Carbondale Climate Action Network

Transition Towns Interview with Rob Hopkins

2011-04-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

Seed Swap 2011 in Carbondale IL

2011-04-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Orlan Mays introduces his project with the Attucks Community Farm by talking about Genetic Modification of seeds. 85% of all corn growing here is genetically modified.
91% of soybeans are genetically modified. That, he says, is why events like the seed swap are so important, because this is where people are ensuring the existence of the last 15% of corn, or 9% of soybeans, and other kinds of open pollinated seed.

Crop Mobbing

2010-05-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

"The Crop Mob, a monthly word-of-mouth (and -Web) event in which landless farmers and the agricurious descend on a farm for an afternoon, has taken its traveling work party to 15 small, sustainable farms. Together, volunteers have contributed more than 2,000 person-hours, doing tasks like mulching, building greenhouses and pulling rocks out of fields."more
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28food-t-000.html

Roadside Culture stands

2010-05-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

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"Roadside Culture Stands are artist-designed and built mobile farm stands that will be used to display and sell fresh local produce as well as the work of local artists. “The Roadside Culture Stand tangibly unites art and farming,” said Donna Neuwirth of Wormfarm, “reminding us that culture surrounds our food and food imbues our culture.”

Jeff Biggers speaking in Carbondale, March 6, 7 pm

2010-03-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland
At the heart of our national debate over climate change and the crucial transition toward clean energy, is the Obama administration’s controversial pursuit of “clean coal.” Biggers exposes the fallacy that lies at the heart of this policy and shatters the Big Coal marketing myth that Illinois represents the “Saudi Arabia of coal.” Reckoning at Eagle Creek is ultimately an exposé of “historicide,” one that traces coal’s harrowing legacy through the great American family saga of sacrifice and resiliency and the extraordinary process of recovering our nation’s memory. Coal will never be called clean or cheap again.

Mississippi Flyway Restaurant
1925 W. Main St., Carbondale, IL
Sat., March 6
Dinner w/Jeff 5:30pm; Reading 7pm
Sponsored by The Bookworm & Shawnee Group
For more information call 618/529-4824

Seed SWAP! flower seeds too~! FEB 27

2010-02-15T15:38:00.001-08:00

coming soon on February 27 at Neighborhood Coop Grocery

Seed Swap!!!
do you grow your own food?
ARe you a beginning or experienced seed saver?
come share knowledge and seeds.
No experience, or seeds required.

February 27, 2010 1-3 pm

Neighborhood Coop Grocery
Murdale Shopping Center
Carbondale

sponsored by the Carbondale Climate Action Network and the Neighborhood Coop Grocery
All welcome at any level of experience.
pass it on to your wanna be gardener acquaintances and friends-- there's nothing like growing yer own!

INFO; 618-684-6189 (leave message) or http://carbondaleclimateaction@blogspot.com
please write sacamixta@gmail.com for a poster suitable for printing and distributing in your neighborhood.

The Transition Marches On: City Planning, Food Security and Local Motion!

2010-01-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

We are only one day away from our pilot study group of The Transition Town! If you'd like to participate, please join us at The Gaia House at 6pm, this Wednesday, January 27th. If you'd like to read more about the Transition Town Movement check out Transition Town US. I've provided further links regarding sustainable development for universities, cities and towns on the Greenhouse Rebellion blog.

Next CCAN Meeting January 27 Transition Movement

2010-01-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

Carbondale Climate Action Network is starting a Transition Movement STudy Group. We invite you to join our first meeting on Wednesday January 27 at 6 pm at the Gaia House. We are hopeful that many study groups will follow.

The Transition Movement is a group study process that people in a community can use to learn how to move away from a fossil fuel economy. The fundamental problems that are part of our current moment are hard to understand and communicate-- these include things like peak oil, and climate change. This difficulty of understanding them makes it also difficult to understand their impact and to to think about how we might be able-- and how we very well might have to change as a community and as a society to become more resilient in terms of our livelihoods- say, if the price of oil doubled. Our livelihoods encompasses everything- our food, jobs, our community net, and much about our daily life.

The Transition Movement started in the United Kingdom in several small towns like ours where small groups of peole began to look at ways they could adapt to changes in terms of energy production, health, education, economy and agriculture. By meeting together, having discussions, looking a movies and doing fun exercises, people are beginning to develop "road maps" for sustainable futures for their towns. In some towns, these exercises are being adopted by the city governments with the goal of achieving energy independence.

