Harrisonburg’s Arts Council of the Valley hosted their 3rd annual 24 Hour Project at Court Square Theater from 5:00 pm, March 18 until 5:00 PM, March 19, 2016. “Featuring music, drama, comedy, dance, poetry, workshops, and many other forms of performance art, the event is a celebration of community and collaboration through a non-stop, 24-hour run of performances by artists both local and broad,” and is used to help raise funds for the Arts Council.
For the second year in a row fossil fuel-driven climate concerns made an appearance at this event. At 3PM on Saturday, March 19, CAAV members Cathy Strickler and Joy Loving, along with several other volunteers from the area, presented a 20-minute skit at Court Square Theater’s 24 Hour Project. The skit was a follow-up to the November 29, 2015, Postcard to Paris event in downtown Harrisonburg held to add our voices to “the global plea sending an urgent message to the pivotal United Nations Conference on Climate Change convening in Paris. (And to) help create a new coalition of faith groups, student and environmental groups, business and government, to build positive changes in the Valley.”
The performance included drummer Nic Melas playing his unique box drum, participants reading the postcard’s actual messages and several other sayings about our need to nurture and protect the earth. In addition the skit presented a reenactment of the transition of the world from fossil fuels to a renewable energy future by Earl Martin and a young girl representing the next generation being forced to deal with our climate issues. Throughout the skit, a slide show of colorful pictures of people helping nature displayed on the screen behind the participants. The postcard itself was also displayed on stage throughout the skit.
The skit is available for use by anyone interested. It could provide local students a great opportunity to present its message to their classmates. If anyone is interested in obtaining the materials, email contactcaav[at]gmail[dot]com.
Click on the image at right for a one minute segment of the performance.
AWARD-WINING DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR JOSH FOX AND FIVE OTHERS ARRESTED IN ANTI-PIPELINE PROTEST AT THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION.
March 24, Washington, DC — Gasland filmmaker Josh Fox, Megan Holleran and five others were arrested in the driveway of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) while waiting for commissioners to join them for pancakes topped with the last drops of maple syrup from the Holleran family farm in New Milford, Pa. They and about two dozen other activists were protesting FERC’s approval for the clear-cutting of a wide swath of maple trees at the Holleran farm.
Blocked by guards from entering the FERC building, Fox repeatedly called on the commissioners to come down for “the last dregs of syrup” and a conversation about fracked-gas infrastructure and climate change.
“Everyone I know is fighting a pipeline or a compressor station or a power plant that is in front of FERC for approval,” said Fox, wearing an apron that said “Pancakes not Pipelines.” “It is clear to me that FERC has to be the most destructive agency in the United States right now. They are faceless, nameless, unelected and ignore citizen input. I think of FERC as the Phantom Menace. The agency’s commissioners have been rubber-stamping fracking infrastructure all over country that threatens local communities and the planet by accelerating climate change.”
Climate activist Tim DeChristopher, wearing a chef’s cap and a “Pancakes not Pipelines” apron,” cooked the pancakes on a solar-powered cooktop set up on the sidewalk in front of FERC. DeChristopher said FERC had “cut down life-giving maple trees to make room for a death-dealing pipeline.” The agency has been “able to get away with this shameful behavior by operating in the shadows. We’re here today to invite FERC employees into the open, to engage in a human way with the people whose lives are impacted by FERC’s decisions.”
Protesters carried banners that said “Stop the Methane Pipeline” and “Pancakes not Pipelines.” Led by singer-songwriter Bethany Yarrow, who was also arrested and is the daughter of Peter Yarrow, protesters sang songs, including “We Shall Not Be Moved” and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.”
While seated at a table, eating pancakes and waiting for FERC commissioners or employees to join them, several people hurt directly by the agency’s permits also spoke.
Holleran, among those arrested with Fox, said FERC had given approval for the trees to be cleared before the pipeline had all the required permits. “We followed all the rules. We asked them to wait before doing irreparable harm to our farm. This could happen to anyone,” she said. “FERC, come on down and chat with me. FERC has a chance to be accountable now.”
