2:45pm Update: My laptop's about to run out of power, but I wanted to leave you with some links. First, here's a link to the Virginia Climate Action Conference (just found that site). Here are some of the environmental groups that participated in the conference:
Appalachian Voices
Clean Energy Virginia
I Love Mountains
National Wildlife Federation
Sierra Club Central Appalachia EJ Campaign
Sierra Club-Virginia Chapter
Southern Environmental Law Center
Student Environmental Action at UVa
Virginia Organizing Project
Virginia Sustainable Building Network
WestWind Foundation
2:10pm Update: Stephen Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy delivered the keynote address, mixing slides from Al Gore's presentation (immortalized in An Inconvenient Truth) with the latest news on efforts to battle new coal-fired power plants. You may remember Gore's lament that, "I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers ? and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants."
It's starting to happen. Nationwide, six planned coal-fired plants have been stopped in the development process in just the last year or so. "I can't wait until you come back next year so we can see the planned coal-fired power plant in Wise County added to that list," CCAN Executive Director Mike Tidwell told Smith.
As for nuclear power, Smith expressed the same agnosticism that most environmentalists do. It's virtually carbon-neutral, but new plants require massive public investment in loan guarantees and we still have no sound answer about what we're going to do about the waste. "Nuclear power works best when it's 93 million miles away," said Smith.
1:10pm Update: Just heard a presentation on coal and mountaintop removal from Kathy Selvage from Southern Appalachain Mountain Stewards and Matt Wasson from Appalachain Voices. No other way to describe mountaintop removal that just plain disgusting. Disgusting what we're doing to these beautiful places. Disgusting that communities sell their most valuable resources for a handful of short-term jobs and zero permanent gain. Disgusting that 99% of Virginians look the other way and enjoy dirt-cheap coal-fired power while ignoring the massive costs to our environment that don't show up on the bill.
To learn more about mountaintop removal, visit I Love Mountains. To learn more about switching to green power, visit The Green Miles.
11:40am Update: The Chesapeake Climate Action Network's Diana Dascalu reviewed Virginia's dismal record on energy dependence and climate inaction. Some of the lowlights:
- While dozens of states have set a mandatory renewable energy standard, Virginia asks only voluntary efforts from Dominion Virginia PowerDiana also reminded us that when you hear talk of sea level rise, remember Virginia has 3,300 miles of shoreline. To learn more about how sea level rise will impact Virginia's coast, read the National Wildlife Federation's Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming report.
- As a direct result, Virginia gets virtually none of its power from solar and wind energy and only 3% from renewable sources like hydro and municipal solid waste burning (while our trash stream is unfortunately unending and therefore renewable, it's certainly not a sustainable power source)
- Virginia does not regulate the greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles in the state
- We're tied for last in per capita spending on energy efficiency and conservation programs
10:47am Update: Chesapeake Climate Action Network Executive Director Mike Tidwell walked up to the front of the room holding the front page of today's Washington Post. It features an aerial photo of a reservoir outside Atlanta, where Mike grew up. Lake Lanier is now 15 feet below normal levels. His parents used to live right on the lake. "Now we can barely see it," Mike's dad told him yesterday.
Is Atlanta's drought directly caused by climate change? It's impossible to say for sure, but it follows the pattern climate scientists have warned about for years - deeper droughts, stronger storms, hotter summers, milder winters.
Just look at Virginia's weather over the last few months - prolonged drought, temperatures in the 80s well into late October, and now heavy rain and flooding. Again, it's hard to prove a cause-and-effect, but scientists say extreme weather patterns are symptom of a climate in crisis.
9:48am Update: The morning started off with a welcome from Charlottesville Mayor Dave Brown. He's signed Charlottesville on to the Sierra Club's Cool Cities program and was thrilled it's becoming "cool" among mayors, as well. "Signing on is probably a trendy thing to do, it gets me votes - and by the way I'm running for re-election!"
Brown pointed out Del. David Toscano in the audience, citing Richmond as our best instrument of change. "What we really need to do is elect more people like David Toscano to the House of Delegates!"
Among the speakers still to come: CCAN's Mike Tidwell and Arlington County Board Chair Paul Ferguson. Keep checking back!
Thanks for live-blogging this, by the way!