climate change

Tell Irvine’s City Council to Implement Community Choice Energy (CCE) Now CCE will bring Irvine families choice, clean electricity, lower bills and millions of dollars for city programs November 10, 2019 -- The City of Irvine has yet to implement an energy program that a city-funded study released in June said would bring Irvine $10.6 million in annual net revenue, save Irvine families $7.7 million a year and significantly reduce the city's carbon footprint.  It also gives Irvine families and businesses a choice in electricity providers other than monopoly SoCal Edison, which is planning a 20% rate increase for all customers in 2020*. Community Choice Energy (CCE) programs already serve over 10 million California families in 63 cities across 9 counties.  All of them have consistently delivered cleaner power at rates equal to or lower than traditional power companies. In September 2018, Irvine paid over $180,000 to consultants to study CCE and develop the city’s energy plan. The study found that in addition to bringing the city $10.6 million in annual net revenue and $7.7 million in annual savings for Irvine consumers, CCE will bring $120,000 in annual municipal electricity savings and achieve 100% clean energy by 2035 at no additional cost to customers.  Six months after the study was completed, the Irvine City Council has yet to discuss the findings. We’ve watched patiently as the city scheduled a vote on CCE for October, postponed it to December, and then changed that meeting to a “study session,” with no vote scheduled. We cannot delay any longer. SoCal Edison currently gets 66% of Irvine’s electricity from carbon-intensive sources such as coal and natural gas, and Californians pay 50% higher electricity rates than the national average.  In contrast, every CCE program launched to date has default rates that are lower than the monopoly utility. Please sign this petition to tell Irvine’s leaders to schedule a vote and implement CCE now. No more delays. We deserve a CHOICE. *At the 2019 California Community Choice Association Conference, an energy industry expert, attorney and member of the Conference of California Public Utility Counsel said during a panel discussion that SoCal Edison is expected to implement a 20.1% rate increase across the board in 2020.

The clock is ticking. We can work together to restore a healthy climate for all of humanity now and for future generations. It’s time for worldwide Climate Restoration Emergency Action to ensure that humans can survive on Earth.  Simply put, we must return atmospheric CO2 to safe pre-industrial levels by 2030 and restore Arctic ice to prevent permafrost melt and resulting disastrous methane emissions.  The sixth mass extinction is under way and the scientists report that climate emergency is spiraling out of control--imminently threatening our survival.  Climate restoration won’t be easy--in fact it will be the most challenging endeavor humanity has ever undertaken, but it can and urgently must be done, as fast as possible.  Build A Movement 2020 is mobilizing movements, coalitions, organizations, and people to join together in a shared commitment taking urgent Climate Restoration Emergency Action to restore a safe and healthy climate to ensure the survival of humanity, now and for future generations.   We are committed to mobilizing the full capabilities of the federal government, local governments, universities, academics, faith- based groups, and the private sector.  Everyone, everywhere is urgently needed to deploy Climate Restoration Emergency Action.   We are committed to taking action today and everyday! We will not wait. We will send letters, make calls, and organize mass peaceful non-violent demonstrations to insist that the President of the United States, Presidential Candidates, Congress, and local governments take Climate Restoration Emergency Action as quickly as possible.  We are committed to demanding that our elected officials in federal, state, county, and city governments and Presidential Candidates to launch Climate Restoration Emergency Action as fast as possible: We demand that our leaders pass legislation and launch a massive mobilization of people, resources, and companies on a global scale larger and faster than that of World War II for Climate Restoration Emergency Action to restore a safe and healthy climate for future generations as soon as possible.  As Winston Churchill said, “Nothing matters except victory in the existential struggle.“ We demand that our leaders support holding emergency sessions to design and launch bold Climate Restoration Emergency Action to ensure the survival of all of humanity and future generations;   We demand that our leaders don’t just “talk the talk, they must take bold action, now!” We invite all justice-hearted Americans to join together in a National People’s Assembly that will enable the American people to ensure the bold implementation of climate restoration.

Record-setting heat waves, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, vanishing glaciers, thawing permafrost, disintegrating ice sheets, rising sea levels, dying coral reefs, extinction of species – the disasters we are now witnessing are but a preview of more devastating impacts to come. The governments of all nations on Earth acknowledge the consensus view of the world’s scientific community: we are facing a climate crisis that requires, “…rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” We simply cannot delay. We must immediately respond to the challenge of restoring a safe climate system with an understanding that we all rise or fall together! But let’s not just look at this as a battle to be waged! Let’s imagine the kind of world we want to create! Let’s start planning a Just Transition to a vibrant, resilient, people-centered, climate-adapted world -- with clean air, jobs, and justice for all! An Equitable Climate Emergency Resolution is an action passed by a City Council or Board of Supervisors that commits the city/County to: Acknowledge the existence of a climate emergency. Elevate climate issues to the highest priority in all city/County goal-setting. Evaluate all policies, projects, purchases, and priorities through the lens of climate impact. Set a goal of zero net emissions within ten years and annually track and publicly report progress toward that goal. Update its General Plan and other guiding documents in accordance with the goals of mitigation, drawdown, adaptation, and social justice. Create a new entity in their jurisdiction to oversee ongoing climate-related efforts. Educate and engage all city/County employees and all community members on the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for “…rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” Encourage the active participation of the entire community, including our marginalized and disenfranchised members who will be the most heavily impacted by climate change, in a Just Transition toward a resilient future. We ask all the cities in Sonoma County -- and the County of Sonoma -- to join the City of Petaluma and over 960 jurisdictions worldwide [as of 8-21-19] and over 7,000 colleges and universities in passing an Equitable Climate Emergency Resolution and signaling their sincere commitment to an equitable, livable future for all.  This petition will be presented to city councils around Sonoma County and to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in support of all Equitable Climate Emergency Resolutions. Please note that any money that you "chip in" after you click on the petition flows to change.org and only benefits Sonoma Climate Mobilization indirectly! 

2018 saw record-high atmospheric CO2 levels. Unprecedented bushfires are currently ravaging Australia as a result of climate change. The US recently made official its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, the most comprehensive global agreement on the reduction of carbon emissions in light of the climate emergency.  As many people know, NC State prides itself as a leader in sustainability. Something else many people know, is that animal agriculture, particularly the production of red meat, is a significant source of carbon emissions. As an institution that promotes the planet’s wellbeing, I and many other students believe that NC State should be doing more to reduce our university’s carbon footprint as good stewards of the global environment. One significant step we could take would be to remove red meat products from campus dining services. Several educational institutions across the UK and in California have already reduced or completely removed red meat from their campuses in response to the climate crisis, and there is no reason for NC State not to follow in their footsteps.  As a land-grant university, part of our mission statement is to create and apply knowledge. This year’s IPCC report on climate change provides us both with clear knowledge of what needs to be done to prevent worldwide climatic catastrophe, as well as an urgency to readily apply this knowledge. I’d like to urge our University’s administration to remove red meat products from university dining services and encourage my fellow students and alumni to sign this petition asking NC State to do just that.