Tag: climate change (Page 3 of 5)

World Team Now is an organization that is part of the TckTckTck global climate action campaign

Earth days? Or an Era of Conscious Choice About Climate

April 16, 2014 / Suzanne Maxx / 0 Comments

In these days, times, call them “sacred” days, or “Holy days”— named differently, depending on religion or region of our world, but commonly viewed as Holidays! Regardless of yours, we are wishing you happy ones!

World Team Now® is an organization that is part of the TckTckTck global climate action campaign.

The days are going faster blurring into years, beyond decades— more like an Era. This Era is different. The question of our species’ future existence here on planet earth is up. If you think this statement is extreme, read, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change just released groundbreaking report on the impacts of climate change. We need to begin to take immediate #ClimateAction, as scientists have declared from now to 2040 “The Era of Climate Responsibility”

Urgent Climate Action is needed not just for global leaders who could ratify game changing public policy, but also for us each to choose to prioritize action now with our choices.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change just released a groundbreaking report on the impacts of climate change.

The report details the harsh realities of a warming planet, including increased food shortages, more floods, droughts and greater levels of poverty. Many of these impacts are already being felt around the world. U. N. ‘s IPCC report scientifically spells out the cause of the threat, also focuses on renewable energy solutions— calling again for urgent Climate Action. If you want some highlights of the of the IPCC report, check out WTN’s blog post on the IPCC report .

“Years of Living Dangerously,” a new television series that premiered this past Sunday, powerfully documents the real stories behind climate change and breaks through many myths that disrupt understanding about humanity and earth’s reality. It transcends usual bi-partisan and religious divides, which unfortunately are often associated with comprehension of Climate Change. If you missed it, or want to see it again the link to watch the Series Premiere is here. We think it is fabulous.

Blood Red Full Moon
© World Team Now® (WTN) 2014. All rights reserved.

Recently many of us witnessed a Total Lunar Eclipse of the Blood Red Full Moon! Amazing is the grace of these natural cycles. Clearly both the IPCC’s latest report and the television series deliver the same message in different ways, about the distinction between man’s choices and how we are indeed influencing natural cycles, yet have choice. World Team Now® looks at these times as a chance to exercise the wisdom we have in order to be better stewards of our planet.

The Beauty of Malibu

Reflecting on the Word Team Now®’s local campaign, the Natural Beauty of Malibu, and how we have a choice to use our world’s resources, are we, as humanity, individually doing our best, with our home planet? Is the way we have organized our lives, in the context of the natural world, sustainable? This is the driver behind the World Team Project— to show a different way. For now, we have been working to demonstrate change by choosing renewable energy solutions to raise public awareness about one’s personal choice, and collectively, the responsibility we have, not only for the next generations, but also for our species at large.

It all becomes easier when it is a team effort. World Team Now is teaming up with the local community in Malibu for another annual Earth Day event. Come join us on April 27^th— the details are here. Click here to learn more about the history of Earth day, or find the nearest Earth day event for you, on the Earth Day Network.

World Team Now® understands that energy is a key, renewable energy wherever possible but especially in the transportation and the building sectors, plus teaming up to make it happen at the speed to meet the challenge. The more renewable energy solutions that we can find to combat the present sources of dirty extracted energy, the less chance of political unrest, civil war, famine, hunger, and drought, and other unthinkable extreme atrocities that can be brought on by Climate Change.

PV60 Event April 18th in Palo Alto, CA

So days, like the one called “Earth Day” is just like a birthday— it is what you make of it. Celebratory and yet confronting, at least Earth day is a day for humanity to realize what the earth gives us. The promise of the Holidays associated with this time of year promise a resurrection, a passing over from one land into the next, a blooming— a coming to spring forward, fertility or ripe season— so are you ready for 100% Renewable Energy? We are. What about a time of global transformation? Another step is we’re a supporting partner for the PV60 event in Silicon Valley’s Palo Alto, to celebrate 60 years of Solar Energy. Go 100% Renewable Energy!

Solutions to the climate crisis are available now – a world powered by 100% renewable energy is possible. Aspen, Colorado is one of many towns, cities, businesses and other institutions switching to 100% clean, renewable energy. The solutions are here, now we just need leaders willing to take #ClimateAction.

World Team Now®’s Facebook Page

Flying around the world in an all-solar-powered airplane like the Solar Impulse 2, net -zero buildings (where one can pick fresh grown vegetables from a vertical growing farm outside your apartment window), drive across the country in the all electric Tesla and use their EV solar charging stations with DC fast chargers, imagine renewable energy microgrids powering whole islands… These are not pipe dreams, they are really happening now— check out World Team Now®’s FaceBook page. Here is where we try to move to the fast paced rhythm of global transformation and it is happening. See posts on these topics and more renewable energy solutions in action, from brilliant entrepreneurs that inspire to cities like Aspen, Austin and Palo Alto with climate ambition taking action now.