Wednesday January 27 Gaia House - 6:00pm. WRite sacamixta@gmail.com for information

Green Time TV in St. Louis

2010-01-11T07:37:00.001-08:00

Great programming about environmental action. Great debate. KDHX Community Media Green Time

CCAN Meeting January 13 at 7 pm Gaia House unless further notice!

2010-01-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

The next meeting of the Carbondale Climate Action Network will be January 13 at 7pm.
Please send agenda items to James: jhelfrich72 at gmail.com

More reasons to transition away from using coal

2010-01-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

Mercury pollution increases in Illinois
Associated Press
December 28, 2009
CHICAGO -

Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants is increasing in Illinois – despite a decline in such pollution nationwide, according to an analysis of federal data on industrial pollution by the Chicago Tribune.

The analysis found the amount of mercury blown into the air by Illinois’ coal plants increased by 7 percent last year. Mercury emissions from all U.S. power plants declined by 4 percent. Michigan was the only state with a larger increase, while Texas tied Illinois for second.

According to a study from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mercury-contaminated fish are in nearly half of the nation’s lakes. Scientists from the EPA say relatively large amounts of mercury fall in Chicago, about two-thirds from sources in Illinois. more

Brent contributed this article. He writes further about it:
Illinois nearly leading the nation in coal-fired plant mercury emission increases (7% increase in mercury emissions), while the nation as a whole drops in same deadly emissions (4% decrease nationwide).

It is always so important in the discussion of global climate change to never lose sight of the toxicity issues, which frankly rarely a part of the CO2 sequestration conversation (of course, that is NOT our fault). Such CO2 obsession leads to the nuclear industry defining themselves as the "clean, green energy" and such completely misleading and fraudulent euphemisms as "Clean Coal."

Unfortunately, we also see a large number of well-known environmentalists, like James Lovelock and Stewart Brand, embracing nuclear as a necessity... we all have to do much much better than that, in my opinion, and understand that it is only a lack of "political will" that keeps truly renewable and sustainable technologies from coming to the fore.

Please keep in mind that the U.S. government invests more per year on benefits to victims of black lung, than they invest per year on wind and solar power research and development.

And while EVERY Illinois politician (minus Green Party friends) seemingly has a complete obsession with coal mine jobs in Illinois, fewer than 5,000 people are actually employed in coal mines in Illinois... it is not a viable economic development solution, and has not been for decades now in Illinois as a whole.

Local Foods: Protecting Our Food for Southern Illinois - January 14 - 7:30

2010-01-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

Saturday farmers market in Carbondale. (from Food Works blog)

Eating locally is an effective way to reduce dependence on fossil fuel and is an important part of the Transition Movement. When a region has "food feet", meaning there is a substantial amount of food produced locally, the region has more economic and social resilience when when faced with unpredictable events- or weather. Dayna Connor and Jerry Bradley, the leaders of Food Works, will give a presentation to be followed by discussion for the Shawnee Group Sierra Club meeting. Find out why local foods are important for our health and our environment, and what is being done in Southern Illinois to foster and promote expansion of our local foods.

Dayna and Jerry will tell us about the current projects of the organization and what their vision is for the future of local foods for our area. Food Works' mission is local, sustainable food systems development for Southern Illinois. For more information

January 14 - 7:30
Location: Back meeting room at the Carbondale Township
Office at 217 East Main St. in Carbondale. Parking lot is behind the building, and is best accessed from
Monroe St., just West of Marion St. and the first street south of Main St. Enter the meeting room through the
green door off of the parking lot. Front door will be locked. Free and open to the public!

Dinner before the meeting: Longbranch - 5:30 PM - 100 E. Jackson St., Carbondale

More information about Foodworks here.
Sponsored by the Shawnee Group Sierra Club

CCAN Meeting

2009-12-30T07:09:00.000-08:00

Wednesday December 30 7 pm Gaia House
Agenda items should be sent to Treesong

Committee to Save Our Water

2009-12-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

Next Meeting January 7, 2010 at 7 pm at 1004 S. Johnson.

