH!!! This is a betrayal of frontline communities! Read the Build Back Fossil Free Coalition’s response to the announcement here. We need to keep up the pressure!
PLEASE CALL the White House Comment Line and tell President Biden he MUST declare a climate emergency, ban federal fossil fuel leasing, and jumpstart just, renewable energy production using the Defense Production Act.
The White House Comment Line (888-431-7599) is open Tues-Thurs 11 am – 3 pm. Call during these hours and leave a message using the sample script below:
Hi, my name is ____, & I’m from ____. I’m calling to demand the Administration heed growing calls to declare a #ClimateEmergency, stop federal fossil fuel leasing, & use the Defense Production Act to create millions of jobs in just, renewable energy production. Thanks!
The White House Comment Line (888-431-7599) is open Tues-Thurs 11 am – 3 pm. Call during these hours and leave a message using the sample script below:
Hi, my name is ____, & I’m from ____. I’m calling to demand the Administration heed growing calls to declare a #ClimateEmergency, stop federal fossil fuel leasing, & use the Defense Production Act to create millions of jobs in just, renewable energy production. Thanks!
Tell FERC: Consider Need & Climate Before Approving Fossil Fuels!
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) has finally taken steps to improve how it permits fracked-gas projects by considering actual energy needs and climate change impacts BUT some elected officials are trying to stop them! FERC is asking for public comments by April 25. We need to tell FERC to stand strong! Sign here.
Hundreds of water protectors are currently facing criminal charges in MN for standing in defense of the water, the climate, and the treaty rights of the Anishinaabeg people. Send a letter to Gov. Walz to tell him: #DropThe Charges here.
Tell Congress: It’s Time to Stop the Oil Profiteering!
There’s a simple way to stop this profiteering: put a tax on the excess profits oil companies are making because of this crisis and use the money to send a check to the people who need it. Congress must pass a windfall profits tax to stop Big Oil’s profiteering. Sign here.
Write to your representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax bill here.
We need to break free from fossil fuels! Tell world leaders to make polluters pay their fair share and fund the transition to renewables here.
Heat Pumps for Peace and Freedom! Urge President Biden to advance solutions that address both war and climate change here.
Insurers: Don’t Risk Our World. Every new fossil fuel project needs insurance to be built, so if we can cut off the flow of insurance contracts, we can stop the flow of oil. From oil and gas drilling in the Arctic to tar sands extraction, the U.S. insurance sector is recklessly propping up dirty energy infrastructure. Send an email to the CEOs of the biggest US oil and gas insurers here.
Tell NCDEQ to give Brunswick, Pender, and New Hanover counties a public hearing on Chemours’ new draft groundwater permit here. Help protect our drinking water from toxic PFAS.
VOTE! The 2022 primary elections are less than month away now! We need to be sure we elect people who will vote with climate emergency, equality, health, and justice on their minds! The 2022 primary election will be held May 17, with early voting April 28-May 14. The general election is November 8. Check out the NC State Board of Elections, You Can Vote, Democracy NC and The New North Carolina Project for information on voting, where to vote, and ways you can volunteer.
ARTICLES, RECORDINGS, AND MORE
In case you missed it or want to watch again, a recording of the inspiring We Believe We Will Win – A Rally to Stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline is available here. The great new State of the MVP Fight video premiered that night. Spread it far and wide!
Democracy NOW! interview with Bill McKibben and Ukrainian climate activist and lawyer Svitlana Romanko talking about how European countries could quickly transition to using clean energy, ending reliance on Russian gas—and fossil fuels.
Great article from Ugandan climate activist How Vanessa Nakate Mobilizes the Masses.
Check out the International People’s platform for Climate Justice (#IPCJ) — a collaborative web platform to showcase the powerful Climate Stories of community resistance and solutions here.
Read John Beard’s important article Exploiting Ukraine Crisis to Ramp Up Fossil Fuel Expansion Is Dangerous and Deadly .
If you missed the awesome Building Systemic Change: Frontline Women-Led Solutions for Climate Justice last month, find the recording here from Woman’s Earth and Climate Action Network.
Save-the-Date!
June 18, Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly & Moral March on Washington and to the Polls
Washington, D.C.
It is NOT just a day of action. It is a declaration of an ongoing, committed moral movement to 1) build power, 2) shift the political narrative and 3) make real policies to fully address poverty and low wealth from the bottom up. There will be buses going from NC. More info and register here.
It is NOT just a day of action. It is a declaration of an ongoing, committed moral movement to 1) build power, 2) shift the political narrative and 3) make real policies to fully address poverty and low wealth from the bottom up. There will be buses going from NC. More info and register here.
Thanks for reading and for taking action!
Peace and love for our beautiful Earth, Karen