Each year, like a birthday, Earth Day’s meaning has changed. Like a centennial with full memory intact, of the 100 years they have lived in their body, knowing that each breath matters, a metaphor— for where we may be as a species? Why not make every day be an Earth day and every breath a powerful choice for the day to create our next Era of Energy— let’s reevaluate how we choose to power our world. Do we use the wisdom and knowledge we have gained, to responsibly focus on what’s the highest good for all?

UN Climate Summit in September 2014, New York.

External energy and consciousness are not dissimilar— they all rely on a source. Do you feel good about how you choose to source your energy? With the World Team Project we are so eager to launch our World Team Platform, so you can come along while we demonstrate how we source our energy to renewables. We hope to have the full World Team of twelve in action, together in Paris for COP21. We all need it to be a game changer this time; meanwhile if not one of these holidays, we hope to see you in September for the UN Climate Summit in New York City. Or join World Team Now® for our annual event October 12^th— please save the date!

Coming of Age? – The United Nations UNFCC COP19

November 26, 2013 / Suzanne Maxx / 0 Comments

In Warsaw, Poland the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC ) COP19 just wrapped up this past week end and in the extended final hours there was action on much needed global climate policy. Here is a summary from the COP 19 U.N. website, the U.N.s’ point of view, including other U.N. COP 19 document resources, and the closing press release, excerpt:

“The Warsaw Climate Change Conference 2013 concluded successfully! Key decisions adopted at this conference include decisions on further advancing the Durban Platform, the Green Climate Fund and Long-Term Finance, the Warsaw Framework for REDD Plus, the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and other decisions”

COP 19’s success depends on ones perspective. Many of us feel these baby steps seem too little, too late – especially in the face of another significant catastrophe like, Haiyan. As usual there was considerable tension at the UNFCC conference, this year it was palpable with the Philippines chief negotiator, Yeb Sano’s, very enrolling heartfelt opening remarks, with a call to the United Nations for action on climate change now. Activism through the global community took root on Tuesday afternoon when Sano delivered a 590,000+ person campaign organized by Avaaz calling for climate action directly at these negotiations in Warsaw. The Polish Governments’ disturbingly comical choice to allow a World Coal Summit to happen simultaneously augmented the tensions of COP19. Midway through the conference NGO’s and Civil Society walked out – representing the voice of the people, and then continued to protest, “Stop Climate Madness”. World Team Now is part of the TckTckTck a campaign named after the sound of the clock. The 400 member campaign on Climate Action is a start for “teaming-up” as the timing is critical. How much this tension actually helps during the conference is debatable.

There seems to be a decrease of international press attendance at these United Nations COP conferences, to reach out to masses of people, at least by certain “Developed” country’s media to get the big news outlets to send reporters, to cover or at least write original content and not just rely on the associated press’s coverage. The live feed from the UNFCCC has made it easier for all of us to at least follow the conference virtually. Here are some of the articles to give you a more rounded perspective on COP19, from sources worth considering:

Left out of the U.N. statement is the internal tensions between those who have resources, and those who do not. The side action prevalent at the U.N. COPs continues to be protests growing, not just driven by the dissatisfaction of the slow pace of the talks, but truly based on the urgency we as a world face with climate change, and our ability to act:

Work plan for Paris 2015: Nations reached a compromise on a new work plan to get ready for the Paris Summit in 2015. A number of countries, including the US and EU, had been calling for a clearly defined timetable through to 2015 that would see countries make clear climate change “commitments” by a deadline of early 2015. However, China led a push back by a group of developing nations, arguing for more flexibility for poorer nations – a move that drew an angry response from the US who accused China of rolling back a previous agreement to ensure all nations make some form of commitments through the 2015 treaty. “I feel like I am going into a time warp. That is folly,” US lead negotiator Todd Stern was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Rich and poor tensions: The summit once again saw tensions between developed and developing nations laid bare, with poorer countries responding angrily to moves by Japan, Australia and Canada to water down previous climate commitments. There was also frustration at US opposition to the loss and damage mechanism and the failure of industrialized nations to make fresh emission reduction and climate financing commitments.
Not Enough Done: Green groups condemned the final agreement for failing to make sufficient progress towards an ambitious new climate treaty in Paris in 2015. There was a walkout or about 800 people Thursday 21 November included people from organizations including Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, 350.org, Friends of the Earth, the Confederation and ActionAid.

