Tag: renewable energy (Page 1 of 6)

An Ocean of Thanks, Giving to Islands

Thank you! Yes, YOU! An ocean of thanks with your kind thoughts, willingness to listen and share over the years with our World Team project, especially with our 501 c3 nonprofit World Team Now.  We appreciate all who volunteer as we embark on the ocean,  atmosphere nexus and giving to islands.   The seeds planted the past decades have  landed in fertile ground, are watered,  and we’ve started to see the change embraced with growth.

Photo shot in Central Park, an example of a Heat Island, temperatures are warmer and the leaves are on trees. in late November now.

I am not only referring only to Climate Change, but the severity of the situation with social and environmental tension climaxing.  May these crises ultimately build greater health  for our world.  There is evidence that humanity is finally considering nature to be a greater priority, and it is about time.

At this “giving” time we are in a flood— yes of Noah’s time’s proportion— of not only information and data, but also incredible organizations all vying for resources.  We are encouraging the prioritization of your own well- being first and to consider where you can make a small change to live more intimately with nature, and plant more seeds of change.

We at World Team Now prioritized small islands in the Global South, as they seemed to have the “least,” in terms of development and yet  are “most’ vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We have realized that when it comes to nature we have much to learn from natural based solutions, to live intimately with the ocean, and in better balance collectively.   Now with the ocean, we all can support resiliency as a priority and together share the resources needed to meet the crises with opportunities.

The ocean reaches us all, and we found ourselves starting at home first these past two years.  If you have resources to give, know they will go to one of our campaigns: our ocean experiential educational curricula, barrier islands, nature-based and renewable systems solutions, our alternative energy and transportation projects, planting seeds, net zero buildings, heat islands programs and biodiversity, beginning with the ocean, and with what floats ( like the mangrove seed). The cheerleader in us says, “give us a T. E.A.M.” T.ime, E.nergy, A.ction or Money, it takes TEAMwork for the clichéd dream to work. We appreciate it if you are able to participate.

Islands also include the “Heat island” phenomena that we are experiencing in large cities, like in New York City. As temperatures rise the quality of life, on the island of Manhattan related to nature; water, air and food, and the amount of pollution and waste to combat, is considerable.  We are a long way from  sustainable development, the SDGs and reaching  global goals. ‘Islanding” can also be caused by power outages, fires, mudslides, floods like we experienced in California and this includes barrier islands too, where we have also been based.  We feel obligated to give back especially knowing the history and the legacy of how land, and many forms of “ownership”  has played out through “civil society”  in his-story, and we all realize it is time for a new story, our story– each story,  us all together.

Purple Phalaenopsis, by Suzanne Maxx

We are still gathering the larger scale resources to use media to tell-a-vision, and we are so thankful to experience the myriad  of options to connect us virtually.   The format of media with advertising, that is used in social media, is what we have to work with now. We are eager for the change and using social media at the request of others. For this campaign we chose a modest amount, in proportion to building World Team to scale. We will be reaching out here more going forward.

More people  are prioritizing these collective challenges, just take a look at the youth moving into action, and indigenous people.

Embracing this conscious change for systems change moves us closer to both the personal and collective transformation needed for the future we want. Yet it will take the whole world to be together as a team to play to transform our selves, and the world.

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, fulfilling, and peaceful Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

Bird’s Eye View of the Climate Movement ©

By Suzanne Maxx

Eiffel Tower Peace Symbol - 100% Renewable 06.12.15 © Yann Arthus-Bertrand _ Spectral Q

A Message of Freedom and 100% Renewable Energy from Paris. Hundreds from around the world unite in a giant message of freedom, standing with the people of Paris and calling for 100% renewable energy, during the United Nations COP21 Climate Summit. Can you spot us? We from World Team Now made up the rays on the left side of the image. Photo by Yann Arthus-Bertrand / Spectral Q

COP21’s victory signals to the world that global transformation is in the works with adoption of the Paris Agreement by the United Nations.  It’s historical to have almost 200 nations agree to take action, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” a UN goal.

