Earth Hour is Saturday night from 8:30-9:30pm.
Last year the Chicagoland region reported an electricity savings of 7 percent - the carbon emissions equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the road for one hour or planting 158 acres of trees.
Lights out Illinois!
March 27, 2009
February 26, 2009
Quinn Reopens Parks
Spring is just around the corner, and now Illinois residents and visitors can count on being able to experience the great outdoors in all of Illinois' state parks. Today Illinois Governor Pat Quinn made good on a pledge to reopen seven state parks that were closed November 30th, 2008 under Rod Blagojevich.
“This is a great day for the people of Illinois. State parks protect some of our most precious habitat and provide opportunities for families to find outdoor recreation close to home. These are the people’s parks and the people have the right to enjoy them in good and bad economic times,” said Governor Quinn. “The value of these open spaces is immeasurable to children, families and local communities that depend on these parks for crucial economic stability.”
Governor Quinn is off to a strong start rebuilding the agency we count on to protect our water supply, our wildlife, and our state parks. He has already appointed a dedicated conservationist in Marc Miller to lead the IDNR, and now has reversed the most recent cuts made by Rod Blagojevich. We know that it will take time to rebuild the IDNR to its past strength, but clearly Governor Quinn has made it a priority to do so. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.
The seven parks affected by today's announcement are: Castle Rock State Park and Lowden State Park in Oregon, Illini State Park in Marseilles, Hidden Springs State Forest in Strasburg, Moraine View State Park in Leroy, Weldon Springs State Park in Clinton, and Wolf Creek State Park in Windsor.
“This is a great day for the people of Illinois. State parks protect some of our most precious habitat and provide opportunities for families to find outdoor recreation close to home. These are the people’s parks and the people have the right to enjoy them in good and bad economic times,” said Governor Quinn. “The value of these open spaces is immeasurable to children, families and local communities that depend on these parks for crucial economic stability.”
Governor Quinn is off to a strong start rebuilding the agency we count on to protect our water supply, our wildlife, and our state parks. He has already appointed a dedicated conservationist in Marc Miller to lead the IDNR, and now has reversed the most recent cuts made by Rod Blagojevich. We know that it will take time to rebuild the IDNR to its past strength, but clearly Governor Quinn has made it a priority to do so. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.
The seven parks affected by today's announcement are: Castle Rock State Park and Lowden State Park in Oregon, Illini State Park in Marseilles, Hidden Springs State Forest in Strasburg, Moraine View State Park in Leroy, Weldon Springs State Park in Clinton, and Wolf Creek State Park in Windsor.
February 18, 2009
Employee Free Choice & The Environment
Last night I had the honor of sharing the stage with some of Chicago and America's strongest champions for working families - Congressman Danny Davis, national AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Laborers' International Union of North America President Terence O'Sullivan, Anna Burger, who heads the Change to Win labor coalition, and Dennis Gannon, head of the Chicago Federation of Labor. We came together, with other faith and public interest leaders, to rally support for the Employee Free Choice Act.
Sierra Club strongly supports the Employee Free Choice Act and we are proud to stand strong with our brothers and sisters in organized labor and work to get the Employee Free Choice Act to President Obama’s desk.
Now some might ask - what does the right to organize have to do with clean air and clean water?
We know that workers are our first line of defense against toxic pollution, chemical spills, and other accidents that can devastate communities.
We know that union workers are more qualified and better trained to deal the health and safety risks of hazardous chemicals.
We know that union workers have greater protections if they blow the whistle on hazards and accidents in the workplace. Union workers have support and protection, and won’t fear for their job if they call attention to a dangerous problem.
We want to work together with our allies in labor to create good, high paying jobs in the new clean energy economy. But we also need to make sure those green jobs are good jobs. Protecting workers’ most basic rights, including the right to choose how and when to form a union, is an essential part of building a clean energy economy that lifts up all workers and saves the planet for future generations.
That’s why Sierra Club calls on Senator Burris, and all of our members of Congress to do the right thing for workers and the environment, and pass the Employee Free Choice Act NOW!
Sierra Club strongly supports the Employee Free Choice Act and we are proud to stand strong with our brothers and sisters in organized labor and work to get the Employee Free Choice Act to President Obama’s desk.
Now some might ask - what does the right to organize have to do with clean air and clean water?
We know that workers are our first line of defense against toxic pollution, chemical spills, and other accidents that can devastate communities.
We know that union workers are more qualified and better trained to deal the health and safety risks of hazardous chemicals.
We know that union workers have greater protections if they blow the whistle on hazards and accidents in the workplace. Union workers have support and protection, and won’t fear for their job if they call attention to a dangerous problem.
