New ideas in Newburyport

North Shore Team--Winchester
When we rolled into First Parish Congregational Church in Newbury last week, the first thing we noticed was a huuuuge vegetable garden out back! “I hope that belongs to the church!” LT said. We soon discovered that it did, and is a community garden called the New Eden Collaborative. It’s a project of the Green Artists League, which describes itself as “an interdisciplinary artists' collective that creates public art addressing the global environmental crisis.” Our hostess Erin Stack is its director, and is a big fan of “subversive art” that actually tries to convey a message and create change. She’s done pieces like “Recently homeless polar bear needs ice,” a performance artwork which you can check out on their website. Coincidentally, I once ran into the homeless polar bear in Boston Common last year!
It was great to talk with Erin about our project and all of hers, about the role of art in activism, and about all the great stuff happening in Newburyport. She’s excited to plan an event for the International Day of Climate Action on October 24th with the First Parish church, and her enthusiasm is contagious. She also treated us to a delicious meal of pasta with homemade pesto and fresh romano beans that I helped her pick from the garden out back. Erin, thanks for all your help and hospitality, we’re excited to work with you in the future!


Last Monday night in Newburyport we had the pleasure of dining with Elizabeth, John, Ben, Nile, and Bernard, the core group of Transition Newburyport. The Transition movement is a fairly new one, with chapters growing all across the state and the country. Based on the premise that climate change and peak oil are inevitably going to alter our society, they work to find ways for their community to drastically reduce carbon emissions, significantly rebuild resilience and greatly strengthen the local economy. The purpose of the core group, they explained, is to prepare a plan for the community to adapt, and then to dissolve as the measures are put into place. They also have their own permaculture plot in the New Eden garden, in which they allow lots of local plants to coexist and try to keep the soil in as natural a state as possible. Transition is a really interesting movement, working on the cultural change aspect of the problem and trying to strengthen the community. Their message also ties in very nicely with that of Awakening the Dreamer; as we start to see some of the imminent effects of climate change, we need to address adaptation as a whole, connecting with a strong community. As the Wombat and as Rev. Tom Bentley of Trinity Congregational Church in Gloucester remind us, all is one! Transition has also encouraged its groups around the nation to plan an action for October 24th, so I’m excited to see what the 20 or so groups in Massachusetts come up with.
Here’s a quick video of Elizabeth Marcus, the Transition member who was unbelievably helpful with getting housing and a place for the symposium while we were in town. Thanks Elizabeth!



Hearing about and connecting with these great people and projects was so encouraging and exhilarating for us. If you’re looking towards a sustainable future for Massachusetts and the nation, I think Newburyport is setting a great example for us to follow!

Lessons from Massachusetts

Cross-Posted with It's Getting Hot in Here

For the past two months, I've been spreading the word about the climate emergency as part of Mass Powershift's Massachusetts Climate Summer, a group of student volunteers biking around the state.  (You might have already read about us!)  We've been in cities and towns, past beaches and through slums, under the rain and sun, and on ferries, trains, and subways. We canvass every weekday, not asking for money, but building support for a movement and engaging leaders. And since our project is almost through, I thought I'd share some of the lessons we've learned during our time in the Commonwealth.  First, I'll talk about the canvassing experience, and then I'd like to share some impressions about getting the message across.

What is it like going door-to-door? Well, as anyone with canvass experience can tell you, it can be difficult.  But I've found that as soon as I tell folks, “we're not fundraising” or “there's no money involved” they loosen up, and begin to seriously listen to me.  I'm not some kid with a fundraising script; I'm a volunteer, giving my time because I care about climate change.  The message is clear: they should care too.  Our efforts have been very successful - 4,000+ signatures thus far.  I'd suggest that this sort of canvassing holds good potential for our movement across the country.

What does real America think about climate change, and how do they respond to it? First, the bad news: there is a lot of work to be done.  Many people can't be bothered to think about climate change. If they are aware of it, it is on a very superficial level – an understanding that driving a Prius is good and SUVs are not (to which I respond, “why not ride your bike?") – and it's thought of as something that does not concern them, that they cannot change.  At one house, a husband came to the door as his wife was signing our petition, and she told him it was about “climate control.”  It's going to take much more effort to get the message through to the crowd that gets all their news from TV. 

I'm reminded of a phrase I picked up from the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposium, which we have been presenting in each town.  The phrase is from Maude Barlow - "the right not to know."  It's the feeling that allows some people to "check out" and ignore the world's issues.  She summarizes it:

"I don’t have to know about poverty, I don’t have to know about racism, I don’t have to know about environmental degradation or environmental justice or injustice because it’s not me, I’ve got my life and I’ve got my family and I can do what I want."

Especially in certain affluent neighborhoods, this feeling is tangible in the way people occasionally react – as though I'm somehow bothering them by reminding them that our way of life is affecting the climate, harming the poor, indebting our children.  What can we do?  We need to keep trying, but I've also come to realize that my efforts are better spent elsewhere .  And while there are some folks (even in Massachusetts!) who aren't "on the same page" about climate change, our very presence – as students, as volunteers, as young people doing their civic duty – makes an impression on doubters, gets them to think again, drives them to learn more.  Some of them even have CFLs in their porch lights!

The good news? People really respond to the Repower America goals on our petitions: 100% clean electricity in 10 years. Whether a retired nuclear power plant worker, a third-grade teacher, a national park ranger, or a building contractor, almost everyone "gets it" - that is, they understand that we're burning too much coal and oil, and we have abundant alternatives here that are a good solution.  Even those that don't know the terminology, who don't read or listen to the news, who have never thought about the greenhouse effect – all these people understand that polluting is bad, and solar and wind power make sense, and they may even have some inkling that we're affecting the global climate system.  And they've all signed.  Whatever their reasons for signing our petition, I'm glad that they are joining us.

