Summer heat: On the Streets in DC and Philly

In case you missed it, during a record breaking heat wave on the east coast, Beyond Extreme Energy was heating up the streets of our nation’s capitol and the City of Brotherly love with a series of actions challenging polluters and politicians over fracked gas, eminent domain and more. Below is a re-cap of the last few weeks’ worth of work – including video, press clips and more.

But first, a message from our sponsors – you! BXE is at a critical juncture this summer. We’ve raised money in the past to support specific actions and events – the vast majority of it donated in small, individual contributions by people like you. We’ve also been able to secure some limited funding from foundations to underwrite our 2 traveling staff Lee and Jimmy and directly fund some of the front line communities we work in partnership with.

But our existing funds will be exhausted by the end of the summer or early fall. To keep fighting, and putting on even more events like the ones below – we need your help. Please, can you chip in $15, $25, or $100 to keep BXE fighting through the fall and far into the future?

Now, back to our previously scheduled re-cap:

On July 21, dozens of BXE-ers met up with friends from Greenpeace and Environmental Action to pressure the DNC to stand on the side of people and the planet instead of the fracked-gas industry. Activists visited the Congressional office of then-DNC-Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz, and then blockaded the doors at the Democratic National Committee office for nearly three hours. Read more about it here, and see and hear coverage from local media below.

Next it was off to Philadelphia for big conferences, rallies and the Epic, 10,000 Person March for a Clean Energy Revolution — all during a sweltering, 100+ degree heat wave.

You can see a recap of the Summit for a Clean Energy Revolution and PowerShift Philadelphia in Environmental Action’s blog, and a short Recap of the massive Sunday march below. Check out the amazing in-frack-structure banners painted and designed by our friends Kim and Seth (with lots of help from Ellen and other BXE friends)!

But it didn’t stop when the DNC started either! BXE staffer Jimmy Betts was in Philly all week, working with the Democracy Spring team and others to organize creative, non-violent direct action protests to the DNC’s position on fracking, fossil fuels and money in politics. One of the most dramatic events came when environmental activists, Indigenous youth, and other concerned citizens disrupted a Politico event sponsored the American Petroleum Institute, the leading American trade group of the fossil fuel industry. The event, “Energy and the Election at the DNC”, featured prominent Democratic lawmakers and energy advisors including, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA), Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Ed Rendell, former PA Gov., Trevor Houser, Hillary For America Energy Policy Advisor, and Heather Zichal, former Obama climate official.

And even after the convention, Beyond Extreme Energy can’t stop and won’t stop fighting for climate justice. Volunteers and staff are on their way to Florida to support a pipeline-stopping conference there. We’re making our first organizational donations through the Frontline Community Support Fund we established to raise funds for frontline communities from the Gulf Coast to the Canadian Border (and beyond)  that are carrying out creative actions to keep fossil fuels and extreme energy in the ground.

But we’re seriously in danger of having to stop our plans mid-motion if we can’t raise an additional $5,000 this summer. And that’s why we’re asking for your help. If you click the link now, we’ll ask you to pledge to support BXE’s organizing work this fall. You will not be charged right away – only if enough people pledge will the campaign “tip” and our collective funds donated to BXE.

Note: Donations made through the Tilt platform are not tax deductible, but if you prefer, you can send a donation to our new fiscal sponsor by mail:

Make Check out to “Earthworks” and write “Beyond Extreme Energy” in the memo line.

Send to
Earthworks
1612 K St., NW
Suite 808
Washington, D.C.
20006

Earthworks is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. EIN/Tax ID #52-1557765.