{news} Fw: Connecticut Climate Coalition meeting 2/25 at SCSU

[David Bedell]

***Connecticut Climate Coalition Strategy Meeting ***
Saturday, February 25th from 3-5PM at the Southern CT State University student center in New Haven
Kindly hosted by the SCSU Environmental Futures Group

Come to the Connecticut Climate Coalition strategy meeting and learn what simple things we can do to continue the progress on global warming.  In the past year Connecticut has been recognized as a national leader on global warming, and this is in large part due to the ongoing pressure and support from citizen activists!  With the one year anniversary of the state Climate Change Action Plan this week, we need to work to ensure that the plan is fully put acted upon and achieves its goals.

At this meeting we will discuss the progress we have made and strategize about what we can do as citizens to make sure the parts of the climate plan which address diesel pollution, energy efficiency, and clean energy are put into action.  In Connecticut we have the ability to set an example for other states and the Federal government to follow, and it takes citizen support to make this happen.

Who:   Citizens who are concerned about global warming, clean energy and air pollution
What:  Learn about the issues, meet other concerned citizens, find out how you can take action, enjoy snacks!
When:  February 25th from 3-5PM 
Where: SCSU Michael J. Adanti Student Center, Meeting Room 202 on the Second Floor (Directions below)
Free parking behind building

Please RSVP or send regrets to Roger Smith at rsmith at cleanwater.org or call 860-232-6232 so we know how materials to make and how many snacks to bring.  If you cannot make it but want to stay involved, let us know if there is a particular issue or task you would like us to follow up with you about.  Thanks!

Agenda Highlights: 
  a.. The CT legislature will consider legislation to dramatically reduce pollution from diesel vehicles- how can we support diesel clean-up? 
  b.. This winter, oil and gas prices have skyrocketed.  How can we use energy efficiency to cut our heating bills? 
  c.. To date 19 towns in CT, and over 6000 citizens, have chosen to purchase clean electricity.  How can we continue the momentum? 
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Directions to Southern CT State University Student Center
501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06510 Free parking behind building
Michael J. Adanti Student Center, Meeting Room 202 (Second Floor)

Campus Map (Student Center is #13)
http://www.southernct.edu/aboutscsu/map/index.php?select=13&op=view 

Click for Satellite map: 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=501+Crescent+Street+new+haven&ll=41.332128,-72.948639&spn=0.003754,0.010729&t=h


By City Bus:
New Haven bus information available here: http://www.cttransit.com/content/routesNewHaven.asp
Whalley Ave Bus goes to SCSU- Saturday schedule here:
http://www.cttransit.com/content/pdfs/nh_Bwhalley_satsunsched.pdf

By Car
**We will help coordinate carpools from across the state- if you can give a ride or would like a ride, please contact Roger rsmith at cleanwater.org**
Parking: Free parking on campus behind the building

>From Hartford: 
-  I-91 South
-  Pass Meriden and take Exit 17 to get on Wilbur Cross Parkway (CT-15, CT-5)
-  Exit 60 at Dixwell Avenue. Head south on Dixwell Avenue to Arch Street. 
-  Turn right at Arch Street and left at Fitch Street, which bisects the campus.
-  Student center at corner of Fitch and Crescent

>From I-95 South of New Haven:
-  I-95, Exit 44 (Kimberly Avenue, Route 10). Turn right at the end of the exit onto Kimberly Avenue, then left at the stoplight onto Ella Grasso Boulevard, Route 10. 
-  Take Ella Grasso Boulevard and cross Whalley Ave.
-  Ella Grasso Blvd ends at Crescent Street, turn left onto Crescent.  Student center is on the right.
 
>From Merrit Parkway (from Fairfield and points south):
-  Merrit-Wilbur Cross Parkway, Exit 59 (Whalley Avenue). 
-  Head south on Whalley Avenue, turn left onto Fitch Street, student center is on right.

>From New London:
-  I-95, Exit 45 (Ella Grasso Boulevard, Route 10). 
-  Follow Ella Grasso Boulevard north and cross over Whalley Ave.
-  Ella Grasso Boulevard ends at Crescent Street, turn left onto Crescent and student center is on the right.


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First Birthday for CT's Climate Change Action Plan
Last February 15, the state released its blueprint for action on global warming, the CT Climate Change Action Plan.
This week, the Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Change published its first annual progress report on the plan which includes success stories about clean energy, clean transportation and more, and is available at www.ctclimatechange.com 

Clean Water Action, Environment Northeast, Connecticut Fund for the Environment and ConnPIRG issued our own review of the state climate plan.  We called for the implementation of key policies in the plan, including oil and gas conservation, reducing diesel pollution, and creating a clean cars incentive program.  The state also needs to review the climate plan to incorporate new technologies and also to measure our progress towards reaching our goals.  We also need the state to begin to create the long-term plan to reduce pollution 75-85% with full public input.  If you would like to read our full comments to the governor and state agencies, please email rsmith at cleanwater.org.  


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Global Warming in the News
"Hotter issue in red states: global warming" in the Christian Science Monitor
"From evangelicals to students to business groups, climate change is a rising political concern"  
Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0214/p03s03-sten.html

Bush Administration officials attempt to silence NASA climate scientist James Hansen
James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, is one of the most prominent climate scientists in the world, and his testimony before Congress on global warming in 1988 helped make global warming a public issue.  He has also done pioneering research on the warming effects of "black carbon" diesel soot.  
Recently Hansen has begun speaking out about attempts by White House political appointees to silence him and other scientists whose findings conflict with administration policies.  Hansen recently warned: "One fellow told me that history will not judge us very well if we pass the tipping point, the point of no return, and the public simply wasn't aware of the dangers that we were facing. I don't want my grandchildren to say 'Poppa understood what was going to happen but didn't succeed in warning people about it."
Read more:
Boston Globe op- ed: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/02/04/muffled_warnings_on_global_warming/
Listen to Hansen and the reporter who broke the story on NPR: http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/02/20060203_a_main.asp

Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change
"Some Experts on Global Warming Foresee 'Tipping Point' When It Is Too Late to Act"     
Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/28/AR2006012801021.html




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If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to call 860-232-6232 or email rsmith at cleanwater.org

Best wishes,
Roger 

********************************************************
Roger Smith
Campaign Director, Clean Water Action
Coordinator, Connecticut Climate Coalition
645 Farmington Ave, Hartford CT 06105
(p) 860-232-6232 (f) 860-232-6334
rsmith at cleanwater.org
http://www.newenglandclimate.org/connecticut.htm
******************************************************** 
Please click here if you would like to make a contribution.   Please enter "Connecticut office" into the comments line to support our CT work.

If you do not wish to receive emails about Clean Water Action's global warming, clean energy, and diesel pollution campaigns, please reply to this email and ask to be removed.  If you know of others who would like to receive these updates, please ask them to email rsmith at cleanwater.org
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