Beyond that, we've found networks of engaged citizens who are educated on these issues, who understand that we need to live more sustainably.  These folks are already involved in other issues - civic education, peace rallies, community health and social services, recycling, and local food – and they want to know what should be done about climate change.  Yes, it's important to change your light bulbs, insulate your house, and begin to think about personal sustainability.  But it is essential to change the laws, pressure your legislators, and give our industrial emitters a wake-up call - and before Copenhagen!  These people immediately understand the power of an October 24th action, and with their help we'll keep pressure on as we move forward into the fall.  These are the folks who give me hope, who have really powered this program by helping us find places to stay, groups to talk to, and supporters along the way.  It's great to see that there are so many different roles to play, and each of us can find one that engages our strengths. 

To sum up, I've learned that people in Massachusetts mostly understand the need for clean electricity, and want to do something about it.  Our job has been to empower them.

We're finishing up soon, with a big rally in Boston.  But the work is not done.  Of course, we need to continue educating the public, presenting a credible message, explaining why climate change matters.  And we need to continue to strive for sustainability, both personal and institutional.

More importantly, though, we need to strengthen the movement to push government in the right direction!  The last presidential election showed what 1.2 million volunteers can do - and it's more than just clicking and donating.   We all need to see people not as just names on mailing lists with checkbooks, but as individuals with ideas, energy, and commitment to offer.  By channeling that energy, we inspire more and more action, rather than just asking for a click on an online petition.  There's a need for boots on the ground, for voices that are concerned, for people to be engaged.  And that's why I think the Mass Climate Summer model is a good one, and I hope you can use your energy to build change, starting right in your neighborhood!

We got a HIT... WBZ TV Style....

The Cape Cod / South Shore Team get some coverage in Braintree....

Check it out ya'll...

http://wbztv.com/video/?id=79335@wbz.dayport.com

Peace and Clean Green Everything...
- Courto

North Shore News

North Shore Team--Winchester
Check out this article that was written about us in the Lawrence Eagle Tribune while we were in Haverhill/North Andover!
(The picture was taken by Roger Darrigrand from the Eagle Tribune, in front of Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul church, where we stayed in Haverhill)

We All Scream for Ice Cream

"Western" Mass Team - Waltham

News has traveled fast among the Climate Summertistas and MAPS associates of our team's great success in Maynard. Not only did we have a great response going door to door, but at the Saturday Farmer's Market as well. (Pictures on Picasa http://picasaweb.google.com/climatesummerphotos/WesternMassBerkshires#) We managed to get 136 signatures in just 3 hours!

We happened to be living with our wonderful hosts, Hasso and Bob, in Concord already by this point and were just visiting back to Maynard. Therefore, our friends with MaynardCAN (Climate Action Network), Tina and Mike, sent a note back with us to Hasso who is an active member of ConcordCAN. The note read: "Dear Hasso, MaynardCAN challenges ConcordCAN to see who can get more signatures for the Climate Summer students. Loser buys them ice cream."

In Concord, we canvassed outside of Debra's Natural Gourmet to see if we could replicate our luck. Hasso is a friend of Debra's and thought this may be the place to take on Tina's challenge. The spot was chosen strategically, and as one petition-signer noted: "You could stand out here all day - every person who walks in here is sympathetic to your cause!"

However, our canvassing in Concord proved to be less fruitful than it had in Maynard. Hasso took us out to ice cream at a nearby farm that night. Nothing like a little friendly competition among environmental advocates.

Pre-requisite Bio 11?

Yesterday morning the south shore team left Bridgewater for Brockton, a nice 7 mile ride between two adjoining but very different towns. Bridgewater was a great success, we met many great people who are involved in the climate movement and many, also, who are just starting to awaken. One such woman goes by the name of Diane and works at a small coffee shop across from Bridgewater State College called The Rockin' K cafe that sells fair trade organic coffee and specialties. We met Diane on our first day in town and she helped us by placing one of our Re-power America petitions on the counter and encouraging all her customers to sign, along with passing out our remaining Clean Power Now pamphlets and advertising for the symposium. We were very grateful for her help and are continuously reminded of goodness of the human spirit through our interactions with strangers.

Also, while in Bridgewater we had the privilege of attending their first ever Farmers Market, at which we met some amazing people involved with Citizens for an Informed Community. They insisted that we meet with them for dinner and discuss our project and we gladly accepted so last night we were picked up by one of the women and brought to a member's home for pizza and discussion. We were a little confused at first because no one seemed to know that we were coming but were glad to have us. The moment we walked in we were handed rulers, black pens, and a stack of 1000 or so pamphlets that needed a phrase to be crossed out.. we confusedly proceeded to tediously cross out the phrase "pre-requisite Bio 11" from the pile of pamphlets about a course in organic farming. A couple hours later, phrases crossed and hands cramped, we all gathered around the pizza and talked about our organizations and all the different issues we care about and work on.

These people, the majority of which are elderly, are the most enthusiastic and dedicated people I have met thus far and give me great hope and expectations for the future. Their praise and support for our program boosted our egos a little bit but also re established within us the drive to continue on and provided us with just the right motivation we needed while nearing the end of our journey.

Re-energized by our encounters last night, this morning we made a visit to the Brockton Brightfield, the largest concentration of solar panels in new england, to take some photos and see what can be done with land that had been deemed toxic and unusable. In the midst of a depressed city it seemed a little unusual to find such innovation, but from this can be seen that renewable energy is not something reserved for high income families and cities, but rather something that must be and is being implemented everywhere. Although this particular project only provides electricity for 70 homes, that is 70 less homes being run on fossil fuels and 70 more homes prepared for the future. Turning a toxic brown field into a solar bright field is just one example of the many noticeable signs of change popping up all around us. Hopefully the rest of the state, the rest of the country, and the rest of the world can take Brockton's example of the changing dream to heart and follow in it's bright footsteps. :).

Great People In Massachusetts

Enjoy!

Mark B. Cabral

What page are you on?

While canvassing earlier this week I knocked on a man's door.

Hi, I said, I'm here with a petition to Repower America and make sure that we stop catastrophic climate change before it reaches the tipping point, or the point where a vicious cycle kicks in, and the climate shifts irrevocably.

