October 5, 2012

An Open Letter In Support Of the Tar Sands Blockade

Dear Friends,

As we write, our friends with the Tar Sands Blockade are blocking construction of TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline in the woods of Texas. For the past six months they have built a movement of climate activists, rural landowners, Texans, Oklahomans and people from all over the country to fiercely resist it. For two weeks, they have captured the imagination of the world with a daring tree- sit and bold ground actions near Winnsboro, TX that have delayed TransCanada’s operations.

TransCanada has responded by allowing its employees to operate their heavy machines with reckless disregard for the safety of protestors and tree-sitters. Police have responded with brutal means such as pepper-spray and Tasers against peaceful protestors. Prosecutors have responded with elevated charges.

It is clear what is at stake. NASA’s leading climate scientist Dr. James Hansen has called the Keystone XL pipeline, “a fuse to the largest carbon bomb on the planet.” If all the carbon stored in the Canadian tar sands is released into the earth’s atmosphere it will mean “game over” for the planet.

In 2011, we saw the Tar Sands Action galvanize environmental and social justice communities in an unprecedented show of unity during the sit-ins in front of the White House. Every day members of Indigenous communities, faith communities, labor communities, anti-mountaintop removal movements, anti-fracking movements and many more stepped forward and put their bodies on the line in solidarity. In the year since, we have witnessed people from the Lakota nation in South Dakota and from Moscow, Idaho putting their bodies in roads and highways blocking large transport trucks carrying oil refining equipment to develop further tar sands extraction. Now, the Tar Sands Blockade has taken the next logical step confronting climate change.

If we are determined to prevent the pursuit of extreme energy from destroying our communities, natural systems and climate, then peaceful, yet confrontational, protests like the Tar Sands Blockade are necessary actions for change.

Let us be clear: there is not an inch of daylight in between us and those blocking construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in Texas. We stand with them as we’ve stood with those fighting mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia, those defending old growth forests in Cascadia and those challenging nuclear power across this country.

We stand in solidarity with those who stand up for us all.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Appalachia
Alliance of Community Trainers (ACT)
Center for Biological Diversity
Communities for a Better Environment
Community to Community
Council of Canadians
Energy Action Coalition
Friends of the Earth U.S.
Forest Ethics
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
Global Exchange
Global Justice Ecology Project
Grassroots Global Justice
Greenpeace Canada
Greenpeace U.S.A.
Indigenous Environmental Network
Missourians for Empowerment and Reform (MORE)
Movement Generation
Occupy the Pipeline
Peaceful Uprising
Platform
Radical Action for Mountain Peoples’ Survival (RAMPS)
Rainforest Action Network
Rising Tide North America
Ruckus Society
Sierra Club
smartMeme Strategy & Training Project
Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
UK Tar Sands Network
350.org

For more information, visit the Tar Sands Blockade on Facebook  and here.

To sign onto the letter, please email contact (at) risingtidenorthamerica (dot) org

Global Exchange staff with fellow Bay Area activists at the Global Frackdown San Francisco action. Photo Credit: Global Exchange

On Saturday September 22nd, activists from around the Bay Area gathered in San Francisco next to the iconic Golden Gate bridge for a rally and march to voice one powerful, shared message: BAN FRACKING NOW! 

What is fracking?

Fracking (or hydraulic fracturing) is a process of drilling for oil and natural gas from shale rock underneath the earth’s surface. A high-pressure mixture of toxic chemicals, water, and sand is injected deep underground.

Communities worldwide are concerned about the effects of fracking on their health, land, and water. While it is happening in 34 states across the country (where in some communities residents can actually light their tap water on fire), it is currently unregulated in California, with no warning to communities.

It was a Global Frackdown!

The action on Saturday was part of a series of events worldwide called the Global Frackdown organized by Food & Water Watch to raise public awareness around fracking and the dangers it poses to our communities, land, water, and health.

