Monday, May 14, 2012

May 17 - Picnic with a Purpose




Clean air!  Clean energy!

Every mother I know is in love with these two ideals!!!  Please join us this Thursday as we celebrate with some special guests (+ media).

Join the Sierra Club, Environment America, League of Conservation Voters, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, and the Communication Workers of America Union (Blue-Green Alliance) as we announce the gathering of 1 MILLION comments to the EPA supporting strong standards for industrial carbon pollution from coal fired power plants!

The EPA released these proposed protections in March and we are now in the midst of a 60-day public comment period. These standards will limit the amount of carbon dioxide that can be released into the atmosphere from new coal fired power plants. Carbon dioxide is proven to increase smog levels which cause health problems such as asthma attacks, especially in kids.

Because of the serious impacts that air pollution has on growing children, and being that Mother's Day was this past weekend, we want to show strong support from mothers and children for the EPA's efforts to protect air quality and public health!

Please join us for a brief press event and photo opportunity near the Capitol Steps next Thursday!

Where: Bottom of the Capitol Steps near 9th and Bank Street
When: Thursday, May 17th at 1 PM
Who: Jami Town of Mothers' Awakening will be speaking on behalf of mothers, doctor(s) will be speaking about public health impacts of dirty air and carbon emissions, environmental leaders will be speaking about the environmental impacts of carbon emissions
What: A press event announcing the first one million comments collected by the Clean Air Defense Campaign coalition; Mothers and children gather with balloons, flowers to celebrate a great Mother's Day present-- clean air and healthy kids!

Many thanks to the lovely Anneli Berube for coordinating this event.  We are really going to miss her when she moves to Colorado this summer.  If you need to get in touch with her about this event or anything else EPA/Sierra Club related, please do! 

Anneli Berube, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter; anneli.berube@sierraclub.org, (802)922-2337