Oh, well I'm not really on the same page as you are when it comes to climate change, he said.

We parted ways, but as I was walking away from his door I couldn't help but wonder, what page was he on?

Perhaps he was on the page where we allow the present course to continue and 50% of species are extinct in half a century.

Or perhaps he was on the page where we continue to rape the mountains of Appalachia, reducing beauty to a landfill.

Or maybe he was on the page where all of the glaciers melt, and the over two billion people of India and China don't have enough water to grow food.

Or quite possibly he's on the page where the climate changes enough that it is no longer suitable for the civilization we've built.

I don't know about him, but I'm on the page where 350 becomes law, where the mountains remain mountains, and where the future runs clean.

We're on the page where people say no to big business looking for profits and start looking out for themselves.

We're on the page where short term convenience doesn't hurtle us off of a cliff.

We're on the page where beauty is more important than money.

We're on the page of revolution.

What page are you on?

--Sam

The Kindness of Strangers

In our efforts to halt the heating of the planet and thereby avert the collapse of civlization, we are possessed of a secret weapon and that weapon is ice cream. I am in deadly earnest. Not only does this wondrous substance sustain us at the end of the week - by which time the scrupulous budgeting of our meals means we are all starving for sugar - but it also serves as the locus of community events; the main attraction, so to speak, for people who may be only peripherally interested in the topic under discussion. In Beverly, LT canvassed an especially enthusiastic woman; a woman eager to do something now and too impatient to wait until July 25th. I was waiting at the end of the street when LT arrived, beaming, to inform me that all seven of us had just been invited to an ice cream party. We were the guests of honor.

On the appointed night the team trooped over, bearing gifts of watermelon. We were greeted by Rachel, her husband Mack, and their sons Jake and Simon. The former would be entering Bates in the fall and had tons of questions for Kyle. The latter presented us with a fresh garlic plant which he'd picked earlier that day while working on one of the Food Project's local organic farms. Mack, who took his degree in forestry and works for the National Park Service, was recently returned from a trip to Jiuzhaigou Valley, where he had been contracted to scope out the possibilities for motor vehicles to approach closer to the lakes and waterfalls which constitute the region's major tourist destinations. Jiuzhaigou is a nature reserve in western China along the lines of Yellowstone National Park, though infinitely less accessible. (I speak from experience: To get there, I rode in a richety old tour bus for two days along unpaved roads carved into sheer cliffsides practically hanging over the river.) Mack expressed apprehension about the newly completed airport, which surely augurs an exponential increase in the volume of tourists visiting the valley, as well as a corresponding hike in the CO2 emitted by these same tourists as a function of their airborne journeys. Jiuzhaigou could potentially boast hotels, restaurants, seas of cement and resort sprawl to rival Disneyworld.

By a fortuitous coincidence, Rachel's neighbor Dennis turned out to be Boston University's new sustainability coordinator (the position has only recently come into existence). He was naturally interested to hear what Emily and LT had been doing as ecoreps of their respective schools, Pratt Institute and Clark University. We agreed that while inter-dorm competitions are great, it is irrational and counterproductive to focus on total volume of recycling, as this system tends to reward frat houses because they throw lots of parties and buy lots of beer bottles. At this point we could have used Leila's input, as the ecorep program is only a couple years old at Pratt, kicking off this fall at Clark, and (Sally reports) in hibernation at Tufts. If we are to keep the momentum of the climate movement going, it is important for its coordinators to have informal meetings like these, during which we share our aspirations and our strategies, what works and what doesn't.

Finally, Rachel shared with us an article detailing how 34 Nobel Prize winners have written the President in an open letter decrying Waxman-Markey's failure to support research and development for clean energy technologies. (Al Gore was not among them, presumably because you had to be a Nobel winner in the relevant sciences.) While the letter did not contain anything we had not heard before, the very fact that it had been written at all helped to end the party on the right note - a note of hope. As we were leaving LT inquired whom Rachel was planning to invite to her Christmas in July party, to which Rachel responded, "Didn't we just have one?" And she was right. The point of Christmas in July is not the Santa hats, nor the informative videos, nor even the oppressively muggy weather that is supposed to remind us what Christmas would feel like should anthropogenic climate change be allowed to continue unchecked. You could have a Christmas party in September as long as it served its primary purpose - to open up a space for dialogue, to inspire people to take action in preparation for the International Day of Climate Action. On both these counts I think our slightly premature party succeeded spectacularly.

Just when we thought we had exhausted the North Shore's veritable cauldron of hospitality in Beverly, we arrived in Gloucester to find that Health Department sanitation codes prevented us (or anyone else) from using the dishware and cutlery at the church where we were staying. (They regularly relied on paper plates during the weekly suppers for the homeless.) But not to worry. A friendly couple serving the special vegetarian dinner prepared in our honor offered without hesitation to house us in their beautiful three-story beachfront home. They had showers and beds to spare, too. It was the easiest unanimous decision the Cambridge/North Shore Team had ever made.

The moral of our story is twofold: Ice cream, not duct tape, is the force that binds the universe together. And the Lord shall provide, because the Lord, He sure does love His environmentalists.

Now it's time to act. And party!

Dear friends of Mass Climate Summer,

We hope you've enjoyed following some of our thoughts and progress on the blog this summer! We've got two more weeks on the road until all our teams converge in Boston (more on that later).

But with all this fun, we need to take a minute to be a little serious. I promise it won't hurt.

The short story is that we have to act decisively and boldly now if we want to have a chance to avert a climate disaster which will, in the words of a forthcoming U.S. Army backed report, “cause civilization to collapse.” This isn't about polar bears anymore, it's about people.

To bring the point home we're going to draw attention to the most famous climate refugee: Santa Clause. And we'll do it with a party!

It's time to celebrate Christmas in July!
Register a party here: http://www.masspowershift.org/xmasinjuly

We are asking you to join with us this summer to hold a “Christmas in July Party,” and focus attention on one of climate change’s most well-known future victims: Santa Claus.

