Congratulations to Mothers Out Front Fairfax County for being in the news!

Virginia Delegate Mark Keam has filed a bill that would convert diesel school buses to electric by 2030. House Bill 1140, which was drafted with significant input from Mothers Out Front, sets up a new block grant program which would allow school districts to seek funding to help replace their current diesel school buses with electric ones, as well as expenses for infrastructure support, according to a press release from Mothers Out Front.

“Transitioning from diesel to zero-emission buses will have a measurable positive effect on our children’s health and their future in the face of climate change,” said Delegate Keam, a Democratic lawmaker representing Fairfax County in the state legislature. “I want to thank Mothers Out Front for working with me on this sensible solution that protects our kids’ health while addressing the climate crisis.”

Published by Blue Virginia, this letter to Democratic legislators is from 350 Alexandria, 350 Fairfax, 350 Loudoun, Climate Reality Project-NoVa Chapter, Earth Rise Indivisible, Food and Water Watch, Greater Prince William Climate Action Network, Mothers Out Front (Fairfax), Mothers Out Front (Prince William), NoVa Climate, Progressive Democrats of America-Virginia Chapter, Our Revolution-Alexandria, Our Revolution-Arlington, Our Revolution-Falls Church, Sunrise Movement Fairfax, Transparent GMU

Dear Democratic Legislators:

To adequately address the climate crisis in the 2020 legislative session, we believe you must do the following:

–WORK TOGETHER. Put aside regional and ideological differences–and any possible influence of special interests–and all agree to take several decisive actions:

–MANDATE THE MOST RAPID, FEASIBLE TIMETABLE POSSIBLE FOR CONVERSION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY.  DC has committed to 100% generation from renewables by 2032. Virginia currently gets 30% of its electricity from nuclear, so it should be able to produce the other 70% carbon-free renewable energy (that is, solar, wind, geothermal) by 2032—and then phase out nuclear as soon as possible—no later than 2040.

Watch Mother Out Front and environmental justice activist, Sarah Smiley, discussing climate change and the politics of fossil fuels around the country.

Mothers Out Front Amherst had an excellent turnout (~35) at our Electric School Bus Campaign Launch Party at the Jones Library in Amherst on November 24.

Our petition was signed by many and will go to the School Committee once we reach 150 signatories. Guest speaker was Brian Foulds, a strong advocate for electric school buses in Concord.

The event got news coverage from WWLP and was funded by a grant from Climate Change Conversations in Libraries.

If our public works are meant to serve the public, then all of our voices need to be included. Kim Sudderth of Mothers Out Front Hampton Roads is #InTheNews:

Before an influential planning commission was set to publicly debate throwing its support behind the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the group’s executive director went back and forth with an employee of one of the pipeline’s chief proponents, according to emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Kim Sudderth, a senior organizer with the climate-change focused advocacy group Mothers Out Front, said the people who would be directly affected by the pipeline have been left out of the conversation.

 

Read the whole story:

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Mothers Out Front Amherst/Pioneer Valley are #inthenews fighting for a for a clean ride to school for our children!

Mothers Out Front recently launched an online petition, which the group anticipates submitting to school officials Dec. 17 with the signatures of community members and students, aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pollution and improving the health of those affected by diesel exhaust.

On Tuesday, Mothers Out Front member Felicia Mednick told the School Committee that transitioning from fossil fuels to electricity will send a message to children that the town is taking the effects of climate change seriously and reducing its carbon footprint.

You can sign the petition here!

Read the whole story:

[embedlycard url="https://www.gazettenet.com/Campaign-to-push-for-Amherst-schools-to-purchase-electric-buses-31228658"]

(Madrid,10 December 2019)– Fifteen game-changing initiatives from more than twenty countries have been celebrated as winners of the prestigious UN Global Climate Action Awards during the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid.

The Awards spearheaded by UN Climate Change’s Momentum for Change initiative showcase some of the most practical, scalable and replicable examples of what people across the globe are doing to tackle climate change.Speaking at a special ceremony at COP25 hosted by the Chilean Government in Madrid,Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said:

“These award-winning projects shine a light on outstanding examples of scalable, innovative and practical climate action from around the world. Each of these projects serve as beacons, guiding us towards a better future,” said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. 

“The recipients of the UN Global Climate Action Awards are leaders from communities, governments, businesses and organisations, and they are from all corners of the globe and all levels of society. The teams behind these projects are stepping up to meet the global climate challenge by delivering on the Paris Agreement,” Ms. Espinosa concluded.  

Led by our youth leaders, the intergenerational #climatestrikes are building the strength of our collective movement each Friday. In Vienna, high school climate activist Katie M "decided to organize the strike in Vienna, because 'D.C. already has a strong climate movement.'" 

At the strike, protesters urged people to write a postcard to the Fairfax County School Board. The students and adult allies are pushing for a Green New Deal for FCPS that would switch all of the schools to net-zero carbon emissions by installing solar panels and energy-efficient windows. The plan would also continue the push for electric school buses in the county.

“I just want to make sure [my kids] have a liveable planet to live in,” Tiziana Bottino, a community organizer for Mothers Out Front, told Tysons Reporter about why she joined the strike.

Read the whole story:

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A Mother's perspective on the historic Brookline, MA Warrant Article 21 prohibiting fossil fuel use in new construction and in renovations, published by Brookline Wicked Local:

Like any mother, I think about my children’s future all the time. I look at the world that they are inheriting from us and I feel great anxiety. As a mother, I want to protect my children no matter what. The looming reality of global warming and climate collapse is something that requires immediate action. I have realized that I need to do everything I can to urge individuals and communities to protect the future for all children.

Last Wednesday night, at the Brookline Town Meeting, our community took action. By an overwhelming favorable vote, we passed the broadest ban on gas and oil infrastructure in new construction and significant renovations in the entire country. From this decision alone, carbon emissions in Brookline will be lowered by about 10% over the next thirty years. Brookline is demonstrating that a clean energy future is possible, now.

We're so excited about Amherst's Electric School Bus Campaign kickoff! Watch the video in this news report and see how many Mothers Out Front you can spot!

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