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NO COAL: Activists Spell Out Demands

By Hildi Flores

On the first day of the 2013 state legislative session, Puget Sound climate activists gathered on the Capitol steps for an afternoon of speakers, non-violent action, and a show of solidarity with the global climate justice movement. Legislators bustled inside the Capitol chambers, taking little notice of the modest crowd of dedicated citizens outside in the brisk, light snow, passionately articulating their thoughts on the climate crisis.

Activists focused their message on the fossil fuel industry, demanding state and national legislatures take proactive policy measures to reduce the extraction, transport, and burning of fossil fuels, and transition to renewable energy sources.

Every major fossil fuel project, including the Alberta Tar Sands and Keystone XL pipeline, hydraulic fracturing in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota, and the shipment of Powder River Basin coal to China is accompanied by a multitude of concerns regarding human health, environmental destruction, climate impacts, and human rights abuses.

Due to the grip fossil fuel industry fossil campaign contributions have on our elected officials, activists see it necessary to address the issue on two fronts: by pressuring law makers to serve citizens interests and taking direct action to halt the transport of fossil fuels and its associated equipment.

Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign, a movement-building organization, explained the strategy. "The coal trains and ports must become so politically toxic that the elected officials that they're willing to stand up and push the boundaries of their authority." With regard to the fossil fuel industry, he said, "We have to divide their alliances. We can't allow our rails and ports to be used for this purpose."

Evergreen Professor Zolton Grossman reminded the crowd that the local port and transportation infrastructure is already being used for the shipment of fossil fuel materials, but also there lies the fragility of the industry.

"Here in the Port of Olympia, we have a heavy haul going on right now supplies for fracking in the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota and Montana," said Grossman. "The Achilles heel of the fossil fuel monster is shipping, and in particular ports."

Carlo Voli from Tar Sands Actions in Seattle spoke of the effectiveness of the direct action used to blockade the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

"Obama delayed the authorization of the Keystone XL pipeline for further environmental review," said Voli, "but he only did so because of huge public opposition, which was spurred by the largest act of civil disobedience the environmental movement has seen in over a generation. Despite all of this, most of us are expecting Obama to authorize the northern leg of the pipeline. If we want to solve the climate crisis, we are going to have to get more involved in activism and put our bodies on the line."

As an artistic act of protest, activists formed a human mural on the steps of the Temple of Justice, across from the legislative building, spelling out the message "No Coal," referring to the proposed coal export project.

Josephine Ferorelli of the Power Past Coal campaign reminded the audience of the importance of getting involved in the scoping process.

"Our task is to comment thoroughly and tell our legislators to represent our interests here," said Ferorelli. "This proposal is not in integrity with our state's efficient and progressive character."

Joey Gray of Tar Sands Action in Seattle said to the audience, "We are calling on our legislators to consider the climate and fuel reduction conservation policies and ways that we can live sustainably in every single policy decision and law that they enact this session."

Gar Lipow, a local author of Solving the Climate Crisis Through Social Change, said losing our "fear of government spending" is the crucial in confronting the crisis.

"If we want to tackle the climate and jobs crisis, we're going to have to stop demonizing government and make it serve 'We the People'," said Lipow.

Jess Spears of Socialist Alternative said the global capitalist system is "fossil fuel intensive" and "the first barrier to stopping global warming is the existing fossil fuel based infrastructure."

"The technology to transition society away from fossil fuels already exists," said Spears. "There is no shortage of ideas to power society on renewable energy."

A rally observer, Clark Gilman of Climate Solutions, a northwest non-profit dedicated to finding practical and profitable solutions to climate change, said he would like to see the legislature and Governor Inslee "create robust incentives for families and business to implement energy efficiency projects. When the solutions are community based, that's when they're the strongest."

Originally from Montana, Hildi Flores moved to Olympia to attend Evergreen. She has a background in political economy, history, and journalism, with a particular interest in community networking and sustainable economic development.


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