Climate Talks Get Racial: Black Chamber of Commerce President Calls Senator Racist!

Last week during the Senate Committee hearings on the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act things almost came to a full out battle between California Senator Barbara Boxer and the President and CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Harry Alford. Alford accused Boxer of being racist for bringing up the NAACP's supposed support of the climate bill. Alford, screamed out,

"I don't like it," he yelled across the witness table. "It's racial. I take offense to it. As an African American, and a veteran to this country, I take offense to that. You're quoting some other black man. Why don't you quote some other Asian or something? You are being racial here. And I think you're getting to a path here that's going to explode."

Check out a video clip from the breakdown.


However, in a recent article published in today's The Root and the Griot, journalist Brentin Mock states that both the NAACP and the Black Chamber of Commerce don't have the right to talk for Black America on Climate Change. The article calls out the NBCC for being heavily funded by Exxon Mobile. Exxon Mobile is one of the world's largest polluters and funds research trying to prove Climate Change is not real.

Brentin also states that Environmental Justice groups like The Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and WEACT for Environmental Justice deserve a seat at the decision making table.

Check out the article by Brentin Mock in Today's The Root by Clicking here

Continue following the waxman-markey story and all your green justice news At checktheweather

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Why are Republicans Siding with Climate Scientist James Hansen on the Waxman-Markey Bill?

In a wild turn of events, republican congresspeople are siding with Climate Scientist James Hansen and environmental justice groups like WEACT for Environmental Justice that the Waxman-Markey bill isn't the right bill for fighting Climate Change. Unfortunately they may be agreeing for the wrong reasons.

James Hansen is a noted scientist and in 1998 he was the first to testify in front of Senate on the impacts of global warming. Hansen heads up the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He has come out publicly against the bill stating it will give away too much to big coal and dirty oil without making the necessary regulations to stop climate change.

Republicans are against the bill because they fear the regulations will drive these big industries away from America and into more developing countries without the same regulations. New York Times reporter Christa Marshall, reported that Hansen's words were used by republican congressional representatives as a reason for voting "no" on the bill. Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma may call Hansen to testify to the senate against this bill. This is kinda crazy because Inhofe is a senator who once came out and said "global warming is a hoax."

Although the republicans are using the science as a way to vote no on the bill, many believe they are just using people like Hansen to get no climate bill passed at all. Some democratic leaders and mainstream environmental groups are trying to downplay opponents of the bill like Hansen and hope that they can portray enough unified support over the bill to get it past into legislation. Although the bill is not perfect, it is the first real shot at any sort of regulations to halt climate change. Many supporters of the bill like policy group, 1sky fear that if we do not pass this bill this year then we may lose our window of opportunity for another 4 to 8 years. The next three years will be heavily focused on senate and then presidential elections and politicians are said to be less bold in their legislative votes during election years. Groups like Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace have come out against the bill, stating that it is too weak to make a difference and may end up creating more harm than good for low-income workers and people of color.

This debate is getting deeper and deeper but if you don't know what the heck is going on and want the quick update watch this video courtesy of the climate crisis coalition featuring Scientists and Environmental Justice Leaders on why a Carbon Tax is the way, not a cap and trade system like the one the Waxman Markey bill would create.

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New York Times Columnist: Young America: Get out of Facebook and Into Somebody's Face"

Yesterday, New York Times published an op-ed by 2002 Pulitzer Prize winner and noted author Thomas Friedman. The article titled "Just Do It" calls out the flaws of the ACES bill. Friedman author of "The World is Flat: A Brief History of the World" agrees with many scientists,economists and environmental journalist, Brentin Mock, that the ACES bill is weak and cannot afford to get any weaker. Friedman goes off in this op-ed calling out Republicans, President Obama and the American public for making this bill weak.
Here's a piece of what he had to say:

Attention all young Americans: your climate future is being decided right now in the cloakrooms of the Capitol, where the coal lobby holds huge sway. You want to make a difference? Then get out of Facebook and into somebody’s face.

We hear you Friedman and we here at Checktheweather.net have been hitting the concrete talking to real people about this "ACES" Climate Bill. Yesterday we posted a story asking a Rasta about Climate Change. Last night we went out to Horace and Dickie's Chicken and Fish Carry Out in Northeast, Washington, DC and asked Dennis "Chico" Jackson what he felt about Climate Change, Michael Jackson and most importantly what he knew about the Waxman Markey ACES bill. Check out the video and let us know what you think. Oh and to Friedman, We are calling you out too. When's the last time you did a story on what People of Color in America are doing to Green our communities and fight Climate Change? Looks like we need to take this dude on a toxic tour ASAP.

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Checktheweather Live at Malcolm X Day Fest in DC

What are you doing this Saturday? Just chilling out drinking a cool glass of lemonade? Well if you are in DC then you should join Rev.Yearwood of Hip Hop Caucus, Jerome Ringo, checktheweather founder, Kari Fulton and many more at the Malcolm X Day fest at Oxon Run Park.
The event features live music, vendors, giveaways, yummy food vendors, face painting and more. The theme of this year's event is "From the Root to the Fruit" and will feature speakers and tabling on environmental justice and green jobs for the community.

Checktheweather will be live blogging at the event so if you can't make it out make sure you follow us at twitter/checktheweather to see how DC is having fun and hosting events for green justice!

For more info Check out the event planner's website at malcolmxday.org for more information.

The event is family friendly and easy to get to by metro or driving. It is right around the corner from the Congress Heights Metro station on the Green Line

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