New York Bans Fracking

New York Bans Fracking
We did it! You were part of it!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

PHENOMENAL WORK, PHENOMENAL NEWS!

It has been an extremely exciting week for PEC-NYC! Between submitting hundreds of Pagan signatures to Governor Cuomo in support of wind power to the announcement of a state-wide ban on fracking, we are ecstatic! Today, we celebrate but tomorrow, we go back to work. There are pipelines to fight, an LNG port to stop, and a wind farm to build. We would like to thank all who signed, marched, rallied, and all who donated money, goods, and time to these causes. We look forward to further solidarity. We are far from finished.

PEC-NYC THANKS YOU!!!! 

On Tuesday, December 16th, the Pagan Environmental Coalition delivered hundreds of Pagan signatures gathered at Sabbats, festivals, Circles, and other events in support of off-shore wind and in opposition to LNG port construction to Richard Kaufman at NYSERDA--the so-called "Energy Czar" to Governor Cuomo.  The transcript of the petition can be found, here. 

Arriving at NYSERDA

Packet containing hundreds of pro-wind Pagan signatures


PEC-NYC signs in at NYSERDA office

PEC-NYC leaves a message for Mr. Kaufman...along with a tome of Pagan signatures

Again, thank you to all who contributed to BOTH of these incredible successes! Don't worry....we'll be around. There is SO much work left to do!  

Thursday, October 16, 2014

PEC-NYC tells Governor Cuomo personally: "DON'T FRACK NEW YORK!"


Governor Cuomo paid a rare visit to NYC last night to promote his new book: "All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life."

Governor Cuomo speaking to a fracktivist at his book signing at Barnes & Noble in Union Square


And of course, PEC-NYC was there:

Hi!!! 

Anti-fracking protestors outside the Barnes & Noble
PEC-NYC had the option of attending an anti-fracking rally outside the store or purchasing books and waiting in line for a moment of conversation with the governor. We opted for the latter as we attend many rallies, but get few opportunities to speak to Governor Cuomo, directly. We waited in line for two hours, each clutching a 300-page tome. We had a plan.




We would respectfully tell the Governor:

* We oppose hydraulic fracturing in New York State.
* We are concerned for the health of our citizens.
* We are concerned about water quality.
* We are concerned about the agricultural and farming industry.
* Several of us have recently returned from Pennsylvania where we saw the effects of Fracking, first-hand.

We each developed a personal message to accompany it. Then, we slapped on our anti-fracking stickers on our shirts and coats and got in line.  We realized we weren't alone:


A fellow fracktivist hoped the Governor decorated the signature page of her copy of his book.

Aarron took a cue from our new friend:

PEC-NYC organizer Aarron Ricks
A few of us asked to have our books dedicated to, "A Frack-Free New York." This did not go over well. Neither did the decorated copies of the books. Before they even got to Governor Cuomo, the aides tossed aside any books with anti-fracking rhetoric and gave the Governor a "clean copy" to sign.
Aarron did not get the book-signature he sought.

The Governor listened to each of us share why we did not want fracking in New York State. He said to each of us, "(Your concerns) are why we don't have fracking, here." However, he was referring to the current moratorium on fracking, which could be lifted. We seek a ban. We told him so.

Will he listen? We don't know. But as organizer PEC-NYC Blue pointed out, "Though his crew was displeased, we used his book signing to speak our minds. These constituents' voices were heard!"

Governor Cuomo is notorious for keeping his appearances quiet ahead of time--mostly to avoid anti-fracking protests. We know it wasn't his favorite experience to hear from fracktivists during a quiet, promotional event. But fracking isn't just going away....neither are we until we achieve a state-wide ban.

We even got some press!

PEC-NYC in the New York Times

PEC-NYC in Capitol New York

If you would like to hear about more actions, please email us with the subject line: New York Meetings 

Thank you for reading! Have a blessed day! 

Sunday, October 12, 2014

THANK YOU FROM PEC-NYC!

A belated THANK YOU to all who donated to our Indigogo campaign! With the money we raised, we were able to feed over 100 marchers, supply reusable (and BPA-free!) water bottles, snacks and supplies, and best of all...travel for 7 Pagan marchers from out of town!!!