In solidarity with people from nearly every corner of the globe, from Australia to Canada to France to South Africa, people came out in numbers on Saturday to call for an end to fracking and to make it clear to oil and gas companies that we know about the dangers of fracking and we do not want it to happen in our communities.

What happened in San Francisco?

Bay Area Global Frackdown activists gathered by the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Saturday morning, the sun was shining and the sky was clear – a rare site for that part of the city at 10am. After enjoying coffee and bagels as people arrived, organizers from environmental and social justice organizations throughout the Bay Area including 350.org, Earth Works, and the Center for Biological Diversity, took turns speaking about their work and the importance of banning fracking.

Global Exchange’s Kylie Nealis, Shannon Biggs, Carleen Pickard, and Jessica Nuti at the Global Frackdown SF action. Photo Credit: Global Exchange

Global Exchange’s Community Rights Program Director Shannon Biggs spoke about our work assisting communities throughout California to pass rights-based ordinances that elevate the rights of citizens over oil and gas drilling companies and enable them to say ‘NO’ to fracking where they live. The path for these cutting-edge new laws has already been paved by places such as Pittsburgh, PA, where the city passed a rights-based ordinance banning fracking in 2010.

You can watch Shannon’s speech here:

Activists march to the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco

The energy was high throughout the morning and one thing was clear: this is the beginning of a movement against fracking in California that is only going to get bigger. There is no such thing as safe fracking and yet, it is happening unregulated throughout California with no warning. In fact, a recent poll by the Los Angeles Times showed that 46% of Californians don’t actually know what fracking is.

Those of us working on fracking here at Global Exchange know that the long-term solution to banning fracking lies in changing our structure of law to elevate the rights of communities (and nature) above corporations — but the first step is getting the word out and that’s exactly what the Global Frackdown achieved.

TAKE ACTION:

• Learn how YOU can get involved in Global Exchange’s Community Rights campaign.
• Watch this new video as part of our emerging campaign around fracking that explores how fracking is an issue of community rights, not regulations.
• Check out photos from the Global Frackdown event in San Francisco on our Facebook page.
  

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Are You Down With the Global Frackdown?

On September 22, people across the world will be coming together for a day of action — a Global Frackdown— to call for a ban on fracking to protect our communities. Will you join us?

Drilling and fracking for natural gas and oil poses a direct and immediate threat to our drinking water, air, health and communities. Over the past couple of years as our movement has grown, the oil and gas industry has been ramping up its massive multi-million dollar PR campaign to convince the public and elected officials that its dirty energy is clean. Its time to fight back with a Global Frackdown!

As a movement to ban fracking, we have collectively achieved a tremendous amount. Working together just in the past year, we have: passed over 200 local measures across the United States to ban fracking, stopped fracking in Bulgaria, France and the state of Vermont, pushed for moratoriums in multiple regions in Europe, obtained a moratorium on fracking in South Africa, defeated state legislation that would have expanded fracking (like stopping plans to open the Delaware River Basin to fracking) and worked to stop pipelines and facilities to export fracked gas from coast to coast.

This fall, the oil and gas industry will be escalating its pro-fracking propaganda even further and our elected officials — some of whom are running scared — need to hear the truth in a powerful way from their constituents. It’s time to expose the oil and gas industry’s propaganda for what it is. It’s time to hold our elected officials accountable. It’s time for a Global Frackdown!

Communities are already coming together to organize actions as part of the Global Frackdown. From New Mexico to North Carolina and California to New York, events are being organized across the United States. In Europe, actions are already being planned in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden and Belgium. They’ll include flash mobs, rallies, human signs calling for a ban on fracking and screenings of Gasland. In the coming weeks, these events will be put on a map at www.globalfrackdown.org, but in the meantime, you can go here to sign up an event in your community.