Santa Claus and his elves have lived in the North Pole for as long as we can remember. And their home (the North Pole) is melting. Most people alive today will see a world where there is no ice in the Arctic in the summer time (scientists say it could happen as early as 2013). If the North Pole melts, where will Santa go? Where will the elves live? How will they make their toys if the factory falls below the seas?

And if Santa’s home disappears, how much longer will it be before global climatic disruption robs us of our own homes? Should we wait to find out?

Register your party today, and download the instructions at:
http://www.masspowershift.org/xmasinjuly

This is extra important for those of us here in Massachusetts because our Senator, John Kerry, will be a lead negotiator for the U.S. at international climate negotiations in December. He needs to get the message a little louder than he's been hearing it. We'll make it easy by providing two short videos to watch and a simple guide. You provide the fun and decorations, and you've got yourself a cutting edge climate movement!

We have a huge opportunity to make a difference this year – maybe our last opportunity. Only by working together with our friends and neighbors can we avert this crisis. Let's get to work.

Salem Harbor Power Plant

Today Sally, Mark and I decided to voyage to the local Salem Harbor Power Plant to exercise our freedom of expression, by taking pictures with our Repower America sign. As this power plant is one of four power plants  in Massachusetts which is still burning coal, we felt we couldn’t leave the town without a visit. After a quick ride over the bridge leading from Beverly to Salem, we arrived at the visitors’ parking lot and began to unravel our sign and position the camera for an up close and personal view of the plant.

Just as we got the camera at the perfect angle to take the picture, a middle aged woman came walking over to ask what we were up to. We told her we were there to snap a few photos! When she heard this, she instantly informed us that taking pictures of the power plant in a “post 9-11 world” was illegal. After a brief discussion of democracy and the Bill of Rights, she decided to question whether we were taking the pictures for “good or bad reasons.”

“Well,” I questioned, “what is your definition of good and bad reasons?”

The only response she was able to muster was “I’m not sure.”

Well, Salem Harbor Power Plant, since we were unable to answer your question today let us attempt to shed light on the mystery. If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the “good” reason of ending the alarmingly high breast cancer rates found in Marblehead, Beverly, and Salem due to the burning of coal at your power plant, then yes we were doing this for ‘good’ reasons.

If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the ‘good’ of 100% clean electricity in Massachusetts within 10 years, then yes we were doing this for a ‘good’ reason.

If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the ‘good’ of achieving an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilling presence on this earth, then yes we were doing this for a “good” reason.

But if you were asking us whether we were going to use the pictures for the ‘good’ of your own personal short term gains, we would have to respond with a resounding ‘No!’.

So, Salem Harbor Power Plant, you can continue to try to intimidate us with your threats of arrest and lies to the public about “clean coal” technology. But just remember, we are young and motivated youth and we are not going away! We will continue until you end the madness of poisoning us and the world we call home.

Sincerely yours,

The North Shore Team

Emerging Local Leaders

Western Mass Team - Maynard

The days (and the bikes) roll onward as our team travels through the towns of Sudbury and Maynard. Sadly, our team is down to four people as Antoine has had to take some time off, but we're keeping in close contact, knowing that he is very supportive of the work we're all doing and we support him as far away as he may be! However, we are meeting some wonderful new local leaders everywhere we go!

Dean Holden, an activist with Sustainable Sudbury, and his family were wonderful hosts and had great networking connections. We had the largest turnout so far at that symposium! Currently, our hosts Mark and Lisa in Maynard are introducing us to the green life they live. They are growing rhubarb in an old bathtub in their garden and are using raised-bed planting techniques to keep the soil from getting compressed. They also just recently met with a representative from MASSSAVE and learned how easily they can increase the energy efficiency of their home. They were surprised about how much of the cost to insulate the rest of their home was covered, how easy it was to get this energy audit, and were very happy with the outcome. If any readers are interested, you can go to their website at www.masssave.com or call 866-527-7283. MASSSAVE just so happens to be one of the many things we're sharing with citizens when we canvass door to door.

Momentum for Christmas in July is picking up as we continue to find several hosts per night.

The next few weeks promise to be a whirlwind of excitement as do the next six most crucial months of the movement.

Stay Green!
--Leila

The North Shore Team hits the beach

Cambridge/North Shore Team--Beverly
The Weekly Dig published an article about our visit to John Kerry's office today. Check it out!
The North Shore team is finally on the North Shore! We're staying at St Peter's Episcopal Church in Beverly (NOT in Salem, we realized as we waited outside the St Peter's in Salem...)

I have been so impressed with all of the people I've talked to around here. People are especially aware of the effects of dirty electricity on the environment, because one of Massachusetts' five power plants is located right on the beach in Salem. Organizations like HealthLink have been trying to get it shut down for years. (We tried to go to their meeting this morning to meet them and see how we could work together to bring clean power to Massachusetts, but they're on summer vacation at the moment. HealthLink, if you read this, let's work together in the future!) One woman whose door I knocked on told me about how on bad days, you can see the soot collect on cars and windows and even skin when you go outside. As soon as the phrase "Clean Electricity" left my mouth, she grabbed my petition and brought it inside to get five other people to sign.

Today was my most successful day of canvassing yet! Pretty much everyone I talked to was worried about climate change, excited about repowering the state and the nation, and quite a few were super excited to host a Xmas in July party. Way to go, Beverly!

Next up: maybe finally getting to go swimming? Taking some sweet pictures with a giant banner and a huge ugly coal plant? An ice cream party with some really cool local activists that Lauren met canvassing? Keep reading!
Sally

Pedal to the Metal

Another week has closed here in New England, and Mass. Climate Summer has passed the half-way mark with nearly 20 students soldering on, biking from town to town building the movement. While this has been an exciting and dramatic week for climate action; from L'Aquila to Washington and Mt. Rushmore, Massachusetts Power Shift continues to focus our energy on building a powerful movement capable of working for bold, science based solutions. And of course we've had a bit of fun in the process.

