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.

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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:

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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.

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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.

AntiTPP advocates to blockade US Trade Rep Monday morning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 15, 2015

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Kevin Zeese 301-996-6582, KBZeese@gmail.com

Evan Greer, 978-852-6457, press@fightforthefuture.org

TPP Protest in Washington, DC on Monday, November 16 to Blockade US Trade Rep

Kick Off of Campaign to Stop Unpopular Corporate Power Grab

WASHINGTON, DC – A coalition of 63 organizations will hold a series of spectacle actions at multiple sites in Washington, DC to escalate a campaign that will stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The events will begin on November 16th and go through November 18th.  See Call to Action for #FallRising to Stop TPP, TTIP, & TiSA.

The first event will be held at the US Trade Representative building on 17th Street, NW between F and G. It will begin at Farragut Square at 8 AM and then move to the US Trade Representative at 8:30 AM where activists plan to blockade the building in a protest focusing on “TPP Equals Betrayal.”  Opponents to the TPP will focus on how the TPP betrays healthcare, workers and unions, family farms and safe food, the future of our planet and the future of the Internet. 

To follow the protest on twitter follow #TPP, #StopTPP and for a live feed of the action visit @StopMotionsolo

Beginning at 4:30 PM, people will meet outside the US Chamber of Commerce near Lafayette Park for a march through the city. This march will feature luminary toilet paper roles.

The focus of the protests during the rest of the week will be the US Trade Representative, lobbyists for transnational corporations, the White House and Congress. Below is a schedule for the week.

Schedule for Fall Rising Protests Against the TPP

Monday, November 16

8AM – SHUT DOWN the USTR! March to US Trade Rep will begin at Farragut Square and march to US Trade Representative building at 600 17th NW.

4:30 pmMASS ACTION/MARCH for TRADE JUSTICE! Begins at the Chamber of Commerce 1615 H St., NW for Mass Action/March and Rally to stop the TPP.

Tuesday November 17

11 am – Begins at DuPont Circle for the World is Rising International Solidarity march up Embassy Row! Stops at embassies of countries who are part of the TPP.

5 pm – Hackathon at First Trinity Lutheran Church, 4th and E Sts., NW.  CLICK HERE to learn more about the Hackathon.

Wednesday, November 18

Morning – More actions to be announced.

12 pm – Petition delivery to Congress and possible press conference

Afternoon-Evening — Protest the Dominion Cove Point gas export terminal and refinery being constructed across the street from a residential community in Calvert County, MD. We will travel to the community to join We Are Cove Point and Calvert Citizens for a Healthy Community for no gas exports! Why? TPP and TTIP would increase the export of fracked gas from the US to Japan (TPP) and the EU (TTIP), making it harder to stop gas export (and fracking upstream).

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#StopTPP #NoTPP #KillTPP #FlushTheTPP #FloodtheSystem

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