Democratizing the Grid: New Citizen Initiatives Challenge Monopoly Electric Utilities
Many Americans have grown concerned about the monopoly power that Big Tech corporations wield. But few people realize that the problem of concentrated private power also infects the electricity sector. In most regions, electricity is controlled by a single investor-owned utility with a government-granted monopoly. Across the country, powerful utilities are actively blocking decentralized solar energy, degrading the reliability of the power lines even as they raise prices, and failing to make the grid investments needed for a clean, carbon-free future.
Join the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for an inspiring conversation with advocates who are taking on electric utility monopolies with the aim of accelerating the shift to clean energy and winning democratic community control.
Oversight of the Smithsonian Institution: Protecting Smithsonian Facilities and Collections Against Climate Change
- “Saving History With Sandbags: Climate Change Threatens the Smithsonian” – New York Times
- “Smithsonian says its treasures are threatened by floods, storms, and climate change – as Congress hears more alarms” – WUSA9
- Nancy J. Bechtol, Facilities Director, The Smithsonian Institution
- Cathy Helm, Inspector General, The Smithsonian Institution
- Phetmano Phannavong, Senior Project Manager, Atkins North America
ABC News and Climate Emergency: A Public Forum
The climate emergency is here. Has ABC News been reporting like it?
For years, the country’s most-watched TV news outlet stayed mostly silent on climate change. And when it did break its silence, it ran lackluster, incomplete coverage.
However, ABC News recently created a dedicated climate unit and committed to tell a variety of climate stories this November as COP26 got underway. Has it been enough to undo the ignorance and confusion caused by its past silence? Is ABC News now treating the climate crisis like the biggest national and global emergency of our times?
Join our virtual public forum for a discussion on ABC News’ climate coverage. We will dive into what is needed from media organizations at the 11th hour of this climate emergency, and how we can push organizations to report on climate with more accountability, with our featured panelists:
- David Fenton, founder of Fenton: The Social Change Agency (one of the country’s leading progressive communications firms)
- Hanna E. Morris, PhD, researcher of media, culture, and the climate crisis and current postdoctoral fellow at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
- Ben Franta, PhD, JD, researcher of climate accountability and current PhD student at Stanford
- Amy Westervelt, founder and executive producer of the Critical Frequency podcast network and the Drilled podcast, and co-host/co-author of the Hot Take podcast and newsletter
We have also invited executives and producers from ABC News and Disney (ABC News’ parent company) to our speaker line-up. We hope that they can join us and present their perspectives and plans on climate coverage.
Fossil Fuel Industry Deception — Historical and Ongoing
Fossil fuel companies learned over 50 years ago that burning fossil fuels would lead to climate change, and were soon predicting “globally catastrophic effects.” Company executives recognized that addressing climate change could require burning fewer fossil fuels — making climate action a threat to industry profits. In order to protect their bottom line, oil and gas companies masterminded a decades-long, multi-million dollar climate denial, disinformation, and deception campaign that stopped climate policy in its tracks. Join leading experts in the field of climate accountability for a deep dive into the documentation of Big Oil’s deception (from past to present). Learn how the fossil fuel industry fits into the larger picture of modern-day corporate deception and how local communities (and U.S. Congress) are using this evidence to hold the industry accountable.
Launch Event
Third Act is a new way for people over 60 — “experienced Americans” — to bring their unique skills and resources to bear on the most pressing issues of our time. We invite you to join our upcoming launch event to learn how you can be a part of our movement.
You’ll hear from Third Act Founder Bill McKibben, Lead Advisor Akaya Windwood, and a lineup of visionary elders, experienced organizers, and frontline changemakers as we launch a new way to see your Third Act.
We Don't Have Time U.S. Launch
We Don’t Have Time is the name of the world’s largest review platform for climate solutions, and it is now launching in the United States on Thursday, December 2.
RSVP.
1:45 PM EST — Introduction- Sweta Chakraborty, President of US Operations, We Don’t Have Time
- David Livingston, Senior Advisor to the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry
- Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder & CEO, We Don’t Have Time
- Alexandria Villaseñor (moderator), Founder, Earth Uprising
- Ebony Martin, Co-executive Director, Greenpeace USA
- Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President & CEO of the Hip-Hop Caucus
- Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization, National Wildlife Federation
- Tim Kelly, Executive Director, Earth HQ
- Boaz Paldi, Global Partnership & Engagement Manager, UNDP
- Dr. Sweta Chakraborty (moderator), President of US Operations, We Don’t Have Time
- Boaz Paldi, Global Partnership & Engagement Manager, UNDP
- Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, Executive Chairman, PVBLIC Foundation
- Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder & CEO, We Don’t Have Time
3:20 PM EST — Media Interlude
3:30 PM EST — The Role of Business- Joe Romm (moderator), Founder of Front Page Live
- Avi Garbow, Environmental Advocate, Patagonia
- Adheer Bahulkar, Managing Director, NA Supply Chain, Accenture
- Marcus Lovell Smith, Founder & CEO, Neutral
- John Podesta, Former White House Chief of Staff to President Clinton, Counselor to President Obama, and Founder of the Center for American Progress
4:15 PM EST — Media Interlude
4:25 PM EST — The Role of Governments- Nancy Colleton (Moderator), President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
- Sherri Goodman, Secretary General IMCCS Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. State Department
5:00 PM EST — Summary & End of Broadcast
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Youth-Led Action
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: We need real solutions
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Climate chaos is happening now
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.
People Vs. Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis
President Biden has a choice to make: Will he side with the people or a handful of fossil fuel executives? It’s a test with results that will determine the future of our planet and the wellbeing of future generations that will inhabit it. We are putting our bodies on the line to ensure President Biden passes this crucial test.
As we face the worsening climate emergency, frontline communities have been fighting the fossil fuel projects which threaten their health and homes for generations. While our government has largely ignored their demands, climate chaos has intensified across the globe. The Glasgow UN climate summit in November is the “last, best chance” for our government to change course and ensure a just, renewable energy future for all of us.
From October 11-15, we will gather in DC for the largest civil disobedience action in decades, demanding President Biden use his executive authority to hasten the end of the era of fossil fuels.
This is not a single “day of action”, but instead a wave of action from October 11th – 15th that will involve civil disobedience to put sustained pressure and a bigger spotlight on our demands. If that involves risking arrest, we are prepared and willing to take that risk and deal with the consequences. We believe that the risks of inaction are far greater than the risks of taking action.
All components of the actions — trainings the night before and the start of the actions themselves — will be at McPherson Square in downtown DC. The McPherson Square Metro station is on the orange, blue, and silver lines; Farragut North (red line) is also very close by.