Al Gore and the U.S. EPA packed a double wallop last Thursday. The question is whether you and every one of your family and friends will get out from behind your computers and respond by breaking down the doors of Congress. Today.
In case you didn't catch the news, the EPA issued a report with dire warnings about the threats of global warming. Their predictions of floods, fires and substantial human health impacts weren't new. The fact that the Bush Administration permitted the report to be issued was a big deal. Not surprisingly, Vice President Cheney's office had already successfully pressured the EPA to put off actual regulation of carbon until the next Administration takes office.
The bigger news came from former Vice President Al Gore, who issued a challenge that demands a response. Gore called on the U.S. to completely unplug from fossil fuel electricity within 10 years. We at 1Sky find it pathetic that Phil Sharp of Resources for the Future called this a "superstretch goal," implying that big goals are for dreamers. If Gore is right and "the survival of the USA as we know it is at risk" we need a superstretch goal and we need to rally around a fabulous vision of the future. Gore predicted Sharp's response. "To those who say 10 years is not enough time, I respectfully ask them to consider seriously what the world's scientists are telling us about the risks we face if we don't act in less than 10 years," he said.
Gore is trying to create what he calls "political space" for Obama and McCain to do what is scientifically necessary on climate. The only way he'll pull it off is if we help. 1Sky is responding to Al Gore and organizing district visits with every Senator and Congressional Representative during the upcoming August recess of Congress. We need thousands of citizens making a surge on Congress to offset the non-stop campaign contributions and Hill visits from Big Oil, Coal and Nuclear.
That's where you come in. Sign up here to deliver the message in person to your local Congressional office during the August recess, demanding bold action on federal climate and energy policy. Once you sign up, 1Sky staffers will work with you to figure out the best way to deliver the message to your particular district office: It could be a district office visit, a rally, or some other type of action.
If you go to blogs, you are feisty. Show it by delivering the message in person to the powers that be. 1Sky already has 1200 district actions in the works and every one will channel citizen demand for much bolder Congressional and Presidential action on climate and energy policy.