"They're talking about constant jobs for the next three to five years, and that's just with homeowners. It's going to change the employment rate."
--Jose Pichardo, Sustainable South Bronx weatherization program trainee.
In this issue:
1) Take Action: Support Home Star
2) Take Action: Help Make Oil Independence a Reality!
3) Coal: Purdue Failing Energy 101
4) Climate: Remembering a Crusader
1) Take Action: Support Home Star
This spring the House of Representatives passed a bill that would create a national rebate program to help families to retrofit their homes in order to cut pollution and slash their energy bills. Now we need the Senate to act in order to make the program, called Home Star, a reality. Home Star would put tens of thousands of Americans back to work retrofitting millions of homes and buildings.
Call on your Senator today and ask them to help pass Home Star as soon as possible!
2) Take Action: Help Make Oil Independence a Reality!
Our Oil addiction threatens our communities, our way of life and our security no matter where the oil comes from. Even though the flow of oil has thankfully been stemmed in the Gulf, the BP disaster will have lingering consequences for the region.
A new proposal from Senators Merkley, Carper and Udall which aims to reduce our dependence on oil, particularly through better transportation choices, can take the first step towards our ultimate goal of an oil-free economy. Now the Senate just needs to include the proposal when they vote on a package of climate and energy measures in a few weeks.
Tell your Senator to support the Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act!
3) Coal: Purdue Failing Energy 101
Despite calls for a transition to cleaner energy, Purdue University is pushing forward with plans for a new coal boiler on campus. At a time when "green" has become a highly marketable trait in higher education and with limits looming on toxic pollution from coal, the move casts the school as out of touch.
Students at campuses across the country have had significant success in moving their schools off coal and they will continue working to get Purdue a passing grade.
4) Climate: Remembering a Crusader
Climate scientist Stephen Schneider, one of the first scientists to stress people's role in global warming passed away yesterday. He was 65. Schneider worked on climate change, and encouraged action against it, for decades.
He was part of the international panel which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for its work on climate change.
Photo courtesy of Stanford University