A keystone to CLF’s work to secure a clean energy future for the region is completing the transition to a coal-free New England. It is a time of historic progress: cleaner, cheaper alternatives are driving coal out of the market, and old coal plants are closing their doors. But New Hampshire remains a critical battleground for CLF’s work, with two costly old coal-fired power plants being kept alive by failed state policies and ratepayer subsidies.

That’s why we’re delighted to be partnering with the Sustainability Film Series at Phillips Exeter Academy to present a free screening of the critically acclaimed documentary The Last Mountain in Exeter, New Hampshire, on Friday May 4. With stunning footage of the practice of mountaintop removal mining, the film bears dramatic witness to the social, public health, and environmental damage wrought by coal and power companies, and chronicles the grassroots fight against coal in Appalachia and around the country. The New York Times called The Last Mountain a “persuasive indictment” of coal; I think you’ll agree.

The Last Mountain producer Eric Grunebaum and I will be on hand for a panel discussion to discuss the film and the future of coal-fired power in New Hampshire and New England.

Please join us:

When: Friday, May 4, 2012. 7 pm.

Where: Phillips Exeter Academy, Phelps Academy Center in The Forum (3rd Floor), Tan Lane, Exeter, NH (map). 

Bring your friends and family, and email me at ccourchesne@clf.org with any questions. We hope to see you there!

Here is the trailer:

It’s no surprise that Fox News’ dunderhead commentator and global warming denier Sean Hannity is attending a Labor Day rally supporting the destructive coal mining practice of mountaintop removal.  It’s no surprise that gun-toting, washed-up 80′s rocker Ted Nugent will be there too, spewing his crass, foul-mouthed brand of conservative hatred (warning–adult language on linked content).  What is surprising is that if you are a Verizon Wireless customer, you may be helping to pay for this celebration of environmental degradation!

That’s right, if you visit the home page for the “Friends of America” rally–after you watch the video of the coal company CEO decrying how “environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your job” (last time I checked, the coal companies were part of “corporate america”)–you can visit the “sponsors” page to find out who is putting up the $$ for this “rally.”  After you scroll through the long list of big coal companies who are destroying Appalachia and fighting tooth and nail against any meaningful efforts to reduce global warming pollution, you will see Verizon Wireless listed as one of the corporate America benefactors of this gathering of malefactors.

I’m guessing that there are a lot of Verizon Wireless customers like me who believe that GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL AND IT IS A REAL PROBLEM!  So what can we do to change Verizon’s position on this issue?

Our friends and occasional coalition partners at the Center for Biological Diversity are the ones who brought this to my attention.  They have a great action alert that you can use to call out Verizon Wireless for their environmentally unfriendly use of the money you send them for cell service. 

If you want to go one step further, then I suggest picking up the phone.  If you’ve ever worked for a company with a call center, you know that clogged lines cost them money.  So let’s clog Verizon’s phone lines like their friends at the coal companies clog the once-pristine mountain streams with mining waste. Pick up your Verizon phone, call customer service by dialing *611 from your cell or (800) 922-0204 from your home, and register your complaint about Verizon’s support for an event designed to block meaningful progress on climate change.  This is one time when you can feel good about waiting on hold to talk to the phone company’s customer service rep.