Taazie's blog

Want Progress? Be Progressive!

Tommaso — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:39:15 EDT

Want strengthen the progressive movement on your campus, bring engaging speakers and films to jumpstart dialogue, and engage in activism on local and national issues?

Then join the Campus Progress Student Network for 2008-2009! We’re currently still accepting applications to join the team of Student Representatives from the across the country who work with the staff of Campus Progress to advance progressive causes at the local level and make their voices heard on the issues they care most about.

*** New deadline! Applications are now due by Wednesday September 3rd, so click here to learn more and to apply. ***

Young America's Foundation 0 - 1 Students Against War

Tommaso — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:35:41 EDT

Their patriotism is whole hearted:

Since the earliest days of this administration, Young America’s Foundation has been reaching out to encourage strict enforcement of the Solomon amendment, in order to improve opportunities for students to serve their country and to force an accounting of institutions hostile to our military.

The Solomon amendment is the reason why schools and universities throughout the nation are forced to violate their non-discrimination policies at job fairs by allowing branches of the military to participate. Blockading military tables at job fairs has nothing to do with blocking opportunities for students to serve. It is about ending discriminatory 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policies, it is about changing a system that deceives young people into going to war, and it is about protesting an unfair and illegal war.

Join Campus Progress and you'll be famous!

Tommaso — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:01:36 EDT

Ok, that might be a bit of a stretch, but some of this year's Campus Progress National Conference Award Winners did get some good press.

For example, you might have read about Justin Elliott, who won the CampusProgress.org Contributor of the Year award for his inquisitive interview with the Executive Director of a Pro-Israel lobby group.

Or about Chrissy Elles, the superstar organizer of the UCSB Climate Change Alternative Spring Break who won the Best Organizing of an Event award.

Nick Owens and Vanessa Rozier stood out by emerging in an India Post article that praised their 'Black is Beautiful' event as a model for building a progressive movement.

Our Best Publication awardee, Cipher made it on an Oklahoman news site thanks to it's editor Matt Elmore who is originally from Norman.

Last but absolutely not least, our very own Campus Progress Student Representative of the Year, Adrian Shanker became (almost) a celebrity in New York websites for his great work year-round organizing events, building movements and speaking on panels.

Once again, congratulations to all of this year's award winners. Keep it up and let's turn this world into one we are proud to be living in.

Lobby Day with Campus Progress Action

Tommaso — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:09:13 EDT

On Wednesday, July 9, 2008 join the Campus Progress Advocacy Team, progressive partner organizations like the Energy Action Coalition and U.S. PIRG, and fellow young people from around the country for a lobby day on Capitol Hill that you won't forget. Choose from one of two issues to lobby about:

1. Tell Congress how they can make a difference in the economic lives of young people - college affordability, health care, jobs, etc.

2. Press Congress to work for an end to global warming and toward a clean energy future!

Never lobbied before? Don't worry. We'll provide the skills, materials, and schedule the appointments. Just e-mail us your name and the address where you are registered to vote and come ready to make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you!

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
The Center for American Progress
1333 H Street NW, 10th floor
Washington D.C.

This event is free and open to all young people interested in turning their progressive values into action.

Taking back our future

Tommaso — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:26:19 EDT

For too many years previous generations have allowed our pollution economy to continue to exacerbate social, economic and environmental inequalities in the world. It is time for our generation to take a stance and protect our future from droughts, floods, stronger storms, spread of tropical diseases, and, yes, the death of the polar bear.

The Energy Action Coalition, of which Campus Progress is a partner, launched PowerVote, a campaign to build a 1,000,000 youth movement to stop the most pressing issue of our generation

Check out this cool youtube video and witness the passion and enthusiasms of students involved in this movement.

Italian Pride Part II: Nuclear Renaissance

Tommaso — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:34:33 EDT

The world's largest electricity importer, a nation famous for its sun-drenched olive trees and sailing tradition, decided to turn to Nuclear to supply its increasingly expensive grid.

{Grist.org}

Price of Gas and the NetRoots

Tommaso — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:30:34 EDT

Good readings on the current oil crisis:

When Big Corporations Do Good Things

Tommaso — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:58:49 EDT

One of the least reported but most important stories of this congress is their failure to renew the Renewable Energy Tax incentives necessary for industries such as wind, solar and geothermal to compete with the heavily subsidized death fuels (nuclear, oil, coal and natural gas). With the threato of a Bush veto and the inability to get enough votes to avoid a filibuster, the slim Democrat majority found itself in a stand-still.

Behind the heavy Republican opposition stand many of the big energy firms, from Big Oil, to large Utilities, desperately swimming against the current in order to maintain their profits in a rapidly warming world.

There is one corporation that is fighting back, and it shows a great example of how Market Capitalism can be regulated to make sure that Big Companies do Good Things.

Burning the Future on Film

Tommaso — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:23:12 EDT

If you've been paying any attention to the Presidential primaries, you must have seen the cheerful and hope-ful ads of Americans from Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) and the new-name-same-story American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. In these ads you see decent, diverse, hard-working blue collar Americans talking about the solution to all our problems:

CLEAN COAL

Unfortunately, what these people aren't telling you is that burning coal = Burning The Future.