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COP21 Convention Space at Le Bourget.

Those of us breathing inside of the global climate movement over the years know this moment is a win— a valuable step and an important place to start.   At Le Bourget, the French Foreign Affairs Minister, Laurent Fabius brought his green gravel down to tears of joy and applause for the agreement exclaiming, “It’s a small gavel, but I think it has a big impact!” With the perspective getting diverse entities consisting of countries from different regions of the world to agree on anything is significant. We at least have set a course and direction together.  Many of the outcomes we considered in our prior blog post were covered in this agreement.  Here is the text of the Paris Agreement. Here it is made simple to digest. Here are some more of our favorite articles and speeches, that break this historic time of the Paris Agreement down to understand:

Within the global environmental movement, there are many people that have been on the journey for decades— each of us has a piece of this puzzle— that are core to who we are, and it lives outside the boundaries of a location, as it is for our earth, and all of humanity.  This consciousness is now becoming contagious, thankfully— as it will take teams of people, industries and many sectors of society for the transformation to take root.

The stage is set for our World Team project, and next year 2016, we plan to be public facing with our World Team platform.  World Team will be an interactive tool to entertain us while playfully engaged in transformative projects achieving the realization of our most ambitious and collective goals for humanity, and our planet earth. It is not only technology, innovation, policy and funding that will change the global game of our changing climate. The game starts to change when all people are aware of the power of human capability of choice. Change will occur when we choose to prioritize how we use both our internal and external energy.  When we prioritize living in better balance with our resources, we will then play the game to transform ourselves and our world.

The co-located Climate Generations Areas, open to all,  was a first for the COP meetings. In prior COPs, Civil Society had open side events  that were distant from the UN negotiations.

Even in celebration there is caution that clouds this historical time, which finally acknowledges humanity’s role in climate change, and sets forward a plan of action. If we can’t get to 1.5 degrees, stop destroying our forests, heating and acidifying our oceans and eliminate burning fossil fuel today we are writing ourselves a death sentence. The framework is now in place to start the journey to arrive there tomorrow— it was a successful negotiation.   As Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon said, “This a time when we need all hands on deck”.  Multiple sectors are taking active roles in also setting targets, and here is the key; team work, over time, with ALL of us in action. This thread was there at the events happening at COP21 during this time in Paris.

Akapusi Tuifagalele Director National Disaster Management of Fiji, a SIDS

Akapusi Tuifagalele, Director National Disaster Management of Fiji (SIDS), with Suzanne Maxx & Albert Boulanger of the World Team project.

It’s exciting when leaders of countries agree to take a stand, and actually strive for targets and a framework for an agreement.  Can we move to a firm 1.5 degrees quickly enough to reverse the damage of climate change?  When we will phase out fossil fuel?  Our oceans and forests, all species together in balance— how soon can we achieve rapid change? Will there be justice for the indigenous people, and those of small island developing states (SIDS) in the long run? Now we have some agreed upon goals.  Can we overcome the antiquated categorization of defining a country by developed, developing, and least developed? Will each country begin to support the other with sustainable development based on what they are able to contribute, as the reality takes hold of cliché, “we are all in this together”?

The seeds of reaching the answer to these questions in reality are planted. How quickly we can reach these targets, and more will be the long term success of the Paris Agreement.  All is not there in the Paris agreement yet, but it starts with the will— we celebrate these milestones even though the real work has just begun.

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Ban Ki-moon preparing to talk at the Earth to Paris Conference during COP21

Now to have all countries ratify the Paris Agreement so it becomes legal structure— whether that be a Treaty, Accord or Protocol.  The opportunity for world leaders to sign, and ratify the Paris Accord begins in New York on Earth Day April 22nd, 2016.   All leaders will have one year to endorse it, but early participation is being encouraged.  The plan looks to not just meet the deadline, but also to indeed demonstrate the will and understanding of urgency for all of us to keep the work moving fast forward.   The Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is charged to organize the activities around the signing on Earth Day.

