Mike Tidwell is a changed man. Once one of the nation’s top travel authors (In the Mountains of Heaven), he now might be one of the more innovative climate activists in the nation.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Tidwell was happily traipsing the world. Actively negotiating a book contract on hitchhiking in Sicily, he opened the Third International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report. And, his life changed. No more backpacking travelogues, but staring his four-year old in his face, activism to change the world’s path on global warming.
Today's event: TEN SECRETS TO BETTER CLIMATE ORGANIZING. The session was designed to share six years of learning and lessons as to climate activism, practical real steps to move from awareness to action.
Tidwell, not surprisingly, is an eloquent and powerful speaker. His opening talk was about how the Climate Crisis is not fair. Not crying over spilt milk, he thanked activists for working on this, being at a training session when we could be off playing with our children, just as he chose to abandon his "perfect life". (Later in the day, Tidwell emphasized for activism the importance of saying thank you and giving praise to motivate volunteers ... from the opening moments of his talk, he showed that he lives this advice.)
He acknowledged a core truth when it comes, potentially to all activists, but certainly Global Warming activists: frustration. "Why can’t other people see what we see?"
A changed zeitgeist?
Now, there has been tremendous change in recent years. According to Bill McKibben, the zeitgeist change occurred for two reasons:
• Katrina opened the door;
• Al Gore walked through it.
But "awareness is not enough, awareness is not action." There is raised awareness, but the revolution has not occurred.
And, that revolution will not be dependent on personal, individual action. We must change policy, we must change laws
Forget the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs ...
Tidwell raged against the "Global Warming is horrible and solve it by changing a lightbulb" strategy. He argues that the message should be: Huge Problem requires Huge Solution. Critical to all is delivering a pathway to real, physical action. To identify and provide a clear vision of the "clean energy world that is coming." If you want people to change, then need to provide people an alternative, they must see a path that is walkable, to see how they can get there from here. (Hmm ... this seems to be reflective of Energize America ...)
From your home to the Globe
Reflective of Tidwell’s situation, when he became an activist in 2001, he struggled to find "what to do", he couldn’t find an easy ‘on-ramp’ into climate activism. He set his own path, ‘fighting global warming one house at a time’ by greening his own home, and then beginning to hold open houses, each one enabling him to build his network. (If you are near Takoma Park, MD, Mike’s next Clean Energy Open House chez Tidwell: 22 July 2007.)
Come see solar panels! View electric, biodiesel, and hybrid cars firsthand! Eat solar-baked cookies and barbequed veggie burgers from a grill that burns corn kernels! Learn how to landscape your yard with native plants! Buy wind power certificates and energy-saving light bulbs! Test drive a tofu-powered lawn mower! And more!
If I understand it correctly, this will be his 44th open house since October 2001, one of his paths toward an active list of over 15,000 people ready to jump in the Cheasapeake Bay in January or dump coal on the Capitol Hill lawn or get arrested at a coal plant to bring press attention to the critical issues CCAN is working to achieve.
The day's training
What were the mini-workshops within the day?
• Local messaging, local fundraising, and emailing your way to success
• Building a Big Climate Coalition and Putting It to use in Key Legislative Campaigns
• Media Outreach and Creative Grassroots Tactics
• Volunteer Recruitment and Management. And Mike’s solar house
• Step by step: How to speak to politicians and plan a town hall meeting
A small sample: Local Messaging
Tidwell emphasized that talking about Global Warming in a Global Context does not get people to action. There is a critical requirement to communicate in terms that relate to people's lives. Not the polar ice caps, but people's backyards.
As per "Just no normal weather anymore. Anywhere.", Mike Tidwell urges us all to communicate in terms of local impacts. Did you know that Maryland's Eastern Shore's acquifer is shallow and that just two feet of ocean rise will make this brackish and, in essence, eliminate the agricultural production on the shore? I didn't. That Maryland, with its 3000+ miles of shoreline, is identified as the third most vulnerable state in the United States to Global Warming? I didn't. Or, that a century ago, the geographic center of maple syrup production was in Western Maryland and is now in New England (and moving into Canada)? I didn't. Or that Virginia could lose 80 percent of its wetlands? I didn't. I didn't know these. I know there is much more that I don't know. And, I am an activist in the area, a trainee of The Climate Project giving global warming presentations in the area.
Unknown unknowns ... hmmm, somewhere seem to have heard that phrase. Useful to have a reminder that not just is there more to learn, but that there are those who will help you learn. And, who will help you learn how to make that learning, that knowledge useful for a greater good.
