Many people are speculating that the current economic crisis is as bad, or worse, than the Great Depression.  This has sent our country into a tizzy—people aren’t eating out, vacations are scarce, funding for programs is short, and people are starting to hide money in holes in the walls of their homes. 

But Van Jones, President Obama’s pick for a new Special Adviser on Green Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation position, wants us to have no fear.  Jones is also the founder of Green For All and sees green jobs as a solution to our declining economy, a way for people to get out of poverty, and a way to reduce the environmental impacts of unsustainable fuel choices and industries — what’s not to like?  The mission of Green For All is to “build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty,” so that we can “fight poverty and pollution at the same time.” 

The theory goes that if we are able to provide job training to those in poverty, it will increase their chances of getting a job, thereby providing them with an income and “a pathway out of poverty.”  By creating jobs and reducing unemployment, the economy is stimulated, all while green workers further the environmental agenda by retrofitting buildings, manufacturing and installing solar panels and wind turbines, and so on.

If you are sitting there saying, “Hey! This sounds familiar…” you’re right—it is.  This is the exact same theory behind American Youthworks and the YouthBuild bill that is currently in the Texas Legislature (HB 2492 and SB 1770).  As I’ve previously mentioned, there are many programs that are based on the idea that if we can provide job training to those in poverty, give them a job in a growing green job economy, we are killing so many birds with one stone.  We will be able to help people get out of poverty, we will be stimulating the economy, and we will be fighting environmental evils. 

Why this green jobs program is not a cornerstone of our economy during this crisis is beyond me. Putting someone as prominent and influential as Jones so close to the White House is sure to bring attention and awareness to these programs, especially now that people are looking at alternative ways to improve our economy.      

One cool thing that the folks at Green For All have done is created an application which you can use to make a “Green Jobs Icon.” You can upload your picture into a template and show that you want “Green Jobs Now.”  It’s a great and simple way to show support, as well as spread the word about an important movement. 

May is fast upon us, meaning that summer isn’t far behind.  Most of my summer memories involve swimming, watching TV, hamburgers, and ice cream.  However, this summer is going to be a little different (however, I don’t think I will abandon the swimming or ice cream).

This summer, some of us at ReEnergize, as well as a few others, are participating in Summer of Solutions.  Summer of Solutions was piloted in the Northwest and in Minnesota last summer and was launched as a program intended to get student activists active during the summer months, as well as engage a community in their city.  This summer, Summer of Solutions will take place in 12 cities nationwide.

If you attended the ReEnergize Texas Summit, you may have heard Anna and myself talk about what we envision for Summer of Solutions: Austin edition. The project will take place from July 1^st through August 31^st, and honestly, right now that is about all we know.  What makes this project so different is that it will always maintain a level of flexibility never before seen in other projects.  When you are attempting to engage a community, you cannot assume you know what they need, thus the need for us to be flexible in our mission.

We plan on have a large community education/involvement component, where we get to know the people that live in a certain area and learn what they need.  There is a tendency for activists to assume they know the best way to do things, when doing them another way is more effective in a certain community.   We are in preliminary talks with American Youthworks, PODER, Sustainable Food Center, and Austin Energy.  All of these groups work within East Austin communities and are a wealth of knowledge about what certain communities need.

Right now, we want to work on energy efficient upgrades for houses, but we might get a month down the road and realize that that particular community really needs something else, such as healthcare for high asthma rates. 

This is what makes this Summer of Solutions so unique is that we can plan a little bit, but most of the project is undefined until it happens.  So, if you are the type of person who normally looks back on his or her summer and is like, “What the heck did I do for 3 months?” you should join Summer of Solutions so you can say, “Summer of Solutions!”

To get more information or to apply, you can go here.

DEADLINES FOR APPLYING:
Priority deadline: May 1st
Last chance to apply for paid positions: May 10th
We will make a decision on paid positions by May 17th
Final time to apply to participate overall is May 30th

Jeni Wilde
4/22/2009 

What if I told you Texas has a program that helps “at risk” youth stay out of jail, finish their high school education, get job skills that put them on a pathway out of poverty, all while working in industries that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving us into a new green economy?

 Well it’s not true, but it could be very soon.

 This past Monday, the House committee on Technology, Economic Development and Workforce had a public hearing about several bills, one being HB 2492.  HB 2492 is would create a statewide YouthBuild program that helps at risk youth by giving them paid job training in green job markets, as well as life skills counseling and the opportunity to finish their high school education.