Nuclear Solution

Tommaso — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:43:48 EDT

I recently blogged about my perceived solution to climate change and my criticism of nuclear and coal solutions. Some people replied aggressively saying that Nuclear is 'safe and cheap' and calling me shortsighted.

I would like to share a couple of articles about nuclear energy that I read recently.

I Love Bikes Part I

Tommaso — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:19:02 EDT

Most development experts will tell you that clean water scarcity is one of the greatest obstacles to lifting people out of poverty.

Check out this video from the winning entry of the "Innovate or Die" competition to develop a pedal powered device which has a positive impact on the environment.

http://www.cargocycling.org/

Even though this isn't goint go solve the problem on its own, might not be practical or affordable or a believable solution (I really don't know enough about the product or the issue to judge), what I love about this is that it shows our potential to innovate sustainably.

More fun bike stuff here.

Iraqi Oil Wells burn the planet!

Tommaso — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:12:28 EDT

To celebrate the anniversary of our ‘mission accomplished’ in Iraq, here are some of the connections between war and climate.

Climate reminder

Tommaso — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:01:42 EDT

The other day a friend from school asked me to help her find a climate change article for a class she is teaching. After looking around for a short while, I recalled reading one titled "Beyond the point of no return" by Ross Gelbspan, one of the most exciting authors on global warming. This is not the traditional "We can do it!!" article because Ross, along with most other climate gurus, recognizes that we are past that point. This article is a sobering reminder about the situation that we are in and our moral imperative to do something about it.

The first time I read this I was deeply touched and sent it to everyone I know. I feel that now is a good time to bring it back and urge all of you to read it.

If you had to read one and only one article on climate change, make it this one.

Italian Pride Part I: Riots in Italy!!

Tommaso — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:41:41 EDT

According to this article from the NYT, the recent spike in food prices sparked riots in "countries including Haiti, Egypt, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Yemen, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Italy."

Teach a person to fish....

Tommaso — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:42:45 EDT

Yesterday I went out to Sushi with my progressive co-workers and, as a good environmentalist, I sent them information about which fish are sustainable to eat along with a friendly message about how 90% of our fisheries are depleted. I didn't want to guilt trip, just educate, cause I don't think that people will change their habits because of gloom and doom heckling. Problem is, more I read about our fishy troubles, more I realize what a dire situation we are in and that however we can get people to change their ways, it needs to happen fast.

The future is efficient

Tommaso — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:40:46 EDT

Once again, today's youth loudly proclaimed that the answer to our problems lies in efficiency, not ethanol.

A group of High Schoolers beat out over 250 college students in a Shell competition to build the most efficient car.

This competition is yet another example that we already have all the technologies we need to fix much of our little 'carbon problem'. If a bunch of high schoolers can build a 2,843 mpg car, I'm pretty sure giant corporate car manufacturers can figure out how to reach 30 mpg by 2020 (our current fuel efficiency goal and Europe's present standard).

The government needs to stop lavishing Archer Daniel Midland, Cargill, Peabody, Massey, Ford, GM, Chrysler and other traditional corporate overlords with research money for ethanol, advanced coal, and nuclear waste disposal. It is time that the government invest in technology deployment and forcing corporations to stop wining and adopt the most recent efficient technologies.

This switch from R&D to technology deployment will have widespread effects, from drastically and quickly reducing our Greenhouse Gasses to reducing the financial burden on low income families due to increases in energy prices.

So-called "Generation Q" is leading, will our predecessors follow our leadership and enthusiasm or will they continue in their own path leading to our doom?

New Focus on Coal

Tommaso — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:57:14 EDT

The recent article in the Washington Post about Carbon Capture and Sequestration is a great example of the growing amuont of disinformation on climate solutions permeating public opinion.

The Dream Reborn - Bringing hope to those that need it the most

Tommaso — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:55:06 EDT

I wish you all could be here in Memphis with me to celebrate the resurgence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream.

This conference is a breath-taking expression of youth-driven passion and vision in addressing the climate and social crisis in our world. Change-makers from all states, Canada, Mexico, and more, have been exchanging their successes, frustrations and visions of a movement grounded in hope and sustainability.

Obama's coal

Tommaso — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:28:36 EST

Senator Obama spoke yesterday as the Texas and Ohio primary results were coming in. In the midst of the usual inspirational plea to change America, he said something that caught my attention (video: 00:25 seconds in):

We believe that a child born tonight should have the same chances whether she arrives in the barrios of San Antonio or the suburbs of St. Louis, on the streets of Chicago or the hills of Appalachia.

When solutions... are not

Tommaso — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:57:19 EST

The beginning of the presidential race was extremely exciting for climate change fanatics, with all the democratic contenders trying to one-up each other and McCain taking back the Republican lead despite his calls for higher fuel efficiency and climate protection.

But my enthusiasm gave way to frustration as I looked into each candidate's platforms. Edwards was the only candidate calling for moratorium on coal and no nuclear. Barrack Obama and Hillary continue touting the 'clean coal' bandwagon while McCain claims that nuclear, and nuclear alone, will solve the climate crisis. Just in case you have been giving in to the brainwashing by the cutzie 'clean coal' commercials on CNN, or McCain's rhetoric on nuclear, let me explain why, as youth, we should be up in arms about these solutions... that are not.