From the Keystone XL Pipeline Blockade:

I hope this finds you enjoying the beginning of summer. Today we have a request for help and two very informative links from the Piney Woods Sierrans in East Texas.

The Keystone XL Pipeline blockaders have some summer-related needs. If you can help out with any of these, drop them by the blockade camp or respond to this email: pineywoodssierra@gmail.com  and we’ll arrange a pick up. Here are the things that they are in need of:
Refrigerator, Fans, Eggs, Bread, Fruit and Vegetables
The food, of course, will be an ongoing need.

Check out the new website created for neighborhoods along the Pegasus pipeline: http://safecommunityalliance.org/pipeline.html#hpe (go to “pipeline” tab, jump to “Harbor Point Estates” for photos of this Pegasus neighborhood)

And here is a link to a blog with shocking video documentation of some of the 70 anomalies along the portion of the Keystone pipeline in NE Texas between the Sabine and Sulphur Rivers: http://nacstop.org/EastTexasObserver.html

Call to Young Artists: Design the 2013 Renewable Energy Roundup Poster!

Seeking young Texans ages 9 to 18 to submit renewable energy poster designs

Deadine July 1, 2013

The Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair Art Contest was created to draw upon young people’s artistic expression to convey the importance of renewable energy and living sustainably in Texas. Pieces will be judged on creativity and inclusion of renewable energy (solar and wind), Texas, farming and green living practices.

The purpose is to enhance public awareness of the importance of renewable energy and sustainability in the artists’ and viewers’ lives and to convey how personal actions affect the world.

•   Rules: The contest is open to all students in Texas ages 9 thru 18.

•   Entry Requirements: Poster design must be original, and may be computer or electronically generated, hand- drawn or photographed. It must not violate any copyrights, intellectual property rights or contain other infringements. Electronic submissions must be 300 DPI (JPEG or PDF preferred).

•   Size: Any size between 8.5 x 11 inches and up to 28 x 22 inches.

•   Deadline: All entries must be postmarked or delivered no later than: July 1, 2013.

•  Mailed entrees:
  The Roundup Art Contest P O Box 2735; Fredericksburg TX 78624
  Emailed entrees: info@theroundup.org

•  Hand-delivered entrees:
  Laura Rice; 604 N Bowie; Fredericksburg, TX 78624
  Call 830-456-1341 to arrange

•   Required: Submitted artwork must have clearly printed on the back: Artist’s name and contact information, parents name, school or facilitator name, including mailing address, phone, email.

The winner will be determined by a vote of the Roundup Planning Committee. All decisions are within the discretion of the committee and those decisions are final.

The winner will be announced and their artwork will be displayed in the art exhibit area during the fair weekend, in addition to being the official t-shirt art for 2013. First Prize $200 Cash + event tickets, 2nd – 5th place gift cards + event tickets.

All entries become the sole property of The Roundup. The Roundup will own all personal, intellectual and other property rights and interests in each submission, including all copyrights, moral rights and publicity rights. The submissions will not be returned to the artist. The artist will not create derivative works of their submissions, nor use their submissions in any other way outside of this contest. A submission may be used to promote any Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair, and/or for any other Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair commercial or promotional purposes, regardless of media. The Roundup reserves the right to make modifications to size, and content display. By sending in a poster design, you agree that the Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair may use, without compensation, artwork and the winner’s name, age, town and likeness for promotional purposes in Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair’s 2013 campaign.

Limited to one entry per person.

Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair
P.O. Box 2735 | Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 | 830-997-2350

The Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair is organized by: The Center for Policy Studies and Texas Renewable Energy Industries Assoc.

Sierra Club Tells House Energy Resources Committee, “It Ain’t 1983,” Supports HB 3598 to Raise Maximum fines on oil and gas polluters.

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2013

For More Information: Lone Star Chapter Conservation Director Cyrus Reed – 512-740-4086, cyrus.reed@sierraclub.org

Dressed in his best imitation Don Johnson/Miami Vice white suit, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter Conservation Director Cyrus Reed testified in support of legislation to raise the maximum fines the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) can assess against oil and gas companies violating state laws from the current $10,000 to $25,000 per violation per day.

“The $10,000 maximum was set in 1983, when the Police and Michael Jackson were the two biggest musical acts, and the Ewings out of Dallas were the biggest oil developers in Texas,” Reed told members of the House Committee on Energy Resources. “You should support HB 3598 (Rep. Lon Burnam – Fort Worth) to raise the maximum penalty from $10,000 to $25,000, because $25,000 today essentially equals $10,000 in 1983.”

Reed noted that the Sunset Advisory Commission recommended raising the RRC maximum fines to $25,000 four years ago. The Texas Attorney General, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency already have maximum fines of $25,000 per violation per day.

Reed wrapped up his testimony quoting Sting and Michael Jackson, “It is time for the Railroad Commission of Texas to watch ‘every move you make’ and tell companies operating in Texas with egregious regulatory violations to pay the fines, clean up their act or ‘beat it’.”