To date we have visited over 25 towns, found over 3,000 people eager to Repower America with 100% clean electricity in the next decade, presented sustainability workshops in 12 communities, recruited dozens of organizers ready to work towards a powerful show of force on October 24th and scored over a dozen media hits from small-town papers to the Boston Globe and NPR. But we haven't stopped there. This week our teams' creativity was on full display...

On Thursday July 2nd, the Cape Cod team worked with our partners at Greenpeace and Clean Power Now to showcase exactly how global warming and sea level rise will bring destruction to Massachusetts. Several weeks ago extreme high tides washed away several cottages on Cape Cod, and last week as the remainder of the cottages were being dismantled by cranes, our team went to point out that “Global Warming Looks Like This.” Heather Bulis, a senior at Westfield State College said, “it was awesome to get out there and see what global warming actually looks like and collaborate with other organizations. We were out there when they were demolishing the houses, it was pretty powerful.”

Over the holiday weekend the Cape Cod team was at it again, riding their bikes in the Hyannis July 4th parade towing giant cardboard wind turbines on their trailers, passing out buttons and carrying a “Repower America” banner. They followed the next day with a beach party in downtown Hyannis called "Rising Waters, Raising Awareness,” that playfully showed where the beach might one day be with runaway global warming.

This Thursday the Cambridge team hit one out of the park. With “Christmas in July” quickly approaching, Santa and his elves paid a visit to Senator John Kerry's office in Boston to deliver “coal” in the form of recycled incandescent bulbs. They let the Senator, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, know that when he comes back from Copenhagen in December he needs to bring a treaty that will save Santa and his workshop, and reach a stable 350ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere if he doesn't want to get any coal in his stocking. Sally Sharrow, a junior at Tufts University explained, “the idea is that as the polar ice caps melt, Santa will become the world’s most celebrated climate refugee. But ultimately, climate change impacts us all. We’re conveying that message in an unusual way – even though it’s a very serious issue – because we’re young, and this is an issue that the youth of this state care passionately about.”

“It's incredible to be working with the local chapters of the Mass. Climate Action Network, it really jumps out how committed people are to going green and taking action. It's clear that we're ready for change and are already building a sustainable new world. All we're waiting for is our politicians to catch up,” says Sam Rubin, events coordinator for the Western Mass team. Having logged 300 miles in 30 days, the Western Mass team has finally settled into a slower migration in the outermost suburbs of Boston. This coming week, the team is working with local chapters of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) in Sudbury and Maynard to host the “Awakening the Dreamer Symposium.”

While these are some highlights, the daily work of knocking on doors, talking with local faith and community leaders are the nuts and bolts or good organizing. We're grateful that others recognize this and have lent their support; from Filter For Good who has provided the bulk of our funding to the Massachusetts Council of Churches which is working to house our teams, and the myriad of committed environmentalists across the state. Everywhere we go we find people who recognize this enormous problem and want to know what to do about it. They have changed their light bulbs, worked with their towns to make their communities greener, and they are looking to make a difference in what must be a national and international solution. Our job is to knit them together, give them a sense of their own power, and provide a plausible strategy for them to make a difference. That's what builds a movement, brick by brick.

Too Legit to Quit

Western Mass Team - Sudbury

While on a brief canvassing foray to Maynard last week, Sam and I bumped into a group of MassPIRG employees. The conversation went as follows:

PIRG: "What are you guys canvassing for?"
MCS: "100% clean electricity in the next decade. You?"
PIRG: "Recycling."
PIRG: "Wow. Your shirts are so much cooler than ours!"
MCS: "Yeah, we like the logo. It's pretty sweet."
PIRG: "Where are you guys canvassing?"
MCS: (pointing to the map) "Here."
PIRG: "Oh man, they got to our territory first. That's exactly where we're going."
MCS: "Sorry."
PIRG: "Where did you guys park your car?"
MCS: "We don't have cars. We're biking across the state. We locked our bikes down the street."
PIRG: (mouths hanging open) "You guys are so cool! Look at us, here in our gas guzzling Ford."
MCS: "Haha. Thanks."
PIRG: "So where is your office?"
MCS: "We don't have an office. We pull all of our stuff on trailers behind our bikes."
PIRG: "So where are you guys based out of?"
MCS: "We don't really have a home base. We use google docs and cell phones mostly."
PIRG: "You Guys Are So LEGIT."
MCS: "Here. Sign our petition."
PIRG: "Here. Sign ours."
MCS: "Where is it?"
PIRG: "In the back. It's actually the least important part. So, how much are you guys asking for?"
MCS: "Nothing. We don't ask for money."
PIRG: "What? You don't ask for money? That's so legit. And let me guess, you guys are all volunteer too?"
MCS: "Um, yeah."
PIRG: "These guys are so Legit."
MCS: "Haha, thanks guys. But we better get going, it was nice talking to you. Peace."

We are that "Legit." But thumbs up PIRG -- doing some cool recycling work. In the mean time, we've got miles to wheel and movement to forge.

An Early Christmas

Hope you all enjoy,

Mark B. Cabral

a Week "On Island"

The Cape Cod/South Shore team is now officially done with our Cape Cod portion. We arrived in Wareham (Wear-ham? War-um? No one seems to agree.) yesterday after a long, sun-drenched, flat-tire-abundant, wind-turbine-adoring, Bourne-Bridge-crossing ride. We've truly enjoyed our time in the surreal vacationland of Martha's Vineyard, and I thought I'd fill you all in to our latest adventures.

Our time on Martha's Vineyard was a bit different from our experiences thus far. It was generally difficult to find folks who actually lived on the island, but people were generally interested in signing our petition and learning about what we were doing. We were lucky enough to attend an early-morning beach yoga session, join Tibetan Buddhist monks in meditation, watch them making a sand mandala, tour the FARM Institute, and relish in the wonder and beauty of the Vineyard, all served by marvelous bike paths. I can wholeheartedly recommend that, if you ever have the chance, you spend some time (and as little money as possible - good luck) on the Island.

