Tag: World Team Now (Page 6 of 14)

President’s Day – “Move Into Action”

February 17, 2013 / / 0 Comments

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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

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?

Forward on Climate

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

The “Green” Inaugural Weekend with World Team Now

January 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr. who is also celebrated this week end declared, “I Have a Dream”….  His dream changed the world with his words, inspiration and “Call’. This Inauguration we are hopeful that President Obama will use his term to achieve some much needed milestones for our environment,  and our people in this nation.

However it is unreasonable to expect any politician with the present political system to change the nation alone,  but with all of our help, transformation of the world is possible. We only ask that President Obama can live into his greatest potential, and realize a higher Call.

Regardless of party or partisanship, here we are, and we have choices about the kind of earth we want the future generations to inherit.  We have some serious issues up in our nation and our world; There are things to change in defense for our earth in the USA that others in the environmental movement are focused on like; “The Keystone EXL Pipeline,” “The Nuclear Waste Situation”, the “Nuclear Power Safety” issue, “Natural Gas Fracking”, ‘Granting Permits for Drilling Oil in Wildlife Refuges”, and places like the Antarctic, “Farm Fisheries” and “GMO Food”.  Teaming up together is the key.

World Team Now is primarily focused on the issues to stand up for— we are on the offense— like “Protecting Clean Air”, “Clean Water”, and “Permitting of Large Scale Renewable Energy Projects” such as “Tidal’, “Wind”, “Solar”, and “Geothermal ” energy campaigns, demonstration projects, and educating the public. Let’s help fulfill the “Electric Vehicle” goal set out last term, and fast-track “Charging Infrastructure” and “Energy Storage”.   World Team Now supports “Clean Transportation”, “Net Zero Buildings” with demonstration projects that use fewer resources, for more efficiency, and ideally are designed with natural resources in mind. Let’s stand together for protecting “Endangered Species,” and loving all.  Let’s include the whales and dolphins and different species, and people in different parts of world.  We can be a World Team Now.

The change needed is daunting, we need both offense and defense– but here is where we plan to start this weekend.

Our three day week end kicks off with Beach Clean Up at Zuma Beach, Malibu CA for the National Day of Service (sign up here to RSVP and for more details)

National Day of Service

Join us in honor of this National Day of Service at our local Zuma Beach, Malibu! Meet up at the main Life Guard Headquarters (near Morning View). Bring comfortable shoes, bags and gloves.

All wheels are welcome— skates, blades, boards, and bikes! Let’s clean up the beach and demonstrate clean transportation! Come to the beach in a clean mode of transportation please— EV, hybrid, walk, or bike— if you can!

After this, there is another LA event that goes much of the day and into the evening  to encourage President Obama to make it a “Green Term”.   Find a local event to participate in the National Day of Service.

Environment & Clean Energy Ball

Pull out the formal wear, and grab your dancing shoes… If  you would like to be rather spontaneous and join for the Environmental and Clean Energy Inaugural Ball, in Washington D.C., here is the invite.    World Team Now was invited to co-host this Environmental and Clean Energy Inaugural Ball that is a bipartisan event.

Green BallYes, there is another “Green” Inaugural Ball on Sunday night that if we gather enough of a team of friends, we are considering.

One must be very present to move on this one with short notice, contact us at info@worldteamnow.org ASAP if interested.  (We get a group discounted rate.)

Wondering how to pull a Cinderella?  So are we! The gowns-to-go concept might help a little with runway rentals— regardless it is a good find, as you are. Thanks for being part of this team and taking the time to read what we are up to and hopefully join in— to “Teaming Up” on a wing and a prayer!  If nothing else keep up with us on Facebook—”liking us” helps us grow.

December 2, 2012 / / 0 Comments

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Larry left a message on my cell phone the day before we were to meet for another event where he played the real-life role of “Honorary President” of our non-profit charity, World Team Now.

Some knew him as “Master” in I Dream of Jeanie, others as “JR” in Dallas but we knew Larry Hagman, as the Honorary President/Chairman of our organization and a strong advocate. Larry was an innovator and inspiration for many, with his use of renewable energy! We loved his appreciation for nature and humanity— and his spirit! The spirit that lived through Larry’s voice even on a message remains memorable.