Jeff and I went to the hearing to represent ReEnergize Texas and testify in favor of HB 2492.  I was the first one up, and was extremely nervous, but it went pretty well.  I spoke about how the lack of jobs in the Current economy makes it more likely for at-risk youth to turn to other, more illegal, ways of making money, and how a YouthBuild program can start to fix that problem. 

 There were many people that testified that were from youthbuild programs from across the state of Texas, including American Youthworks here in Austin.  Their speeches were great because they have worked directly with these kids and seen the very tangible and positive results from how well these programs work.  The young people that these programs affect aren’t bad and they are extremely capable, they just need opportunities.

One of the coolest things about testifying is that you are talking directly to senators or representatives.  When you do lobby visits, most of the time you only speak to a staffer, so testifying is a really effective way to let elected officials hear what their constituents have to say.

It’s also pretty cool when you testify as a young person because it isn’t too often that young people testify, and I think it throws the committee members for a loop. At the end of my speech, Rep. Strama asked me, “How did you come to be involved with this bill?” I told him about ReEnergize Texas, and he was just like “Alright, cool.” Okay, maybe those weren’t his exact words, but he seemed pretty surprised that some young girl just came out of nowhere.

So why don’t you come out of nowhere, too?  Give your State Representative a call (you can get their number at this website: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/) and ask them to support HB 2492.  We’ve all had friends who could have benefited from something like this, and it will be a boon to our state if instead of throwing our young people away in the criminal justice system, we make sure they have a chance to participate in the brighter future we all know is coming.

You can watch live (or archived) hearings here. 

Jeni Wilde
4/11/2009 

Students from Austin College

 The ReEnergize Texas Lobby Day was a huge success.  Students from across Texas, including from Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edwards, UTSA, UT Pan American, UT Austin, UT El Paso, University of Houston Downtown, A&M College Station, A&M Corpus Christi, and others.    Students who attended the summit, including 25 colleges and highschools,  are now back home and equipped with tools to take action, train leaders, and grow the movement to demand clean, efficient, smart energy for Texas. 

 Texas students are taking back their air, and demanding our elected representatives respect our health, our economy, and our future by ensuring a cleaner, smarter economy powered by ethical energy choices – not locking us into a dirty coal infrastructure for generations to come.

Students from UT Arlington

          We lobbied 75 legislative offices, and some students were even able to meet their representatives.  For students who couldn’t make the Lobby Day, we made photo & video petitions and delivered them to their Representatives.

 Students from A&M Consolidated  High school expressed their vision for Texas.

     ReEnergize Texas is back to the Capitol!  On Wednesday, I attended the House Environmental Regulation Committee hearing, while other members of ReEnergize Texas— From UT Austin and St. Edwards University – lobbied all nine of the offices of the Environmental Regulation Committee. 

I personally submitted a testimony against Representative Weber’s HB 4012 which would fast track the coal permitting process at the TCEQ by completely removing the democratic right of Texans to attend and give testimony at “contested case hearings”.  Essentially, Texans would be unable to comment on coal plants being built in their communities.  Fortunately for Texas, we found out on Wednesday when lobbying Environmental Regulation committee member offices that this bill will not pass because nobody seems to like it.

            We submitted legislative briefings to the offices, which included our positions on the following:

AGAINST             HB 4012:              Weber                        Environmental Regulation Cmte

This bill would fast track coal plants by removing “contested case hearings”, which are Texas citizens’ only opportunity to publicly testify on the environmental, health, economic, or legal impacts.   According to Tom “Smitty” Smith of Public Citizen, contested case hearings have significantly improved permit quality and lowered emissions due to demand for better standards.

FOR                       HB 4206:              Farabee                     Environmental Regulation Cmte

This bill is to ensure adequate water supplies are available for electric generating facilities.  It requires a water study be submitted to the TCEQ and regional water group showing sufficient water resources for any electric [coal plant] utility.

FOR                       HB 2588:              Burnam                     Environmental Regulation Cmte

TCEQ shall, in accordance with federal law, control air contaminants as necessary to protect against adverse effects related to climatic changes (global warming), Cumulative effects of multiple air contaminants on human health, acid deposition, and stratospheric changes (ozone depletion).

Next up? Check ‘”Texas Legislature 2009” under the Campaigns tab to get involved in next week’s action.