But what I want to write about today is the symposium. Vicky and Lauren presented the Awakening the Dreamer symposium in the Oak Bluffs Public Library, a truly beautiful space, and while attendance was hampered by the beautiful beach weather, we met some folks who were interested pushing the movement further. Clearly, if we're going to get strong climate legislation, we need to increase and sustain pressure on Congress. And the best way to do that is to organize people within the communities who can help us keep it going. We found several people who were psyched to host Christmas in July organizing parties, to get more people involved and decide how they can have an October 24 event to further raise awareness and empower the movement.

And you? This is a model for further involvement. We need YOU to organize within your community. We can provide the tools, we can help you do it, but your expertise, energy, and enthusiasm are all needed if we're going to fight climate change. You can host an event, volunteer, sign our petition, write a letter to the editor, call or visit your Congressperson, support a local organization, and more!

As we biked down the hill from the library and back into town, we spotted a car painted with the Tribe Hummus logo. "Tribe Hummus?" I shouted at their open window. "That's our favorite hummus!" (I should mention that our group is, collectively, a hummus-eating machine.) We pursued the car, and it pulled over. I could hardly believe our luck as the driver handed Justin six coupons for free hummus. Dumbstruck and wide-eyed, we biked away. I guess it does pay to speak your mind, especially if you have an open window to speak into!

And if you didn't find that story interesting, I should add that on our way out of Edgartown to the ferry, we found 20 bucks on the road. Yes, seriously.

Awakening the Dreamer at the Cambridge Community Center

Today we the North Shore team put on an Awakening the Dreamer Changing the Dream symposium at the Cambridge Community Center with the additional sponsorship of the Cambridge Energy Alliance. I and Sally facilitated the symposium today with Wenjun on audio/visuals. I was very pleased with the beauty of the day, the sun was out, the air was warm, and we all looked dressed for success. Upon arriving to our venue life was a bit hectic; given our short setup time and Kyle biking to the rescue at the last minute with a projector compatible laptop along with the amazing 26 attendees "milling" on in I was at first a bit worried and anxious, but soon realized that I shouldn't be because I knew that my teammates would come through. Technical setup was rocky this morning and we had to start about ten minutes late. To quote an elderly gentleman at the symposium "It would not be a symposium without the technical hiccup" Despite these challenges however the symposium was a great success. I felt very connected today to the attendees, they ranged from young to elderly and all had unique perspectives on our human role on this planet. I felt honored to be among them. I truly look forward to our future symposiums and look forward to them knowing that I will step down as a facilitator for the remaining weeks as my teammates take up the role. I believe that going to and watching the symposium to be a powerful step, an experience for some that leaves them breathless. To facilitate however is in itself just as profound an experience.

Mark B. Cabral

Santa brings early xmas gift to Kerry

Thursday morning, the Cambridge team woke up bright and early to meet with a special guest--Santa Claus! We were teaming up with this special person to bring an important message to Senator Kerry's Boston office: The polar ice caps are melting, the planet is warming, and Santa's home could be gone in the summer in as few as 5 years, making Santa Claus the most famous of the world's climate refugees. We know that Senator Kerry is concerned about the climate as well--he was, after all, the co-sponsor of the first climate hearings in Congress, and he's worked to pass environmental legislation for years. And, lucky for us, he represents Massachusetts! But even more importantly, Senator Kerry will go to Copenhagen this winter as the top congressional representative of the US at the international climate summit, where new global carbon emissions targets will be determined through the negotiation of an international climate treaty to replace (if you can call it that) the Kyoto Protocol.

Santa heard that Senator Kerry will be going to this negotiation this December, so he told us that he wanted to bring him his Christmas present a little bit early this year. The present was a box of lightbulbs, incandescent ones which have been traded out by Massachusetts residents for more efficient CFL's. The lightbulbs were painted black to represent all of the coal and dirty fuel that won't be burned as we increase our efficiency and switch over to clean sources of power. They were also decorated with the number 350. This gift, explained Santa, was to show Senator Kerry that the people of Massachusetts are ready for a change and are already leading the country to a clean energy economy. We want our senator to keep this in mind when he goes to Copenhagen. His state and his country are ready. It's time to lead the world to a climate treaty that gets us back to a CO2 concentration of 350 parts per million, and fast. This winter's negotiations may be the only chance we have to get it right, to set off down the path towards emissions reductions and a clean future or continue on the path to destruction.

We know that Senator Kerry knows about 350. He's friends with James Hansen of NASA; he's even mentioned the target in speeches without committing to it as a goal. But the political pressures out there can be tough; his staffers told us that Senator Kerry would be looking to President Obama for guidance and leadership on what goals to set. But if Senator Kerry really understands the severity of the situation, then he should know that the US needs to take a strong lead to ensure a sustainable future for the world. What's the point of understanding the science if you don't follow it to create strong policy? What's the point of funding NASA and the top climatologists in the world if you don't listen to their advice?

I trust that Senator Kerry has every intention of coming back from Copenhagen with a strong climate treaty that enumerates clear steps for getting us out of the mess that we're in. We hope that he takes one of our lightbulbs with him to that negotiation to remind himself of exactly what that climate treaty should say: 350 ppm. And quickly. Otherwise, Santa may have to fill his stocking with another kind of coal this Christmas.

Check out the Article on the Globe's Green Blog about the event, and keep an eye out next week for one on the Weekly Dig.

And don't forget, you can add your voice to those calling for a stop to the destruction of Santa's home by throwing your own Christmas in July house party! As John Kerry's constituents it's especially important to make our voices heard calling for 350 ppm on October 24th's international day of climate action, and holding a party is the perfect opportunity for you to get together with friends and family to brainstorm how we can get this message across. For more information and to register your party, go to www.masspowershift.org.