Christmas in Carbondale a winter oddessy

2009-12-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report all is well in our little town of Carbondale. I spent Christmas eve with a good friend trading off songs on the guitar most of which had nothing to do with Christmas. As the night turned into morning we decided that it was time to go. My friend who does not own a car started to suited up for the bike ride back to Makanda, a distance of 6 miles. Normally this is not a big deal, but with a 10-15 mph headwind and moderately blowing rain, conditions were definitely less than desirable. Fortunately we were fortified with strong drink and holiday cheer and I decided to accompany my friend on his journey home. And so the stockings were hung on the feet with great care and we donned our less than gay (but hopefully warm and waterproof) apparel for a ride through the So Il winter wonderland.
After starting out it soon became apparent that this would be no ordinary ride. Something seemed different almost amiss as we trudged into the wind and rain. There were no cars on the road at all! While it is not uncommon to have light traffic at this hour of the morning, the total absence of vehicles (usually the cause of marring a good morning bike ramble) left us both uneasy yet ecstatic. And so we continued on through town and campus merrily blurting out snippets of Christmas carols lodged in our memories of youth common to all the miles and street lamps pasted by. Town gave way to South Hwy 51 and yet our solitude remained complete. With our spirits high and our bodies fatigued we arrived at the home of my friend ready to revive ourselves with good food and more music knowing that I had yet to complete the return leg of the journey. All the way home the still complete lack of cars continued to both amaze, and dare I say, delight me. It wasn't until I rode down the strip that I saw a small group of bicyclists ambling along soon to be followed by a solo rider making their way through the streets of the 'dale. Pleasantries were exchanged at each instance as well as with a small group of pedestrians later encountered as they indulged in a holiday stroll (the bars being quiet for some time). Cheery faces and wet streets gave way to the warmth of home as I completed my adventure. And so after more than a combined hour and a half of riding on what are usually the busiest arteries of our fair city and surrounding countryside, I had yet to encounter a single automobile. Only the smiles and cheer of others sharing in this quiet Christmas morning. As I nestled snug in my bed and settled my brains for a long winter's nap I though to myself, "I wish everyday was Christmas!" Cheers all.

atmospheric Commons, an interview with the chief climate negotiator for Bolivia

2009-12-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

Atmospheric commons and social justice

Literature on commons is abounding, and the term is increasingly seen as referring to practices that are alternative to both states and markets. The case of the “atmospheric commons” shows that states and markets are not alternatives to commons, but modalities of its management. Very problematic modalities to be sure, since the result of state and market access to the “atmospheric commons” in the context of capitalist production create hierarchies of power, reproduce social injustice and is leading us all to environmental catastrophe.

This interview with Angelica Navarro on Democracy Now!, the chief climate negotiator for Bolivia at the Copenhagen climate summit, makes the point very clear when she says:“developed countries have over-consumed atmospheric—common atmospheric space. Twenty percent of the population have actually emitted more than two-thirds of the emissions, and as a result, they have caused more than 90 percent of the increase in temperatures."... continue

Visions of Carbondale: Tofu Factory

2009-12-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

An open invitation to produce images of Carbondale as it could be. How about a Tofu factory that employs a few dozen people, and uses local ecologically grown soybeans?

Visions of Copenhagen

2009-12-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

Thinking about "Hopenhagen" and the potential for sustainability in Copenhagen since years ago. In 2003 they fancied themselves a sustainable city, but were still attached to the prospects of taking it from the top down. This was published in a Copenhagen daily earlier this decade.

If STEWARDSHIP was SCATTERED like DAFFODILS IN THE FIELD the wild SALMON would RETURN RUNNING to the STREETS and gutters of COPENHAGEN.
The DSB Fragtmandshallerne in outer Norrebrø is a 1000 square meter dinosaur of a building surrounded by a weedy field and bounded by the DSB commuter line, commercial shopping and high-density public housing. It is in a neighborhood composed of immigrants, ethnic minorities, families, youngsters, students, and lower income resident. The city is now scrutinizing the area as a candidate for that cynical form of urban revitalization that favors aestheticized commercial occupancy over local control. ... more

Fix-It Fairs in Portland

2009-12-13T06:44:00.000-08:00

Could we do this here? Why not?
The Fix-It Fairs are free events designed to save you money and connect you to resources. They are held on 3 Saturday mornings during the winter (November - February) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at various locations around the City of Portland. Join your neighbors and talk to the experts about how to spend less and stay healthy!

