Green-power Archive for June 2001

-----Original Message-----
From: Sean Sheehan [mailto:sbs@newdream.org]
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 6:56 AM
Subject: Politicize Your June 21 Blackout - Step by Step #17


OK, so this is the 12th time you've received a rolling
blackout email. PLEASE DON'T DELETE IT YET. We've added one
important spin to this action - we've politicized it!
_______________

For a prettier version of this e-bulletin, click on "No.17"
at http://www.newdream.org/monthly/

Step by Step is the Center for a New American Dream's
e-bulletin of individual actions to reduce and change what
we consume to improve quality of life and protect the
environment. more...

Have ten minutes to make a difference? Call your Senators
and member of Congress (see
http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17why.html#congress) to
tell them about the voluntary blackout, urge them to reject
the Bush energy plan, and adopt a REAL forward-thinking
national energy plan.  Canadian? Click here:
http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17canada.html

Want to go further? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper (see
http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17editor.html).


#17 - Politicize Your June 21st Blackout

Why?

You may have already received an email or two (or twelve!)
about a voluntary rolling blackout scheduled for June 21
from 7-10pm in every time zone. It's a simple protest
against the proposed National Energy Policy's lack of
emphasis on efficiency, conservation, alternative fuels and
climate change. And, judging from the way the blackout email
has spread, it's clearly struck a chord among the American
people and the people of the world.

The Center didn't think up the voluntary blackout, but we
support it. We've also added an important spin - we've
politicized it.

We want to be clear. Turning off our lights and unplugging
our appliances for three hours is not the solution to
climate change and the world's energy crisis. The real
solution involves ongoing efforts to reduce the amount of
energy we consume, and it involves working with government
and businesses to shift the sources of the energy we do
consume.

The voluntary blackout is not the solution to our energy
crisis, but it is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the
role of energy in our lives. Ideally, this homegrown protest
will move each of us to continue reducing our individual
energy use, and it will move each of us to push Congress
(see http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17why.html#congress)
to enact a responsible energy plan. And that will save us
and our children from a future filled with involuntary
blackouts.

Fired up to take more actions to reduce energy consumption
and climate change? Click here to see a whole bunch of
actions

Need a break from a busy day?

This month's inspiration:

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of
intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn
the approbation of honest critics; to appreciate beauty; to
give of one's self, to leave the world a bit better, whether
by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social
condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and
sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived--that is to have succeeded.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

more...

How do I do it?

At 7pm on June 21, turn off your lights and unplug whatever
you can unplug in your house. Light a candle, take a stroll
in the dark, tell ghost stories, get together with your
neighbors, anything that's not electronic. This isn't about
shivering in the dark, knitting sweaters out of mopheads.
It's about taking some time to reflect on the role of fossil
fuel in our lives and its impact on our ecological life
support systems... and to take some time to just have fun in
the dark!

In the meantime, your members of Congress (or
Parliament--see
http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17canada.html) need to
hear that you are participating in the voluntary blackout.
To make sure that they hear, our site has an easy mechanism
for you to call or send an e-postcard to your Senators and
Representative.
Click here to take action!
http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17why.html#congress

What you do matters!

In response to Step #15
(http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs15.html), Step by Step
subscribers sent over 1500 e-postcards to Staples, demanding
that the office superstore offer 100% post-consumer
recycled, process chlorine free copy paper. As a result,
Center staff has established a dialogue with Staples'
Vice-President of Staples about the prospect of achieving
that goal. We'll keep you posted on what happens.
Thanks for your effort - it truly makes a difference!

Please help us get the word out -

the more people that take action, the bigger the impact
We'd appreciate if you could forward this message or the
link http://www.newdream.org/monthly/sbs17.html to any
friends or family interested in this issue and type of
activism (but please don't spam it).

If this email was forwarded to you from a friend, you can
subscribe by sending an email to sbs@newdream.org with
"subscribe" in the subject line

Click on http://www.newdream.org/monthly/ for back issues
and more information on Step by Step

If you have ideas for monthly inspirations or quantifiable
actions, please send them over to sbs@newdream.org!

Step by Step is produced by the Center for a New American
Dream, a not-for-profit membership-based organization that
helps individuals and institutions reduce and shift
consumption to enhance our quality of life and protect the
natural environment. Click on
http://www.newdream.org/aboutus/ for more information on our
organization and programs or, if you like what we're doing,
please join the Center as a supporting member at
http://www.newdream.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?