Patrick Meaney

            Yesterday was sunny day for ReEnergize Texas. All in all, it was a stellar episode, because we hit many bases and heard some interesting arguments while meeting with 15 different offices.  Jeff Guidry, an RTXer, UT Austin senior, led a team of 4 RTXers including myself to lobby several congressional offices for 3 important solar bills.  I found out that Texas actually has an emissions reduction program – TERP, run by the TCEQ.  Why haven’t we (Texans) heard about this? 

Jeff, James, Patrick

HB 278 / SB 427, by Rep. Anchia and Senator Shapiro: This bill calls for 2,000 MW of electricity by 2020 from “distributed renewable generation”.  Essentially, this means that the renewable generators, in this case solar panels, will be decentralized, that is, distributed.  It will provide homeowners and businesses with incentives and educational material to build integrated solar and geothermal in new homes and buildings.  The idea is to have photovoltaic panels on 500,000 rooftops.

HB1391 is authored by Strama, Miklos, Villarreal, Pena.  “An Act relating to the creation and authority of certain special districts to promote the use of renewable energy systems and energyefficiency improvements; authorizing the issuance of bonds.” It will allow local governments to create new “emission management districts” to provide funding for “non-attainment” area.

Local governments will create “emission management district” boards to conduct “emissions management projects” which are “renewable energy systems” or “energy efficiency improvements” programs.  It will allow these districts to apply for grants or other funding under the Texas emissions reduction plan.  TERP provides grants to assess emissions and create management target contracts to reduce energy consumption in governmental, residential and commercial buildings through installation and modification.  It will also promote energy and emissions education through the Texas emissions reduction plan.

 I called the TERP agency to find out more about it, and spoke with Mark Sims.  It was established in 2002.  TERP originally only operated in districts with extremely poor air quality, but this bill makes TERP funds available to more counties of the state who previously didn’t qualify.  

www.terpgrants.org/

In other news, we have a new lobbyist working with us, James Doyle, who I met recently through my Environmental Ethics course, and who also went to PowerShift 2009 in Washington DC (2/27/09-3/2/09).

We will be back in the Capitol next Wednesday.

Patrick Meaney

As I sit here coming down with a cold (probably from the germs at the Metro), I cannot do much except reflect on my experience at Powershift 09.  Powershift 09, the largest youth environmental conference, just concluded this past Monday in Washington, DC and was one of the single most empowering weekends of my life.

The weekend was full of educational trainings, informational panels, and inspiring keynote speeches.  However, what really struck me (and still does), is the massive number of young people (11,000) that showed up.

Photo: N. Leung

What I came away from the weekend with is that we really are in the middle of a movement…and a big one at that.  Sometimes when we are working with our groups on our campuses and in our communities, it can be hard to see outside of our own projects.  But it is important to remember and recognize that there are people all around the country, and the world, working to achieve the same ends that we are trying to achieve in our separate communities. 

And this is when I realized the profound importance of ReEnergize Texas.  Yes, I’ve known about ReEnergize Texas for a long time, but I never understood the function of ReEnergize Texas in the context of bringing people together and affecting change. Yes, we can sit in our separate corners and try to save the environment, but by coming together, we become so much larger and so much more powerful. When we come together, people listen to us and they hear our demands.  This is what happened at Powershift09, and this is what is happening with ReEnergize Texas.  By standing side by side with all youth from the state of Texas, we are proving to be a much larger force than our politicians and leaders give us credit for.  Also, by knowing our fellow activists, we are better able to organize and facilitate the flow of ideas and experiences, thus improving our campaigns and getting us better outcomes.

Van Jones at Powershift 09

However, even though there is all this talk of activists working together, Van Jones (who gave a fantastic speech at Powershift) so kindly reminds us that we are not a movement solely based on youth activism.  We are a movement of coal miners, union workers, mothers, and everyone else committed to the health and well-being of our planet. 

So, for all of you who were not able to attend Powershift09 (and those that were), I strongly urge you to come to the ReEnergize Texas summit and meet people from across the state.  I urge you to come and learn from them, share your ideas, and realize that you are an integral part of this movement.  Come expecting to be empowered, motivated, inspired and ReEnergized!

Jeni Wilde
3/05/09 

The TCEQ’s preliminary approval an urban petroleum coke energy facility has received heavy opposition. 

