© 2011 Shravya K. Reddy, The Climate Reality Project
And now, our leaders have listened. President Obama and the State Department announced they will delay any decision on the pipeline at least until 2013. This means we will have at least another year to continue educating our leaders and the public on why this pipeline is such a terrible idea. Some early reports suggest that in practical terms, this delay means the pipeline will never get built.
We have faced many setbacks in our fight to solve the climate crisis. But over the long run, it is clear we will prevail. We will prevail because every day, millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders face the reality of this crisis. This is one of those moments. This time, the people were heard.
The reality of climate change is the defining challenge of our time. It’s up to all of us to reject the deniers and the special interests and build a sustainable future for our planet. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part in this fight — to members and supporters of Climate Reality, and the whole band who were physically present and those who joined hands online. We all know there is a great deal of work ahead but it is victories like this that show us real change can be achieved. We must keep up the fight.
Ina Warren
November 11th
And thanks to you, Maggie Fox, for your hard work and perseverance on this issue.
This is a sweet momentary victory that we should savor as it could just as easily have been a pipeline approval stamp by 12/31/11. But Monday morning we will awaken to a whole other set of pipeline issues around the Nebraska relocation.
Continued blessings on your work and for the Climate Reality Project.
Lori Callahan
November 12th
This is a big step towards gaining the awareness of the people in authoritative positions having the power to change the direction of climate change. Hats off to this grassroots effort and all of those caring enough to make their voices heard!
Jan
November 12th
Is that why he was out golfing the day thousands stood around the White House? Why can’t he say NO now? This is simply putting off the inevitable until after the election so Obama doesn’t have to take a real stand and anger any one group he needs to get re-elected. I can wager this will be put off until next year and at that time it will be approved with the same route. Afterall, Obama would not need to campaign again then. And, those who actually came out to fight only for it to be rerouted are also wrong. It needs to be killed completely. All this does is put it off for a year, with BP already getting access to the Gulf again and Shell getting access to the Arctic. How is that a victory? Obama does not have what it takes to truly be a leader and take a definitive moral stand against big oil. This was his chance and he failed us. Very disappointing regardless of how some spin it who put party before principle.
Jan
November 12th
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/keystone-delay-unlikely-to-stall-big-oil-companies/2011/11/11/gIQAKzPiDN_story.html
Just as a reference, there is already a pipeline that runs from Hardisty to Wisconsin that is already piping in bitumen crude to the U.S. It is called the Alberta Clipper. Why no mention of this? Was their EIS proper? Why was this kept silent? I knew of it a couple years ago and wrote against it elsewhere.
Nevertheless…
This article states that oil companies wishing to move the bitumen will now simply place more pumping stations on existing lines such as the Alberta Clipper. So again I ask, what victory? How do you intend to stop the tarsands from flowing from Canada? That is the only way you have real victory. Face the facts here. Obama flim flammed you all. Just like Bush did. They both visited Harper and agreed to this. Even to the point of not becoming part of any agreement to decrease carbon emissions if the tarsands were part of it. Now what?
Dr. Robert Cassidy
November 14th
Solar energy is closer than we think.
Electric power utilities and the owners of the national electrical transmission grid could afford to install standardized 200 Watt “plug and play” solar PV units on residential homes. With standardized design incorporating the PV module, a micro grid-tie inverter, and protective circuitry, a $1000 unit would pay for itself (with the federal tax credit) in 5 to 10 years.
The key benefit, however, is reduction in strain on the electrical grid, decreasing the number of brownouts and blackouts, and also decreasingthe capital cost for maintenance and upgrading the grid. (The PV units reach maximum output near the time of peak power use daily.)
The plan, then, is for utility companies to install these systems for free on residences. The power company gets the tax credit and owns the system and its output for the payback period. Then the homeowner takes over ownership and reaps the benefits of the electrical output. The homeowner gains an ultimately free PV system, the power company and the grid owner gain higher reliability at lower cost, and everyone gains from fewer blackouts.
This plan helps fund PV commercialization by capitalizing the significant benefit of distributed power generation on the electrical grid.