Larry had a big heart, not just for our charity, but for the world at large. He was dedicated to our mutual vision and goals to demonstrate the use of renewable energy— and to ‘play to transform our world’.  We shared a mutual inquiry of how to live in better balance with ourselves, one another, and our global resources. World Team Now redefined the value of resources through the acronym of T.ime, E.nery, A.ction, and M.oney with the key being in the balance, and using our own lives as experiments. Larry very much lived into that.

When I first met Larry as a journalist covering the Solar Expo where he was a keynote speaker, I was surprised to learn he had the largest collection of personal solar power in use in our country and arguably, our world.  His Ojai Ranch produced a surplus of energy, energy independence would be, “Heaven”.  When he showered the audience at the expo with his paper money— bills larger than the government printed, he demonstrated the spirit of “possibility,” that many of his characters mastered: to go beyond what was fathomable, reasonable, or even possible. This act demonstrated his ideal that ALL people were to be included in abundance. It is in this spirit that he would become my friend and supporter of the dream with our World Team Now. I also learned Larry had been friends with my cousin Suzanne Pleshette.   Larry understood the big picture view of world systems and what motivated our world to action, and saw a need for change, and began that change. He also really understood what it was to be human, to embrace change and attempt to make use of the duality of the human condition— to learn from what didn’t work, to create what does work.

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Larry stayed with us over the years through many changes, one of them was the name change— originally we were Team World Corps— to World Team Now. Larry was at our first event in 2007 at The Sunset Restaurant with SolarWorld.   I will always remember that after the fashion show, when the sun was about to set, Larry had us all hold hands as he led the countdown, “Ten, nine, eight….” He was waiting for the mysterious green flash— when it came time,  he hoisted our hands up in the air exclaiming, “Bong- Dong!” ImageThis was at the SolarWorld event, and it made my heart shine to know Larry later would end up being a spokesman for solar energy through SolarWorld.  He leaves the legacy of reminding us all to “Shine Baby, Shine”… and we are happy to see that energy shine out to our world.

Over the years, from 2007 to 2012, Larry supported projects and events. This past year, the event was to do an upgrade and installation of new electric vehicle chargers at the City of Malibu, which World Team Now cajoled the city to take action for this project.  This time, we brought a team of celebrities, some media, and new electric vehicles from Hertz, like Nissan’s Leaf, and the Tesla Roadster, and we all participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and driving of vehicles.  Larry loved that he could sit in the driver’s seat of the Leaf with plenty of room to wear his iconic hat. Larry was eager to get his all-electric vehicle and ready to charge it to solar or wind energy.  He was an innovator. We still have to edit the footage from this event.  It is most challenging when people die and there are projects incomplete, thus is the case with Larry’s passing.

I decided to re-save and not delete Larry’s old message many times, as I would again the day before he died. After learning that Larry crossed, I listened to his message, and on it was a voice I could hear eternally. I returned the call, hearing his voice message brought tears, “ You’ve reached Heaven South,” had new meaning. Larry kept me laughing, afterlife…

Spell “evil” backwards, and what do you get? Live. He has gifted many people the ability to live a better life. “Evil Does Good” is a great name for his new foundation; please honor Larry with a gift. He lived ‘Life to the Maxx,’ and he will live on through us all! In gratitude, we offer this Universal Prayer!
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Senator Fran Pavley and Senator Lou Correa at the Special Hearing for Energy Security

CA Innovation Leads with EVs, Renewable Energy Policy and Law

October 11, 2012 / / 0 Comments

By Suzanne Maxx 

Up the coast at the Informational Hearing on Renewable Energy at California State University, Channel Islands (CSU-CI) and down at The City of Santa Monica’s annual AltCar Expo, the opportunities to test drive numerous EVs were abundant— read more from a young WTN intern’s perspective here.

These events and others set the stage for some much-needed support, policy, and action from the Nation’s leading state of clean energy. Together these events contribute to the public education and adoption that is now needed for renewable energy sources, energy storage, electric vehicles and charging infrastructure for the public.

Senator Fran Pavley and Senator Lou Correa at the Special Hearing for Energy Security

California is the largest clean energy economy in the nation. Sustainable energy and security transcend partisanship and State Senator Fran Pavley, who chairs the Select Committee on the Environment, the Economy, and Climate and Senator Lou Correa, who chairs the Committee on Veteran Affairs, mingled with some of the key stakeholders of renewable energy projects outside on CSU-CI’s campus where we were among the many alternative vehicles; including hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and electric vehicles (EVs)  such as;  Nissan’s Leaf, Chevy’s Volt, Mitsubishi’s iMi-EV, BMW’s Active E and more that were available to test drive prior to the Informational Hearing titled “Energy Security: California, Business and Military Partnerships”. Video of the hearing is here.