Fix-It Fairs are packed with resources for helping you to create a healthy home, including:
How-to classes on various home and garden topics
Money-saving, cost effective tips
Free giveaways

Fix-It Fairs occur seasonally, three times a year, through the fall and winter months.
Fix-It Fairs are held in different neighborhoods and at various locations.

The 2009-10, 23rd Annual Fix-It Fair season Is presented by The City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability with support from the following sponsors: Energy Trust of Oregon, Pacific Power, Portland Development Commission Portland Lead Hazard Control Program, and Portland General Electric.

Conserving Energy and Innovating in Renewables

2009-12-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

James Helfrich: Again thanks for attending this State of the Sustainable City presentation. Your presence reflects a desire to learn more about or support sustainability in our community. I would like to take the time to discuss the areas of energy conservation and renewable energy production and in particular efforts undertaken by the City of Carbondale thus far and possible directions for the future .

First let me point out the existence of the recently created Sustainabilty Commission here in Carbondale. According to the City of Carbondale’s website, the commission is composed of nine members appointed by the mayor with city council consent, members are to include a wide spectrum of citizens with interests in environmental issues, energy use and planning, consumers, builders, and contractors, students, landlords, utility representatives and others with interests in energy and environmental issues. So far seven members have been appointed while two vacancies remain open. Lets us hope these positions will be soon filled and the Commission immediately commit themselves to the duties charged to them in the areas of energy conservation and implementation of renewalable energy options. And further it is hoped that any appropriate recommendations by the commission will adopted in a timely manner for the benefit of Carbondale’s citizens and the environment.

At this point I would like to reiterate remarks by Mayor Brad Cole in at the State of the City Luncheon held yesterday. Pointing to his commitment to the U.S Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, Mayor Cole announced approximately $150,000 in projected annual savings connected to his directive to staff for an energy audit of facilities and services. This projected figure is reported due to creative reduction of energy usage, reconfiguring of some systems, and by making some common sense savings. While this is good news in the area of energy conservation, I feel safe to say that this is not an exhaustive examination of potential reductions in energy use but rather a first step in a more comprehensive measure to identify other area for potential conservation of energy. Continuing investigations of Carbondale’s facilities and services are need to be undertaken to ensure the best possible use of energy by the city. For example the City of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania garnered the 2009 First Place Best Practice Award for small cities (<100,000) by hiring a third party known as an Energy Services Contraction Organization (ESCO). The ESCO provided a performance-based energy/operating reduction program in order to reduce energy consumption through increased efficiency and improving the city’s energy systems with a more eco-friendly based approach. CCAN feels strongly that this third party role would best be accomplished by Carbondale becoming a full member of ICLEI Local Governments for sustainability due to their proven integrity, commitment, and versatility in working local governments and the communities they represent. This would provided an opportunity for Carbondale expand energy conservation out into private, commercial, and industrial sectors of Carbondale allowing our community to take a leading role in energy conservation and sustainabilty and serve as an example to not just our neighbors but to the nation.

And now to address the area of renewalable energy production from conventional and innovative non-fossil fuel sources. Perhaps one should look no farther than the sun for as a source of renewable energy. Following the removal of solar panels from the roof of the White House, the renewable energy in the United States was plunged into a long dark period. This is no longer the case. Solar power and thermal hot water production is not only a reality but implementation of these systems are a critical necessity for all individuals and municipalities. Coupled with the fact that solar panel costs have never been lower, Carbondale can not even consider any tax levy or increase that does not include specific provisions for solar energy production in, by, or for the city. This includes direct involvement by the city in relation to existing and future commercial develop occurring with its boundaries. Any future incentives for development by the city must include specific plans by potential developers that include renewable energy. I say this with direct reference to Mayor Cole’s offer of financial incentives for development and call for plans that might include tax increment financing contained in yesterday address. Correct me if I wrong but I personally have no knowledge of any municiple building, Carbondale business, or public institution that currently producing solar power. Carbondale needs to take a leadership role now as the road to sustainability and energy independence is cannot be travel overnight. In the words of Lao Tzu, “ the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Well I have news for all of you Carbondale is only a couple of miles across. (hopefully laughter) But the journey cannot begin with out a redefinition of progress that incorporates a strong commitment to renewable energy. A final word of caution when considering solar power, direct repayment periods cannot be the sole determinant in any consideration for solar power investment since additional costs resulting from continual climate change can only be speculated at this point in time. Plus showering with water heated by the sun results in cleaner skin and a healthy glow about the body.

