Category: Climate

The Climate Champions We Need in Washington

ClimateDemocracyNews & Opinion

Post author By fwwaction
Post date June 30, 2022

As Election Day moves closer, Food & Water Action is fighting to elect climate champions. We understand the anxiety surrounding the midterms and the importance of protecting the Democratic majorities in Congress. So we’re mobilizing support for candidates who share our vision and will fight for safe food, clean water and a liveable climate for all of us.

Here are the candidates Food & Water Action endorses in 2022.

Summer Lee

(Pennsylvania’s 12th District – Primary winner)

“The people in our community have been fighting back against fossil fuel corporations’ fracking proposals for decades, and I am proud to continue to stand with them.”

Food & Water Action volunteers sent thousands of handwritten letters and made thousands of phone calls to drive voter turnout for Summer Lee. She faced millions of dollars in attack ads from corporate SuperPACs. Ultimately, she won her primary by a margin of 978 votes – every letter and call mattered.

With a history in community organizing, Lee knows how to mobilize supporters and push for real change on the ground. She led the charge against a fracking well in her community and has made her stance clear — fossil fuel drilling has no place in PA. Lee’s election will be a huge victory in a state that has seen uncontrolled fracking and drilling for a decade.

Jamie McLeod-Skinner

(Oregon’s 5th District – Primary winner)

“I am running because we are in a time of crisis for our environment, our families, and our democracy.”

Food & Water Action had another major primary victory in Oregon’s 5th District. Jamie McLeod-Skinner, an outspoken advocate on climate and racial justice, defeated an entrenched incumbent who valued Big Pharma donors more than the needs of people and the planet. She won without taking a single cent in corporate money.

A former union member with working-class roots, McLeod-Skinner will be a progressive voice championing policies that put climate, justice and families first. Her race in November will be a nail-biter. Food & Water Action supports her unwaveringly as she runs against a Republican peddling Trump’s anti-democracy conspiracies.

Maxwell Alejandro Frost

(Florida’s 10th District – Primary on August 28)

“If there is a future, it is a green future. We cannot hesitate and we cannot let big oil, big business, and the 1% decide our fates for us.”

Sending Maxwell Alejandro Frost to Congress won’t just win another vote for climate action; it will send a movement-builder to Washington. A staunch supporter of the Green New Deal, he’ll crack down on corporate polluters so that everyone has access to clean water and air and healthy food.

Along with Food & Water Action, Frost is supported by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, six members of Congress and several progressive advocacy groups.

Representative Andy Levin

(Michigan’s 11th District – Primary on 8/2)

“Saving our one, precious Earth is a moral imperative, but it’s also an economic opportunity. I’m an original cosponsor of the Green New Deal, which would create millions of good jobs while solving the climate crisis…”

Andy Levin is a proven champion for the environment. He has fought his entire career against corporations that have endangered our communities and our planet. This year, he’s running in a newly-drawn district against a more conservative colleague in a rare incumbent-on-incumbent race.

Levin, an original co-sponsor of the WATER Act and the Green New Deal, has led on key legislation including the BUILD Green Act, Buy Green Act and the EV Freedom Act. He wrote and passed the PFAS Safe Disposal Act to keep toxic forever chemicals out of the air. He’s also fighting to shut down Line 5, a dangerous pipeline that cuts across 645 miles of Michigan.

Representative Jamaal Bowman

(New York’s 16th District – Primary on August 23)

“The scale, scope and urgency of [climate change] surpasses anything we have faced in generations, and the Green New Deal is the only solution that matches our current crisis.”

Rep. Jamaal Bowman is running to keep his seat in New York’s 16th District. In 2020, he won a longshot victory against a 16-term, old-guard Democrat in one of the biggest political upsets in favor of the progressive movement.

He became a proud member of the “Squad” as he advanced the progressive agenda, championing education equity, voting rights, environmental justice and the Green New Deal. While in office, he introduced the Ending Corporate Greed Act, led by Senators Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey, calling out corporations for price gouging while the American people are getting squeezed. He’s fighting to transition this country to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030.

David Segal

(Rhode Island’s 2nd District – Primary on September 13)

“Protecting and improving the environment has long been a priority of mine … I called for a Green New Deal in 2010, and I’m calling for the same thing today.”

Throughout his career, David Segal has fought corporate greed. In 2003, he was the first Green Party candidate to win office in Rhode Island as Providence City Council member. Since then, he’s pushed for expansive investments in renewable energy to transition off fossil fuels.