The Global Frackdown is supported by Food & Water Watch, Environment America, Democracy for America, 350.org, Friends of the Earth US, Friends of the Earth Europe, Greenpeace USA, Global Exchange, Ecologistas en Acción, Council of Canadians, Josh Fox (whose film Gasland has fueled the movement), and a host of other organizations across the world. Organizations large and small can add their name to the growing list of partners here.

Building on the powerful Stop the Frack Attack action in Washington, D.C. last weekend, three major events are happening in the U.S. over the next two months. From August 25-27, people will gather in New York to urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to not allow fracking in New York. On September 20 and 21, our friends at Protecting our Waters are organizing Shale Gas Outrage to protest a major industry conference in Philadelphia. And the Global Frackdown will follow on September 22.

Our opponents get their power from their deep financial resources and their ability to divide us. We have the power of our voices, our communities and our collective action. The next couple of months promise to be a powerful, unifying and exciting time for our movement against fracking. Add your voice to this effort and Get Down with the Frackdown — take action to ban fracking on September 22.

TAKE ACTION!

• RSVP on Facebook for the Global Frackdown
• Tweet this to spread the word about this important day of action
• Use the “Like” and “Retweet” buttons above right to share this post with your friends

Chevron Fire August 6, 2012 Photo Credit: Noah Chandler www.NoahChandler.com

Last night, in our own backyard, Chevron’s refinery in Richmond, CA had an explosion and fire. Though damage reports are still coming in, luckily no refinery workers or local residents were killed.

We’ve gathered some photos of the Chevron explosion on our Facebook page.

Chevron Fire August 6, 2012 Photo Credit: Noah Chandler www.NoahChandler.com

During our weekly staff meeting this morning, Global Exchange staff and interns shared and discussed what happened. Some staff and interns live in close proximity to the refinery. Kara from our Fair Trade Store in San Francisco witnessed the actual explosion and resulting fire. Many of us saw plumes of black smoke enveloping the east bay sky. Zarah thought a bomb had gone off. Drea expressed concern about breathing in the toxic air, even today.

Hearing the emergency broadcast system announcement on the radio and learning it was not a test enlightened folks to the gravity of the situation. It was not safe to be outside in certain areas.

SF Gate reported that thousands of East Bay residents were ordered to stay in their homes with the windows and doors closed following the explosion.

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) is documenting community stories to build better protocols in the future, because as they assert:

The multi-lingual warning systems that APEN and our allies fought for and won, failed. Many residents reported not being properly notified and are now experienc(ing) dizziness, headaches and other symptoms of exposure to toxins. We want to document community experiences so we can assure that better systems can be in put into place in the future. 

Global Exchange is part of the True Cost of Chevron Network, and staffers here are well aware of Chevron’s ongoing atrocities around the world. But when it wafts into the air we breathe, it really hits home, as it has for so many other communities affected by Chevron over the years.

Not surprisingly, Global Exchange just recently named Chevron in our 2012 Most Wanted Human Rights Violators List because “The petrochemical company Chevron is guilty of some of the worst environmental and human rights abuses in the world.”

So what happens now?

Tonight Chevron’s PR representatives will be holding an informational hearing about the explosion. And others are mobilizing to rally and protest. APEN explains:

In the first SIX months of this year, Chevron made $13.7 BILLION in profits. Chevron has consistently chosen short-term profit over protection of residents. For decades, Richmond residents have advocated for Chevron to replace its old equipment as soon as possible. Chevron refused to simply update its unsafe equipment and instead attempted to deceive the community and EXPAND its facility in Richmond. The project was really about building the infrastructure to refine heavier and dirtier grades of crude oil.

We think that Chevron will trot out the “refinery safety” Trojan horse once again. You, me, we can not allow them to succeed. We will always oppose any project that adds more pollution and puts our community at risk – will you join us? Chevron is holding a community meeting tonight at 6 PM and APEN will be there rallying before the meeting. Our members and allies will speak at the meeting to tell Chevron what their pursuit of profits has cost our community. Join us in holding Chevron accountable for the unacceptable health risks they expose the Richmond community to.

