The landscape from Plaquemines Parish, south of New Orleans, through to Biloxi and North into Selma is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in my life. Continue reading
Author Archives: Robert Gardner
About Robert Gardner
Robert Gardner is a Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace USA. He believes in a fair, democratic and renewable energy future for the United States and the world. Supporting Appalachian Communities
A destroyed mountaintop after the Mountaintop Removal process.
Today would have been Larry Gibson’s 67th birthday. I only met him a few times, but he was the kind of person that met just about everyone — and stamped a deep impression on you. So, we wanted to take today to do something that would have been the right thing to do by Larry.
As people rally in Charleston, WV to save Blair Mountain and stop Mountaintop Removal (MTR) altogether, we thought we’d make our position clear – that Mountaintop Removal mining must stop immediately. Continue reading
A Blueprint for Corporate Control of Democracy
Something is happening in North Carolina that has profound repercussions for the rest of the country.
As we speak, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) has passed the North Carolina Senate and will make its way to the House before it goes to the Governor, who has the option to veto or sign it. That’s nothing out of the usual, until you read the text of the bill. Continue reading
Duke Energy is Shutting Down Two Coal Plants: What’s Next?
Kumi Naidoo and Greenpeace boat at Riverbend coal plant
Today, Duke Energy, the biggest electric utility in the country, announced that it is shutting down two coal-fired power plants near Charlotte, North Carolina — the Buck and Riverbend plants.
The closures are great news, both for communities in North Carolina who want healthy air and water, and for everyone around the world, since burning coal is the leading U.S. cause of global warming.
Post-Sandy: A Friday in Rockaway Beach
Mobile Solar Lighting Unit
Today was another sunny, but cold, day in Rockaway Beach. With nearly 6 kilowatts of solar panels deployed, the kitchen, the YANA headquarters, communications, the medical clinic and houses here are really enjoying the light. With help from SolaRover, Solar1 and the Greenpeace Rolling Sunlight – the Rockaways are being repowered with solar electricity. Continue reading
After Sandy: A Cold Night in New York
SolaRover's solar panels powering Hurricane Sandy relief effort.
It’s cold in Rockaway Beach tonight. Very cold.
Today has seen a lot of work done. While the Rolling Sunlight spent the day getting a solar re-charge with the blue skies over New York, a new friend appeared from SolaRover with a mobile solar array. Continue reading
American Climate Change post-Sandy
The Rolling Sunlight powering community store
Yesterday was a long day. It’s an emotional time and place to be in.
If you’ve been following our online communications, you know that we’ve been working with Sandy Relief to assist in the volunteer effort. A big part of that has been powering a community free store in Rockaway Beach with our solar display vehicle the Rolling Sunlight. Also, Greenpeace volunteers have been working hard in the neighborhood to make sure food and water is getting to folks that can’t come out to the store. Continue reading
Greenpeace’s solar truck is in New York to provide a boost
Greenpeace sent its Rolling Sunlight, a truck fitted with solar panels on top, to Rockaway Beach today to provide cell phone charging to New Yorkers who have lost power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Rolling Sunlight is now up and running and powering a small store, as well as laptops and cell phones. Continue reading
President Obama saw what global warming looks like firsthand in Atlantic City today
Greenpeace's solar truck the Rolling Sunlight is traveling through New York and New Jersey providing electricity for folks without power
I’m en route with Greenpeace’s Rolling Sunlight, our solar panel topped truck, to New York City to help provide electricity for cell phone charging there to New Yorkers who have lost power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
On our way, we stopped in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where President Obama visited today to tour damage from this Frankenstorm. We wanted to ask President Obama about his plans to address the global warming that’s fueling extreme weather events like Sandy, and stopped our solar truck outside the airport with a banner reading, “Obama! Romney! Global Warming = Sandy What Now?”
We couldn’t get any closer than that to Air Force One before having to leave to make it to New York tonight, but we and others will keep working to get the message to President Obama and Governor Romney in the next few days before the election and beyond. Our next president will have to set policies so that we’re ready as these extreme weather events continue, and so that we can prevent this new reality from getting much worse by dealing with the global warming behind it. Continue reading
The Day After A Coal Plant Closes
Greenpeace Semester students and local volunteers display a banner in front of the Potomac Generating Station.
I’m from Virginia. Dumfries, Virginia to be exact. Virginia is coal country. I grew up with our local coal plant destroying air quality, poisoning the water, and bringing those long coal trains to town. Though the Possum Point Generating Facility switched to natural gas some time ago, there are still a lot of legacy issues — at least the coal trains don’t come anymore.
But that facility isn’t what’s on my mind right now.
Yesterday marked the official retirement date of the coal-fired power plant in Alexandria, Virginia – the Potomac River Generating Station, also known as the “Mirant Plant” (after the old owners). Continue reading