In 2022, Segal is the only candidate running in Rhode Island who has taken the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge and he’s the only Green New Deal champion running in his district. Together with Food & Water Action, he’s backed by Senator Bernie Sanders’ political group, Our Revolution, and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Your Help Can Change The Outcomes Of These Races

As the climate crisis grows more dire, we need bold policies now. These candidates fight with hope and passion for the future we all want to see, not only for us, but for future generations.

Give today to help these climate champions fight for a seat in Washington!

Every dollar donated helps to preserve our future.

donate now!

How We’re Changing The Game On Climate From Inside NY’s Assembly

ClimateDemocracyNews & Opinion

Post author By fwwaction
Post date June 30, 2022

by Santosh Nandabalan

Eight years ago, New York banned fracking — yet the state is still stalling measures to end its addiction to fracked gas. Despite the Democratic supermajority in our State Senate and Assembly, New York has repeatedly ignored the bills needed to meet state renewable energy goals. It is not mandating all-electric buildings, building public renewable energy or funding a just transition to a clean energy economy. Instead, year after year, our state government sides with real estate developers, private utilities and the fossil fuel industry.

NY State Assembly Blocks Climate Action

This year, the real obstacle to climate action was the New York State Assembly. For example, the All-Electric Building Act would have moved new buildings off dirty fossil fuels. Additionally, the Build Public Renewables Act would ramp up our renewable energy capacity. These bills are crucial to enforce our state’s climate law and make a dent in the oncoming climate crisis. The bills gained momentum and support in the State legislature, but failed to pass in the Assembly. Despite plenty of support from the public and from elected officials, neither bill reached Governor Hochul’s desk for signature.

As a result of this continued inaction, New Yorkers will suffer more pollution and face greater climate change risks. And it’s all because Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie refused to bring these bills to the floor for a vote. If our assembly members couldn’t get these bills passed this year, it’s not because they aren’t hearing from us — it’s because they’re not listening.

Climate Can’t Wait And Neither Can Our Legislators

This past year, Food & Water Watch built support for climate bills by lobbying elected officials to co-sponsor them. We targeted key leaders, like Governor Hochul, through mass constituent calls and repeated rallies outside offices and at public events. When New York prepared to finalize its annual budget, we had Senate and Governor support for the All-Electric Building Act’s goals. However, the Assembly stood in the way of passing it. The same goes for the Build Public Renewables Act — though it passed the Senate, the Assembly refused to touch it.

It became clear that so long as the same business-as-usual politicians had power in the Assembly, we could not win the bills we needed. Entrenched assembly members like Kevin Cahill in the Hudson Valley dodged meetings with us. He refused to stand up for these bills while delivering empty rhetoric on climate change. But his constituents weren’t having any of it.

When this year’s legislative session ended, we were ready to pivot. For months, we prepared to replace the dead weight in Albany with real climate activists. If we could get another one of us into office, they could organize from within the Assembly to ensure that climate bills pass.

When Our Politicians Can’t Get The Job Done, We Elect New Ones

This is where Food & Water Action’s electoral work comes into play. By endorsing and joining statewide campaigns to elect climate champions, we can uplift new candidates. We get out the vote, canvas door-to-door, phone bank and more.

In the Hudson Valley, climate activists Sarahana Shrestha and Vanessa Agudelo led the successful fight against the Danskammer fracked gas plant. Both advocated for Public Power and a Gas-Free New York on the campaign trail. In New York City, Illapa Sairitupac, a longtime activist fighting fossil fuel infrastructure, ran to do the same. The cards were stacked against all three candidates. They challenged both well-funded, Democratic establishment picks and right-wing interests that spent enormous sums of money on false smear campaigns.

In the waning months of the legislative session, current assembly members dithered and delayed climate action bills. Meanwhile, Food & Water Action joined these candidates’ campaigns to get them into office — one door, one phone call and one conversation at a time.

A Big Win For Climate In The Hudson Valley

Once the dust had settled on election night, a lot of status quo Democrats trotted easily into office again. The climate movement, however, was hyper-focused on the New York Assembly. We knew we had to show Speaker Carl Heastie there were consequences for climate inaction and get another fighter on our side in Albany. Of our three endorsed candidates, Shrestha emerged victorious. She toppled sitting assembly member Kevin Cahill, a 26-year incumbent backed by corporate interests and the Democratic Party machine. And perhaps more importantly, she won a district with significant rural areas that hadn’t seen strong climate leadership until now.

With Shrestha’s victory in the Hudson Valley, we can win tangible, concrete climate measures this upcoming session. That includes the vital Build Public Renewables and All-Electric Building Acts. But these bills are just the beginning. We must keep electing the right people who will get the job done for New Yorkers and all of us nationwide.

