Organized by Indigenous Environmental Network and Northern Rockies Rising Tide, the summit has the goal of building an international movement to effectively resist the most destructive industrial project on the planet, the Alberta Tar Sands.
Concerned citizens and individuals representing tar sands-impacted communities will gather to strategize, learn skills and network in order to grow and strengthen efforts to resist tar sands development and their devastating environmental, health, and communal impacts.
The summit is free, though there is a cap and priority registration is given to impacted participants, especially from First Nations communities. Register here.
Here’s to more “resistance summits” on the horizon!
If you don’t know Tim DeChristopher, or Bidder #70, this Friday is your chance to learn more about him and why he is facing many years in federal prison. His trial has been delayed eight times now, perhaps in an attempt to keep the public eye off contentious issues: the hawking of pristine public lands to gas and oil developers and the connection between burning dirty fuels and climate disruption.
What did Tim DeChristopher do?
In December of 2008, in the waning days of the out-going Bush Administration, DeChristopher registered as a bidder at a fire-sale auction of gas and oil leases at the Bureau of Land Management offices in Utah. Hundreds of thousands of acres of public land–many of them adjacent to national parks–were being auctioned off parcel by parcel to the highest bidder for oil and gas drilling.
As Bidder #70, DeChristopher won several leases worth a total of $1.8 million dollars. The problem was he didn’t have the intent nor the ability to pay the money, which threw the whole auction into disarray. However, it did accomplish his real intent–to stop what he considered the far higher crime of despoiling public land and furthering climate change with oil and gas development. It also exposed the corrupt leasing process, which was later nullified by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar under the Obama Administration.
Tired of the delays, DeChristopher and his supporters are going ahead with a trial of their own this Friday across from the federal courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. They are calling it the Climate Trial that should be taking place and will be performing interactive street theater that is sure to humorous with serious themes. According to the website, “This trial is not just about Tim; it’s about holding the real criminals accountable. Join us—you’ll be the jury—deciding where the responsibility lies for passing on a healthy world to our children.”
Once his court date finally arrives (now set for Feb. 28, 2011), DeChristopher potentially faces many years in prison and hundred of thousands in fines for the two felonies with which he is being charged.
Thousands across the country have rallied in support of DeChristopher and are preparing to come to Salt Lake City or hold solidarity actions elsewhere during his trial. Some big names have also expressed their support, including Bill McKibben, James Hansen, Robert Redford, Naomi Klein, and Terry Tempest Williams, who all signed a public letter of support and urging mobilization during the trial.
Here is one statement from the letter, concerning DeChristopher’s felony charges:
“The government calls that “violating the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act” and thinks he should spend ten years in jail for the crime; we call it a noble act, a profound gesture made on behalf of all of us and of the future.”
Here is DeChristopher speaking at the Salt Lake City Global Day of Action on 10/10/10 last month:
In the spirit of Halloween, as we depart into that space between the living and the dead to fight werewolves and suck blood, we must beware of the Energy Vampires lurking in our homes.
Here’s a note from Energy Secretary (Energy Vampire Slayer-in-Chief?) Steven Chu:
“To date, there is no scientific evidence about the existence of Zombies, but what about vampires? Actually, when it comes to energy, they are all too real. “Vampire appliances” – from DVD players to stereos to desktop computers — suck up energy even when they are turned off. In fact, these vampires are responsible for adding 10 percent or more to your monthly electricity bill.
Garlic doesn’t work against these vampires. But by taking some simple steps – like using power strips or setting your computer to go into sleep mode – you can protect yourself, and your wallet. Learn more here: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.vampires”
“The average U.S. household spends $100 per year to power devices while they are off (or in standby mode). On a national basis, standby power accounts for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of annual U.S. electricity consumption and more than $10 billion in annual energy costs.”
Joel Francis, the Cal State senior who challenged billionaire Charles Koch to meet him “anytime, anywhere in the state before election day” to debate Prop 23, shows up tomorrow afternoon at the office of Koch Industries in Wichita, Kansas.
Ding-dong.
“Hello?”
“Yes, this is Joel Francis, California resident and concerned citizen. On behalf of millions of young Californians, I’m here to talk with Charles about why he is meddling with our democracy by funding a proposition that would roll back progress on climate action and cause billions of dollars in new clean energy technology and green jobs to dry up. Is he in?”
“Yes. Just a moment, he’ll be right down.”
Then Joel proceeds to demolish Koch in a debate that is aired during prime-time in front of millions of eyeballs.
Here’s the challenge:
Well, it might now go down like that, but we’ll find out soon.
Joel is part of Power Vote CA, a project of the California Student Sustainability Coalition. The network of thousands of students are urging Californians to pledge No on 23. Opponents of Prop 23 have dubbed it the “Dirty Energy Proposition“ because both out-of-state oil companies and the billionaire Koch brothers (via Flint Resources) have chipped in most of the millions behind this attempt to kill clean energy investments and green jobs creation in California.
Founder Kenny Ausubel coined the word bioneers in 1990 to describe “an emerging culture of social and scientific innovators who are mimicking nature’s operating instructions to serve human ends while enriching the web of life.”
Of course I’ll be following up with a report back of the most inspiring and exciting ideas and projects.
With just over two weeks left until election day, more and more Californians are pledging to vote no on Prop 23, the deceptive dirty energy prop funded by out-of-state Texas oil companies and the billionaire tea-party funding Koch brothers.
Several awesome videos have come out recently–some serious, some funny–but all getting the message out about the importance of defeating Prop 23 if we want to move towards a clean energy future.
The song “Valero Oil of Texas” was first performed at the Berkeley and Oakland rallies organized by the Credo Action/Greencorps folks, with lyrics written by volunteers Nancy Schimmel & Bonnie Lockhart. Here’s a new video out with more instruments and professional production. It’s sure to go viral.
The Stop the Dirty Energy Prop folks asked Californians to send in photos of themselves showing their opposition to Prop 23. Here is the resulting video:
The International Tar Sands Resistance Summit begins one week from today near Missoula, Montana.