TAKE ACTION!

 Public town hall meeting/Q & A about the Chevron refinery explosion and fire: Tonight, August 7th at 6 pm in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium (403 Civic Center Plaza in the city of Richmond) – people are encouraged to attend.  Please bring signs in support of community health and people over profit! Community partners joining to protest and rally this evening include APEN, along with Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA), and others. They’ll be in front of the Richmond Memorial Auditorium 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond at 5:30 pm TONIGHT. Click here for details.  

You can also find info about tonight on this Chevwrong meeting Facebook event page.

Spread the word!  To spread the word about the meeting and rally tonight, tweet this!

RESOURCES:

• Reporters seeking expert analysis regarding the Richmond Chevron refinery explosion and fire: click here for contact info.
• CBE’s press contacts: http://www.cbecal.org/media/cbe-updates/

Last week, we were honored to host a panel with speakers from Code Pink, Oil Change International, and Public Citizen at the legendary Busboys and Poets in Washington DC.

Panelists from left to right: Rae Abileah from CODEPINK, Karen Showalter from Oil Change International, and Aquene Freechild from Public Citizen.

The speakers joined Global Exchange to compare notes on how undue corporate influence impacts the ability of these groups to carry out their positive missions, and share inspiration about how people are standing up to protect and reclaim democracy.

Global Exchange convened a dedicated group of activists and members to strategize about challenging corporate money in politics beyond the issue silo in which our organizations often carry out much of our work.

By speaking openly and sharing stories, we can collectively gain a more full understanding of two things: a) what’s at stake with the increasingly corporate-dominated political atmosphere and b) what’s working to take the power back.

One new tool we’re excited to share with you is our just-released legislative scorecard.

Since the Elect Democracy campaign is focused on getting the F.I.R.E. money out of our democracy, we conducted extensive research to show how members of the Senate Banking, Senate Finance, and House Finance committees voted on key issues such as the bailout, Wall Street reform, healthcare, credit card regulation, and free trade.

We compiled not only an easy-to-reference voting record, but also included data that traces how much F.I.R.E money each Congressperson received in campaign contributions, and a percentage rate to the F.I.R.E sector lobby on each bill. It is stunning to see just how much money Wall Street is pumping into our political system. How much money are committee  legislators from your district taking from the F.I.R.E. sector? Find out.

During the panel, each of our speakers shared some of the raw numbers of corporate campaign donations and lobbying coming  from the F.I.R.E. sector, war profiteers, AIPAC, oil companies, fossil fuel industries, and other sectors to foster an environment in which regulation and even plain legal accountability are difficult to achieve.

The speakers also discussed how the revolving door of industry insiders rotating into political office and back out into industry have become the new norm. A panel attendee from Occupy Monsanto gave another example of revolving door politics in the January 2012 appointment of former Monsanto vice president Michael Taylor to be Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Though the stakes are high and the corporate pockets deep, there are still many forms of resistance bubbling up all over the country.

Dozens of groups will be mobilizing at the upcoming conventions and other events to challenge corporate ‘sponsorship’ of Congress. Through organizing protests, boycotts, days of action, and non-violent direct action, organizers are taking strong, collective action to confront and stop everything from foreclosure evictions to fossil fuel subsidies.

This increasing rancor has significant political ramifications during and beyond election season.  Several states (including California) along with dozens of towns, cities, and counties are standing up in favor of a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling and perhaps extend an amendment to further curb corporate abuse of our political system. That would be a good start!

Another lesson from the panel: it is increasingly important for our organizations to amplify our message and get our (shocking) facts and tools about money in politics as far out into the public sphere as we can. As the tentacles of greed squeeze tighter, the numbers of people ready to take action and stand up for real democracy increase proportionally. It’s going to be an exciting rest of the year.

