B.E.A.M to host the 5th Annual Maine State Climate Summit

We love climate change conferences. In fact, the Bates Energy Action Movement was formed after attending a conference at Middlebury College on carbon neutrality. Last February we attended the 4th annual Maine state climate summit at the College of the Atlantic, and towards the end of the weekend we were all gathered in the dining hall after a long day of climate action, and Maura Cowley (northeast coordinator of the SSC) inquired as to who would be willing to host the conference the following year. Needless to say, we jumped at the opportunity (literally...just hopped up and down).
Well the time has come, and the organizing has begun. The conference will be held on the weekend of February 8-10 right here on the Bates College campus. And that's only 66 days away! Here's a quick description of what the conference is all about:

The summit, co-sponsored by the Sierra Student Coalition, is a three-day event that brings together students from every college and university in Maine to discuss and take action on issues pertaining to climate change, ranging from wind power to eco-art. It will be held on the Bates College campus in Lewiston.

Although the summit is concerned, primarily, with climate change in Maine, we also hope to address issues on a national and global scale. Our goal for the weekend is to provide the students of Maine and surrounding states with the knowledge base and resources they need to contribute, effectively, to the fight against global warming.

Fun! We have an organizing team set up that meets every Thursday at 8pm in the living room of Chase House (on Frye Street). Please feel free to join us if you feel at all inspired to contribute, have great ideas for the weekend, or just want to hear what we are up to. If you've got questions or suggestions about the conference, e-mail beam@bates.edu and we will do our best to address them. We strongly encourage everyone to get involved with the organizing of this amazing summit.

B.E.A.M blog makes a comeback

Hello everyone! After a long hiatus, The Bates Energy Action Movement's web log is back with a vengeance. I'd like to remind you all that this blog is intended to be interactive, so post your comments! If you are interested in becoming an author, you can e-mail me (mpickoff@bates.edu) or Jack Murphy (jmurphy3@bates.edu) for the username and password. From now on, all of B.E.A.M's campaigns, initiatives and adventures will be posted. Our hope is that this blog will help to encourage a dialog among students, and also serve as a publicity tool for B.E.A.M!

Is anyone interested in becoming the BLOG MASTER?? We'll need someone to make sure we keep this thing updated. Think about it and let us know at the next Sunday evening gathering (every Sunday evening at 6pm in the common area of Frye Street Union). Great!

President Hansen Commits Bates to Carbon Neutrality!

So there is a slight change of plans in our letter to President Hansen, as I alluded to yesterday, and this is because it was going to ask her to sign the American College and University President's Climate Commitment....but she has just signed it!!! And not only has she signed it, she is in the leadership circle! This means that she is commited to working towards climate neutrality beyond Bates, and going to her collegues at other schools and urging them to sign on. So this is really really great news. You can see the commitment, and list of signatories, at https://webmail.bates.edu/portal/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.presidentsclimatecommitment.org%2Fhtml%2Fcommitment.php.

She is on board! That means that together we can really make Bates a leader in the Climate movement! Let's get ready for the Maine Climate Summit next year and get her so sign to ask Maine and US government to Step It Up!

Kudos to E.T.H.!

Governor Corzine Steps It Up!

Governor Corzine has Stepped It Up! Let's try to get more Governors to do the same!

"TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed an Executive Order to adopt proactive and ambitious goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey . The order specifically calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, approximately a 20 percent reduction, followed by a further reduction of emissions to 80% below 2006 levels by 2050. New Jersey is one of the first states in the nation to adopt such aggressive goals.
“Today we have taken steps to preserve our planet for our children and grandchildren by adopting aggressive goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” Governor Corzine said. “In the absence of leadership on the federal level the burden has now fallen upon state executives and legislatures to lead the way on this issue and I’m proud that New Jersey is helping to blaze that trail.”
To reach this goal, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will work with the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and other stakeholders to evaluate methods to meet and exceed the 2020 target reductions. The DEP Commissioner will make specific recommendations to meet the targets while taking into account the economic benefits and costs of implementing these recommendations. This evaluation will be done in conjunction with the state’s Energy Master Plan, which will incorporate the new greenhouse gas reduction goal." From Governors Office Website

Maine Student to Join Together for "Step It Up 2007"

During the Maine Student Climate Summit held at College of the Atlantic this past weekend students from all the school represented agreed to join together to ask congress to Step It Up. On April 14 of this year there will be a national day of action with hundreds of events on that day where people will be demanding that Congress make a plan and commit to cutting GHG emissions 80% by 2050. The students of Maine plan to compose a join statement and have a large scale petitioning campaign targeting students, faculty, staff, presidents, departments, and clubs on Maine's college campuses. The plan is to have a public event with press in which the join statement and petitions is handing to policy makers of Maine, both state and national. If your would like to get involved or learn more about the campaign, please email jmurphy3@bates.edu and/or join the "Step It Up Maine" facebook group.