This political process with the UNFCCC will continue, with annual conferences and with key mile stones intending to be met. COP19 had a “Cha, Cha” going on with two steps back and one forward.

It brings to question whether the action needed for our species to be more in balance with our planet can come through the organization of this process within the United Nations conferences. The challenge of this governmental process and its bureaucratic structure may not be aligned to reflect the truth that serves all people.

Humanity has the gift of choice and to use wisdom taught though nature, and respect the science pointing to the fact it is important to understand the consequence of how anthropocentric gasses affect climate change. If there is still not enough evidence based on witnessing these super storms, consider reading the leaked IPCC report (story here, report here), with alarming scientific facts about the state of our planet. Yeb Sano put a face on Climate Change, and may our world better understand the responsibility of humanity and use wisdom.

We are grateful there was global policy approved at COP19, and are eager for more actions to be taken, and disheartened at the present time, that our primary international structure uniting nations cannot do more. We hope the UNFCCC can ultimately be a path towards global transformation reflected in active international policy perhaps “coming of age” by COP21?

It is a challenge to trust this process and where we are in our world at this time. May we be able to see clearly by 2020, and ideally much before.

The 8th annual AltCar Expo

September 21, 2013 / Suzanne Maxx / 3 Comments

The BMW i3

The 8th annual AltCar Expo continued in Santa Monica, with marked change and growth. The AltCar Expo is a great opportunity to ride and drive some of the latest alternative vehicles and understand ways you can do your part with Climate Change. World Team Now visited the Expo on Friday, during the “Fleet Day”, and Saturday for “Public Day”. There we so many inspirational highlights at this year’s event (see World Team Now’s photo album).

The AltCar Expo had the latest in various Alternative Technology Vehicles: Electric, Hydrogen, Propane, Natural Gas, Bio-Diesel, Hybrid but since World Team Now is focused on long term solutions that are sustainable “cradle to cradle” –we focus on electric, which can be charged by renewable energy source like; solar, wind or hydro. We love the concept of the solar boat.

Ford’s C-Maxx Energi and Fusion informational poster

Good old fashion American Ford and Chevy are now gaining strength in the market with electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles(PHEVs). The C-Max Energi from Ford is a promising vehicle that may lead the market in PHEVs eventually, but we could not fully evaluate that from our one test drive experience. What is evident is the number of options from each manufacturer who are all now entering either the hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles with products to choose from, like Chevy’s new “Spark”. Nissan continues to surprise improving on their leading EV, here with Nissan’s souped-up Leaf, the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC. BMW’s i3 EV has range and is part of a new brand, BMW i, consisting of EVs and hybrids. Also, we were impressed by Genze (more than a scooter), Team Marine, the international flair of participation from the Netherlands constituency, and Lumos.

Lumos’ solar carport

Lumos has a kit solar carport that has game-changing opportunities to source your own energy and help address your utility’s high demand to supply electricity by being able to take advantage of what’s called arbitrage energy by selling back to the electrical grid. V2G (vehicle to grid — see WTN’s IEEE article “Vehicle Electrification: Status and Issues” for more on this) with the option of a net-zero grid-tied building is one of the significant ways each individual can do their part to combat Climate Change and learn to better live in balance with our natural resources. EPA made a solid step in limiting emissions Friday of new coal plants to 1,100 pounds of carbon-dioxide per megawatt-hour of power produced.

Team Marine in “Volts Watson”

The heart of the inspiration was Santa Monica High School’s club Team Marine, there to unveil their newly transformed vehicle named Volts Watson – an old Volkswagen Beetle from 1971 that is now all-electric (see photo album). It was a heartwarming experience to see one of the children that I taught to skate, ocean swim and many other of his life’s first experiences, Matthew Zarken, be part of Team Marine. His brother Nicholas was a volunteer for World Team Now last year at AltExpo and wrote this about his experience.

The RAV4 continues

Please come be part of the Team — see Team Marine’s transformed car, World Team in action, and be inspired to take action — be part of “Draw the Line” on Climate Change, as day of global action against the Keystone XL pipeline, and be for renewable action with your choice to choose your source of energy and what you drive. There were many opportunities to see the evolution of the electric vehicle from its beginning to now – the growth is remarkable. there was a new milestone with more than 10,000 EVs sold in August. “The 35 million EVs sold in 2012 will rise 3.6 times to nearly 129 million in 2022”, (worldwide and including e-bikes) as cited in this report that demonstrates how the vehicle game is changing. Electrifying transportation, like with the solar boat demo-ed here

At the solar boat from World Team Now: Jacinta Camacho Kaplan, Laura Fercano Demieri, Liana Foksheneanu, and Suzanne Maxx

or connecting directly to renewable energy source– is a sustainable way to go, especially as we improve energy storage capabilities. People are beginning to understand the connection between economics and the ecological. There is greater weight placed in their choices and actions when thinking about the next generation to consider more carefully. However public adoption and dealership education has just begun – both of these elements along with supportive policy will contribute to long term rollout of electric vehicles significantly.