Since we were in Washington DC, we decided to meet up with our friends from CODEPINK and do a mini ‘Reality Tour’ of Washington DC and follow the money around town. Below is a sampling of our photo album documenting what we found.

Note: Unfortunately, our panelist from 350.org couldn’t make it due to illness. Hope you feel better soon, Jason.

TAKE ACTION: Leave a comment or tweet to @ElectDemocracy about how much democracy is worth to you: be creative! There are no wrong answers except ones that start with a $….

Are you ready to #DeclareIndependence from…

… Wall Street?
… rule by the the 1%?
… Big Ag, GMO’s, or pink slime?
… war profiteering?
… Big Oil, Big Money, or Big Brother??

What do you want to #DeclareIndependence from this July 3-4?

With an abundance of obsolete/oppressive elements in today’s world, it might be hard to choose, but I am only asking one thing:

This July 3-4, choose ONE THING you DON’T LIKE and #DeclareIndependence!

Join the hundreds of others participating on Facebook or Twitter.

Participating is Quick and Easy:

1) Simply post a sentence or a pic to the Declare Independence event page on Facebook with your #DeclareIndependence statement, or

2) Tweet using #DeclareIndependence in a statement or TweetPic.

Here’s a sample of what people like you have declared so far:

On Twitter:
@ ‏VioletRiot: I #DeclareIndependence from Wall Street! It’s time to stop rule by the 1%
@zazazarah: This #4thofJuly I’m joining @globalexchange @ElectDemocracy to #DeclareIndependence from corporate rule. Join in!
@meganrdevlin: I #DeclareIndependence from #fastfood. What will you #DeclareIndependence from this 4th of July? http://ow.ly/bSiJR via @electdemocracy
@lovinstrangers:  Protect your language! #DeclareIndependence.

You can also view all #DeclareIndependence tweets so far and as they unfold in real time July 3-4.

On Facebook:
Post a story or an image, and tag yourself and your friends.
For ideas, here’s a #DeclareIndependence photo gallery put together by Global Exchange.

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According to www.freedictionary.com, “Declare” means “to make known.”
Make your independence known, and invite others to join you!
After July 4th, what happens to your declaration is up to you…

                                                                                                                                     Source:  www.freedictionary.com

TAKE ACTION!

• So, what are you going to #DeclareIndependence from this July 3-4? Let us know in the comments section below.
• And don’t forget to sign up for our Elect Democracy email list to receive updates and action alerts from our latest campaign to Elect Democracy.
  

A source of boundless clean energy. And smiles.

Did you know that by 2015, solar energy will be the lower cost option for 66% of US homes?  Did you also know that you don’t have to live on the Equator to receive adequate sunshine to power your home?

Continue reading: A Summer Solarbration

In 1776, the United States’ Declaration of Independence from an unjust, exploitative colonial power was celebrated as a bold, powerful, patriotic act. In 2012, there is again a need to declare independence  - from insidious corporate power, economic exploitation, assaults on civil liberties, an environmental liquidation, and plenty of other problems that you already know about… so let’s use this unique day to connect the historical dots and #DeclareIndpendence. Let’s demonstrate positive, bold, forward-facing change on this significant US holiday.

Independence from corporate exploitation something we all deserve. This day of action is open to all who seek to create a just, sustainable future. It is a call for expression, discussion, and learning about what people, groups, and organizations seek to  #DeclareIndependence from. It is an opportunity to share your important work and gather new supporters. As a participant you will help co-create collectively whatever #DeclareIndependence becomes. Invite your vast networks to join you.

Here’s how:

For Individuals:
-Join this Facebook event and invite your friends.
-Follow on Twitter: @ElectDemocracy
-Take a picture with your #DeclareIndependence message and share it with us!
-Invite your friends and groups you know to participate
-Get ready to tweet and post your heart July 3-4 as we #DeclareIndependence!