We would like to thank:

Monique Catherine Argento
Shannon Fleischman
James Graber
Jennifer Haines
Christine Kraemer
Bernadette Montana
Nanci Moy
David Shi
And all anonymous donors!!!

We even had a little cash left over which will be used to fund the travel of PEC-NYC members and friends to Washington, D.C. on Monday, November 3rd to speak out against FERC's "rubber-stamp" policy of approving LNG ports. We want FERC to know we will not stand for LNG ports in our region, such as the proposed Port Ambrose project. If you are interested in a day-trip to D.C., please see the information and contact us directly. At the moment, we can sponsor two people to travel to D.C. from NYC.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Why march? What IS a march going to DO?

A note from an organizer for the People's Climate March....

September was the wrong month to give up coffee.

My Lughnasadh promise, in honor of the Earth's sacrifice of the harvest, was to stop drinking my coveted brew. Deforestation for coffee farms, delivery planes and trucks, packaging, to-go cups...it has to go. My timing could not have been worse. Over the last few weeks, all energy--natural and caffeinated--has been funneled directly into the Climate March. 

THIS THING IS HUGE!!! IS IT EVEN WORTH IT???

Not long ago, I was tagged with this editorial by Chris Hedges. The article is good, and important. It raises critical questions about the Climate March but also criticizes it for being too little, too late, and a huge waste of effort. Truly...what is a march of a million people in NYC really going to do to impact climate change?

Nothing...unless we make it count for something. 

What IS it for?
The climate is in crisis. World leaders need to make addressing this crisis their top priority. It is timed with the UN Summit on the Climate Crisis. This peaceful, legal March will demonstrate just how many people will be impacted by the effects of climate change--and how they will be impacted.

It's not a solution. It's a magnet for solutions.
The March may be the starring attraction, but the days surrounding it are packed with hundreds of teach-ins, lectures, and networking events. PEC-NYC has made connections with people from upstate NY all the way to Canada, with the aim of sharing tactics to address environmental problems. We may be brought together by the March, but it's really an opportunity to work together and learn from one another. We're burning a ton of carbon just making this March happen. We have a responsibility to make it count for something.
  
Fighting the "Blahs." Recently, I invited a fellow Witch group to attend a PEC-NYC function designed to raise awareness of a potential LNG port. Their leader replied, "Activism bores me...but your event sounds fun!" Activism can be boring. Other people feel the climate problem is too depressing or big to fight. Many simply don't know where to start. Fun brings people in and the PCM is becoming more like a festival than a traditional demonstration. People may show up for a good time, but will leave with practical ways to address the problems in their area. Rarely do people attend these things and then vanish. Most find their way into helping another issue. They find the tools to address the things that break their hearts, often through a method that brings them joy. 

Will the UN even notice? 
Sept 21 is a Sunday and the UN won't even be in session. The March route isn't anywhere near the UN. Will they even know we're there??? The answer is YES. Although it won't yet be in session, many delegates will already be in town and many are involved in the March, themselves. While the route doesn't pass the UN, it does go through midtown along 42nd Street. The NYPD never permits marches on 42nd...except this time!  Have you ever been in Manhattan when midtown is shut down???? Lives are ruined thoroughly disrupted...far more so than shutting down the East Side, where the UN resides. The city will feel it. Plus, we'll be marching directly past Fox News. Think about that when you're making your signs this week... 

Photo by Beth Kemler
Photos tell a story. Stories get attention. 
A million people marching will send a message. The picture on the left is from a march I attended in this past summer in DC, calling for a stop to the construction of the Cove Point liquified natural gas export station. It's not a project I've worked on directly, but I've worked on stopping the construction of a similar LNG port up here in NYC. This picture tells a story: thousands of people took the time to speak out against Cove Point LNG's construction. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT. For every person who did march, there are at least ten more at home unable to attend, but who stand in agreement. Photos of the Climate March will be everywhere. Even if members the UN doesn't see it on 9/21, they are sure to see images for weeks and years to come.