The above is just a taste from the sessions. We all left with a handout, with concepts, thoughts, and practical advice for each of the 'workshops'. Not yet up at CCAN's website, there will be a pdf version up in the near future. And, CCAN/Mike Tidwell will be taking this strong day of training elsewhere in the country, working to build climate crisis activists throughout the nation.
"Leadership is inspiration, not administration: A vision to lead by."
Often what is of most value comes when someone states something so patently obvious that you’re slapping your forehead wondering why you didn’t think of it.
- When it comes to Global Warming/the Climate Crisis, every single person on earth and every person to come is and will be affected by Global Warming.
- Every human being is a potential constituent, a potential activist ... everyone is a potential recruit ... everyone we know and we meet is a potential recruit.
- Global Warming is not an environmental movement, it is an everything movement.
Tidwell was, Tidwell is right.
We must work to "build the biggest possible coalition", "cast our net wide", and work to keep up the pressure for real change in this nation when it comes to energy and Global Warming issues.
Tidwell's final message returned the seriousness of the situation.
- "We live in significant times, where the perennial summer of the past 10,000 years, the climate is ‘snapping into something different,’
- "The only way we are going to win on this issue is if we build the largest possible coalition ...
- "Politicians tend not to pay attention to anything unless it is on the tips of their tongues.
- "This movement is about getting this on the tips of constituents’ tongues and getting them to communicate this to their politicians.
- "We do not have the luxury of waiting until we have time, but need to act now.
- "For a long time we’ve been in the wilderness, all the successes have occurred in the state and local governments, now all the paths are starting to reconnect in Washington, DC.
- "If we do not have manage to have true landmark legislation, 50 mpg cars by 2010, we’ll lose our climate and we can’t get it back. 50% of renewable power legislation by the end of 2010, we lose our climate and we can’t get it back. If we don’t get the legislation by the end of 2010, we won’t have another shot.
- "The climate is snapping. The evidence is all around us. We don’t have the luxury to wait. We have to organize now. We have We need all hands on deck. I can’t be in any more completed. For all these reasons, I’m all in. Give everything you can. Ask yourself every day as to whether you have done everything that you can be doing. That is what we need, we need everybody."
"As per Al Gore, we will be remembered for a 1000 generations: either because we did nothing and condemned those who followed; or, we acted and changed the world for the better. A clean energy world is a great world, a wonderful vision. Be part of this thing."
To be honest, I don't think that this gives due credit to the passion of Tidwell's presentation, the power of his knowledge, the intensity of his concern. He succeeded -- perhaps without realizing it -- in mounting my concern, in refocusing my dedication.
Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is moving into giving this training program around the nation. Ready for Climate Activism or active and looking for your next steps, check in with CCAN for more information about where and when you can have the opportunity to join such a session.
EA2020 in light of this training
Energize America is an effort to achieve change through online activism, activism for the purpose of moving America toward a prosperous and sustainable energy future. We – as a community and a community of activists – began with the fears of Peak Oil and Global Warming and have created our "path to a positive future vision". Honestly, some of this discussion validated our concepts but, as well, this workshop also enlightened, educated, and empowered me, providing pathways and concepts for coming phases in our efforts to Energize America.
HEADS UP: Action items The House Parliamentarian is currently examining the Energy Smart Communities Act, to determine whether it is germane for the Energy Bill. If so, the ESCA will soon move from concept to actual legislation, potentially quite quickly. Our tasking -- to help build co-sponsors as quickly as possible.
ACTION Consider who you know, who you have connections to who will be ready to contact your Representative calling on them to co-sponsor this legislation. A local politician or public administrator, PTA officers, local environmental organizations, contractors, renewable power entreprenours, etc ... The potential constituency includes all Americans. This will be a test -- a test of this entire community, of the blogosphere. Can we deliver? Can we create a public swell of support and get co-sponsors for the legislation? Can we Crash the Gate of policy making through delivering sensible policy concepts and getting members to be co-sponsors?
Be prepared ... Be prepared to take action to Energize America toward a sustainable and prosperous energy future.
Ask yourself: Are you doing your part to ENERGIZE AMERICA?
NOTES
- Tidwell does Earth Beat Radio ... check it out.
- Consider joining the new, improved Daily Kos Environmentalists community / listserve.
- Are you coming to Yearly Kos? There will be an EA2020 panel Saturday morning along with a session on using the blogsphere for policy development. And, an Energize America tour of Green Chicago Sunday afternoon (we hope)
- And ... of course, ENERGIZE AMERICA.
UPDATE Anyone interested in possible CCAN Climate Activism training can contact the Jay Tomlinson, Executive Assistant to the Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network: Jay AT [IGNORE THIS] ChesapeakeClimate DOT [you get the drill] org
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