Basic CMYKWe will need more action over time, the government sector with public policy is needed, but the real change will require many other sectors, to jump into the action—and we will. It will be the collective cumulative action that matters most over time. World Team plans to officially announce our first team in 2016 and we
plan to officially begin our media platform.

There was a thread to all events happening at COP21 during this time in Paris. It’s exciting when leaders of countries agree to take a stand, and actually strive for targets and a framework for an agreement.

For decades we dreamed of this day when countries might all agree on action for our future.  It is a collective starting point to a commitment of an aligned global direction for humanity.  The Paris Agreement will need work but much of the direction we are going collectively has seeds that aligns with the vision that many of us hold in our hearts for a sustainable future. We are now challenged to follow the Golden Rule Principle too, as Pope Francis encouraged in his UNGA and USA Congress speeches. Now to unpack many of the principles of how we will realize the change for our common home, and integrate them throughout our policy, and ways of life— this is the challenge.  The challenge of not only of the Paris Agreement, but for humanity at this time on earth.

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These “Trees of Hope” outside COP21 produce renewable energy by their leaves turning to generate sustainable wind energy turbines.

Breaking Global Climate Action

by Suzanne Maxx

The movement for global transformation, is building around the world.  Everyone is needed— as it’s our common future, in our one common home, so we all are being called to take action.

Join  an aerial art piece in Washington DC 4:00-6:00 AM, meeting at  7th and Jefferson.  This human font Aerial Art masterpiece will be created by artist John Quigley of Spectral Q and is sponsored by the Franciscan Action Network, with Earth Day on the Mall— as Pope Francis addresses the US Congress at 10:00 AM you can watch the speech with a transcript  here. A schedule of the pope’s visit to the US is here.

NYC Barbara's roof top sunset20150923_193258We’ll be  in New York to “Light the Way”, “Under One Sky” in the evening across the street from the United Nations at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 47th and 1st Avenue 4:30-5:30 a multi-faith Festival of Prayer and Music. You can participate wherever you are in the world tomorrow check to see if there is an event near you here.

Wherever you are you can watch New York’s leading conference, Reforming the Energy Vision, live. Tune in Thursday September 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. Click here to see the live panel presentations.World Team Now’s renewable energy microgrid continues, but that is for another blog.  Here is a valuable article Power to the People

UN 2014 edit 20140922_132518Tomorrow, the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has the Sustainability Summit through September 25th, you can watch it all on UN.TV here live.  We are optimistic that all world leaders will sign on to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals.  The deadline if adopted will be 2030, and although we need it to happen sooner, the first step is to tell everybody about the goals—spread the word to 7 billion in 7 days is the 1st goal.

Watch this fabulous video

Learn more about the 17 goals we like this video here.

Click for Global Goals herewww.globalgoals.org

See what Steven Hawkins has to say about the Global Goals here:

http://https://youtu.be/RTRdtrsL9jg

Global transformation does take everyone… So we need you. The Global Goals are something we all can get behind as a critical “to do list” to sustain our future.  What is your favorite goal?

Join the Global Citizens’ Festival and Concert: Great Lawn, Central Park, NYC Saturday the 26th https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/2015/

It certainly helps that a team of individuals each with a big following are taking action, augmenting the efforts of the United Nations. Bill McGibben leader of the divest from fossil fuel movement and invest in renewable energy has specific measurable results to date over 2.6 trillion dollars of victory.  Leonardo Di Caprio made the news when he divested his organizations funds yesterday celebrity power in the movement helps, but what will change the game is all of us together. Although creative master minds like Richard Curtis can orchestrate global game changing efforts on many fronts.

What we are creating is a global conversation through a multi-media platform that connects people, projects and the world.  What we’re building a consciousness about change.  And we can do that by showcasing socially and environmentally responsible projects that demonstrate how people can work together and play to transform the world.