Live Teach-In on Climate Change via Web

This Tuesday, February 20 from noon-3:00pm, The New York Academy of Sciences will host the “2010 Imperative: Global Emergency Teach-In.” The teach-in on “global warming, climate change, and the built environment” will be broadcast live on the web at www.2010imperative.org. Speakers include James Hansen of NASA and environmental architect, Edward Mazria of Architecture 2030. The teach-in is intended to educate students, faculty, and practicing professionsals in the architecture, planning, and design communities and will be focused on ecological design in a world effected by global warming and climate change.
For more information go to www.2010imperative.org.

Maine Student Climate Conference at C.O.A.

Post Event Coverage

This weekend everyone is invited (and encouraged!) to attend the Maine Youth Climate Change Summit which is being held at the College of the Atlantic.We will be leaving Friday after classes and returning Sunday afternoon.Please email me if you are interested in attending.Heres the website: https://webmail.bates.edu/portal/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coa.edu%2Fhtml%2Fpressreleases_234.htmHeres what you have to look foward to:The conference will start off friday evening with keynote speaker Alison Drayton, a high official with the United Nations Development. Drayton was also a former negotiator for the United Nations climate treaty, Kyoto Protocol, Convention to Combat Desertification, and for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. Drayton will be speaking on the future of the Climate Convention and the Kyoto ProtocolThe focus of saturday morning will be on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, with a choice of workshops that includes a discussion of the possibilities of solar energy on Maine campuses, a biodiesel basics class and the views of a climate change skeptic.Saturday's mid-afternoon workshop focuses on a panel on science and technology with environmental engineer Robert Niven, who has been working on developing a cost-effective, environmentally-benign carbon capture and storage process, called CO2 Accelerated Concrete Curing.Sunday morning sessions will focus on organizing a network for Maine youth tackling climate change issues. The summit is sponsored by the Sierra Student Coalition and Planktos.This is guaranteed to be an incredibly informative and fun weekend! We encourage anyone who is interested to come.Love,The Bates Energy Action Movement

BRITISH TO SHOW 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' IN SCHOOLS

" As part of a year-long environmental education campaign to combat global warming, Al Gore's documentary will be sent to every secondary school in England, over 3,385 schools. As Education Secretary Alan Johnson explained, "Children are the key to changing society's long-term attitudes to the environment. Not only are they passionate about saving the planet, but children also have a big influence over their own families' lifestyles and behavior." stopglobalwarming.org email

Listserve!

We now have a Bates Listserve:
The details:what: beam@abacus.bates.edu
who: all of you, once you subscribe!
how: email majordomo@abacus.bates.edu, leave the subject blank, and in the body just write subscribe beam. if you don't get an email welcoming you to the list, email me for help.
why: because communication is the most important thing! (along with hugs and dancing of course...and climate neutrality)

Light Out for 5 Minutes-Feb 1, 1:55-2:00pm

The 1st of February 2007:

Participate in the biggest mobilization of Citizens Against Global Warming!

The Alliance for the Planet [a group of environmental associations] is
calling on all citizens to create 5 minutes of electrical rest for the
planet. http://www.lalliance.fr

People all over the world should turn off their lights and electrical
appliances on the 1st of February 2007, between 1.55 pm and 2.00 pm
in New York and Bogota, 18.55 for London, and 19.55 for Paris, Bruxelles,
East Africa and
Italy. 1.55pm in Ottawa, 10.55 am on the Pacific Coast of North
America, 1.55 and 2.00 am in Vietnam. If your country isn´t mentioned here,
figure out what time you should shut your electricity off based on what time
zone you´re in using London time as the base time.

This is not just about saving 5 minutes worth of electricity; this is
about getting the attention of the media, politicians, and ourselves.

Five minutes of electrical down time for the planet: this does not
take long, costs nothing, and will show all political leaders that
global warming is an issue that needs to come first and foremost in
political debate.

Why February 1? This is the day when the new UN report on global
climate change will come out in Paris.

This event affects us all, involves us all, and provides an occasion
to show how important an issue global warming is to us. If we all
participate, this action can have real media and political weight.


Please circulate this call to your utmost ability to your network.

An Inconvenient Truth & Discussion: Mon 01/29 8:30 pgill G21

Come watch "An Inconvenient Truth" and learn the facts about global climate change and how you can take direct action at Bates! Bring an knowledge you have about global climate change, carbon neutrality, Bates sustainability, ect.
See you there!

Winter Olympics!

The BEAM TEAM is starting the week early with the Bates College Outing Club Winter Olympics. The BEAM TEAM will be out enjoying the snow and promoting awareness that if we don't act now, there wont be many more winter Olympics!