           Citizens of Corpus Christi and the Clean Economy Coalition, members of the Sierra Club, Public Citizen, ReEnergize Texas (myself), and gathered recently (2/14/09) to protest the prospect of an urban energy center, powered by petroleum-coke, a dirty fossil fuel with emissions similar to coal.  An estimated two hundred people marched down the ocean front, through the downtown and financial center of Corpus, to City Hall, carrying signs promoting clean energy and objecting to the poisonous emissions of the proposed pet-coke plant, which has preliminary approval from the TCEQ. 

The plant would be about 3-4 miles from downtown Corpus Christi, and would provide eighty to one hundred permanent jobs.  However, it would produce as much emissions as all of the refineries in Nueces County, while providing just 4% of the jobs in comparison (Refineries = 2,476 jobs). 

An estimated 200 people packed the City Hall, where a preliminary hearing was held to decide which citizens and  organizations would be allowed standing in order to formally challenge the Las Brisas permit application in court.  In attendance were Chase Energy, of Houston, the corporation behind Las Brisas, the TCEQ, and organizations such as Clean Economy Coalition, Sierra Club, Public Citizen Texas, local medical associations and local middle school students.  At least 40 people received standing in the case, including senior citizens breathing from oxygen masks, people with asthma, medical doctors, and business owners.  More people may gain standing over the next few months, with the next court date being August 3^rd – 14^th, in Corpus Christi.

 I will be filing documentation to receive standing in this case.  As it turns out, my extended family owns some of the closest property to site of the possible future plant – within about 1,500 feet.  This property is over one-hundred and fifty years old.  Perhaps even more remarkable is that this land has already been polluted: by Encycle, a subsidiary of ASARCO, which my friend and colleague Jeni Wilde wrote a blog on recently.

 Ironically, it gets worse.

  When I went up to Oleander Point at Cole Park for the protest, I saw a “No Dumping” sign.

  The following photo is taken from directly across the shipping channel, on the coast just behind the above Encycle factory (my extended  family’s property). 

  There are tons of this petroleum coke just lying around in piles… or should I say blowing around? 

I took some photos of it, just off the coast of my family’s land.  It’s a byproduct of petroleum refining, so it’s something Corpus has an abundance of.  However, we would not just be burning Corpus’ pet-coke; we would be importing it from all over the country and world to feed the furnace’s insatiable appetite.

There is absolutely no need for this plant — Visit Corpus on any day of the year, you’ll find that it is quite gusty.

 Texas has leased offshore tracts of land for wind development to Lousiana, 8 miles off the coast of Galveston, allowing them to capitalize on Texas’ massive wind capacity, while also investing in the Texas Permanent School Fund.

 There is a rush of companies seeking to get their coal (or other fossil fuel) plants permitted before the new EPA ruling takes place.  Last week, on February 17th, Lisa Jackson, the new EPA administrator, announced the EPA is reconsidering a decision by the Bush Administration not to regulate CO2 from new coal plants.  Ironically, this was the same day of the Las Brisas hearing.

For more information and news coverage of the Las Brisas plant, and (and others like it) please visit http://stopthecoalplant.org/lasbrisas.php

Patrick Meaney

2/25/09

A seven-year battle has finally come to a close, leaving citizens of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez breathing much more easily.  It gives me great pleasure to say that it was just announced that ASARCO’s copper smelter in El Paso will permanently shut down and be demolished.  The smelter has been closed since 2002 and the surrounding community has been fighting for the past seven years to keep it from opening again.

 Last year, the state of Texas gave ASARCO an operating permit so they could reopen, which prompted Sierra club and the “City of Juarez, the State of Chihuahua, and the Mexican federal government to write petitions, pass resolutions, and stage rallies and media events like ‘Faces Against ASARCO’ to demand U.S. government action.”  After a huge grassroots movement and public outcry about the environmental degradation of ASARCO’s plant, ASARCO is finally closing for good.

But, despite the long-standing grassroots movement to keep the plant from reopening, ASARCO stated that it was actually the economic recession and bankruptcy that kept them from reopening.  This was after they received a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that stated that ASARCO did not comply with equipment and air quality standards.  So, the work of community activists did nothing to influence TCEQ’s decision to rescind the permit they gave ASARCO’s to operate last year? Right….

 Obviously, ASARCO cannot own up to the fact that they would be involved in something that would negatively affect a community and the environment and wouldn’t dare credit activists for forcing them change their ways.  It is much easier to say that it is the “economy.”  We are not going to be in a recession forever, so I’m curious to see what reasons companies are going to give next for closing their plants…because they sure as hell aren’t ever going to admit that David could take down Goliath. 