UN takes on “Climate Neutrality” check out what you can do right now in your home or business to offset; Check out this resourceful website Climate Neutral Now.  For more read the Press Release

IRENA puts out Global Atlas for renewable energy in your pocket, real time planning for solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and more!  We are so eager to test this one out with World Team. They have launched a contest;

Participation is easy.

  1. Download the Global Atlas pocket app (from Google play, Blackberry world, ITunes, Windows Phone stores)
  2. Open the app, navigate to the Main Menu search
  3. Add a layer of a renewable energy technology of your choice
  4. Share the map on Twitter
  5. Hashtag your country or region, the energy source, and add to the existing text in the share window. (Example: Mapping renewable energy potential around the world through @IRENA’s #GlobalAtlas #solar #mycountry

If you are in NYC this is Climate Week, check out the events here.

Here are some great articles, campaigns, events and related links we aggregated:

If you are wondering about the seriousness of the climate situation, and the timing of action– here is another article Why Waterworld Will Exist

On the Defense:  One way to change up the game; Youth under the age of 21 sue the state and federal governments for not taking action on Climate Change read more here;

For John Lennon’s Birthday in October; Yoko Ono is hosting one of the largest aerial art pieces in history.”Imagine Peace: GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® attempt Largest human peace sign”.  See you there? RSVP

 Want to go to COP21? Win a Trip to Paris?  Read more about  how your musical gift can get you there!

Remember World Team is Casting— read more here 

“Key” Pres. Obama’s Veto of KeyStone XL Pipeline- ECO Legacy

Today, in defense for our environment and for all of us people on the planet, President Obama has exercised his USA Presidential power to veto the Keystone XL Pipeline, an important step in the movement towards an  “ECO” Presidential Legacy, powered by us people.

It’s disturbing that, at a time when all hands need to be on deck for humanity to live in balance with our resources on this planet, the USA Congress has forced President Obama to exercise his presidential power now,  instead of doing their job to create public policy, and laws that help govern our society and builds a vital nation better structuring  and organizing our quality of life. This 3rd veto is no surprise, as President Obama declared in his State of the Union Address, to veto this bill and others, that were not truly in the best interest for us all.

Tar sands in Alberta Canada

 

At this point, most of us understand why the Keystone Pipeline is not the “Key”. The tar sands (or oil sands) toxicity benefits no one, and at this point sadly we all know the words to this song, “Profit over People and Planet,” which is the cornerstone, or key stone, behind many who prioritize this now in our world.  Tar sands confront public health, at a time when we already have too many challenges with clean air to breath globally.  Keystone XL usurps the citizens’ human rights as property owners of Nebraska, South Dakota and other states that the pipeline goes through.  It questions their freedom, forcing them to sacrifice their own home, and farm land— for what? To transport oil from Canada through the USA for Mexico, or China –when all these regions, including the USA, can get our own clean renewable energy from natural sources?  Sounds reasonable?  It risks the quality of our water, earth, air, and presents the risks of contamination.

Is this an evolution of the US Constitution? Why is it even being considered at this moment and how could this be the “key”?  Who would this benefit?  Well, others have spent a great deal of time breaking down the motivation, and who benefits.  It is all very simple—some call it “cash whipping” it serves individual Congress members, many who were each paid over $200,000 to vote “yes,” and this “wolf in the sheep’s clothing” good sounding “Citizen’s United Bill” that has polluted one of the best pieces of public policy ever written; the USA Constitution.  Thanks to Citizen’s United which allows corporations to have equal rights with citizens and finance, monstrosities, like Keystone XL, to become a possibility, instead of a crime.  Tar sands projects at this time on our planet need to be illegal because they threaten the public health, of our species and all on our planet. But it also argues important legal issues about freedom at such a time— discerning people’s state’s, national, and planet interests. This moment in time affords the opportunity to redefine our priorities, and with the class action cases against Keystone XL Pipeline being argued at a state level in court, this indeed may be an opportunity to define how the United States unite and if they are a UNITED States of America.