Act Locally, Act Globally – Think of Us All As Part of One

June 18, 2013 / Suzanne Maxx / 1 Comment

Join us next week and use this 20% Off Discount Code “SPT20WTN”

Change seems to be accelerating. Change, not just with our climate, but also with the “systems” humanity has created, spurred by Globalization. Whether that be the legal system, political system, financial system, health care system, or educational system— the systems in place to provide the world’s basic needs. Have we learned to scale our systems to meet Globalization’s challenges? Humanity can learn from how nature scales to support the whole— Biomimicry of man-made systems seems key to the stewardship of our earth and for an organically sustainable future.

Global transformation is in the works, and is needed within all systems including those within our one global governing body – the United Nations. Friday ended the two week climate talks in Bonn, Germany. The disappointment was all too familiar as it seemed like yesterday, but it was a year ago when World Team Now produced the event as part of the UNFCC’s Rio+20, and also an event at The People’s Summit. We went down to Rio once again with great expectations for more progress than what was able to be achieved inside the United Nations’ RIO+20 conference’s time. So now, it is distressing that there was a huge snag caused by foot dragging by Russia in a key entity, the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI). At least there was some progress in the overarching 2015 international climate action agreement. Why wait until disaster? We clearly need more projects that influence public perception. “To see is to believe” for most, so we need more examples to inspire the masses to embrace change.

At World Team Now, we are growing, and eager to see the change that happens once our non-profit World Team Now can be supported by our World Team multi-media platform, and broadcast. Our World Team project too needs to be demonstrated to be fully understood, and to that end our development of our pilot project continues. While we are working to have this World Team model up in full scale, we have been occupied with events. In California, for example what we did in Malibu with Earth Day (photo album here), with our “Ride & Drive”, and “The Circle-Up Around Renewable Energy”. We owe a shout-out to all of those who showed up to participate or volunteer, and for the support of Nissan of Thousand Oaks, and Edwards/Wildman. We hope to be sharing some of the edited footage soon at WTN’s upcoming event September 26 and 27. Another example is what World Team Now is doing in NY to support ACORE’s Renewable Energy Financing Forum (REFF)-Wall Street. Join us and get 20% off registration by using this code “SPT20WTN”. REFF is the perfect activity, included with more than 20 Energy Industry Events for New York City’s Energy Week, June 24th-28th.

Please save the dates for World Team Now’s upcoming annual event in Malibu September 27th & 28th, 2013. Watch World Team Now’s Event’s page for more details about the timing.

Speaking of timing, two great renewable energy demonstration projects born in Switzerland also have “New York” as a destination. PlanetSolar, is the world’s largest solar boat, and it includes an interesting research component with the project it just arrived in New York. The soaring approach to change done state by state has value. The Solar Impulse is a renewable energy demonstration project with great potential. You can take flight and follow in real time on their final segment of the “Across America” trip, and join the history in the making as they land in New York early July.

PlanetSolar reaches New York, the second american stopover of its 2013 campaign

The two states where World Team Now is based are proudly taking leadership positions in the environmental transformation needed to address climate change— let’s hear it for California and New York, especially Mayor Bloomberg’s action plan to address the affects of climate change . The water situation and the issue of drought is rapidly becoming more serious, due to climate change. Often, to execute solutions at a scale needed to address the affects of climate change, bonds are created. California is taking the lead with creating a Water Bond. World Team Now was present when Senator Fran Pavley, Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, hosted the Hearing; “Encouraging Regional Water Solutions: Implications for a Statewide Water Bond” at Pepperdine University. Californians are set to vote on the $11.1 billion water bond in November, 2014.

More action needs to be able to take place on a state level and even city level, which gives more weight to the “Think globally, act locally” mantra— but not to preclude think global act global actions which are needed as well— the local can catalyze the global. It is a huge victory to finally permanently close the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant in California, not just for the immediate risk of radiation, but also in respect of the long term issue of what to do with the radioactive rods which are byproducts of nuclear reactors. With no safe disposal protocol for these rods, even closed plants will continue to pose risks to the public and our planet forever The pressure is on for Southern California Edison to strive towards truly renewable energy— the kind with no radioactive byproducts to threaten public safety. It is time for us citizens to spearhead energy independence, be active in supplying a diversity of local renewable energy resources (supporting grid stability as a benefit), and to learn how to responsibly use energy.