Infiltrators, instigators, interlopers....
People are rightfully upset that some groups with ties to natural gas or other industries contributing to climate change are squirming their way into the march, claiming to be fossil fuel alternatives when they most certainly are not. Unfortunately, this is the reality of activism. You know you're doing something right when opposition tries to subversively thwart you. It's a compliment in a weird way. It's also an opportunity to practice staying loyal to truth and not being swayed.

If we take this as an opportunity to build a movement that begins on Sept. 22, then it is worth the while. If we stop our movement on 11th Avenue, we will have failed.Every movement attracts the labels, "Too much" or "Too little"; "Not time" or "Past Due." Every time I've ever focused on an action, I've been asked if "it wouldn't be a better use of my time to direct all that energy into something else. Maybe this should have happened years ago, but it didn't. Maybe this should happen while the UN is in official session, but it's not. It's happening one week from today. We can should ourselves into oblivion, or we can either make this an opportunity to build a true, global movement. I'm routing for the latter and I hope you are, too.

We don't know if it's too late to stop climate change or even if we can minimize the effects of it. But we can't skip the opportunity to try. Human beings are fighters. We've survived as a species because we take risks, we fail, we fail again, only to get up and try once more.

If you'd like to join us, please sign up or follow our hub.

Let's do this thing. 

Courtney Weber
HPS, Novices of the Old Ways--NY
Organizer, Pagan Environmental Coalition of NYC

Friday, September 12, 2014

Sponsored travel to the People's Climate March!

Because of the generous support lent to our Indigogo Campaign, PEC-NYC is thrilled to announce that we are able to sponsor a select number of Pagan climate marchers via one of the climate march buses or trains!
If you are interested in sponsored travel, please take the following steps:

1.)  Go to this link and see what bus or train you would be able to take. Be sure you are able to commit to the schedule for your respective bus or train.
2.) Email us with SPONSORED TRAVEL in the subject line.
3.) In the body of the email, mention the following:
* Your name
* Where you are coming from
* The link to where we can find the bus or train you want to take
* The total cost of the bus or train fare
* A phone number or email address of where our organizer (Misha Dutka) can reach you.

Please be sure to include all of the above when applying for sponsored travel and please keep an eye/ear out for Misha to reach out to you! If any information is missing or if Misha is not able to reach you, we will not be able to help you. :( This is a first-come, first-served, while-supplies-last sort of thing and we don't have a lot of time! We regret that we cannot assist with gas money, car rentals, or other transportation.


If you are interested, please apply right away. Misha will begin contacting people as of Monday and Tuesday.

Thank you to all donors! It's also not too late if you want to chip in.
It's a little more than a week away!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

A visit to Gasland: The sights, sounds, and smells of Fracking

Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 21 for the People's Climate March! We will be gathering on West 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, 10:00-11:00 a.m. and joining the march from there. Look for the Pentacle Signs and find more information, here! 

Hydraulic Fracturing aka "Fracking." It's the kind of thing you may disagree with in philosophy and routinely oppose. The data sounds pretty bleak, after all. You may have read the articles, you probably saw the Gasland films or heard about the faucets lit afire. You've possibly signed petitions and you'll probably sign more. But it's not until you stand on a crumbling road, watching fumes rise from platforms carved into the formerly bucolic piece of country that you may realize that "fighting the good fight" had been more like playing a half-hearted game of checkers with your back to the real battle. 

PEC-NYC traveled to Pennsylvania on Saturday, Sept. 6 with Food and Water Watch to visit fracking sites. This is an extraordinarily beautiful part of the country: lush deciduous forest sweeping down rolling hillsides and trickling creeks. It's home to a plethora of organic, family-owned.

Beautiful Susquehana County, PA. Photo courtesy of George Courtney.
But as we drew closer to the sites, an eerie sense of disaster crept in. There were no birds or squirrels in this area of country. There were barely any insects. As PEC-NYC member Reagan Porter said: "Never before have chemical fumes made me instantly nauseous and disoriented while their source lay 75 yards away from me. I was in the woods deep in Pennsylvania. I heard no birds. I didn't notice at first because I live in Brooklyn - but even Brooklyn has goddamn birds." 

