Are you an ACTivist or INactivist?

Those words ring in my ears every time I groan at yet another email from some group or another asking me to call, send emails or write to my representatives about some issue or another. “I don’t have time!” I don’t need another distraction in my day!” I do a good enough job of distracting myself on my own.

But the fact is, if I don’t do it – you don’t do it - we don’t do it …. Then who will? The fact is that those of us who care about the environment and about the health of the planet we are leaving to our children and grandchildren, need to get up, speak up and act out every chance we get.

The window of opportunity for significant change is right now – the current administration and balance of power in Washington is our best hope for meaningful progress on the environmental front in our lifetime. Since there are no guarantees about how long this window will remain open, I feel a great sense of urgency to move the environmental agenda forward as much as possible in the next two years.

If you agree with me, there is something you can do right now – TODAY!
1Sky - A partner organization of the National Wildlife Federation, is organizing a national call-in-day to Senators tomorrow (Tues, Jan 12).

From 1Sky’s Colorado coordinator, Micah Parkin:

“With the healthcare debate now in the rearview mirror of the Senate, it is time for climate legislation to become the top priority. The planet cannot wait any longer for an effective plan to reduce global warming pollution and unfortunately a real international plan is not a possibility without first seeing action from the United States Senate. The failure to achieve a binding treaty during the Copenhagen process was just one more example of this fact.

On January 12, 1Sky activists nationwide will fire the first salvo for climate in 2010 by logging thousands of calls into U.S. Senate offices to demonstrate the widespread support that bold action against global warming pollution has from voters throughout the country.

Importantly, we will urge our Senators to oppose Sen. Murkowski's Amendment (more info below) which would take away the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases- set to come to a vote Jan. 20th.Our Colorado goals are 100 grassroots calls, 10 business calls, and 10 calls from leaders of organizations!*


Can you pitch in and make calls to your senators during business hours this Tuesday? Please RSVP YES by emailing Micah@1Sky.org, and you will get signed up today (so we are able to predict how many calls will be made). Then you'll receive special instructions via email for your calls before next Tuesday. Two calls to your senators will be a fast, easy, and effective way to let your voice be heard. Please sign up today to make your calls.

P.S. If we don't generate thousands of calls, it will be hard to have a real effect on the debate. *Please forward this message to five of your friends *and urge them to also sign up to make a call. (They can email me an RSVP.) *And please let me know if you would like to help phonebank others on Jan. 12 at a Climate Action Meet-up Lunch* in Boulder (or before from home). Together, we can and will make a real difference in 2010!

A little extra background info(for those who want bonus points)
The most critical issue in the first few weeks of 2010 will be making sure the Senate votes down Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) amendment that would take away the ability to use the Clean Air Act to crack down on dirty coal plants. This use of the landmark Clean Air Act legislation, which even the conservative Supreme Court approved, is important because it gives us a way to fight back against dirty coal companies even if climate legislation fails in 2010 or is so watered down as to be ineffective.

The Murkowski Amendment is expected to be up for a vote on January 20. But on Jan. 12 1Sky activists will let the Senate know that there have already been too many giveaways to dirty coal and that the American people don’t want another bailout for an out-of-date industry.

Specific message for the call will be:
"I’m calling to ask Senator Bennet/Udall to support strong
climate legislation this year that will fight global warming and help to generate millions of green jobs here in America.

The most important thing Senator Bennet/Udall can do right now is to vote “No” on the Murkowski Amendment. We’ve already had too many giveaways to the dirty coal industry. Please tell the Senator to vote no on Murkowski and to vote yes on green jobs and fighting climate change."


As Dr. Seuss’s Lorax said:
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing’s going to get better.
It’s not.

Onward!
Linda Helm

Please write to let us know that you saw this blog and took action based on what you read. If people see others taking action, it can inspire them to do the same.