We want to work together with our allies in labor to create good, high paying jobs in the new clean energy economy. But we also need to make sure those green jobs are good jobs. Protecting workers’ most basic rights, including the right to choose how and when to form a union, is an essential part of building a clean energy economy that lifts up all workers and saves the planet for future generations.
That’s why Sierra Club calls on Senator Burris, and all of our members of Congress to do the right thing for workers and the environment, and pass the Employee Free Choice Act NOW!
February 05, 2009
A New Day at IDNR
It was great to see Illinois Governor Pat Quinn take early and decisive action today to begin to rebuild the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by appointing an outstanding new Director, Marc Miller. Everyone who loves the Illinois outdoors can take heart today that Gov. Quinn recognizes the critical importance of the work done by DNR, and will work to restore the former strength of the Department.
Governor Quinn's appointment of Marc Miller to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is very strong first step to rebuilding Illinois' ability to protect Illinois' wildlife, water, and special places, and to offer high quality outdoor recreation experiences to Illinois residents and visitors. The IDNR has suffered greatly from budget cuts, layoffs, loss of talented career staff, political hiring and firing, and low staff morale.
Marc Miller is just the man for the big job of restoring the IDNR's integrity and ability to protect Illinois' great outdoors. Miller is a natural resource professional, an avid Illinois outdoorsman, and he has dedicated his career to protecting Illinois' rivers, lakes, streams, and other special places for current and future generations. He can unite the many constituents of the IDNR - hunters, hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and all of us who hope to pass on Illinois' natural heritage to future generations - to advocate for for adequate funding for the Department in these very troubled financial times.
By making the IDNR Director his first Agency appointment, in his first week as Governor, Quinn is sending a powerful signal that the mission of the DNR to protect our natural resources is critical to our well-being and our economy. Especially in the state's current fiscal crisis, we know that rebuilding the IDNR will take time, but today Pat Quinn made clear it is a priority. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.
Governor Quinn's appointment of Marc Miller to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is very strong first step to rebuilding Illinois' ability to protect Illinois' wildlife, water, and special places, and to offer high quality outdoor recreation experiences to Illinois residents and visitors. The IDNR has suffered greatly from budget cuts, layoffs, loss of talented career staff, political hiring and firing, and low staff morale.
Marc Miller is just the man for the big job of restoring the IDNR's integrity and ability to protect Illinois' great outdoors. Miller is a natural resource professional, an avid Illinois outdoorsman, and he has dedicated his career to protecting Illinois' rivers, lakes, streams, and other special places for current and future generations. He can unite the many constituents of the IDNR - hunters, hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and all of us who hope to pass on Illinois' natural heritage to future generations - to advocate for for adequate funding for the Department in these very troubled financial times.
By making the IDNR Director his first Agency appointment, in his first week as Governor, Quinn is sending a powerful signal that the mission of the DNR to protect our natural resources is critical to our well-being and our economy. Especially in the state's current fiscal crisis, we know that rebuilding the IDNR will take time, but today Pat Quinn made clear it is a priority. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.
January 31, 2009
Quinn Can Lead to a Cleaner Future
IIllinois Governor Pat Quinn takes office with more knowledge and experience dealing with the energy, environmental, and conservation challenges facing our state than any new governor in Illinois history. As Lieutenant Governor, he pushed the boundaries of his job description to become Illinois' most visible environmental advocate, championing major upgrades to the policies protecting our drinking water, our public lands, our energy policies, and many more.
As Quinn said after taking the oath of office, "I'm an organizer. Early to bed, early to rise, organize, organize, organize". This inclination to action has attracted him to many good fights on behalf of the people versus the powerful. By lending the power of his office, his good name, and his knack for attracting public attention to causes that might otherwise go unnoticed, he has made a critical difference in many campaigns for a cleaner and greener Illinois. When developers wanted to cash in by building condos on prime bald eagle habitat on an island in the Illinois River, Quinn led an effort to save Plum Island, and it is now forever protected. He sided with Sierra Club and local officials against Gov. Blagojevich's IDNR to stop a coal mine in an Illinois River wetland connected to Banner Marsh, a major state wildlife area. He championed homeowners in DuPage County who were not notified that their drinking water was contaminated by leaking toxic waste, and worked to change our laws to require notification and give Illinois EPA more authority to crack down on polluters.
Now Quinn takes over the Governor's office in the midst of simultaneous crises of corruption, fiscal collapse, and a shrinking economy. He could be forgiven for momentarily forgetting his populist roots as he suddenly inherits such immense problems and responsibility, but his first hours indicated, if anything, a renewed commitment to change. In his first evening as Governor, Quinn spoke to the need for a major new capital spending program to have sustainability as a fundamental principle, including smart, clean energy as a priority. He said he would reopen closed state parks, and would appoint a natural resource professional to run the troubled Department of Natural Resources.