Nancy Vann, a Westchester, NY, landowner who blocked tree-cutting on her land for the Spectra Energy’s Alqonquin Incremental Market (AIM), said, “Each tree that is cut is another step toward an uninhabitable planet. I’m here for Megan and her family and for the 20 million people living within a 50-mile radius of the pipeline that’s planning to go 105 feet from the Indian Point nuclear power plant and two earthquake fault lines.”
Activist and psychiatrist Lise van Susteren said, “We are here to tell [FERC] we will not stand by while you have this unholy alliance with industry.” Psychiatrists and other health-care professionals have to report to authorities any child abuse, she said. “Every child stands to suffer because of what we are doing to the climate.”
“We can not afford to think what is happening now doesn’t affect us all,” said Aria Doe, co-founder of the Action Center for Education and Community Development in Rockaways, NY, where neighborhoods were inundated by Hurricane Sandy. Much of the pollution ends up in poor communities of color, she said. “I’m here for my future grandchildren.”
Robin Maguire from Conestoga, PA, said the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline is routed through sacred burial sites.
Also at the action was Karenna Gore of the Center for Earth Ethics.
In addition to Fox, Holleran and Yarrow, those arrested were: Gabe Shapiro from New Hampshire; Jane Kendall from New York City; Don Weightman, a BXE organizer from Philadelphia; Ron Coler, a Select Board member of Ashfield, MA, who’s fighting the NED pipeline and Connecticut Expansion.
Yarrow’s 9-year-old daughter, Valentino Ossa, watched in tears as her mother, still singing, was handcuffed and put in a Homeland Security van.
Beyond Extreme Energy organized the action, one of many the group has led at FERC. BXE is working with groups and individuals across the United States to revoke FERC’s mandate to operate an arm of the oil and gas industry. It seeks an end to FERC permits for new pipelines and other projects that allow the expansion of the fracked-gas industry. BXE has made this demand in an escalating series of protests at FERC beginning in 2014 and including disruptions at the monthly FERC meetings, described in the March 20, 2016, New York Times article “Environmental Activists Take to Local Protests for Global Results.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/20/science/earth/environmental-activists-take-to-local-protests-for-global-results.html
BXE will continue its actions at FERC during the Rubber Stamp Rebellion planned from May 15 to 22.
Four CAAV members participated in an afternoon of pipeline fighting in Churchville on March 8, 2016. A Dominion-organized open house about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) scheduled from 5-7:30PM prompted groups like Friends of Augusta and Wild Virginia to organize peaceful action outside the open house venue at Churchville Elementary School. Senator Tim Kaine held a Kaine Connects event from 3-4pm at the Churchville Branch of the Augusta County Library hosted by his representative Gwen Mason.
Cathy Strickler offered this report on the group’s Churchville trip:
Anne, Bishop, Charlie and I went to the public meeting that Sen. Kaine’s staff person, Gwen Mason, held at the library. We got there 15 min. late, the room was SRO with about 40 people and the only topic was the ACP. A new voice was Tom Dirman(?), an expert on pipelines with life long professional experience. The discussion focused on what a terrible idea the ACP is, what a terrible player Dominion is, what FERC and Sen. Kaine can do to stop the project. Toward the end I commented on the need for more frontline community action and what Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) is doing. We left at 4:45 and the meeting was still going.
We walked next door to the elementary school and joined other protesters, 40-50, lining the sidewalk into the Dominion open house to explain the new proposed route. There was a fairly steady stream of people going into the building. There was a lot of interest shown to the information the protesters were sharing, lots of conversations. We left at 6.
Cathy Strickler, founder and former chair of the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley steering committee, organized some local action for the regional Dump Dominion Day on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
From 11:30AM-1:30PM a group of around one dozen concerned citizens held up signs for passing traffic and pedestrians, passed out flyers and delivered a letter to the Bank of America management on Court Square, Harrisonburg.
The message was for the Bank of America to stop financing Dominion Resources’ dirty, climate change contributing, carbon-intensive energy infrastructure. The Bank of America is a major financial investor in Dominion Cove Point LNG, a planned fracked gas liquefaction and export facility to be located in a residential section of Lusby, Maryland. More about this here.