As we all know our society is powered in large part by the consumption of fossils fuels which results in a build-up of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere. This is changing our climate. This situation needs to be addressed immeadiately if permanent climate change is to be avoided.

Carbon dioxide emissions need to first be leveled off and then reduced if we are to stop potentially catastrophic impact to virtually all ecosystems on the earth. Climate change is not just beginning but is actually in an advanced state as witnessed by the dissappearance of glaciers the world over. What is not fully known is what will happen as a result of the climate warming that has already taken place.

Federal authorities are just now beginning to move past acceptance of climate change and into discussions of how to best tackle the problem even though evidence has existed for decades indicating an impending disaster that is now upon us. Now is the time for municiple officials and individuals to find ways to limit fossil fuel consumption and implement alternate and sustainable forms of energy production. Thank you

Resource Protection, Diversity and Stewardship

2009-12-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement that Carbondale city Mayor Brad Cole signed also points to the need for a city to recognize and care for its natural assets. Trees, soil, water and unpolluted air are resources that can be thought of as a common for all of us. They are "in common" because we share them and their benefits, and it is not possible to separate them and the good they do by boundary markers.

They are not only common resources, but their protection is a common responsibility. Trees, soil, water and unpolluted air are all necessary for life- on earth and in Carbondale. This year, Elinor Ostrum, a political scientist from Indiana won the Nobel Prize in economics for her work about the commons. Ostrum found that, contrary to popular wisdom, communities who share common resources are very good at managing them. But there are other parts to this that need emphasis.... People can manage common resources well, once and only if they understand that these are a common-- to be shared. People also need to understand such resources have limits, and that it takes excellent stewardship of them to make sure there is enough for a future. We are not the only society that has a hard time understanding that. Sometimes we need to trick ourselves to ensure we do this. The nations in the Iroquois confederacy developed the idea of the 7th generation to help them remember to save enough for the 7th generation into the future.

In our current society we are taught to think of resources—in a one way direction- as commodities that can be extracted from the land and sold in order to acquire something else of value. This means that for years, people cut and sold the trees, dug up the coal, and used the ground and the water as garbage pits for their wastes. Because the resources seemed so plentiful, people did not concern themselves with the consequences of their consumption. Rural regions like Southern Illinois often relied on resource extraction to fuel their entire economy, and they found that when the resource was gone, so was their source of wealth.

Here we are fortunate to have other economic engines. These afford us the luxury to go slowly on extraction which lets us appreciate how our trees, plant life, soil, water and air each play a part in a web of life. We humans are a part of this web, and we can act to increase its bounty and capacity to withstand trauma, or we can act to diminish the resiliency of this web of life. Trees took a big hit this spring, so they have been in people’s consciousness a lot. Trees provide shade and absorb CO2, thus cooling the atmosphere in two ways. They provide food for humans, and offer habitat for the deer and turkey that many of the people who hunt enjoy this time of year. Tree roots help build soil and filter rainwater on its way back to the aquifer, also a common resource.

We also have manmade resources built from public money-- our man made commons. These infrastructures are held in common by the municipality and include water and waste sewage facilities and also schools. These all, in different ways play a crucial role in protecting and augmenting our resources. We own these civic jewels in common.

One way we can conserve existing resources is to take an approach that examines how what is wasted today might have some other value as a resource. The derecho is an example: thousands of trees were moved and burned, emitting tons of carbon dioxide unnecessarily into the air. This wood could have been stored for winter firewood, or furniture, or fermented to make ethanol. Firewood could have been sold, or electricity generated from the wood and sold to purchase and plant more trees. The economic disadvantages of the storm could have been offset by longer term initiatives. In some cities, they are studying ways to make new goods from recycled materials.

It is obviously important to make sure our natural resources are not wasted needlessly and to make sure they are protected for the future. These assets have everything to do with what makes Carbondale an attractive place.
Emergency situations like storms and diseases need to be planned for, so they do not lead to the wasteful expenditure of precious resources.