Sally

Yarmouth to Martha's Vineyard

On Monday the Cape Cod team took the ferry from Yarmouth to Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard which gave us some nice, relaxing, time to think about the events of the weekend. On Saturday, July 4th we were part of the Hyannis Parade, which provided much fun along with visibility for both the Re-Power America campaign and Clean Power Now. We constructed one 10 foot tall cardboard wind turbine along with another one half that size and strapped them onto the bike trailers. Myself and Lauren walked in front of the bikes with the re power America banner while Jeff and Vickey (with bikes decorated with green streamers and pin wheels) towed the turbines. Courto and Justin followed with Clean Power Now pins and Frisbees for the parade attendees. We were all very pleased with the response from the crowd, everyone seemed to be in support! It was nice to see afterwards dozens of little kids walking around with the Clean Power Now pins on their shirts. I think the parade was extremely successful for creating visibility for the campaign but wish we got better pictures of us doing it!

The next day, Sunday, we had an event appropriately called "rising waters, raising awareness: a business as usual beach party." If we do not change the was we depend on fossil fuels and other toxic practices the sea levels will continue to rise and the beach just might be located in the center of town. With this in mind we staged a beach party event on the Hyannis town green, complete with wind turbines and sea creatures. Although the projections can be scary we did not intend for this event to evoke fear but rather to provide people with the resources and knowledge they may need to effectively make the change we are striving for. In addition to the paper petitions we asked people to participate in a photo petition drive, holding speech bubbles calling upon congress to pass strong climate legislation. In particular, 100% clean electricity in the next decade. The event was fun and laid back and although we would have liked to see more people attend it was still seen as a success on many levels.

We learned a lot during our stay with Lady Barnett in Yarmouth including how much work goes into planning and executing successful events. The weeks have been flying by and now its Thursday and we are in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. We are having a good time but finding that canvassing in what Jay so appropriately deemed "vacation land" is a much different experience than in communities with year-round residents. Overall people have been fairly receptive but since they do not live here it is difficult to find committed community leaders. We will not let this get us down though and will continue searching for the small minority of people who are residents of this beautiful island.

Live Earth Article on Copenhagen

An article from Live Earth about the International Climate Talks in Copenhagen this December:

Copenhagen Leaders Lead by Example

"When world leaders gather in Copenhagen this December they will be discussing some of the most important and pressing climate issues facing the world today.

These world influencers are leaving no green stone unturned as they make an effort to environmentally spruce up their trips to the event.

Denmark has developed a luxurious and eco-friendly solution to the issue of ground transportation throughout the conference.

The attendees will be transported in limousines that run on experimental biofuels made from plant waste.
How creative!

Although these alternative-fuels are not yet in commercial production, they are considered second-generation because they don’t use the actual crop for the production of the fuel.

This allows the crops to be used for food or other purposes, and then the remaining waste is used for development of the fuels.

These fuels even emit less carbon than the currently used first generation biofuels. These world leaders are setting a positive green example while all eyes will be on them!"

Rising Tide Boston

On Sunday Emily and I attended the monthly open meeting of Rising Tide Boston, whose Points of Unity are so salient to our own efforts that I think they are worth quoting here in full: “We recognize … that combating climate change is not solely a matter of addressing carbon emissions, but also confronting the institutions that attack our communities and our cultures as well as our earth.” But I wouldn’t have expected any less of an organization that creatively urged Bostonians to “break up” with Bank of America on Valentine’s Day in order to protest that corporation’s funding of mountaintop removal coal mining. Environmental sustainability? Check. Social justice? Check.

Ironically, Emily and I were the only ones not to arrive by bike (we took the subway). The meeting kicked off with a documentary about the decades-long movement to democratize Mexican teachers’ unions, whose leadership has long been riddled with corruption at the highest levels. However, despite some notable victories in the eighties and nineties, the teachers’ campaign has lost momentum in recent years. The film identifies the crux of the problem as overpoliticization: Teachers have become so focused on their own crusade that they have lost touch with the communities in which they are rooted. After all, why did thousands of people – many of whom did not have school-age children – turn out in support of teachers when they staged direct action in the first place? Because historically, Mexican schoolteachers have been community leaders. It’s no accident that the movement is most active in Oaxaca, a province which boasts a sizeable indigenous population. These were the people most directly impacted by the state’s education policies (or lack thereof). These were the people who knew better than anybody that something needed to be done, and decided the teachers were the ones to do it.

It is a lesson that applies to the organization of grassroots movements in general. Despite all the valuable guidance we received from experienced organizers during our training, it is easy, when confronted at the door with apathetic residents, to fall back on your rap; to take charge and tell them exactly what to do. Here, sign this petition, come to a symposium, throw a Christmas in July party, have a good day. Even if I do end up having an in-depth conversation with someone, bubbling just beneath my subconscious is the desire to get them to do something for us, when really it should be the other way around. I don’t know if anyone else has had the same experience. Maybe I’m a worse-than-average canvasser. But as I recall now the woman who spoke of her town’s (ultimately unsuccessful) scheme to put solar panels on the high school, and the man who hosts a struggling environmental talk show on public radio, I realize that these are the people who need us. These are the people we are supporting in the endeavors, and calling and emailing and blogging about. We are the catalysts for the changes they want to see. Though we are the ones who are at present devoting our lives to the cause of combating climate change, our job is to ensure that it remains their cause as much as ours.

Cheers, Lesley

Shifting Gears, Building A Movement

cross-posted at It's Getting Hot in Here and Blue Mass Group

Wow, Waxman-Markey narrowly passed last week; truly a historic occasion. This is cause to have a celebration – a chamber of congress has finally passed a bill aimed at reducing carbon emissions. The question of course is: what happens next? For many, that question is simple to answer – move on to the Senate to try to get it strengthened and sent on to the President.

Here in Massachusetts, we have a different approach. The window of opportunity we have leading up to Copenhagen is too important to miss. This summer 19 college and graduate students are devoting two months to bike through the state in Mass Climate Summer, a project of Massachusetts Power Shift, building a bigger, bolder, and better climate movement.

By all accounts, Waxman-Markey is not good enough. I’m not a climate scientist, heck I’m not a scientist at all, but it’s not a difficult deduction. Simply: if we are currently at 388ppm of CO2, and the north polar ice cap may be completely gone during the summer months as early as 2013, then the overly optimistic trajectory of 450ppm for Waxman-Markey is not tolerable.