Gas excavation in Susquehana County, PA. Photo by George Courtney

Anti-fracking activists visit site in Liberty Township, Susquehanna County, PA. To the left, a water tanker used in fracking. Fracking requires thousands of gallons of water per day, which is taken from local steams and rivers, infused with silica sand and chemicals and blasted into shale rock to release natural gas. We saw nearly 200 trucks that day, and it was a slow day (being a Saturday). The trucks damage the local roads, requiring their repair several times a year. This is paid for with PA state tax money--not by the fracking companies, themselves. Photo by Erik McGregor.
You smell fracking before you even get close enough to see it...and it smells bad. Imagine cutting off the top of a gallon of super-glue, wrapping it in a garbage bag, then sticking your head in and inhaling all the fumes. That's what hit us when we stepped off the bus.


Fracking stinks.

In roughly ten minutes time, people complained of headaches. I felt dizzy. Was it fatigue? Or was the air really that bad?  If we were feeling icky already, how were the workers faring? The video below was taken by George Courtney. The sounds and fumes continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  




 
Tour guide and local resident Vera Scroggins. She is pointing at the gas extraction site above, positioned directly in front of the resident's home, directly behind her. The local residents are fully exposed to fumes from extraction for months. Photo courtesy of Erik McGregor.


Overview of one site. The blue dots along the bottom are water tanks. Fracking sites need millions of gallons of water to function--even while whole sections of the nation experience extreme drought. Photo by Erik McGregor.
Our guide, Vera Scroggins, a resident of Susquehanna County who is directly impacted by fracking in her area, mentioned that the companies bring in workers from out of state. The jobs promised by the industry are given to workers brought-in from elsewhere (we saw many cars with Oklahoma plates), who work 12 hours shifts at a time, at high risk for serious injury or illness. They are housed on the sites, so they are not paying rent to community landlords or purchasing items in the local stores. The community receives roughly only 10% of the job opportunities supplied by these companies and the workers' presence contributes little-to-nothing to the local economy.


One of many shuttered businesses in Susquehanna County. The gas money is NOT going back into the local community. Photo by George Courtney.

It's like aliens came in and sucked all the life out of the land, leaving a few humans behind with water that looks like mucus--water that is also laced with uranium. Nowhere in these areas can you find signs of "economic prosperity" or "all the jobs" promised by this practice. You can find plenty of people cooking with donated Aquafine water because their wells have gone bad. You can also find lots of cancer cases among them. But all that economic promise must have been swept up and taken with the aliens because it sure can't be found on the earth it fracked. 


We are Witches. We could help! We went there ready to uncross and heal, but it felt as effective as giving Magickal CPR to a corpse. "It's too late for us," the land Spirits seemed to say. 

The guy in the photo below is Ray Kemble--a former gas company employee and a resident of Dimock, PA. You may remember him from Gasland the Movie as one of the people who was able to light his running faucet on fire. A fracking well went into the property directly across the road from him in 2009. His water has been contaminated ever since. He, like many other residents, depends on private donations of bottled water as his home supplies nothing potable.  When one member of our group asked for a sample of his water, Ray said that the law dictates that he cannot not give away any water from his home as he possesses the knowledge that it contains uranium, and knowingly handing off uranium is a serious crime--even if that uranium comes from your own faucet. The gas companies have denied the testing results of the water and continues to insist that it is safe to drink.   


Dimock, PA resident Ray Kemble holding samples of his property's well water. The one on the right was taken from his well in January, 2014.  Photo courtesy of Erik McGregor.

The black thing in the background is a leaking natural gas well. This is directly across from Ray Kemble's home. As you can see, the air is so polluted with gas that Ray needs to confine his cigar smoking  to his own property. Crossing the road with a lit cigar poses the threat of explosion. Photo by Erik Mc Gregor.
Tammy Manning with her granddaughter. Her well has been contaminated since 2011 when gas companies began fracking on a nearby property. Their home is roughly 7,000 feet away from a fracking well. Cabot oil and gas denies any responsibility for the contamination, only claiming responsibility for contamination within 2,500 feet of the drill site. Photo by Erik McGregor.