Many large environmental groups don’t do this kind of electoral work, especially during the primaries. But to win a clean energy future, we need to reach out to more voters, primary more status-quo candidates and demand real climate action, now. Food & Water Action will continue the fight to move off fossil fuels. We will always work to elect politicians who will meet this moment and organize for the future we deserve.

Next up: the general election.

To build this momentum in the midterms, we need your support.

donate now!

Tags climate activists, midterm elections, New York, new york primaries, new york state assembly

Carbon Pipelines Promise Midterm Battleground

ClimateNews & Opinion

Post author By pgalt
Post date June 30, 2022

by Phoebe Galt and Emma Schmit

If Iowa’s 2022 General Assembly did anything well, it was ignoring the interests of Iowans. Division marred this year’s legislative session — between parties, between chambers, between elected officials and their constituents. Governing has given way to petty drama. While legislators squabble, the people of Iowa lose.

A key issue elevated during the session was the use of eminent domain for three hazardous carbon pipelines. Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator CO₂ Ventures and Wolf Carbon Solutions have each proposed carbon capture projects through Iowa. Their schemes are ludicrous and dangerous. Each company plans to convert the polluting carbon dioxide emitted from ethanol facilities into hazardous liquefied CO₂. Then, they plan to transport that CO₂ via a network of high-pressure pipelines, across thousands of miles and five state lines. Why? To make a quick buck off the plentiful federal subsidies available for these projects.

Any one of these projects would be the largest carbon pipeline ever built. Each is a fool’s errand. Altogether, they would span nearly 2,000 miles across Iowa, posing serious risks to our land, our livelihoods and our future.

Carbon Pipeline Opposition Reaches Fever Pitch

On the ground, Iowans have united against these pipeline scams and the threat of eminent domain to build them. Earlier this year, more than 150 people flooded the Capitol Rotunda in Des Moines demanding that lawmakers stop eminent domain for these projects. Opposition has crossed parties, geography, class and more to form a strong, passionate coalition devoted to stopping any carbon pipeline. Recent Food & Water Action polling conducted by Change Research confirms this. We found that 80% of Iowans oppose the use of eminent domain for the proposed pipeline projects. Additionally, 73% are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the pipelines. These voters cut evenly across the political spectrum, indicating that this will be a decisive electoral issue.

The movement to stop these pipelines is reaching a fever pitch; and the silence of Iowa’s leaders is deafening.

Iowans Refuse to Fund Dangerous Pipelines

Our state has opened its arms to corporate control for too long. The carbon pipelines may very well break the camel’s back. We might be “Iowa Nice,” but we will not be railroaded. We deserve better than to carry the risks for Wall Street’s reward; and the risks are many. They include:

the seizure and degradation of our farmland,
increased human trafficking rates associated with itinerant workers,
asphyxiation or long-term brain damage should a pipeline rupture,
and billions of wasted taxpayer dollars.

These pipeline corporations expect Iowans to not only accept these risks, but to fund them with our land and our tax dollars. But we aren’t having it. In spite of dishonest, unscrupulous harassment tactics, Iowans are refusing to sign over their land to these greedy corporations. We have much better ideas about where our tax dollars can go. Instead of pouring more than $20 billion into these pipelines, why not invest in our communities? Iowa’s infrastructure is failing, social safety nets are being slashed, schools are consolidating and our emergency services rely on volunteers. We clearly have better uses for our public money than to line billionaire’s pockets.

Midterm Elections Offer Promise Against Pipelines

Iowans have made our demand clear: Stop the proposed carbon pipeline scams. The pipelines have faced immense pushback from local governments, landowners, schools, community organizations and activists. Despite this, few of Iowa’s elected officials have taken meaningful action to address the concerns of their constituents.

With the close of the 2022 General Assembly session, we look ahead to the midterms. It’s time our elected officials remember that our votes must be earned. Iowans deserve leaders that will fight for us, not cower to corporate interests. When we vote this fall, we vote for our land and our lives. Elected officials must know — we will not be sold out.

In June, the Iowa Democratic Party unanimously ratified a grassroots-led platform, becoming the first state party to formally oppose carbon capture. Now, more than half a dozen midterm candidates are running campaigns on anti-pipeline platforms. Grassroots Democrats and Iowa voters alike want action from state elected officials to stop these carbon pipelines. With our votes this fall, we’ll ensure that not a single project breaks ground.

Help us elect leaders who’ll keep pipelines out of Iowa!

Donate here

Tags carbon capture, carbon pipelines, ccs, iowa

National Environmental Group Endorses David Segal for Congress

ClimatePress

Post author By phart
Post date June 27, 2022

The national environmental advocacy group Food & Water Action is endorsing former State Representative David Segal in his run for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District.