The problems he faces are big, and the competition for his attention will be intense, but Quinn can get off to a fast start making Illinois a leader in the new green economy. While corruption has dominated the headlines, environmental advocates have made big changes in recent years. New energy laws will require 25% of Illinois' electricity to come from wind and other renewable sources by 2025, and Ameren and ComEd are beginning major new programs to help homeowners and businesses save energy this year. We are moving to protect our rivers and lakes from phosphorus pollution from sewage plants and lawn runoff, and this year Illinois coal plants will install cutting edge technology to eliminate 90% of mercury pollution from their smokestacks.
However, big questions about our future face Quinn, the new General Assembly, and all of us. Will Illinois help Obama lead the country and the world to global warming solutions by becoming a clean car state, and setting state limits on greenhouse gas emissions? Will we focus new federal and state capital investments on transportation and energy projects that put people to work giving us cleaner air and healthier communities? Can we protect Illinois' remaining wetlands, prairies, and forests for future generations? How will we make sure a growing population and economy has access to clean, safe drinking water? How can we rebuild the Illinois DNR in the midst of a state fiscal crisis?
Fortunately, Quinn will have a lot of allies in tackling these questions. Changes in the Senate leadership have put John Cullerton and Christine Radogno, both longtime environmental champions, in charge of the Democratic and Republican caucuses, respectively. In the House, the 2008 elections were bad news for some who resisted change, and good news for a new class of leaders who have clean energy high on their list of priorities. In both the House and Senate, Quinn will find new allies for change, even among longtime veterans who will now see the writing on the wall. He can work with Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has been a vigilant enforcer of our environmental laws, and who helped stem the Bush Administration's attacks on our environmental laws with regular legal challenges. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has come up with creative ways to put the power of the state's purse to work protecting the planet. Old divides between interest groups are melting, and new alliances forming, as the very broad appeal of change becomes clear. Businesses see the imperative of energy efficiency in cutting costs. Organized labor recognizes the tremendous employment potential of smart energy solutions. Hunters and anglers are teaming with birders and hikers to demand effective protection of Illinois' outdoors. Faith congregations recognize solving the climate crisis as a moral imperative. Mayors and other local government officials, from Waukegan to Chicago to Rock Island to Carbondale, have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gases locally and are poised to help craft state solutions.
Many members of Illinois' political establishment have, in the past, snickered at Quinn. Constantly picking the people over the powerful has not exactly been the golden rule of Illinois politics. But now, change is not just in vogue, it is in demand. The people of Illinois demand clean government, and they are beyond hungry for leadership they can trust to deliver a smart energy future, and to be a good steward of our air, water, and natural resources. Pat Quinn has what it takes to be that leader, but he will need help. The General Assembly must also embrace change, and each of us must hold all of our elected officials to a new, higher standard. Let's change Illinois from the capitol of "pay to play" to a laboratory of fresh, new ideas that will revitalize our economy, give us a all a cleaner, healthier place to live, and give America real examples of the change we need.
As Quinn said after taking the oath of office, "I'm an organizer. Early to bed, early to rise, organize, organize, organize". This inclination to action has attracted him to many good fights on behalf of the people versus the powerful. By lending the power of his office, his good name, and his knack for attracting public attention to causes that might otherwise go unnoticed, he has made a critical difference in many campaigns for a cleaner and greener Illinois. When developers wanted to cash in by building condos on prime bald eagle habitat on an island in the Illinois River, Quinn led an effort to save Plum Island, and it is now forever protected. He sided with Sierra Club and local officials against Gov. Blagojevich's IDNR to stop a coal mine in an Illinois River wetland connected to Banner Marsh, a major state wildlife area. He championed homeowners in DuPage County who were not notified that their drinking water was contaminated by leaking toxic waste, and worked to change our laws to require notification and give Illinois EPA more authority to crack down on polluters.
Now Quinn takes over the Governor's office in the midst of simultaneous crises of corruption, fiscal collapse, and a shrinking economy. He could be forgiven for momentarily forgetting his populist roots as he suddenly inherits such immense problems and responsibility, but his first hours indicated, if anything, a renewed commitment to change. In his first evening as Governor, Quinn spoke to the need for a major new capital spending program to have sustainability as a fundamental principle, including smart, clean energy as a priority. He said he would reopen closed state parks, and would appoint a natural resource professional to run the troubled Department of Natural Resources.