 Perhaps even better news than the closing of the smelter is that is was accomplished by the joint effort of cross-border communities.  It would be easy for Mexico to say that since the plant is in the United States that they wouldn’t have to worry about it, but this proves that environmental justice knows no boundaries and that pollution doesn’t stop at the border.  I am impressed that so many communities were able to come together and present a united front to tackle such a big issue and be successful.  Our solidarity as environmentalists and people is necessary to make positive change in our world, and these communities set a pretty good example.

Jeni Wilde
2/19/09 

I was just reading It’s Getting Hot in Here and saw a video clip of Fox News’ Glenn Beck.  In this clip, he calls the youth of the environmental movement “Hitler Youth.”  After watching it, I feel as though I should be greatly outraged and offended at being compared to the “Hitler Youth” and being likened to Nazis.  I mean, it’s not like I was a part of the eradication of 6 million people, so I don’t really feel as though this comparison was rightly deserved.  I also find it completely mind-blowing that an entire movement, in which passionate youth voluntarily join, can in any way be compared to the brainwashing of kids under the Nazi Party.  However, the more I thought about Beck’s statements, the more excited I became.

 The fact that Mr. Beck has a whole segment about how the country should fear the youth environmental movement really gives credence to how successful we have been as activists.  I have gone from being slightly offended to being quite proud, knowing that my peers have become such a prominent force that they are becoming highlighted at the national level.  As an activist, if you aren’t being noticed, you aren’t doing your job.

 Not only are youth being talked about on the national level, there is international talk.  There was recently a blog post written in the UK stating that there is a huge US grassroots movement growing, and it is only getting larger.  People overseas are beginning to notice us? That’s a pretty big deal.

So, congratulations fellow youth activists! You have successfully garnered positive international attention and scared the opposition because of your efforts —exactly what you are supposed to be doing. 

Jeni Wilde
2/13/09 

There are a lot of new faces in the public sector these days, in Washington and in Texas. Many, nay, all environmentalists recently celebrated the inauguration of President Obama, and for good reason. With only a few weeks on office he has order Guantanamo Bay closed, pushed for a huge stimulus package which includes are large sum of money for green technologies and infrastructure (though the senate has added a large chunk of radioactive pork), and reached out on public airwaves to the disaffected Islamic nations who the United States has been at increasing odds with. Every email update I get from public interest groups has been a sigh of relief and an overflowing expression of joy. “We are winning!” they say, “but our work has truly just begun.”

And so has our work here at ReEnergize Texas, as the Texas Legislature is in its proverbial pupa stage of the 81st session it is worthy to note some of the changes that have happened and the changes that will happen. Yes, the latter refers to Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s bid to oust Rick Perry as Texas governor in the 2010 race. Though she has not officially announced a bid, at this point she doesn’t need to. Every major news outlet is posting articles with headlines like, “KBH hires campaign manager.” Unfortunately for environmental enthusiasts, her voting record in the senate looks like a high-five with Dubya. But in more optimistic news, the current change I mentioned is about the new Texas House Speaker, Joe Straus, who replaces Tom Craddick.

Joe Straus with family.

For those who may or may not know, Craddick was notorious for running the House like a dictator. From an article on elpasotimes.com, it was said, “Craddick reigned through fear … His multimillion-dollar campaign war chest loomed overhead as potential retribution to fund opponents to lawmakers who dared vote against Craddick’s interests.”

And this is precisely why as many legislators as public interest groups are celebrating the new reign of Joe Straus who “has promised to lead the chamber in a more fair and less partisan manner.” Straus is relatively new to the legislature but is a notably moderate Republican with a great amount of support from other centrists throughout the Texas Legislature, which bodes well for ReEnergize Texas’s legislative agenda.

As your premier, student coalition of environmental activists, ReEnergize Texas plans to be the voice for student interests and advocate for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green jobs in addition to its work for getting green fees on university campuses across Texas. But we couldn’t pursue any of these lofty, legislative goals without some devoted staff who are: Trevor Lovell, fearless director and ReEnergize Texas co-founder; Anna Pierce, an organizing veteran as well as ReEnergize Texas co-founder; Patrick Meaney, legislative intern and blogger extraordinaire; Jenifer Wilde, professional organizing intern and food connoisseur; and Jeff Guidry, fundraising intern and self-titled “trash artist.” For more info and some brilliant photos, check out our staff bios page on www.reenergizetexas.org/staff-bios. Cheers to a new year!

- Jeff Guidry

2/11/2009