Sorry for the last-minute notice, but we're meeting tonight to discuss the upcoming campaign season, and we'd love to see you there!
Please check the eVite for more details, and make sure to RSVP, so we know how much pizza to order.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
What Oxfam America is doing - and why
Oxfam America president Ray Offenheiser and people affected by climate change in South Africa, India, Bangladesh and Uganda explain how climate change is impacting communities around the world, and what Oxfam is trying to do about it.
Adaptation Examples from Oxfam Exchange
One of the aims of the Oxfam American Climate Change Campaign is to secure funding for adaptation initiatives in poor nations affected by climate change. The Spring 2008 issue of Oxfam Exchange includes an essay by Anna Kramer which highlights the ways in which several communities around the world are already adapting to the changing climate.
These are the types of projects which Oxfam America is committed to supporting - projects which reduce the vulnerability of world communities to climate-related disasters and help these communities adapt to changing circumstances. But adaptation requires funding. The United Nations estimates that as much as $86 billion each year will be necessary to provide adaptation assistance to nations and communities in need of it.
If you'd like to read more, please download the Spring 2008 issue of Oxfam Exchange (which also includes articles on civil rights training for women and girls in El Salvador, humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and programs to ensure that residents of mineral-rich nations like Ghana have a say in how oil, gas and mining companies develop their natural resources). Then, get involved! Join the campaign, sign the petition, or contact your legislators (Project Vote Smart has an excellent tool for finding them) and let them know that you're concerned about the impact of climate change on the world's poorest communities.
- In Peru, people have revived an ancient canal-building technique designed to provide moisture to farms during drought and drainage during heavy rains.
- In Vietnam, communities are planting dense mangroves along the coast to diffuse the waves caused by tropical storms.
- In Uganda, people are using the radio and Internet to share early warning and climate information at the local level.
These are the types of projects which Oxfam America is committed to supporting - projects which reduce the vulnerability of world communities to climate-related disasters and help these communities adapt to changing circumstances. But adaptation requires funding. The United Nations estimates that as much as $86 billion each year will be necessary to provide adaptation assistance to nations and communities in need of it.
If you'd like to read more, please download the Spring 2008 issue of Oxfam Exchange (which also includes articles on civil rights training for women and girls in El Salvador, humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and programs to ensure that residents of mineral-rich nations like Ghana have a say in how oil, gas and mining companies develop their natural resources). Then, get involved! Join the campaign, sign the petition, or contact your legislators (Project Vote Smart has an excellent tool for finding them) and let them know that you're concerned about the impact of climate change on the world's poorest communities.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Oxfam LA Movie Night!
We're wrapping up the first quarter of our Climate Change campaign, and we wanted to recap the campaign so far, and discuss our next steps.
On Wednesday, June 11, we'll get together to watch a short film on global warming and talk about where the campaign will go from here. If you'd like to join us, please email us, or call (909) 724-9727.
Where: 241 Wallis St. #1, Pasadena, CA 91106
Map
When: Wednesday, June 11, 7 PM
Please join us, and bring a friend!
On Wednesday, June 11, we'll get together to watch a short film on global warming and talk about where the campaign will go from here. If you'd like to join us, please email us, or call (909) 724-9727.
Where: 241 Wallis St. #1, Pasadena, CA 91106
Map
When: Wednesday, June 11, 7 PM
Please join us, and bring a friend!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Waxman Letter
US Representative Henry Waxman, a strong proponent for environmental protection and human rights, has prepared a letter to be presented to the US House of Representatives this summer. Although Rep. Waxman's letter is not an official policy statement from Oxfam America, it does hit on some of the key "asks" that we are stressing in this campaign. A summary of the letter appears below.
Key Principles (Or Asks)
Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming
US must do its part to keep global temperatures from rising more then 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels
Cap and cut global warming emissions. Targets are:
Reduced to 15%-20% below current levels in 2020
Reduced to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050
Make emission targets certain and enforceable
Cost-containment measures must not break the cap on global warming pollution. Any offsets must be real, additional, verifiable, permanent, and enforceable.
Require the United States to engage with other nations to reduce emissions through commitments and incentives.
Aid Communities and eco systems vulnerable to harm from global warming
Assist states, localities and tribes to respond and adapt to the effects of global warming to respond to harm from global warming and adapt their infrastructure to its effects, such as more severe wildfires, intensified droughts, increased water scarcity, sea level rise, floods, hurricanes, melting permafrost, and agricultural and public health impacts.
A portion of auction revenues should be provided to help the developing countries most vulnerable to harm from global warming and defuse the threats to national security and global stability posed by conflicts over water and other natural resources, famines, and mass
migrations that could be triggered by global warming.Assist wildlife and ecosystems threatened by global warming.
Transition America to a clean energy economy
A significant portion of revenues from auctioning emissions allowances should be invested in clean energy and efficiency measures
Preserve states authorities to protect their citizens
Recognize and minimize and economic impacts from global warming legislation
Use Cap and Trade
Emissions allowances should be auctioned with the revenues going to benefit the public, and any free allocations should produce public benefits.
Revenues from auctioned allowances should be returned to low- and moderate-income households at a level sufficient to offset higher energy costs.
Return revenues to workers and communities.
Protect against global trade disadvantages to U.S. industry.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monthly Meetings
We met at The Ragazzi Room on May 14 to catch up on everything we'd done in the past month, and talk about what's coming up. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, June 14 at 7 PM, and we'll be watching An Inconvenient Truth.
The "Come to a Meeting" link in the sidebar will be updated as soon as we have more information. Meanwhile, please email us or leave a comment if you'd like to join us.
The "Come to a Meeting" link in the sidebar will be updated as soon as we have more information. Meanwhile, please email us or leave a comment if you'd like to join us.
Concerts, Concerts, Concerts!
We've attended three concerts in the past month, with excellent results.
Our first show was the Breeders concert at the Glass House in Pomona on April 29th. The turnout was great; we got nearly 100 new signatures for our petition. Some people may have been drawn to us because we had the only non-vendor table at the show, but whatever caught their attention, they seemed very interested in our campaign, and in Oxfam America in general.
On May 15, we went to the Ra Ra Riot concert at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. It was the first time Oxfam had set up a table at this kind of venue, but the response was fantastic. We got about 80 signatures.
Our third concert was particularly special, though. Crowded House played the Orpheum on May 16 and 17. Not only is the Orpheum a spectacular theater, Crowded House's lead singer, Neil Finn, is an Oxfam Ambassador. The fans and staff stopped by to talk; they were very encouraging about our work on this campaign.
There are a lot more concerts coming up - this is a great way to spread our message and raise awareness about our campaign (and also a great way to get into some fabulous concerts!). If you'd like to join us, please let us know.
Our first show was the Breeders concert at the Glass House in Pomona on April 29th. The turnout was great; we got nearly 100 new signatures for our petition. Some people may have been drawn to us because we had the only non-vendor table at the show, but whatever caught their attention, they seemed very interested in our campaign, and in Oxfam America in general.
On May 15, we went to the Ra Ra Riot concert at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. It was the first time Oxfam had set up a table at this kind of venue, but the response was fantastic. We got about 80 signatures.
Our third concert was particularly special, though. Crowded House played the Orpheum on May 16 and 17. Not only is the Orpheum a spectacular theater, Crowded House's lead singer, Neil Finn, is an Oxfam Ambassador. The fans and staff stopped by to talk; they were very encouraging about our work on this campaign.
There are a lot more concerts coming up - this is a great way to spread our message and raise awareness about our campaign (and also a great way to get into some fabulous concerts!). If you'd like to join us, please let us know.
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