But it is time for the whole of us in society to consider “Act locally, Act globally- Think of us all as part of ONE”.

President’s Day – “Move Into Action”

February 17, 2013 / Suzanne Maxx / 0 Comments

From the last three day weekend Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, and the Inauguration, the Green Movement is gaining momentum in the USA. On Wednesday, February 13th, 48 of our friends and allies made international news by risking arrest at the White House gates protesting the Keystone XL pipeline. The next day, two Senators introduced a powerful new climate bill with a path forward on climate. Now tomorrow, during President’s day weekend, the momentum continues with a historical march. It was great to jump-start this New Year and Presidential term by the Clean Energy and Environmental Ball in Washington, D.C.! Here’s a souvenir album.

Congressman Ed Markey, World Team Now’s Suzanne Maxx, Chip Cummings of AREDAY at the Clean Energy and Environment Inaugural Ball, Washington, DC

The highlight was time with Congressman Ed Markey who we deeply respect as World Team Now stands in alignment with him on several energy, environment, and social issues.

It’s time for action. To use our inherent wisdom to change the things we can, and we have a choice about our energy sources. President Obama said in his State of the Union Address:

“But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change”. Yes, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods – all are now more frequent and intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science – and act before it’s too late.

The good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago. But if Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.

Four years ago, other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it. We’ve begun to change that. Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let’s generate even more. Solar energy gets cheaper by the year – so let’s drive costs down even further. As long as countries like China keep going all-in on clean energy, so must we.”

To read the whole State of the Union Address, click here.

This President’s Day is the opportunity for action. We are hoping that President Obama will leave an environmental legacy of true change. For him to do that, we have to do our part: prove there is a large constituency of people who are demanding this change. Then he will be able to answer with action. He has said numerous times, “push me”. He is our leader and in a true Democracy, a leader will serve the needs of the people. Not just some people, but all of the people. We, the people, have to communicate and demonstrate our needs. Especially in this grid-locked bi-partisan congress, where corporate lobbyists control the action or rather block action. Let’s give President Obama a chance in this term where he can take action to leave a legacy of a leader, and do his job. In the best interest of public welfare and safety, he can exercise his executive power. It is President Obama’s job to answer the needs demonstrated by the people. This is why we need you…

Tomorrow the environmental movement will rally to show its strength in numbers for the support of change, we haven’t seen organizing of this scale since Martin Luther King led the Civil Right March, and shared “I Have a Dream”. Many of us have a dream now too: a dream where energy is sourced from wind, solar and tidal and other renewable energy.

Calling all ROLLER SKATERS to join the movement

If you don’t know about the demand to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline, click here. To understand the implications, and risks to our water, air, and earth read on here. The Keystone XL Pipeline which has started construction needs to be stopped, for our collective future and the safety of our public at large. If you still want to go down to Washington, D.C., here are the details. Our friends at the Sierra Club, 350.org, and the Hip Hop Caucus got some great sponsors and have teamed up with many other non-profit organizations as well. They have over 130 buses coming from 28 states, and tens of thousands of people signed up for Sunday’s rally with the goal to make history.

World Team Now is calling all skaters to join the LA March tomorrow skaters join the LA March tomorrow February 17th — here are the details. Bring your wheels, we need to stand tall to show our movement and be counted. Here are some ideas for signs, click here for a sign kit. Make your own, here are some suggestions for wording: “Rolling Forward – Go Solar!”, “Rolling Forward – Go Wind!” and “Rolling Forward – Go, Tidal Energy!”.

The political system needs the voices of the people to truly affect policy. We need to demonstrate the change, we all know it is a fragile time in our world, and the choices we make will create our future home for our children. So how do we leave a legacy to inherit an earth with clean water, air, and clean energy sources? Take action, do your part, as Gandhi once declared, “Be the change we want to see in the world”. Want to be part of the team?

If you can’t be there now for this one, in LA or Washington, D.C., please at least schedule a post to Twitter or Facebook with Thunderclap: www.thunderclap.it/projects/1189-move-america-forwardonclimate

Earth days? Or an Era of Conscious Choice About Climate

Coming of Age? – The United Nations UNFCC COP19

The 8th annual AltCar Expo

Act Locally, Act Globally – Think of Us All As Part of One

President’s Day – “Move Into Action”

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