The Providential Gardener

Climate Change ~ Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's Speech, October 13, 2011

On Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island spoke about the failure of the U.S. Senate to act on global warming pollution. In a 22-minute speech, he outlined the science, the history of polluter denial, and the moral necessity of action.

“As regards these laws of nature, because we can neither repeal nor influence them, we bear a duty, a duty of stewardship to see and respond to the facts that are before our faces according to nature’s laws,” Whitehouse concluded. “We are earning the scorn and condemnation of history.”

Global Warming Legislative Proposal in Congress

From Environment Rhode Island:

"There are times in history when nations or people reach a turning point. When opportunities or challenges present themselves - and they can't be ignored. Moments when decisive action is not only warranted, but becomes a moral obligation.

"As a country, we are at such a point when it comes to global warming. Will we continue to sit on the side lines and watch ice chunks the size of Florida melt away in less than a week's time? Will we wait for the next Katrina to hit the Gulf Coast? Or will we stand up and take bold and decisive action?

"This fall, for the first time in history, Congress will get serious about global warming. We have to join together to make sure that they get it right. We don't have time for half measures or weak action.

"Leaders in Congress have asked Senators Joseph Lieberman (Conn.) and John Warner (Va.), the chair and top-ranking Republican on the key subcommittee in Congress dealing with global warming, to draft a bill that will instantly become the centerpiece of the debate on global warming in Congress.  If
we're going to tackle global warming, the Lieberman-Warner bill needs to do what the best science says is needed to prevent the worst effects of global warming.

"Ask them to make their bill strong enough to meet the enormity of the challenge we face...."

Sincerely,

Matt Auten
Environment Rhode Island Advocate
MattA@environmentrhodeisland.org
http://www.environmentrhodeisland.org

If you are moved to act, you can sign Environment Rhode Island's petition, or contact our Rhode Island Senators Reed and Whitehouse.

The RIght Way Great Green Shoot Off Winner ~ 2007

The Apeiron Institute chose a winner from several short films submitted in the 2007 spring RIght Way Great Green Shoot Off. It's called VOICES, it's on You Tube, and it's about 3 minutes long. Short and Sweet. Hope you enjoy it.  

Rhode Island can be the first "Sustainable State" ~ Let's make this happen soon!

A quote from VOICES: " Sure, our state is small, but we're proud of it."

The International Dark-Sky Association ~ "Sort of a Nighttime Sierra Club"

When did you last sit on the porch and watch it get dark? It's hard to do, because it doesn't really get very dark around here. Check out the astronomy picture for the day, November 27, 2000, which is quite amazing.

If you haven't seen the New Yorker article, "The Dark Side," by David Owen (August 20, 2007, pp. 28-33), you may not realize what else you're not seeing. Cities, streets, highways, even country roads, and of course all the shopping malls scattered all over the landscape have more and more lights, and over the decades it has gradually become brighter and brighter at night, so that I wonder if there is any place in Rhode Island where we could see the Milky Way? Remember the Milky Way?

Cool Summer Neighborhood Challenge

The Rhode Island Chapter of the Sierra Club is sponsoring a "Cool Summer Neighborhood Challenge during the month of August:

Details:

Find out who will be the biggest cutter in Rhode Island. Recruit friends and neighbors in the Cool Summer Neighborhood Challenge to cut energy use during the month of August. Use our Cool Homes checklist to figure out ways that you can cut down on energy use and global warming pollution.

Bonus points go to individuals that choose to use mass transit or ride bicycles to get to work.

At the end of the month, we collect all the results and announce the winner at the Sierra Club and Beer event on September 6th.

Register for the Challenge at www.ri.sierraclub.org/volunteer.

Contact Information:

Sierra Club Rhode Island
Chris Wilhite, (401) 521-4734
chris.wilhite@sierraclub.org