Tesla’s Model X SUV

A significant contribution of much-needed jobs has been created by innovative automotive electric vehicle manufacturers that established their headquarters and manufacturing plants in the State of California such as;  Tesla (who alone brought in more than 1500 new jobs), Coda and Fisker.  So significant of an impact that, just yesterday, the California Energy Commission (CEC) agreed to grant Tesla 10 million dollars  so they will be able to hire an additional 500-700 workers and manufacture not just a sports vehicle or the sedan (Model S), but also this SUV (Model X) with all of their vehicles touting a 250 mile battery range. Tesla committed to providing $50.2 million for the project and adding the jobs to qualify for the grant that’s funded by vehicle registration and smog fees. Tesla’s Gen 3 vehicle which is expected to sell for around $30,000, will help meet the company’s goals to provide electric vehicles to the masses by making it not just “eco”-logically friendly but also “eco”-nomically friendly. This may be one of the game changers needed for EVs (besides improved battery technology and charging infrastructure) that will also affect the big picture of air quality and public health— benefiting not just some people, but potentially us all.

The senators asked the panel on Building an Energy Secure Economy; Creating Jobs, which included Diarmuid O’Connell Tesla’s VP of Business Development, Dave Barthmuss of GM, and others, what they can to do for the OEM’s to forward the EV movement and public adoption.  All agreed the popular carpool sticker now given to EVs, which saves time, has incentivized many— but the challenge was still public education, which seemed to be the common thread all discussed, and public perception. From the panelists’ point of view, the biggest challenge now is many people don’t know the vehicles are out there, that the infrastructure is ramping up with public and private charging stations plus simple things like the fact that you can charge your vehicle to any household outlet with the cord that comes with your car.  People tend not to know about the total $7,500 in rebates, nor do they consider the freedom from the cost of maintenance of the lifetime of the vehicle— compared to a standard fossil fuel combustion engine. However they do seem to understand that value of not paying for gas, and some people care about the implications for our next generation and energy security from independence on foreign oil.

During the public comment, and also privately with the senators, I was able to ask, “What about taking the rebate off of the sticker price at the dealership to lower the cost immediately?”  I also was able to inquire into DC fast charging plus some of the other renewable energy policy questions regarding wind and tidal energy that World Team Now supports. Fran Pavely is renowned for really listening to and interacting well with her public constituency and for that we are pleased.

Yesterday CEC decision to invest $20 million which will also contribute towards 5,000 charging stations, and more for local governments’ planning for EVs, and  projects like The Bay Area’s “eTaxi” Program using Better Place’s model to swap out batteries in all-electric taxi cabs, while funding  “switch” stations in key places (like the airports) to ultimately achieve unlimited range. The all-electric motorcycle, “Zero” is also a beneficiary of the CECs’ support as they moved their manufacturing plant from Asia to California.   Progress was made not just for EVs but also for energy storage, statewide charging infrastructure and other renewable energy projects in general, for more read the CEC’s press release here.

The Informational Hearing provided more than the panel’s two agendas.   National security and renewable energy had a boost with the public who seemed to be pleasantly surprised to hear more about the active stand the military now takes to demonstrate and deploy renewable energy and environmentally sustainable actions— such as the installation of LED street lights on the 3 local military bases and in Ventura County (VC).  It was encouraging to learn veterans are leaving the military with trained skills and technical expertise in the installation of renewable energy systems such as solar.  We were overwhelmed by the depth of military adoption of renewable energy in VC bases with projects ranging from wind to concentrated solar energy, along with energy storage technology.  Renewable energy plays a powerful role in the game of security, with both offensive and defensive operations in the military.

Senator Pavley was able to share the morning’s news— the bill, SB1409, she wrote which was passed by all parties unanimously in the Senate, and was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on September 27th, 2012, and became The Energy Security Coordination Act of 2013.

This bill supports the state and the federal military to work together on renewable energy research, development, and planning, not only for efficiency but also for security.  It supports the work of the Department of Defense (DOD) with VC and helps to ensure the permanence of the military bases and thus the jobs in the local economy.  Coverage of the military’s local renewable energy initiatives, plus the panel discussion on the “DOD’s Clean Energy Achievements in CA,” will be continued in an upcoming blog post.

 
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