Big Polluters Dirty Tricks
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| Dear Daniel, Most Americans find the disruptions and shouting matches at recent town hall meetings across the country a disgraceful perversion of the democratic principle of free speech. Big polluters opposed to climate action, on the other hand, see an organizing model. As reported in the Wall Street Journal this week (http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=_HuqAfdhmpZlxIksYhs_mA.. "Taking a cue from angry protests against the Obama Administration's health care restructuring, the oil industry is helping organize anti-climate bill rallies around the nation. "The American Petroleum Institute, along with other organizations such as the National Association of Manufacturers opposed to the climate legislation Congress will consider again in the fall, is funding rallies across 20 states over the August recess." Here's what these protests look like (video footage of a couple of dozen protesters at this week's Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, NV): http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=Q0MR6BkJBBDmS-t6n2Vn9Q.. This follows news reports last week (http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=JQcsSWR7rGRfyZhkZvC-0w.. ) that a lobbying firm working on behalf of a leading coal industry trade association, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, was responsible for forging a dozen letters opposing House passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act in June. The forged letters were purported to be from non-profit groups. One forged letter sent to Virginia Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello was falsely signed by the Albemarle-Charlottesville chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. In fact, the N.A.A.C.P. supported the House bill and believes it will lead to a cleaner environment and better jobs. It's clear some of our opponents have no conscience. They can't win this debate on the science or the policy. So they're spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to win it in the gutter with dirty tricks. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to get the truth out and urge our members of Congress to support climate legislation. Here are five things you can do right now to help fight back: 1) Go to http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=P4iexjhm45luPeNqdJWqxw.. to look up the home district offices of your Senators. Call them and express your support for climate legislation that caps America's global warming pollution, puts Americans back to work building out our clean energy future, and frees us from our dependence on foreign oil. 2) While you're on the phone, ask if there is a local event or town hall meeting scheduled where you can go to publicly express your support of climate action. 3) Send an email to your Senators supporting strong climate legislation. http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=L6nwZX4SkPRogb3M_QU8Kg.. 4) Forward this email to your friends and family to let them know about the underhanded tactics that opponents of climate action are using to undermine an honest debate about America's global warming and energy policies. 5) Make a donation to support our campaign to pass a strong climate bill this year. http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=BX6ogvueY5RckSOOz1gPYg.. Here are five reasons we need to pass a strong climate bill: 1) Global warming is the most serious environmental threat facing the planet today. Scientists warn we have very little time to begin cutting our emissions if we are to avoid the catastrophic threat of run-away global warming. 2) A strong cap on global warming pollution will help free us from our dependence on foreign oil, cutting oil imports by more than $20 billion a year. 3) We can create millions of jobs and grow our economy with a strong cap on global warming pollution. The 21st century will be a clean energy century and the country that seizes the opportunity to innovate and unleash the clean energy future will gain a huge economic advantage. 4) If left unchecked, many military leaders say global warming poses a threat to our national security because it will promote economic instability and political unrest around the world. Former Republican Sen. John Warner, a staunch and highly respected supporter of the U.S. military, strongly supports action on climate change in part for this very reason. Read Senator Warner's recent testimony supporting U.S. leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=PFmdA6sf7FptV1QWO46riQ.. [PDF] 5) The world is meeting in December to negotiate the next international treaty on global warming. America has an opportunity to lead the world toward a strong international framework, but only if we show leadership back home by passing a strong bill. Failure to act could dramatically undermine international agreement and set the whole world back years if not decades on this critical threat. This is the fight of our lives. We can overcome the dirty tricks and the hundreds of millions of dollars the opposition is spending, but only by maintaining constant grassroots pressure for action. Thanks for taking action and staying engaged, Environmental Defense Action Fund P.S. If you have a Facebook or Twitter page, please use the following posts to help spread the word through your social networks. Facebook: The coal industry has been forging letters to Reps from charities, and now the oil industry is funding anti-climate rallies across 20 states during the August recess. Help fight back and email your Senator supporting strong climate legislation. http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=dwh9kRGu9p07gTULUc3EDA.. Twitter: Coal forges letters, Oil funds mob-like protests, Help fight back for #ACES #climatebill http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=VVpjs-cuXCONAO45GtMisQ.. Environmental Defense Fund 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20009 1-800-684-3322 | ||||||||
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