At this time on the planet, will we get beyond “EGO”— can’t we move towards “ECO”—  ecology and economy.  At a time when we all need not only more sources of alternative renewable energy deployed, but resiliency, and sustainability with flow of energy.  The grid is taxed with more demand often than it can supply.  We need to be passing legislature that indeed incentivizes renewable energy sources, distributed energy architecture, and teaming-up on microgrids.  We need policy to incentivize net zero buildings and creative renewable energy systems, and energy storage, at a large scale.  We need more electric vehicles on the road charging to renewable energy sources, with complementary energy storage systems.  We need to crack that large scale energy storage nut, and incentivize not a pipeline transporting energy from one country to another through our country, but onsite energy systems that are reliable, resilient, and onsite electricity generation locations, homegrown energy from our natural resources, stored for backup when needed.

Why are we not trying to put bills on the table to work through our own energy challenges?  Bipartisan bills that have a chance of getting passed with the intent being to benefit the public— after all, are not politicians supposed to be public servants? It is a sad use of power that is spent stalling for time, until the power can move in another direction.  It all is a strategic, historical power play that at the end will only demonstrate how all systems, including the political system, could better serve us people and our planet.  The Keystone XL Pipeline will prove to be the pipe dream of this time, dreamt from the fallible EGO of Trans Canada bought through and approved by Congress, but fortunately it gives all people the opportunity to see the light, and the possibility of ECO.

“The pen is mightier than the sword”
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton  1839

Watch out world— 2015 plans to be a year of action, as mentioned prior, with the climax being President Obama as one of the leaders towards powerful global policy that stands for our people and planet over profit in Paris at UNFCC’s COP21.  Think it’s impossible?  Well we’ve seen a draft of what is on the table for global “ECO” policy, and there are better possibilities, even surprising ones, and if we all continue to team-up for the good of our planet we will create a global movement, and this isn’t a pipe dream or pipe line for any agenda accept our future.

Political System of the United States with its checks and balances

Thankful that the Unites States Constitution triune structure of checks and balances exists, but  it is confronting that it’s limits are being tested, and begs to question why it isn’t functioning more as a trinity— especially at this moment in humanity’s story on our planet earth.

President Obama will likely wait until the ruling from Nebraska’s state supreme court to finalize the rejection of the pipeline outright, which is the final step to closure.  A Nebraska county judge issued a temporary injunction to stop TransCanada from using eminent domain to force landowners to sell their property rights for the pipeline. As a result, TransCanada agreed not to use eminent domain anywhere in Nebraska until the state’s Supreme Court finally settles the legal struggle over Keystone’s route across the state, which if we have anything to do with all of this, it will be a moot point anyway.

For President Obama’s ECO legacy it began with the ARRA with renewable energy options, then granting EPA the power to defend public health as a national security issue and enforce environmental clean air policy. Fast forward to September 2014, nearly half a million of us people rallied for action on climate change in NYC; we were there at the UN General Assembly when President Obama shared with a small group of leaders at an Open Government Forum, that he had just discussed a historic climate deal with China to cut greenhouse gas emissions and in November it came to pass; in December, more than one million comments were submitted in support of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan; in January, historical protections for the Arctic Refuge were announced; and now President Obama has vetoed Congress’s bill to force the approval of the Keystone pipeline, now it is time to reject Trans Canada’s plans for Keystone XL Pipeline outright will you please add your name to tell President Obama to just outright reject the Keystone XL Pipeline? Please sign here.

It is time to make sure; “We the People”–have an ECO legacy, a time to re-organize, and prioritize by bringing the temptation of this folly to public presenting the clarity of choices driven by EGO vs. ECO. Best left in the words of Sir Walter Scott’s poem, “Breathes there the Man” 

 

The #People’sClimate March -WheelProgress

WTN Statue-of-Liberty-ClimateMarch0748-PCM_SocialMedia600x600_LibertySolar_WorldTeamLogo

NEW YORK, NY USA–Join our World Team Now (WTN) September 21st; we will be rolling out on our skates, taking it to the streets in the #People’sClimate March in New York! Our goal is to show our leaders that the people are demanding climate action. Be part of the change and sign up here.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlJIymycYTA

There will be many events happening around the world,  striving to enroll everyone. This action coincides with Ban Ki-moon’s UN Climate Summit 2014, opening the next day headquartered at the United Nations.  The action is part of the launch of  Climate Week in New York, which is meant to shine the light of awareness on the all-important United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21 from November 30 to December 11th 2015 in Paris.