The group delivered this letter to bank management. Some one hundred flyers were distributed to passers by, and journalists with the Daily News-Record and WHSV-TV were on hand to help tell the story. At least two bank customers reported that they had just cut up their Bank of America credit cards over this issue.
The photo to the left is of Cathy holding up a sign to alert passers by of the Bank of America’s support of Dominion Resources.
WHSV-TV’s report on the event is here:
Find the Daily News-Record‘s December 17, 2015, coverage with photos by Austin Bachand, as a scanned pdf by clicking on the image below, or as available online here.
A link to coverage of all the actions that happened that day is here.
Thanks to the Postcard to Paris organizers and everyone who came out for a meaningful and inspiring evening, Sunday, November 29. Re-energizing our world will take everyone!
Find Christopher Clymer Kurtz’s coverage of the Postcard to Paris event for WMRA here. Photo above is of Earl Martin signing the Post Card. Photo credit: WMRA.
On Friday, November 13, Paris was rocked by multiple devastating terrorist attacks involving many dozens of deaths and injuries. The organizers of this Post Card to Paris event send our heartfelt concern and grief over these tragic events. We are hopeful the UN Conference of Parties 21, scheduled in Paris from November 30 – December 11, will prevail in hopes of a more just and livable planet.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 4:30 PM
ICEHOUSE, 217 S LIBERTY ST, HARRISONBURG
Come one and all! Add your voice to the global plea sending an urgent message to the pivotal United Nations Conference on Climate Change convening in Paris. Help create a new coalition of faith groups, student and environmental groups, business and government, to build positive changes in the Valley. Join us in lighting up Harrisonburg’s own Eiffel Tower as a sign of our commitment to the future.
Our first action is a gathering at Harrisonburg’s Icehouse Eiffel Tower on Sunday, November 29 at 4:30 PM to:
1. Send a message to negotiators in Paris demanding a just and swift transition to 100% renewable energy.
2. Call for action in the Valley to increase energy efficiency and move to renewable energy sources for a sustainable and resilient place to live now and in the future.
3. Pass the torch to our young people as they light up our own Eiffel Tower as a beacon of hope for the future and signal of support for global consensus in Paris.
2015 is on track to be the hottest year in recorded history, and this December 195 world governments will meet in Paris to try to strike a global agreement. It will be the biggest gathering of its kind since 2009, and it’s a big deal for our planet.
So far, however, commitments from world governments just aren’t adding up. We are out of time and we can’t afford another failure at a moment when renewable energy is becoming a revolutionary economic force that could power a just transition away from fossil fuels. The solutions are obvious: pull out all the stops to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy everywhere we can, and make sure communities on the front lines of climate change have the resources they need to respond to the crisis.
This could be a turning point – if we push for it. Join us on November 29 for serious conversation, music, fun and food – and join the movement to re-energize Harrisonburg and the Valley for a livable planet and a viable future.
What to expect at the Postcard to Paris gathering, an inaugural event for a new coalition, on Sunday, November 29 at 4:30PM: There will be short speeches explaining the action, the “solar torch of renewable energy” will be passed from old to young, a photo will be taken of everyone gathered around the tower and a giant Post Card to Paris, and there will be music, snacks, and conversation (indoors where it will be warm!) And most critically, there will be an opportunity for outreach to the world and local government through signing the Post Card to Paris and a petition to City Council.
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The Harrisonburg Eiffel Tower sculpture was constructed on the Icehouse patio on Saturday, November 21 under the watchful eye of local structural engineer Johann Zimmerman of JZ Engineering. Area student groups joined the project site that afternoon to paint the Tower. The Icehouse Eiffel Tower, Harrisonburg’s newest downtown attraction, is scheduled to stay up through the end of the year.
On Monday, November 23 starting around noon, the Tower was raised, anchored in place with sandbags and strung with solar powered LED lights. Come to the Icehouse to check it out then be sure to return for the call-to-action, galvanizing, community gathering around the Icehouse Tower on Sunday, November 29 at 4:30PM.
