Reposted from http://environmentaladvocate.wordpress.com

By Kirin Kennedy
Green Jobs, for many people, the messages that President Obama, spoke about of a clean green economy for all, seem to have slipped by at the passage of the American Clean Energy and Securities ACT. The picture shown above, is a perfect depiction of what is actually going on in under-served communities. In today's world, there is a promise of a renewed America, that gives even the underprivileged a chance to advance from poverty to wealth. At least that was how the story was told just eight months to a year, ago. What is disheartening is that the ideal green job for the low skill worker does not exist. In fact according the National Conference of Mayors, there will only be 11% of green jobs available to those with less then a college degree. So for example in a city like Philadelphia where it has been laid out in the mayor's new green and econmic plan, only 300 federally funded green jobs will enter philadelphia. Which means that only 30 jobs will go to those of under-served communities. In addition, this does not leave room for a true green economy. Not only that but , what about those who are convicted felons, who trying to turn their lives around? How does green jobs fix all of the social issues that plague under-served communities? these are all issues that have not been quite thought out by those in power or they have been simply ignored. Green justice is a inclusive solution to creating a fair, clean and just Planet, but at this rate those in the underclass, again will be left out of the equation. Leaving them to the their own devices for survival. I say that it is time for Americans to remind the politicians and large environmental groups who they actually serve and that is the people. As it is our responsibility to provide these jobs to those who would benefit the most, the underclass. As I walk around Philadelphia and look at the citizens who struggle every day to meet their basic needs it is disheartening to find out that green jobs are not available to them either. I really hope that as this plan is laid out by organizations like Green 4 All and other green job oriented programs begin to enter our cities, and fight for climate legislation. That these organizations remember the constituents they work with, and protect them. Will work for green job, interesting sounds like a hopeless cause unless we the advocates for human and civil rights fight for green jobs for everyone. I say all of this to say that it is imperative that we find jobs to fix the larger social issues witin these communities and the first way of creating a safer, and cleaner enviornment is not by keeping those whose communities are overlooked out of the equation, but by grafting them in.
PEACE

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Who Was Ken Saro Wiwa?

Environmental Activist, Ken Saro Wiwa


Ken Saro-Wiwa was more than just your average activist, He led one of the most monumental non-violent direct actions against dirty oil in history. businessman, novelist and television producer Ken Saro-Wiwa gathered with the Ogoni People of the Niger Delta of Nigeria to stage Non-violent protests against Shell oil and the Nigerian Government for the human rights violations associated with the Oil Fields on Ogoni Land.




Through his leadership The Ogoni People were able to successfully remove Shell from their land. In 1995, After many years of protests, actions and the controversial deaths of 4 Ogoni leaders, Ken-Saro Wiwa was imprisoned by the Nigerian Government and executed.

The Ogoni People sued Shell and the Nigerian Government over Saro-Wiwa's death and recently Shell settled the case for 15.5 million dollars.

For more information on Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni People visit:

http://remembersarowiwa.com

Also check out this video!

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You may have heard the buzz on Hiphopdx.com or Mother Nature Network but we have the exclusive story here today.

Checktheweather Co-founder, Kari Fulton has joined the Hip Hop Caucus and Green For All to help launch the Green the Block Campaign (hence the slacking on the blog posts ;))

The Campaign launched last Tuesday, August 4th at the White House with a briefing and press conference featuring head of EPA Lisa Jackson, Green Jobs Czar Van Jones the head of Housing and Urban Development and the Undersecretary of the Department of Energy.

This campaign is going to be BIG! From getting Keisha Cole to wrap her weave up to clean up hoods in Oakland to having Meth and Redman showing you how they go Green besides just the medicinal way.

But this campaign is bigger than just the celebrities its about making sure that communities or color and low-income communities are supported in the development of a new green economy. It's about advocating for real solutions to Climate Change that don't completely destroy folk's pocketbooks.

The first action is September 11th, 2009! Green the Block will be hosting service events all across the country and maybe in your city too!

Want to Find out more Visit Greentheblock.net to sign up, start an event and more!

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Green For All Launches a New Sound

This Fall there is going to be an overwhelming frenzy of activism for the new Green Economy. With the Launch of the Green the Block Campaign and the work to pass a just climate bill that actually uses science to produce solutions for Climate Change.

Check out this video from Green For All "A New Sound" This is a dope video that gets to the core point of the message. It's time for something NEW, Something Fresh Something Green!