UN Climate Summit in September 2014, New York.

UN Climate Summit in September 2014, New York.

In addition to raising public awareness on  climate change,  it is our hope that we will all (especially our leaders), finally agree on needed global policy for humanity at large and our environment of our one home; earth.

We all know the “chicken and egg” cliché, which still seems to be stopping Climate Action. Ideally global leaders are indeed public servants, and do what is best and just for us people.  We, the people, have been asking for global environmental policy, and prior excuses from leaders proclaim it is not the will of the people.  After all, in the USA alone 43%  of our country does not believe that human behavior is a factor in the change of our climate, called anthropogenic climate change, according to the March 2014 Gallup Poll.  So if a leader needs to represent the “majority of the people,” they need to act with a known constituency of support; thus the #ClimateMarch, to raise public awareness and to demonstrate that we, the people, are indeed asking for climate action.

At World Team Now, we are usually about renewable energy demonstration projects— in our work, in our homes, and changing ourselves— looking at how we individually and collectively use our energy. Energy that is not just demonstrated by solar, wind, heat pump geothermal, tidal energy or use of LED lights— not just the technologies deployed in our buildings— but an awareness.  We want to build our constituency that understands that the decisions we make affect the air we breathe, the water we drink, the earth where we grow our food, our oceans, and the intricate biodiversity of all species.

WheelProgress

WheelProgress

We are the people standing and working for global climate justice in policy, locally and globally, in action changing; our buildings to net zero, our vehicles to electric and rolling forward on wheels and making real progress, we call #WheelProgress.  We roll forward a future based on teamwork and community and will demonstrate that in the Climate March by the way we actually move forward, on INLINE  or ROLLER SKATES, or if you use a wheelchair! We are already making #WheelProgress with renewable solutions not just for movement or transportation, but in demonstration projects— now let’s get ratified accountable global policy. Let’s all roll it along much faster for real progress.

WTN is part of the global TckTckTck campaign, where along with 350.org and another 500+ non-profit organizations are strategizing our environmental movement to work together.  One of the leaders in this capacity has been Bill McKibben, with his growing 350.org alliance, now working for the People’s Climate March.  They are the genesis around this Climate March, and WTN once again couldn’t help but join but to support teamwork to show that the people in the USA do want to see political action with policy to protect our challenged climate, that is actually changing.  We do play a role in the change, and it’s time to build our movement.

"O" World Team Now skaters for 350,  Brooklyn, NY USAWorld Team Now calls on our global roller skate family to engage our community around the world that will be in NYC and will join to roller skate for renewable energy, at the People’s Climate March. We will demonstrate by our own renewable energy, leg power– we can build on our movement to go faster! We will use our own human energy to naturally propel our movement and play to transform our world.   We will show our love for roller skating as a way to demonstrate to the world we have the power to choose how to use our resources, and keep them in balance with all species on this planet.  With wheels on our feet, we demonstrate it’s time to roll fast forward to the future we want to see. We invite all to be part of World Team Now, in the People’s Climate March, please join us on your feet, wheelchair, or roller skates.

Register here: http://peoplesclimate.org/march/?r=WorldTeamNow

If you skate, or are on wheels, please join us for the Wheel Progress & Skaters Hub on Facebook as well— it looks like we will have both groups rolling this out and hopefully together.

If you want to gain more motivation for this needed movement, see Disruption.

If you need transportation or want to be a bus or train captain, click here.

If you need housing for your stay in NYC, click here.

Let’s choose to join the action for our planet.  Take action now, and show that we, the people, do care about our future, please do join us!

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