If 388ppm is leading to wildly accelerating feedback loops in the arctic (tundra methane and carbon release, rapidly heating ocean endangering Greenland’s ice sheet, etc.) it’s not too hard to realize we need to have a number lower than that, something around say, 350.

But how do we get there from here?

One phrase from one of my political science professors sticks with me, “politics is the art of the possible.” And indeed, that’s what we’ve seen through the Waxman-Markey process. Good organizing, on the other hand, is the art of creating new political possibilities. By building an organized and powerful constituency that pushes for what is necessary instead of what is currently possible, we create new political realities.

That’s why Massachusetts Power Shift is working to Repower America with 100% clean electricity in the next decade to move us closer to the goal of 350ppm. This summer we’re shifting into high gear with 19 college students giving two months of their time to work with with Mass Climate Summer.

These students are biking through the Commonwealth, building a bigger and bolder movement. Three teams are biking from town to town, knocking on doors, talking with the press, and holding inspiring events across the state because we here in Massachusetts have a special responsibility to lead the country and the world. Massachusetts, after all, is where revolutions begin.

Already we’re starting to see new people engage, as residents across the state light up when someone bikes into town to let them know what they can do. Massachusetts Power Shift has teamed up with the Mass Council of Churches to arrange housing and events for the bikers, and we are partnering with local and regional environmental organizations across the state including Clean Power Now and chapters of the Mass Climate Action Network. And they are captivating the press with the novelty of their work.

So, consider this a re-introduction to our teams. The Western Mass Team is Steph, Antoine, Jane, Leila and Sam. The Cape Cod and South Shore Team is Heather, Lauren G, Jeff, Courtney, Justin and Vickey. The Cambridge and North Shore Team is Sally, Keane, Lauren T, Wenjun, Lesley, Kyle, Emily and Mark. We have a lot of work to do, so let’s get to it.

Mass Climate Summer and Greenpeace Partner on Cape Cod to Show Potential Effects of Climate Change

The last-minute planning finally came together: the six Mass Climate Summer participants stood on a dock in Chatham, along with two Greenpeace field organizers, Robbie Gemmel (the director of the Cape Wind documentary who has interviewed and even lived with us part-time these past few weeks), and a reporter from the Cape Cod Today. In a small boat we were ferried across the water to a barrier island, where only days ago, a brisk storm knocked a few picture-perfect cottages off of their foundations. 

While undoubtedly a heart-wrenching site, a picturesque haven struck by the power of the gods, the wreckage was a clear picture of what could happen to many other coast-front properties if anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change is not propelled to the top of the governments' and peoples' "to-do" lists, PRONTO. David Pomerantz, the lead organizer from Greenpeace, had to make an important clarification in regards to our action: "While research cannot tie discrete events like the recent storm activity on the Cape and Islands to global warming, we do know that higher storm surges and coastal flooding are consistent with what scientists say will happen to Massachusetts' coastline if we do not act now." So we all stood in front of the wreckage and held a banner that said, "Global Warming Looks Like This." Then we held signs with pictures of the wind turbines and the word, "Yes." In the photos our expressions were glum. The intention of the action was that the photos would cause people to feel concerned about the effects of climate change and be propelled to take action to address it. 

Media attention on climate change is crucial, especially in Cape Cod where Cape Wind is still up in the air. The hope is that the Cape Wind, when finally implemented, will lead the United States to a greater understanding of the benefits of clean-energy projects and ideally, to a full commitment by the federal government to revamp the infrastructure of electricity production to be 100% clean within ten years.  

Yesterday's action was a worthy example of what can be accomplished by two separate organizations coming together and providing something unique to achieve a common goal. It was just a small picture of what Mass Climate Summer is trying to accomplish, bringing people from various backgrounds together to produce the bold change that we need. 

MA Climate Summer Northshore Team at Critical Mass

Enjoy

Mark

Collaboration of MassClimateers and SummerSolutionists

Western Mass Team - Worcester

After brief stop-overs in South Hadley, Amherst, and West Brookfield, we are now in Worcester (pronounced properly as Woo-stah). We are staying with the Summer of Solutions (SOS) students (they call themselves the Solutionists) just off the Clark University Campus. They're a really great group of people and we're learning so much from each other!

Last night we had a potluck and joined in on their weekly check-in meeting. Since both programs are just about at their half-way points, it was a great way to review how far we've come, what we have left to do or change, and compare strategies between groups! We discussed issues like time management, goal-setting, and motivation. We did a great exercise where we each wrote things we thought were going well with our programs and things we thought should change and passed the papers around so we could add/respond to other's comments. It was great to get the creative juices flowing and see the thought processes from everyone in the room (about 17 people in all).

Even though the MCS projects center around clean energy, and the SOS projects around gardening and green jobs, we found many similarities in what we liked about our programs. First, we found it empowering to know that we are not alone. (There are 10 total SOS programs around the country and of course our 2 other MCS teams!) Second, we all found great value in the lifelong friendships we have been forming over the past few weeks. Lastly, we recognize the importance of environmental programs like ours working together to create a better human presence on the planet.

The Solutionists are working with other organizations such as the local youth-led Toxic Soil Busters who use phytoremediation to create adequate back yard environments for families to grow their own food. They also have weekly guest speakers and "skill shares" where individuals offer to teach their special talents to the group (this week's just so happens to be bike maintenance by a local bike shop owner). As one of the head Solutionist organizers, Lila, put it, we are here "learning through others, and learning by doing."

In the Awakening the Dream Symposium it talks about Joanna Macy's three ways by which that the Great Turning is made possible (holding actions, creation of alternatives, and shift in conciousness). Neither of the three works by itself, but instead they all rely on each other, so there is no use in trying to determine which is the best. Between MCS and SOS and other people we have met this summer, we have all of those bases covered. There are those that better their local community with public organic gardens, farmers markets that boast Community Supported Agriculture, symposiums that change the way we think about our daily actions, those people that raise support for renewable energies. It is this stellar cooperation and collaboration of our efforts that will create our eventual success.

Stay Green!
--Leila