I don't know about you, but I'm really frustrated by the pace of change since Democrats have taken control in Washington. I remember when Obama said of his first term: "If I haven't gotten combat troops out of Iraq, passed universal health care and created a new energy policy that speaks to our dependence on foreign oil and deals seriously with global warming, then we've missed the boat." Right now all these issues seem to be in a giant holding pattern and the rest of the progressive agenda waits in the wings (DADT, closing Gitmo, executive privilege... to name but a few).
I'm tired of banging my head against the wall (just because it feels good when you stop, that's not good reason to keep doing it...), so I've been looking hard and long for positive steps to take here and now.
I've finally found something with an immediate positive impact today.
Contribute now to Sustainable Economic and Energy Diversification in Coal River valley. When we all work together, we can change our climate for good.
Here in West Virginia, it's easy to despair about the slow rate of change. For every great speech Sen. Rockefeller gives defending health care reform, he gives another defending coal mining and coal mining pollution. For every great speech Sen. Byrd gives against war, he issues a joint memo outlining more concessions he expects in the climate bill.
I get angry when West Virginia politicians say they'll speak with 'one voice' for coal interests while ignoring the rest of us. Thankfully, there are people here in Appalachia committed to addressing the deteriorating atmosphere--with your support we can show Sens. Rockefeller and Byrd that there is a strong interest in bringing clean, safe economic diversity to the coal fields. With your support we can finally show them not all country roads lead to coal mines.
I've written many times about the importance and difficulties of developing sustainable diverse economic opportunities in West Virginia. Thankfully, there are grass-roots activists working hard at these efforts.
Blasts have reverberated off the top of Coal River Mountain since mid-October. Each boom is a reminder of how much is at stake in the Coal River Valley. For two years, residents of the Coal River Valley campaigned for the mountain’s preservation for development as an industrial-scale wind farm. A wind farm in the Coal River Valley would chart a new course for the region and pose a true threat to those who seek to demolish West Virginia's natural resources and heritage for short term profit. Though blasting has begun, the battle for Coal River Mountain is far from over, and in the valley below, residents are increasingly taking sustainable development into their own hands as part of Coal River Mountain Watch’s Sustainable Economic and Energy Diversification (SEED) project.
SEED is a community organizing project designed to connect residents of the Coal River Valley to one another and the outside resources they need to make their small business and renewable energy ventures a reality. We began by meeting with twelve families in the valley over the summer and fall, and identified three inspiring projects to pursue. Two families are in the beginning stages of a community owned wind development project. One group of woodworkers are building a wood kiln to dry and increase the value of sustainably forested lumber. The SEED Community Team formed as a group of locals generating new ideas for community revival and economic diversification in monthly meetings. In their latest meeting, they resolved to build a community owned greenhouse and plan to break ground on the project in the winter. The entrepreneurial spirit is spreading!
SEED volunteers help with construction of a community center building in Rock Creek, WV
SEED is structured to ensure accountability to community members. It begins with listening to community members, and the Community Team ensures that project organizers do not veer off course in the collaborative process of small business development.
Judy Gunnoe lives at the head of Lick Creek Hollow, nestled between two toes of Coal River Mountain. "I think there are other options beyond coal because coal’s not gonna be here forever — our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, what are they gonna do when coal’s not here? There needs to be some kind of other jobs besides coal. I think there’s a lot of smaller businesses that would like to be in this area, but they’re scared off because of the mining. If you can get a few things started, you can get a few people to work — you can even employ these high school graduates. There’s not a lot of young people; what ones are here, they leave or they go in the mines because that’s the only thing to do, and by the time they’re 30, they’re half-dead." The Gunnoes are SEED community leaders and are building a community center and hope to put wind turbines on the ridge above their home.
Organizers are working on two wind development projects in the the valley. They need to start raising funds today to be able to purchase and install a 100 kilowatt wind turbines as soon as possible and stake the community's claim on the toe of Coal River Mountain. This single-turbine installation lays the groundwork for larger wind development in the future.
Like any volunteer effort, the SEED project cannot be sustained by sweat equity alone. It needs your help. There is an immediate need for anemometers to measure wind feasibility, then there are additional costs associated with the purchase and installation of wind turbines in the Coal River Valley.
Community members visit a wind farm in April, 2009
Barack Obama is heading to Copenhagen next week to offer an emissions-cut goal of about 17 percent by 2020.
Contribute $17, $34, or even $170 today to safe, clean, homegrown Sustainable Energy and Environmental Development for West Virginia Coal River valley. Send a clear signal that you want to that target to be at least 17%.
When we all work together, we can change our climate for good.
Photo credits: Maureen Farrell, JOBS Project
Diary by Clem Guttata, volunteer Netroots blogger