For Groups and Organizations:
-Let us know you are participating and what you want to #DeclareIndependence from. Fill out this short form to stay in the loop.
-Invite your supporters & friends to join the event in emails, facebook and twitter.  You can hold a contest for supporters to vote on what your org will #DeclareIndependence from, send out little ‘teasers’ and use ‘get ready to #DeclareIndependence on July 4th messaging to get your supporters excited to be a part of this.
-Join & promote the Facebook event
-On Twitter, follow: @ElectDemocracy
-Tell other organizations you work with about this opportunity to get the word out about your efforts and find new supporters.
-On July 4th, post a blog organziation’s unique call to #DeclareIndependence  and link to your blog when you Tweet with the magic hashtag
-Take a picture with your supporters who #DeclareIndependence and share with the world
-Get ready to tweet and post your heart out from July 3-4

Leave a comment: What will YOU #DeclareIndependence this July 4th?

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“Who’s Organizing This?”

While #DeclareIndependence, doesn’t ‘belong’ to anyone, you can learn more about the folks who kicked off this day of action by checking out Global Exchange’s Elect Democracy campaign. We’ll be releasing a report about the connections of finance sector campaign contributions and industry-favorable voting records in the Congressional Banking and Finance committees on July 4th, so stay in touch with us to share this ground-breaking research.
At Global Exchange we seek to build an ever-expanding base of learning, understanding, shared connection and global solidarity in the work we do. While the Elect Democracy campaign is focused on exposing the connections of big bank campaign contributions and Congressional corporate loyalty, we understand that money in politics as well as the dangers of too much corporate power are enormous issues that no one organization or group can take on alone. Thus, we initiate collaborative moments such as this one to highlight moments in history, such as Independence Day, as locations for illuminating connected struggles for justice, peace, and real democracy. We hope you will join us.

Protest puppet during Chevron shareholder meeting May 30, 2012 Photo Credit: Global Exchange

Community members from around the world who have suffered from the impacts of Chevron’s actions gathered today outside Chevron’s headquarters in support of human rights, environmental, economic and climate justice. Global Exchange Director of Organizing Kirsten Moller was there:
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On May 30th, people gathered from around the world to descend on San Ramon, CA and confront Chevron at its annual shareholder meeting.

The protest space in front of Chevron has gotten smaller in the past two years—the wide open green lawn has been replaced by spiky succulents in bark dust and a new fence sweeps around the landscape to tastefully keep the protesters confined to the sidewalk.

That didn’t stop the spirited annual gathering of representatives from affected communities in Brazil, Nigeria, Angola, Ecuador and Richmond, California who came to let the shareholders know that their investments were in danger.

Global Exchange arrived with a pile of signs in the shape of brooms and barrels of oil calling on Chevron to clean up their messes wherever they make them  — oil spills in Brazil, toxic dumping in Ecuador and flaring in Africa – the list goes on and on.  Kate McLain (pictured below) was among the group of protestors. She recently returned from a  Global Exchange Reality Tours trip to Ecuador all fired up and ready to carry the message “Clean Up Chevron.” Meanwhile The  Brass Liberation Orchestra led us all in fierce chants of  “Chevron should pay up;  Chevron should clean up”  while a huge puppet welcomed shareholders to their meeting.

Chevron protester May 30, 2012 Photo Credit: Global Exchange

Inside representatives submitted more than 7 resolutions calling for more transparency and accountability.  Not all of the representatives were allowed inside, despite having valid proxies from shareholders.  Joao Antonio de Moraes of the Brazilian Federation of Oil Workers was one of them.

He had told us during a teach-in the night before that accidents can be avoided if worker’s rights to a safe environment are respected. Workers are on the front-line, and workers and environmentalists have a lot in common.

The teamsters and the steelworkers were there to second that idea!  Pitting workers against community members and jobs vs. the environment has been a key strategy of Chevron. We were there to say no more.