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The Reclaim to Go GREEN

Sprint and Samsung have teamed up to deliver Reclaim, a cell phone that is eco-friendly. Being only one of two phones to Go Green, in addition to the previously released Motorola Renew W233 for T-Mobile, the Samsung Reclaim is more than just the average phone. The phone is made from recycled plastic, as well as having a shipping box composed from recycled paper. Even the ink on the user manual is soy-based. With a full slide out QWERTY keyboard, numerous phone applications, it's eco-friendliness, and priced at $50 Samsung's newest gadget on the Sprint network may have what it takes to Reclaim some of the most harden environmentally conscious heads.

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Who is the KING of Eco-Rap?

10 year old rapper lil peppi from Miami is going hard for the environment. On his website lilpeppi.com he claims that at ten years old he is the KING OF ECO-RAP! Check out his song "Melting Ice".


But Lil Peppi is not your average kid rapper. He's been rapping since the tender age of three crafting his skills and getting his game right. He even opened up for DJ Jazzy Jeff when he was like 6 years old. Check out this video clip from Lil Peppi on a local NBC Daytime talk show from 2006



Is Lil Peppi really the King of Eco-Rap? We'll leave that for the emcees to battle out, but for now he's doing his thing and we are proud to see a young man spreading the word!

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Dirty Oil is Crude Worldwide and We Have Evidence!

From Nigeria to Peru to Baton Rouge Louisiana, Big Oil is polluting the planet and the people. Recently, Shell gasoline settled with the Ogoni People of Nigeria for $15.5 million. The Ogoni people accused Shell of playing a role in the execution of Tribal leaders who were running a non-violent campaign to get Shell oil mines out of their village. In South America there is an on-going campaign to protect the Amazon rainforest from oil and natural resource extraction by big companies like Chevron. Checktheweather.net sat down with filmmaker and activist Han Shan to discuss his thoughts on the Ogoni Settlement and to catch a trailer from his new award winning documentary "Crude" by Joe Berlinger

CRUDE - official trailer from Crude The Movie on Vimeo.

CTW: What was your initial reaction about the settlement:

Han Shan: There was an initial shock, A little bit of dissapointment that Shell is not going to be on trial but as it sank in more I realize that this is a victory. We have been working on this for a very long time. For a true victory Shell needs to change it's way of doing business all together.

CTW: what does this settlement mean for others fighting dirty oil around the world.

Han Shan: There are skeptics but by and large shell paid 15.5 million for crimes they say they didn't commit. There is no gag order on the plaintiffs and the lawyers. They were able to get the word out through media to show the collusion with Shell and the Nigerian military. I hope it will be inspiring to continue their fight and use legal mechanism. This case also broadened the use of the alien tort statute since Brian Anderson- Head of Shell Nigeria during Ogoni Massacre was brought to trial. It is also a powerful opportunity to look into who Ken-Saro Wiwa was. There are so many facets to this case

Ken Saro Wiwa's non-violent movement was successful in getting Shell out of Ogoni in 1993 there are still pipelines and illegal oil spills and even if they don't have oil fields in Ogoni they have a triple standard (Shell) the way they act in the Niger Delta, the way the act in poor areas of the US and then how they act in the Suburbs of Dallas, Texas. The way Shell acts in the Niger Delta is shameful.

CTW: What can people do to support:

Move towards a sustainable energy future. Until we end our addiction to oil we will always have violence. Conflict over resources is universal. We need a much more radical solution than what oil companies are willing to deal with. Oil companies are now taking away from investing in renewable energy and more into tar sands in Canada
The best thing is to keep spreading the word of what the true price of Oil is. We need a real solution that is going to support indigenous groups. we need to revisit free trade because we as americans play a huge role in what's going on in Peru and around the world. In Peru- Conoco-Phillips is the leading holder of exploratory license in Peru.

CTW: Now that this case is settled what's next?

Han Shan: This is a crime that you are never going to end with police. How do you lock up corporations?

CTW: What would bold climate legislation mean to you>>

Han Shan: We need to change up the economic incentives. there is no incentive to investing into renewable energies. Groups are working on a report to showcase that Shell is one of the prime players in weakening the Waxman-Markey bill. it's more cost -effective for these groups to invest in tar sands than renewable energy technology.

We need a Manhattan Project for renewable energy. I'm dissapointed that Obama has not used those funds to really re-imagine our country like the Manhattan Project or Marshall Plan. With the kind of technology that we have I am shocked we are not doing more.

One of the most important facets is local democratic control.There is a corruption that comes when you have big international companies coming in vying for control.

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