The problems he faces are big, and the competition for his attention will be intense, but Quinn can get off to a fast start making Illinois a leader in the new green economy. While corruption has dominated the headlines, environmental advocates have made big changes in recent years. New energy laws will require 25% of Illinois' electricity to come from wind and other renewable sources by 2025, and Ameren and ComEd are beginning major new programs to help homeowners and businesses save energy this year. We are moving to protect our rivers and lakes from phosphorus pollution from sewage plants and lawn runoff, and this year Illinois coal plants will install cutting edge technology to eliminate 90% of mercury pollution from their smokestacks.
However, big questions about our future face Quinn, the new General Assembly, and all of us. Will Illinois help Obama lead the country and the world to global warming solutions by becoming a clean car state, and setting state limits on greenhouse gas emissions? Will we focus new federal and state capital investments on transportation and energy projects that put people to work giving us cleaner air and healthier communities? Can we protect Illinois' remaining wetlands, prairies, and forests for future generations? How will we make sure a growing population and economy has access to clean, safe drinking water? How can we rebuild the Illinois DNR in the midst of a state fiscal crisis?
Fortunately, Quinn will have a lot of allies in tackling these questions. Changes in the Senate leadership have put John Cullerton and Christine Radogno, both longtime environmental champions, in charge of the Democratic and Republican caucuses, respectively. In the House, the 2008 elections were bad news for some who resisted change, and good news for a new class of leaders who have clean energy high on their list of priorities. In both the House and Senate, Quinn will find new allies for change, even among longtime veterans who will now see the writing on the wall. He can work with Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has been a vigilant enforcer of our environmental laws, and who helped stem the Bush Administration's attacks on our environmental laws with regular legal challenges. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has come up with creative ways to put the power of the state's purse to work protecting the planet. Old divides between interest groups are melting, and new alliances forming, as the very broad appeal of change becomes clear. Businesses see the imperative of energy efficiency in cutting costs. Organized labor recognizes the tremendous employment potential of smart energy solutions. Hunters and anglers are teaming with birders and hikers to demand effective protection of Illinois' outdoors. Faith congregations recognize solving the climate crisis as a moral imperative. Mayors and other local government officials, from Waukegan to Chicago to Rock Island to Carbondale, have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gases locally and are poised to help craft state solutions.
Many members of Illinois' political establishment have, in the past, snickered at Quinn. Constantly picking the people over the powerful has not exactly been the golden rule of Illinois politics. But now, change is not just in vogue, it is in demand. The people of Illinois demand clean government, and they are beyond hungry for leadership they can trust to deliver a smart energy future, and to be a good steward of our air, water, and natural resources. Pat Quinn has what it takes to be that leader, but he will need help. The General Assembly must also embrace change, and each of us must hold all of our elected officials to a new, higher standard. Let's change Illinois from the capitol of "pay to play" to a laboratory of fresh, new ideas that will revitalize our economy, give us a all a cleaner, healthier place to live, and give America real examples of the change we need.
January 26, 2009
Obama Clean Car Push Clears Way for Illinois Clean Car Act
President Obama's action today to direct USEPA to consider allowing stricter state automobile emissions standards is the change we need to save money at the gas pump, retool our auto industry to make better, more efficient cars, and cut air pollution.
Last year the Illinois General Assembly debated the Illinois Clean Car Act, sponsored by State Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) and State Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), but opposition to stronger state standards from the Bush Administration was a roadblock to the gas savings and cleaner air the Act would bring to Illinois.
President Obama made clear today that his administration will work with states like Illinois that want cleaner cars, not against them. The General Assembly should seize this opportunity to join the growing number of clean car states, and embrace President Obama's vision of cleaner cars the help us end our dependence on foreign oil.
You can read the President's remarks here.
Last year the Illinois General Assembly debated the Illinois Clean Car Act, sponsored by State Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) and State Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), but opposition to stronger state standards from the Bush Administration was a roadblock to the gas savings and cleaner air the Act would bring to Illinois.
President Obama made clear today that his administration will work with states like Illinois that want cleaner cars, not against them. The General Assembly should seize this opportunity to join the growing number of clean car states, and embrace President Obama's vision of cleaner cars the help us end our dependence on foreign oil.
You can read the President's remarks here.
December 30, 2008
Happy New Year, Indeed!
While the headlines of the day may make Illinois' political landscape seem hopelessly mired in scandal and legal uncertainty, and make saving the planet seem far from the Springfield agenda; we are closer than you may realize to major transformational change coming from, of all places, our state capitol, on the big issues facing our state and our civilization.
That's why, looking at the big picture, I am very excited about the prospect for real change in 2009 and beyond.