Kate McLain, Global Exchange Ecuador Reality Tour participant, at Chevron protest May 30, 2012 Photo Credit: Global Exchange

While we waited outside, Richmond community members talked about asthma, cancer, and how children are bribed with pencils and field trips to think that a company town is a good thing.  But members from the APEN, CBE and Progressive Richmond Alliance agreed on this message to the members inside:  “Shareholders, when you choose profit over the people in the communities, you will lose!”

While Richmond has succeeded in preventing any legal permits for refinery expansion and Ecuador has won an unprecedented $18 billion dollar settlement against Chevron, Chevron continues to act like a fugitive, running from its legal responsibilities. The Ecuadorian courts have upheld the judgment against the company and now the plaintiffs are poised to seize Chevron’s assets anywhere in the world.

The network gathered outside the headquarters were clear that we will not stop making connections and working together until Chevron pays for the damage it has caused.

Chevron, Chevron you can’t hide……

TAKE ACTION!

• Download this free True Cost of Chevron Report Alternative Annual Report for featuring new sections
  and accounts written by 40 authors from around the world.
• Travel to Ecuador: Take a Reality Tours trip where you’ll tour of Chevron’s toxic oil legacy in the Amazon; speak with the leaders and healers of affected communities

Earth Day is a time to reflect on how we get to take action for a better planet. It should also be a time when we consider those whose human rights and democratic rights are suppressed in such a way that they are not able to take action for a better planet. One such person is the rightful and recent President of the Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed.

Nasheed, who served as the fourth president of the Maldives from 2008 to 2012, was the first democratically elected president of this small Muslim nation in several decades. He was forced to resign in February 2012,  in a coup d’etat. His predecessor was a ruthless dictator who had had Nasheed tortured and placed in solitary confinement for being an activist and a dissident journalist. When Nasheed became what he calls the “accidental president” following a political campaign that was given great momentum by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, he set about facing the biggest threat to his country: climate change.

Nasheed famously brought attention to the cause by holding an underwater cabinet meeting near a coral reef (probably one of the most photographed government events in the country), in which he and his ministerial colleagues wore SCUBA gear while signing documents with waterproof ink against the backdrop of a coral reef. He championed climate protection at the international conferences on the subject during his presidency. This became the subject of a recent documentary film on the subject titled The Island President, which you should try to see if you can.

Perhaps his greatest effort to respond to the climate crisis was a plan to make the Maldives the first carbon-neutral country on Earth. Toward this end Nasheed jumped at the offer we at Sungevity made, in conjunction with our friends at 350.org, to put a solar electric solution on the presidential palace, a beautiful colonial building built by the British in downtown Malé, the capital of Maldives and home to about one-third of its population. Most of these people probably pass the palace every day on their way to work or school or the beach; it’s on a small island of 150,000 people, and the Muleaage, as it’s known in the local language, is right in the middle of the city. As such it was the ideal place for the president to kick off his efforts to take his country solar.

Sadly, those efforts have been set aside as he was removed from power. He is now agitating for new elections and when he wins plans to pick up where he left off by taking more buildings and whole islands in the Maldives of diesel-based electricity and onto solar. It will save his country money and demonstrate that we can get off our addiction to fossil fuels. You should consider it too – and if you go solar through Sungevity you can support Global Exchange at the same time. Every customer who gets a Sungevity solar system that is reading this can raise more than $500 for Global Exchange. See this link to understand how it works.

As in the Maldives, the model of fossil-fuel import dependency is entirely untenable. For Nasheed it is so from a national security point of view and as an economic proposition going forward. If the price of oil were to exceed $100 per barrel for an extended period of time, the country would go bankrupt. Then the oil industry would no longer deliver the fuel by ship, and the country would be left without electricity. So the president’s push to get solar energy adopted across the country make sense; indeed, it makes dollars and sense. Get a Sungevity iQuote at this website and you’ll see that it does for you too.

Shine on.