James Hansen
Mobs Queens
On November 16,
NASA
Climatologist,
James Hansen and
Raleigh green
architect, Mike
Nicklas drew a
crowd of over
500 to Dana
Auditorium on
the campus of
Queens
University of
Charlotte.
It
was truly a
"global event"
as seen in the
photo of the
audience
enjoying some
entertainment
before the
speeches began.
Both Dr. Hansen
and Mike Nicklas
made a solid
case for
immediate action
on greenhouse
gas reduction
(read: no more
coal) and
implementation
of energy
efficiency,
conservation and
renewable energy
generation as
the common sense
approach to
global warming.
We are pleased
to report that
the Charlotte
audience for
these
informative
talks included
Duke Energy CEO,
Jim Rogers and
several of his
staff.
Hats off to June
Blotnick of CCAC,
Beth Henry, and
the folks at NC
WARN for taking
the lead in this
event which drew
another 500 the
following day in
Chapel Hill.
Be sure to
personally
contact Mr.
Rogers and ask
him to cancel
plans for
Cliffside.
Contact him at:
Mr. James
Rogers, CEO
Duke Energy
704.382.1087
contactus@duke-energy.com |
| |
Kilowatt Ours -
Fall Outreach
Event a Success
 |
|
On Friday
evening, Oct.
12, the Central
Piedmont Group
hosted a friend
and donor
reception on the
campus of Queens
University of
Charlotte, prior
to the sneak
preview showing
of the new,
national edition
of
Kilowatt Ours
in Dana
Auditorium.
(Photos coming
soon to our
Photo Gallery)
Good
conversation
among the group
included
Sierrans, Queens
University
Environmental
Science faculty,
local government
officials, and
students who
came to meet
Sierra's
National
Conservation
Director, Greg
Haegele, film
director, Jeff
Barrie, and
Larry Gibson, a
West Virginia
resident who
traveled to
Charlotte to
give a first
hand account of
the ravages of
mountain top
removal in his
community.
Later the action
shifted next
door to the
auditorium stage
where live music
was provided by
Buffalo Creek
Stringband whose
mountain music
echoed through
the hall as the
people attending
enjoyed great
fruit and
dessert treats
donated by Earth
Fare and pure
Charlotte
drinking water
poured by the
Charlotte
Mecklenburg
Utility Dept. No
plastic water
bottles for this
crowd. As an
added value in
the fight
against global
warming, each
audience member
received a
compact
fluorescent
light bulb,
compliments of
Sierra Club.
Jeff Barrie's
update of his
award winning
film
Kilowatt Ours
was well
received by the
more than 300
people attending
and hailed by
one person as
"really improved
over the
original
version."
Following the
show, Jeff,
Larry Gibson,
and local Sierra
volunteer Beth
Henry fielded
questions from
the audience
which ranged
from how to have
solar installed
on your house to
the 21 million
gallon per day
water
evaporation rate
of the proposed
Cliffside coal
plant. Larry
Gibson closed
out the evening
with an
impassioned plea
to Charlotte
residents to
give their all
in the fight
against
Cliffside and
mountain top
removal. "I do
this because my
family,
community and
the mountains
where I live are
under attack.
You have to take
a stand for what
you care most
about."
Buy DVDs of the
new version of
Kilowatt Ours.
Help spread the
word.
To order DVDs
click here
-- Be sure to
specify that you
want the NEW
NATIONAL EDITION.
Sierra Club and
the Department
of Environmental
Science at
Queens
University of
Charlotte
present the NEW,
National Edition
of
Friday,
October 12, 2007
Dana
Auditorium,
Queens
University of
Charlotte
1900 Selwyn Ave,
Charlotte, NC
28274
at the corner of
Selwyn and
Wellesley Ave.
Park in the
lot across the
street or on
nearby streets.
With special
guests director
Jeff Barrie
and Larry
Gibson, a
West Virginian
featured in the
film.
Jeff and Larry
will give a
short talk and
answer questions
following the
show.
Come early to
catch Buffalo
Creek Stringband.
Don't miss their
performance
including the
mountain top
removal ballad,
Black Waters.
Music starts
at 7:15 PM. Film
starts at 8:00
PM.
Discussion Q & A
starts at 9:00
PM.
Free Admission
with on-line
registration:
Click Here
|
Cool City
Score Board: US Cities:
500+ Charlotte: 0 |
At their May
29th meeting,
Charlotte's City
Council voted
unanimously to
implement the
Green House Gas
Reduction
Resolution that
the Council's
Environment
Committee had
crafted. This is
a good first
step toward
addressing GHG
emissions in
Charlotte.
While this
resolution does
commit the City
to undertake a
greenhouse gas
inventory, it
fails to set any
reduction target
or timeline for
achieving the
reduction and
therefore fails
to qualify the
City of
Charlotte for
Sierra Club's
"Cool City"
status.
We had hoped
that Council
would also vote
to join more
than 500 other
cities by
endorsing the US
Mayors Climate
Protection
Agreement. This
motion was
narrowly
defeated 6 to 5.
Council members
who voted
against were:
Don Lochman
Pat Mumford
Andy Dulin
John Lassiter
Patsy Kinsey
Michael Barnes
Many and sincere
thanks to all
Sierra members
and friends for
your ongoing
efforts to
inform and
educate our
elected
officials on the
facts of global
warming and the
critical
importance of
reducing green
house gasses.
While Council's
vote fell short
of the Cool
Cities goal, the
Resolution they
adopted is a
step in the
right direction.
With your help
our Sierra Club
will continue to
lead on this
vital issue and
we will keep you
informed as to
progress.
To see the
Charlotte
Observer's
article,
click here.
To review the
Video, hear our
supporters
speak, and see
Council's
discussion,
click here.
Under
Archived Videos
choose May
29th video
then jump to
Agenda item #
11, "Greenhouse
gas resolution."
The full clip
runs
approximately 45
minutes.
|
You Can make
a Big
Difference!
It's time for
the NC Chapter's
Annual Appeal.
Remember that
all donations
stay right here
in NC for work
on NC issues.
Donate to the
North Carolina
Sierra Club
today . . .
2007 presents
the best
opportunity in a
generation to
craft a clean,
affordable
energy future
for North
Carolina - with
your help. Your
financial
investment in
the North
Carolina Sierra
Club's work
today will
provide the
additional and
critical
resources we
need to maximize
this time of
opportunity!
To learn more
please visit :
http://nc.sierraclub.org/contribute.asp
|