As environmentalists who have worked with Barack Obama for over a decade on clean energy and environmental health issues, we are especially proud and excited to see an Illinois environmental champion putting energy and environmental protection at the center of his agenda for America. We know first-hand, from our work with him over the years in Springfield and as our U.S. Senator, his commitment to a better environment is real, and that change is coming for our country and our planet.
We had other big victories at the ballot box in 2008 that will help change Illinois politics for the greener. Sierra Club helped elect a new class of state legislators, Democrats and Republicans, who are committed to solving global warming, protecting our water, and rebuilding the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Change has come to America, and we are bringing it to Springfield as well.
While we are working hard to usher in a new era of solutions, we also are working hard to end the era of old, dirty energy. We won a big victory to stop a new dirty coal plant proposed for Franklin County. We are teaming up with local farmers to fight the ravaging impacts of longwall mining in southern and western Illinois.
We are building new partnerships for solutions with unusual allies. To help solve global warming, we are teaming up with faith groups like the American Jewish Committee, Protestants for the Common Good, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. We are nurturing future environmental leaders through work with the Boys and Girls Clubs Of Chicago, and by hosting youth fishing derbies. To rebuild the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after years of cuts and neglect, we work with sportsmen partners like Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. We are building broad support for a green economy by joining with labor and workforce advocates in the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative. We work with over 30 Illinois Cool Cities, whose mayors have pledged local efforts to save energy and combat climate change.
The work we have done together in 2008 gives us much to celebrate, but we also plan for a very ambitious 2009, when we will need all of our new strength and then some to make the most of the historic opportunities that lie ahead.
We are gearing up to make sure that Illinois’ members of Congress will be part of the solution as we change America’s energy, pollution, and conservation policies for the better.
Springfield is in a state of crisis this holiday season, but we are planning for big new opportunities once the current scandals are resolved, and the public’s demand for change is heard in out state capitol. We are ready to reverse cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to make Illinois a clean car state, and to move ahead with new programs to cut global warming pollution. Current headlines make us wonder if Illinois politics is broken forever, but we believe brighter days are ahead, and we want to be ready to make sure the environment is a big winner in the new political landscape that must surely follow these chaotic days.
Anything is possible, and with your support and engagement, we are dreaming big.
Happy New Year indeed!
That's why, looking at the big picture, I am very excited about the prospect for real change in 2009 and beyond.
As environmentalists who have worked with Barack Obama for over a decade on clean energy and environmental health issues, we are especially proud and excited to see an Illinois environmental champion putting energy and environmental protection at the center of his agenda for America. We know first-hand, from our work with him over the years in Springfield and as our U.S. Senator, his commitment to a better environment is real, and that change is coming for our country and our planet.
We had other big victories at the ballot box in 2008 that will help change Illinois politics for the greener. Sierra Club helped elect a new class of state legislators, Democrats and Republicans, who are committed to solving global warming, protecting our water, and rebuilding the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Change has come to America, and we are bringing it to Springfield as well.
While we are working hard to usher in a new era of solutions, we also are working hard to end the era of old, dirty energy. We won a big victory to stop a new dirty coal plant proposed for Franklin County. We are teaming up with local farmers to fight the ravaging impacts of longwall mining in southern and western Illinois.
We are building new partnerships for solutions with unusual allies. To help solve global warming, we are teaming up with faith groups like the American Jewish Committee, Protestants for the Common Good, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. We are nurturing future environmental leaders through work with the Boys and Girls Clubs Of Chicago, and by hosting youth fishing derbies. To rebuild the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after years of cuts and neglect, we work with sportsmen partners like Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. We are building broad support for a green economy by joining with labor and workforce advocates in the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative. We work with over 30 Illinois Cool Cities, whose mayors have pledged local efforts to save energy and combat climate change.
The work we have done together in 2008 gives us much to celebrate, but we also plan for a very ambitious 2009, when we will need all of our new strength and then some to make the most of the historic opportunities that lie ahead.
We are gearing up to make sure that Illinois’ members of Congress will be part of the solution as we change America’s energy, pollution, and conservation policies for the better.
Springfield is in a state of crisis this holiday season, but we are planning for big new opportunities once the current scandals are resolved, and the public’s demand for change is heard in out state capitol. We are ready to reverse cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to make Illinois a clean car state, and to move ahead with new programs to cut global warming pollution. Current headlines make us wonder if Illinois politics is broken forever, but we believe brighter days are ahead, and we want to be ready to make sure the environment is a big winner in the new political landscape that must surely follow these chaotic days.
Anything is possible, and with your support and engagement, we are dreaming big.
Happy New Year indeed!
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