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Consumption for Function

Reduce/Refuse, Reuse/Repurpose, Recycle

A lifestyle of less stress, more money, and healthier environment!  

They say less is more, but what exactly does that mean? This statement is trying to stress that as you cut consumption and downsize on the “stuff” you own, the more:

• money in your bank

• ease when it comes to moving

• free time you will have because you do not have to clean as often/as much

• clean air from fewer emissions from manufacturing and transportation

I can remember seeing photographs in my geography and sociology classes in college comparing average personal belongings for Americans to people from around the world in countries such as Japan, Mexico, Europe, Africa, India, and so on. There was an alarming difference in the amount of resources used for consumption in the United States compared to other nations, many of which are also developed nations. You can also view a world clock and experience just how much the U.S. and the world is consuming every day, week, month, and year.

I also was introduced to TED Talks and came across a video that got the ball rolling on downsizing and streamlining my life. 

When I began researching this streamlined lifestyle I came across several blogs and videos about people living in tiny houses. Some of which included stories of people who lived in New York apartments within 100 square foot, and they would also challenge people to live within 100 personal items. One blog that stands out most in my mind was written by a couple in Portland, OR that was overwhelmed with debt, working overtime, and in over their head with stress and daily life. They sold both of their cars to use Portland’s great public transportation system, as well as take advantage of bicycles to cause fewer emissions and stay in shape. During this process the husband went back to school to get his PhD while the wife went from working overtime to part-time and now spends her free time volunteering her efforts towards her passions. Their new lifestyle caused me to examine my life and begin taking inventory of my personal belongings. At one point in my life my collections were getting out of control, but have since sold everything. I now feel less anxiety when it comes to moving, and the reduction of clutter frees my mind of stress. I no longer feel I am missing something from my life and search for it in the big box stores and malls.

 

Houses have grown by three times in the last few decades, so we should have plenty of room for our possessions, right? Wrong. With the purchase of larger homes came the trend of purchasing a greater amount of items to fill those homes until consumption spins out of control. With this came a booming industry of storage units. Not only are our homes not big enough to hold our things we “cannot live without”, but we can’t park our car in the garage. Yet, we force ourselves to rent storage space for the things not quite worthy of being in the house rather than downsizing on items we no longer truly need. I say we should start a revolution to free ourselves of the clutter, while at the same time-saving the earth from our wasteful tendencies and ever-growing piles of trash. Larger homes and storage units mean more land use, over consumption in a throw-away society means more land use and tax dollars to buy the land for landfills.

 Politics can be a mess and seem like we are going nowhere, the industry lobbyist are armed with money and tailored suits, however we are armed with our voice and our votes. So I encourage you to create and keep a relationship with your representative whether you agree with them or not. However we are also have a vote with our dollars. Whenever we buy something it means that we approve of that product, materials it is made of, and the business practices. With this being said let companies know you want products made out of recycled materials or that use less packaging. Shop second-hand and thrift so people invest and create an economy that supports recycling. Politicians and business really pay attention to what we want by what we spend our money on.

-Mike, Sierra Club Lone Star chapter Intern

 

Austin’s Bet on Biomass: Billions up in Smoke

The Future of Austin Energy?

In August of 2008 a $2.3 billion, 20-year contract was signed between Austin Energy and Nacogdoches Power LLC, which operates the 100 megawatt biomass power plant located in Nacogdoches, Texas—approximately 145 miles northeast of Houston.

With the city of Austin committed to generating 30% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, the deal was promoted as both an environmentally progressive stand against the increasing threat of climate change and a hedge against the then rising price of traditional fuel sources. However, neither of these claims were legitimate.

While packaged in Austin Energy’s renewables portfolio alongside wind and solar, the burning of wood for electric generation actually emits more carbon than does coal and nearly three times as much as natural gas.  Biomass is also responsible for the emission of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and numerous other harmful particulates.  So while lauded by some as a proactive attempt to reduce the city’s environmental impact, Austin’s investment in biomass fuels may end up making Central Texas even hotter.  And worse, it’s costing us to do so.

The Austin American Statesman cites that the AE’s investment in the biomass plant will result in $2 added to the average customer’s $100 monthly bill.  Meanwhile, the price of natural gas (which AE had forecasted to rise) has since plummeted, going from $8.63 per thousand cubic feet in August, 2008 to a mere $3.74 as of November, 2012.

If there is any bright spot in this otherwise unsettling account, it is that when municipal energy consumption falls below capacity, Austin Energy chooses its energy source based upon market rates.  Lately this has meant a heavy reliance on cheap and plentiful natural gas while the carbon spewing Nacogdoches plant sits idle.  So while Austin may have spent $2.3B on a brand new power plant, at least we claim we hardly use it.

Written by Avery Thompson