Howard U Student runs for Miss DC on Eco-platform

Amal-Bennett Judge, Howard University Junior and contributor on Checktheweather.net was recently highlighted in the Huffington Post and on Mother Nature Network.com

Bennett-Judge says she plans to continue running until she wins and makes it to the world-famous Miss USA pageant -- on a green platform. It's one of several big ways the college junior is pushing green initiatives in Washington, particularly at her school, Howard University, one of the nation's top historically black colleges. Howard has also landed on college fashion top 10 lists in recent years, and Bennett-Judge hopes to use that attention to make an impact on students.

To Check out the full article click on this link http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/beauty-fashion/stories/natural-beauty

Don't forget to check the weather everyday for more stories and updates from Great and Green Leaders of Color like Amal.

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Newsweek gives a quick recap of Obama's first 100 days

Our boy Barry came in swinging like his last name was Bond's not Obama. Newsweek put together a video recap of President Obama's first 100 Days in office. Also click on this link to read an article on the amazing work young people are doing to fight for climate legislation. http://www.newsweek.com/id/195328

Congrats Obama keep up the good work because the Youth Climate Movement is watching you ;).

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EPA Pulls Plug on Desert Rock Coal Fired Power Plant

April 28, 2009- The New Mexico Independent has reported that our new good friends at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrew the air quality permit it issued last summer for the Desert Rock coal-fired power plant, which is slated to be built on the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners region just southwest of Farmington, New Mexico.

That is a major victory for indigenous communities in the area who have been fighting against dirty coal for HELLA long.

Unfortunately the President of the Navajo Nation, Joe Shirley was quoted as saying this was a major blow for the nation. “I have people dying every day because of poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, gangs, and the U.S. Government is not there to adequately fund the direct service programs that cater to these needs,” he said.

Kandi Mossett Campus Campaign Coordinator for the Indigenous Environmental Network says that the President of the Navajo Nation does not hold the opinion of the majority of the Navajo nation. "Yeah we need jobs but at what cost?.... Joe Shirley and his cronies are out for getting money by any means necessary. One third of the residents of the Navajo nation don't even have running water."

The Proposed Power Plant would not be used to energize the Navajo Nation or New Mexico but to power Phoenix and Las Vegas. Although the plant may have created some new jobs for the area it would not add up to the environmental degradation that the plant would cause to the surrounding area. New Mexico Environment Department Secretary, Ron Curry, recently stated, “Air emissions from Desert Rock would have single-handedly undone our state’s climate change initiatives,”

This story is to be continued but for now this is another major victory for Environmental Justice and Indigenous Rights movements.

Big shout outs and congratulations go to Black Mesa Water Coalition and the Indigenous Environmental Network for all their hard work advocating for the closure of dirty energy projects like the Desert Rock Power Plant. For more information check out ienearth.org and blackmesawatercoalition.org

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Hip-Hop Howls for a New Age Political Stance on SXSW Mixtape

Hip-Howls SXSW 2009 mixtape, hosted by indie Hip-hop Artists Crosby and Miz Metro highlights some of the great hip-hop acts at the legendary 2009 South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas. The best part, the sound of Generation Y-not Hip-Hop is one of change, positivity and throwing down the chains of the record label pre-packaged messages and imaging. Many of the songs on the mixtape highlight issues of gentrification, media images, social justice and violence in our community. The mixtape can now be downloaded for free on Hiphophowl.com. You can also listen to the mixtape right here on Checktheweather.net!

Big Shots out to A.pinks (track 4 "Held me Down") Fellow Howard U Alum and part of Generation Y-not!

Hip-Hop HOWL! "SXSW TAKE OVER" Mixtape

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Glamour Magazine Honors 70 eco-women

Glamour Magazine Turned 70 years old this past April and honored 70 women leaders who are helping to create a better planet and cleaner environment. Some of the women featured include. The New (and first African-American) Head of The Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson, Actress Alicia Silverstone, Environmental Activist and Consultant Majora Carter, Energy Action Coalition Executive Director, Jessy Tolkan and Environmental Justice Activist and Co-Founder of the Weather Report, Kari "MsKGreen" Fulton. The Collectible 70th anniversary issue is on stands today. Hurry and grab your copy. Katie Holmes is on the Cover. for more visit

Check out the video of the shoot in Central Park!

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Hip- Hop Caucus Launches "Green The Block" Campaign

Earth Day 2009, Hip-Hop Caucus, the group that brought you the Vote or Die Campaign, The Respect my Vote campaign and the group that got T.I. and Young Jeezy to vote for the first time are now taking that spirit to the Green World!

HipHopcaucus.org explains, "the campaign will work to make sure that urban communities and America's cities - which account for over 70% of our national economy - are going green and creating new green jobs."

So What's the First step? Calling our Congresspeople and asking for their support on Green Jobs Legislation. The Hip Hop Caucus is asking everyone to pick up the phone and call their Representative in Congress. It is the easiest and most powerful way to let our lawmakers know that we want to Green the Block. Here is the process:

Call 1-877-666-3393 and ask your member of Congress to repower America with clean renewable energy, and to stop global warming. Tell them that you want a plan that will turn a new energy economy into jobs and opportunities for urban communities.

It really is that simple to get your voice heard and lord knows we need ya!

check out this short video of the rev at the earth day event in DC talking about green the block.

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Young Leader on the Grind: Tony Anderson

Green Light : Spotlight Tony Anderson

By

Reginald Larkin

“People have been very positive and receptive” says Tony C. Anderson, 26, Morehouse College alum who is taking the environmental movement by storm. Since graduating in the spring of 2008, Anderson has managed to familiarize himself with the who’s who of the environmental world. He has become a fellow with the Compton foundation, a fellowship that affords him the opportunity to have Nia Robinson, director of The Environmental Justice Climate Coalition and Van Jones , president of Green for all and senior fellow with the center for American Progress as mentors.
Majoring in political philosophy, Anderson has managed to put his degree to use by creating the “Lets Raise A Million”(LRAM) campaign. LRAM is an Environmental Justice organization that circulates compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) or smart bulbs as Anderson so affectionately calls them. LRAM plans circulate to households of a modest income. The money being are saved can be applied to other areas where funding is vital. Saving money and energy can show people how inclusive the green movement really is.
When asked what the inspiration for his campaign is, he enthusiastically responds “Hearing Nia Robinson speak at a conference about Compact Florescent light bulbs.” He goes on to explain that when it came time to choose a gift that his mother could really use he gave her light bulbs. After hearing his mother praise clean energy light bulbs with her friends it became apparent that if you could get clean energy light bulbs to households of a modest income throughout Atlanta there would be a dramatic impact in the energy usage and money spent on light bulbs.
Anderson plans to reach the million mark and take his campaign to a national level. Through his work with the Barack Obama Campaign, he gained practical political experience. Anderson had this to say of Obama’s recent achievement “The most qualified man won, but one thing that is scary is Obama’s talk of clean coal.” While there is talk of “clean coal”,Anderson has managed to generate a buzz of his own through for Florescent light bulbs. Kari Fulton, National Campus Campaign Coordinator for EJCC, says, “Tony’s work has been very instrumental in engaging college students in concrete ways, he is showing us how to save money and the planet.”

For more information on Tony Anderson and the Let's Raise a Million Initiative watch this video

and visit letsraiseamillion.org

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