We are working to organize a global youth movement for sustainable and ethical ecological and economic action and policies with focus on moving away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and green job development. Connecting to create a movement loud enough and powerful enough to shift consciousness and affect political will; calling on youth to act now to transform the planet. Demanding that our
leaders of every village, city, state and country adopt a long term view that will protect the public commons and ensure a safe, sustainable, livable future for this and future generations. Acknowledging the interdependence of humans, animals, and nature and honoring diversity, our vision is for unity, justice and a balanced view of ecology. Love Letters Project
"It's time to express our love for the world around us, and in the most practical terms--by stopping those who would rip apart our planet to get at the last pockets of hydrocarbons. Tarsands mining and fracking are the opposite of being good stewards!" - Bill McKibben in support of the Love Letters project. The 'Love Letters' project is an initiative of YouthNow in collaboration with other youth organizations designed to address the climate crisis from a unique approach. The project aim is to have handwritten letters from young people, college and high school students, mailed directly to decision makers with a focus on urgent issues related to eco-destruction and climate change. The 'Love Letters' express, in the words of the youth, love for the planet, animals and nature, clean air and water. The letters are a heart to heart communication about the desire for a livable future. Young people call on key individuals in positions of power and authority - CEO's of big oil and gas companies, Prime Minister of Canada, Administrator of the EPA, Governors considering fracking for natural gas in their states as well as Secretary of State, Secretary of Energy and President Obama - to consider the perspective of the younger generation and make decisions and implement policy and laws with a long term view (rather than a view for profit or winning the next election). Tar sands development in Canada, the proposal to build the KXL pipeline from the tar sands through the US to Texas and hydro-fracking in the US are environmental issues requiring urgent action. In addition, each youth organization can adapt the love letters content and recipients to their particular focus and relevant interests. With participation from a broad coalition of youth organizations and their networks of motivated activists the 'Love Letters' project has great potential to gain media attention - and maybe change some hearts. Obama said in his moving speech at the dedication of the MLK memorial: "Remember MLK’s words... don’t believe in what is... have a belief in what ought to be." He said, "We must align with our ideals" and, “any social movement has to channel through the spirit of love... we must assume the best in each other rather than the worst.” It is in the spirit that Obama speaks, of love, humanity, compassion and ideals, that the 'Love Letters' project is created. OK here’s the deal: the adults are screwing up the planet for us, for you. Consider this…
What if you couldn’t afford to even buy an ipod because most of your money goes for doctors bills because the toxic air is causing everybody to have asthma and cancer? Or your taxes are going to pay for cleaning up the oil spills and flood damage or shipping clean water to your state because yours is all fracked up with chemicals? What if you can’t eat sushi or tunafish ever again because you’d catch a disease? Or what if half of all the animal species were extinct – yes, half - and everyday more and more animals died out? Well, that’s where this generation of leaders is leading us. We have to speak up about what we care about. What do you love? Do you love clean water and breathable air? Do you love animals and trees and mountain streams? And we have to demand that these things that we love are protected – before it’s too late. Because there's a deadline for the planet and the climate. Will you write a letter? Youth have a voice whether they can vote or not; youth can be the voice of radical integrity and a sane direction to governing and leading, reflecting values of justice and love. The ones who will be affected most by climate change send the message that now is the time to act to reduce CO2 emissions, move away from fossil fuels and implement policies and laws to protect our common global resources of water and air. The letters will call President Obama on his campaign promise to let this be the generation that is finally free from the tyranny of oil. What can you say in your love letter? Just speak from your heart about your feelings - about caring for and preserving our plant Earth, about making sure there is clean water to drink and air to breathe for yourself and your children, about wanting the world to wake up to the consequences of climate change and act now to move to renewable energy. Say it doesn't make any sense to continue being addicted to something that is hurting our planet and people, especially if we have technology to invest in and use clean, renewable energy. Quote Dr. James Hansen, climate scientist and head of the NASA Goddard Space Institute, who said, “if the tar sands in Canada is developed and the pipeline is built it is Game Over for the climate.” He also called the KXL pipeline a fuse to the largest carbon bomb ever! Dr. Hansen just published a paper called, 'A Case for Young People and Nature: A Path to a Healthy, Natural and Prosperous Future.' In it he presents the science behind climate change and a Carbon Fee and Dividend Plan to immediately reduce CO2 emissions from the biggest polluters. This is a good plan to promote and refer to in your letter! Quote Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and Tar Sands Action, who said, “ExxonMobil doesn’t own the sky.” Or Robert Redford who just made a video calling on President Obama to deny the KXL Pipeline which would be an environmental disaster for America. Ask President Obama to have the courage to stand up to big, powerful oil and gas companies and make us the generation that finally becomes free from the tyranny of oil – a promise he made during his campaign. Tell him that this is the most important opportunity ever – to lead the country and influence the world – towards a sane strategy to develop renewable energy for a sustainable future. Please write your letter (handwritten is preferred but email is fine too!) and send to one or more of the following people urging them to use their influence to oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline, ban fracking and to promote energy policy that does not threaten the safety of our country and planet - call for renewable energy development and a green jobs plan! Please scan your letter and send a copy to [email protected] for the press. For more information on tar sands development and proposed KXL pipeline:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozmOQqRw0j4&feature=youtu.be - Stop the Pipeline
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwoRivP17A&feature=related - Tar Sands Oil Extraction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6AyQBChpO0 Robert Redford on KXL and Tar Sands Action
There is information on http://www.350.org/, www.Tarsandsaction.org, http://frackaction.com/ and many other sites. Names and addresses:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2
Russell K. Girling, President and CEO
TransCanada Corporation
450 - 1 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2P 5H1
Alexander J. Pourbaix, President, Energy and Oil Pipelines
TransCanada Corporation
450 - 1 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2P 5H1
Aubrey K. McClendon, Chairman of the Board and CEO
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
P.O. Box 18496
Oklahoma City, OK 73154-0496
Jim Mulva, Chairman & CEO
ConocoPhillips
600 North Dairy Ashford (77079-1175)
P.O. Box 2197
Houston, TX 77252-2197
Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO
ExxonMobil
Corporate Headquarters
5959 Las Colinas Boulevard
Irving, Texas 75039-2298
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20585
As United States Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu is charged with helping implement President Obama's ambitious agenda to invest in clean energy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, address the global climate crisis, and create millions of new jobs. The Honorable Andrew Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NY State Capitol Building
Albany, New York 12224
Chris Christie
Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