If you’re part of an organization, share this invitation and bring your group’s banner to hang with those of our sponsors and (current) coalition members:
Click on the images above for a fuller view of the posters. The one on the left is about the Eiffel Tower itself and an artist’s statement from Johann Zimmerman. The poster on the right describes the Postcard to Paris Project.
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This event is the official public launch of a long term campaign to move Harrisonburg toward 100% renewable energy.
It is the product of a (yet unnamed) newly formed coalition of local student, faith, and other social and environmental groups committed to a more globally engaged and sustainable Harrisonburg. The group emerged from 350.org‘s worldwide, grassroots campaign to turn on renewable energy and turn off fossil fuels. The local campaign has four goals:
• To be a local movement within a larger global movement • To send a unified message to Paris for the upcoming United Nations Climate Summit, urging our world leaders for a swift and just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy • To highlight the renewable infrastructure that is already present in our neighborhoods • To create positive change in our city by creating pathways for more renewable energy
Collaboration and input about how this can be a movement for positive social and ecological change in our city is welcome; shaping and realizing this vision for a re-energized Harrisonburg will take everyone.
For more information or to get involved, please contact Tom Benevento at New Community Project/Vine and Fig at 540-432-3696, ncpharrisonburg@gmail.com, or CAAV representatives at contactcaav@gmail.com.
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Eiffel Tower sculpture being assembled and painted on November 21, 2015, on the rooftop beside Pale Fire Brewing Co.:
In the fall of 2015, CAAV members Joni and Les Grady helped fortify the Harrisonburg Massanutten Regional Library’s collection of climate change-related books with the donation of the books featured below. Click on the book cover image for a link to the Amazon.com page for the book.
Cynthia Barnett Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s water crisis
Michael Lanza Before They’re Gone: A family’s year-long quest to explore America’s most endangered National Parks
Nancy Merrick Among Chimpanzees: Field Notes from the race to save our endangered relatives
Fred Pearce The Land Grabbers: The new fight over who owns the earth
Fred Pearce The New Wild: Why invasive species will be nature’s salvation
Eva Saulitis Into Great Silence: A memoir of discovery and loss among vanishing orcas
Amy Seidl Early Spring: An ecologist and her children wake to a warming world
Amy Seidl Finding Higher Ground: Adaptation in the age of warming
John Shivik The Predator Paradox: Ending the war with wolves, bears, cougars, and coyotes
Philip Warburg Harness the Sun: America’s quest for a solar-powered future
Thanks to Alan Williams for an interesting and informative presentation with lots of amazing photos! And thank you for your dedication to this difficult work.
The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley presents the inside story on fighting western forest fires, from training to living in camp to the actual hard and very dirty work of controlling a wildfire, from Shenandoah National Park’s Alan Williams.
Alan Williams is an Ecologist/Data Manager for Shenandoah National Park (SNP). He works on projects including water quality, aquatic invertebrate monitoring, native trout monitoring, non-native plant monitoring, forest health, rare plant monitoring, and Peregrine Falcon restoration. He is also a member of the park’s technical rescue team and wildfire fighting crew.
On Monday, October 26 at 6:00 PM at the Harrisonburg Downtown Library, Alan Williams will share with us his experiences working western wildfires as well as what firefighting means at SNP.
Alan Williams is an ecologist and wildfire fighter with the Shenandoah National Park.
Come to watch “Unacceptable Risk: Firefighters on the Front Lines of Climate Change.” Produced by The Story Group, this short video “focuses on the people battling to save lives and property in a rapidly changing environment.” Then hear Alan present about training for fighting wildfires, life in a fire camp, working western wildfires, and wildfires and the Shenandoah National Park. We will have time for questions following the presentation.
All welcome!
Top photo credit: from The Story Group’s video “Unacceptable Risk: Firefighters on the Front Lines of Climate Change.”
In August 2015, the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) developed and distributed by both U.S. Postal Service mail and email a Candidate Climate and Energy Questionnaire to candidates for the Virginia General Assembly’s State Senate Districts 24, 25 and 26, and House of Delegates Districts 15, 20, 24, 25, 26 and 58. These districts lie, in whole, or in part, within CAAV’s reach.