Food & Water Action Political Director Sam Bernhardt issued the following statement:

“David Segal has the track record, the depth of knowledge, and the passion needed to be a climate leader in Congress. As a Providence Council Member and Rhode Island State Representative, David has fought for Renewable Portfolio Standards and stood against fossil fuel infrastructure. We look forward to working with him to pass ambitious climate legislation in Congress.”

Food & Water Action, the political and lobbying arm of the national advocacy group Food & Water Watch, mobilizes people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities and democracy from the destructive power of powerful economic interests.

Pandemic Profiteering: How Corporations Are Capitalizing on the Crisis

ClimateFoodNews & Opinion

Post author By phart
Post date June 23, 2022

by Peter Hart and Mia DiFelice

From the beginning of the COVID crisis, corporate oligarchs manipulated markets to maximize profits. The giants that control the meat industry stoked bogus fears of a shortage to jack up prices on consumers — with lies so egregious that we filed suit against one of the worst offenders, pork giant Smithfield.

Of course, the problems mounted. Inflation spiked across the economy. Shops swung between long waits and huge shortages. Big companies blamed supply chain shocks and increasing production costs, which were certainly part of it.

But when a handful of corporations control markets, they can essentially name their price — and shovel obscene profits to CEOs and Wall Street speculators.

Oil Companies Are Winning

The squeeze on working families intensified with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly, global dependence on fossil fuels reached a breaking point. U.S. gasoline prices soared while gas supplies to Europe plunged into chaos.

In response, politicians and their media enablers demanded a dramatic increase in fracking. But energy giants quietly rebuffed these drilling demands. Not for any new concern for the environment — but rather because they are pulling in billions in record profits. Twisted market logic meant that limiting supply would pay off for their Wall Street investors.

From January to March this year, CEOs of eight fossil fuel corporations saw their share values grow by nearly $100 million. Windfall profits have not resulted in lower prices or better conditions for workers. Instead, these CEOs sold their shares for millions of personal profit.

The horror in Ukraine has created a new global energy crisis. Unfortunately, too many political leaders are clinging to the wrong solution. They want to “fix” a fossil fuel crisis by pushing more fossil fuels. That political support has given frackers a license to spring for long-term gas export terminals. American company EQT even called their mega-polluting gas export scheme “the Largest Green Initiative On the Planet.”

As a result, 25 new LNG projects are currently underway in our country. Fossil fuel companies are not only profiteering from today’s misery — they’re locking us into decades of pollution and emissions. We can’t let this continue. The International Energy Agency warned just last year that fossil fuel production must stop growing immediately if we’re to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Cornering The Market At The Supermarket

At the start of the pandemic, broadcasts and news feeds were fixated on one recurring image: empty grocery store shelves. Periodic shortages kept some consumers on our toes, while many were simply forced to go without.

As with oil and gas, we face giant corporations that would rather gobble profits than prioritize the needs of families. Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve seen the cost of meat rise while small farmers’ and ranchers’ profits fell. While COVID ran rampant, we saw corporations limit hazard pay for workers, while investing in stock buybacks to line the pockets of executives.

The meat industry is one of the core players in this problem. A mere four corporations process 85% of all beef and 70% of pork in the U.S. This extreme concentration gives these companies the power to control supply chains, prices and wages. Experts suspect they’re using inflation and supply chain problems as a cover to boost profits. In fact, net profit margins for those top four companies are up over 300%.

Plus, lean supply chains in any industry are dangerous for crises. With one disaster, a few broken links send huge ripples throughout a system without the backups and resilience to recover. For example, a COVID outbreak in a single Smithfield hog plant took out 5 percent of the nation’s hog processing capacity.

Corporations Are Selling Us Misery

It’s never been clearer: When the essentials for life itself are controlled by corporate cartels, the future of our communities, our families and our planet are at their mercy. For decades, corporate America has told us that bigger is better, that consolidation would lower prices and eliminate inefficiencies.

We know this is a lie.

The latest heartbreaking example: the wealthiest nation on Earth is running out of baby formula because of problems at a single factory, thanks to a market controlled by four corporations.

At Food & Water Action, we know that these problems have solutions. That’s why we’re fighting to break up the grocery cartels and stop corporate water profiteers. It’s why we’re demanding an end to the polluting factory farms that harm communities and farmers. Why we fight on the ground across the country to stop the fossil fuel projects driving the climate emergency. In an era of compounding crises, we must fight to transform the present and protect the future.

We can’t fight Corporate America without you.