The last kind of resource I want to mention is less tangible; it is the diversity of our biosystem and our economy and ourselves. In a diverse system, if something fails there is backup. Small is inevitable in a future economy, because small is diverse. This means ensuring that landholdings within and on the outskirts of the city can be used for diverse purposes, including farming and gardening. It means people should install rain barrels, so they are independent when there is a drought. In these and many more ways into the future, we can Promote responsibility of stewardship of our resources and the interdependence and diversity of our human and natural ecologies.

State of the Sustainable City

2009-12-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 6, 2009
Contact:
Janet Donoghue 618-525-0199
Barb McKassen 618-529-4824
Treesong 618-525-0625
Sarah Lewison socialsculpture@yahoo.com

STATE OF THE SUSTAINABLE CITY
An Address by The Carbondale Climate Action Network

Wednesday December 9th 2009 4 pm
Civic Center, Carbondale, IL

What is a sustainable city and why is it important that Carbondale become one? Furthermore, how would the city go about doing it? That is the focus of the State of the Sustainable City Address to be presented by The Carbondale Climate Action Network on Wednesday, December 9th at 4pm at the Civic Center.

The State of the Sustainable City Address will introduce ways our city can reduce its carbon footprint with the support and participation of its leadership, citizens and businesses. The State of the Sustainable City Address draws upon the key points of the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, endorsed by the 73rd Annual US Conference of Mayors in 2005, and signed by Carbondale’s mayor Brad Cole. The Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement outlines the actions a municipality can take to reduce emissions. Using this Agreement as a starting place, we can create a vision and plan for Carbondale to become a model city of innovation, sustainability, stewardship and action.

Representatives from some of Southern Illinois’ leading environmental groups will discuss the work of their organizations, and the challenge and possibility created by climate change. The address event kicks off two weeks of activities in conjunction with thousands of cities around the world on the occasion of the International Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen.

The press and public are encouraged to attend.
The address will begin at 4pm with a question and answer session to follow.

Carbondale Climate Action Network
State of the Sustainable City Address

Wednesday, December 9th 4pm Carbondale Civic Center

# # #

Five Goals for Carbondale

2009-11-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

These goals are based on the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement endorsed by the 73rd Annual US Conference of Mayors. Our mayor Brad Cole has endorsed the agreement, and CCAN wants to encourage him to follow up on it.

• 1) Inventory Carbondale’s emissions and resource consumption with assessment tools that let us establish a baseline to improve upon. Use honest carbon accounting to identify the biggest polluters and hidden externalities (seemingly unrelated side costs such as health hazards). Involve the community in this process.

• 2) Promote sustainable land-use that favors human-scale movement. Make a compact attractive city that can be safely walked and biked. Adopt and enforce policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space and reward the rehabilitation of existing development. Create infrastructures for biking, including safe trails between commercial, residential, schools and scenic districts, racks and promotion.

• 3) Develop an energy program that fosters conservation and initiates conventional and innovative non-fossil fuel energy production. Provide incentives for increased conservation through education and rewards. Promote reductions by increasing taxes on emitters, using the money earned to offset higher energy costs to citizens. Research and initiate renewable energy programs for citizens and businesses.

• 4) Promote responsibility of stewardship the interdependence and diversity of our human and natural ecologies. The cities’ natural and manmade resources are common property, rightfully owned by citizens. The air, water, forest cover and soil are a part of defining our heritage and sustaining future generations. Municipal investments such as waste and water are necessary for health. Shared ownership fosters a responsibility to use these resources wisely and not waste them.

• 5) We demand a strong and transparent plan of action that will enable Carbondale to become a model for real sustainability. We demand a plan that is integrated into public life and into school curricula so we communicate the necessity of great change in how we interact with our environment and resources. We want to become the place where people come to learn more about community resource resilience and about sustainable practices. We demand the Mayor’s Climate Change agreement principles become part of the City Plan.

Carbondale Climate Action Network Mission Statement

2009-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

We are a coalition of progressive groups, business people, students, educators, farmers, and community members who consider action on climate change essential to the advancement of the Carbondale community. Global climate change is the most defining issue of our century challenging us to unite across political and geographical boundaries to prevent catastrophic climate disaster. Now is the time to act locally by fostering dialogue, education, public awareness and civic engagement, Together, we can make wise and informed decisions that support climate justice globally while cultivating creativity, resilience and regional success. Our goal is to forge a vital and equitable economy based on sustainability in which our community can thrive.

The Story about Cap and Trade

2009-11-29T15:09:00.000-08:00