Ways to help the Earth and Eat more Plants…
First, please call your leaders as they are getting a lot closer to passing a budget that needs to include a price on carbon to help with climate change. Make sure they know how much you’re concerned about extreme weather, fires, heat-related deaths, and pandemics.
SRP met Monday 9/13/21 and voted to purchase16 new gas-fired turbines for power plants in Coolidge, where they already have 12 in operation. Environmental groups, led by Vote Solar, quickly mobilized in response to the late-breaking details of a proposed nearly $1 billion gas plant expansion. Together, we sent almost 300 emails, mailed 100 postcards, held a press conference at SRP headquarters, spoke out on social media, ran ads and placed Opinion pieces all calling on the Board to reject the proposal.
The SRP Board, in what would normally be a quick matter of business, listened to a lot of public comment, including an original song, attentively. Some Board members specifically mentioned the public outcry they heard and saw. And about 6 members voted “No” on the proposal.
Our work is not over. There are still permit hearings and other regulatory opportunities where we can influence the future of fracked gas in SRP territory. It is crystal clear that your voice matters. Thank you for expressing your opinion. I hope you’ll continue to do so when called on.
The Occasional Vegan by Anne Lackey Progress, not perfection!
Even eliminating 1 hamburger a week could help. Read more! We’ve invited Joan Gale to share her ideas for our newly named column:
I appreciate and even want to eat plant-based foods. But I would have to learn new ways of buying and preparing foods, and that would mean changing lifetime habits. And what about restaurants and dinners with friends? Digestive systems change and that seems uncertain. So I do what I can. Right now we are eating plant-based every other day and I enjoy looking for sauces to spice up veggies. One of my favorites is roasting carrots and sweet potatoes, mashing them together and adding whatever herbs or spices I feel like at the moment. Every little change helps.
Joan Gale
If you have ideas about eating less meat and more plants that you’d like to share, please send them to me at earthjustice@phoenixuu.org.