Of these 13 area candidates for Delegate and Senatorial seats in this fall’s state elections, only Senate candidate April Moore (Senate District 26) and Delegate candidate Angela Lynn (House District 25) responded in full to the questionnaire. Del. Tony Wilt (House District 26) provided a general response in letter form. Del. Dickie Bell (House District 20), Sen. Creigh Deeds (Senate District 25), and Del. Steve Landes (House District 25) sent letters explaining why they would not respond to the questionnaire. The other seven candidates sent no response.
Climate Action Alliance of the Valley member Charlie Strickler was among the dozen people who made it through an “…18-day water-only fast in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to raise awareness of the agency’s contribution to worsening climate change and to harming the health and well-being of frontline communities where these projects are built.”
The No New Permits Fast was held from September 8- September 25, 2015, the day the Pope spoke at the United Nations in New York City.
Day 1, Charlie leafleting in front of FERC headquarters
Day 4
Fasters in front of FERC headquarters, Day 2.
Keep it in the Ground Rally, 9.15
A group rallying at the White House to get President Obama to keep fossil fuels in the ground. 9.15
The card handed out on 9.16 showing solidarity with the fasters in the Chicago school situation.
“We went over to NPR headquarters today and we leafleted the workers as they went in to work.” 9.18
Messages of encouragement from Harrisonburg compiled by Cathy, 9.18.15
9.18.15
Day 15. 9.22.15.
Charlie’s back. 9.23.15.
“The group was hanging out here at McPherson Square, I recognized Mitch (Hescox) walking by, stopped him, and a mini-event happened. The credit goes to Anne (Nielsen) for getting Mitch at the Harrisonburg Mennonite Church twice, and then a CAAV breakfast.” – Cathy Strickler, 9.23.15
Charlie with Senator Whitehouse. 9.24.15
Doug Hendren and Dave Pruett at the Moral Action on Climate Rally. 9.24.15.
Charlie and Lee Stewart. 9.24.15
Last Day. 9.25.15
The quilt made by supporters of the fast.
Charlie breaking bread for the break fast ceremony. 9.25.15
On September 15, 2015, the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley will present a public talk by Dr. Lisa Schirch on the Impact of Climate Change on Peace and Security. Schirch is Director of Human Security at the Alliance for Peacebuilding, and Research Professor at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University.
Dr. Schirch will talk about how climate change is not only going to affect our world in terms of environmental impacts, but also in economic, social, political, peace, and security areas. She says, “What I’ll do here is to link the different impacts together, because climate change itself does not cause conflict. It operates within a complex dynamic system.”
The talk won’t go into the settled science but will instead go over the impacts of climate change, seeing how the different impacts are related, and looking at the world as a community so that we can collectively address and conquer this major threat.
In addition, John Eckman, Executive Director of Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, will discuss the issue as it may more narrowly impact the Valley.
Please join us for this presentation on Tuesday, September 15, 6:00PM, at the downtown Harrisonburg library, 174 S. Main St., Harrisonburg.
Harrisonburg’s Arts Council of the Valley hosted their 3rd annual 24 Hour Project at Court Square Theater from 5:00 pm, March 18 until 5:00 PM, March 19, 2016. “Featuring music, drama, comedy, dance, poetry, workshops, and many other forms of performance art, the event is a celebration of community and collaboration through a non-stop, 24-hour run of performances by artists both local and broad,” and is used to help raise funds for the Arts Council.
Click on the image at right for a one minute segment of the performance.
The group delivered 
The Harrisonburg Eiffel Tower sculpture was constructed on the Icehouse patio on Saturday, November 21 under the watchful eye of local structural engineer Johann Zimmerman of 
If you’re part of an organization, share this invitation and bring your group’s banner to hang with those of our sponsors and (current) coalition members:
Thanks to Alan Williams for an interesting and informative presentation with lots of amazing photos! And thank you for your dedication to this difficult work.