The Manning family's water buffalo. This was provided by the gas company when their well was contaminated. Later, the company denied responsibility for the contamination and tried to seize it. Activists built the above container and the company did not find it worth their time to remove the casing. The Manning family still cannot use their well water and relies on bottled-water donations from groups such as Food and Water Watch and rainwater collection. Photo by George Courtney

Water donations from the Fracking Reality Tour. Photo by Erik McGregor.

Water truck heading to fracking site within residential area. Photo by Erik McGregor

 As we rode through the countryside, we saw dairy cows housed on the very same property as these fracking wells. The same animals producing milk, cheese, eggs, and meat are breathing gas-filled air, drinking chemical-laden water, and eating grass exposed to the same. Vera pointed out that not only are these farms likely to lose their organic labels soon due to contamination, but that within a few years it may be impossible to produce or sell farm products from this region.

Farm in Dimock Township sharing land with a fracking well. Photo by Erik Mc Gregor
When fracking comes to town, lives are ruined. The water is spoiled, the people and animals are sickened. Worse, no one can leave. If fracking opens up in a community, the houses lose their value, completely. No one can sell and move to a new place even if they wanted to. Some people get by on settlements from the gas companies, but these settlements come with "gag orders." If someone has been disaffected by the company and accepts the settlement, they can never talk about what they have experienced. The people we spoke with have bravely refused the offers, getting by on faith and donations.

A few key talking points if your pro-fracking friends and relatives still don't agree:

* It does NOT benefit economy. Look at the pictures above--towns are not thriving. Workers are imported and kept close to the site. The money coming to these communities comes via leasing of willing landowners and settlements to the disaffected. All then must deal with the health effects, contaminated water, and homes that will never sell. The only people thriving are those selling the gas.
* It does NOT create energy independence. This gas is being processed to be sold overseas to India and China where it can be marked up 5x its worth in the US. This gas is not for us. It is meant to be sold, as evidenced by the push for liquified natural gas export stations petitioning for construction along USA coastlines.
* It CANNOT be done safely. This technology is barely a decade old and as you can see above, there are tremendous problems with it. In 2005, the Bush/Cheney energy bill exempted fracking from the Safe Drinking Water Act. 

There were too many wells to keep up with. As we rode along, Vera pointed them out as quickly as she could, but she couldn't finish explaining the damage to one property and the strange cancers that had befallen the residents before we passed another one with an equally upsetting story.

Members of PEC-NYC at Ray Kemble's home. From left: Me (Courtney Weber), George Courtney, Wendi McDermott, Reagan Porter, Gary Suto. Photo courtesy of Reagan Porter.
NAKED HONESTY HERE. For a long time, I've secretly hoped that I have been wrong about fracking. Its scope seemed too wide and the stakes too high--a Goliath just too big to slay, this time. I want to look back at the age of 80 and say, "Well! It wasn't as bad as I thought. All that time wasted at rallies." But in the middle of Gasland, my heart sank. There was no hope for being wrong. The Goliath who wrung the life from the land and the people was even bigger, greedier, and meaner than my Manhattan activist self would have ever imagined during her dutiful petition gatherings at NYC Sabbats. I hated being in Gasland. I wanted to go home. I wanted to get away from the stinking air and the silent forests. I wanted Mofongo take-out, my cats, and my shower. But in the comfort of my clean shower, the fresh water didn't wash away the memories on my brain. The people I met and instantly loved were still tucked in the landscape I couldn't wait to shake. They weren't enjoying a hot shower. They were bathing from the water we left them and living with the reality that they are standing on a silent clock, ticking toward the day they get sick from the cancers or other illnesses their neighbors faced.  This is a reality they know, accept and talk about freely. I had the luxury of going home, but home would not be the same.

Before I went to sleep and dreamed of a pounding on doors and screaming of a rotten-egg smell (the smell of a gas leak), I thought of the end of The Two Towers (Yes, I read the books, but quoting from the movie right now!) when Merry says to Pippin: "The fires of Isengard will spread, and the forest of Tuckborough and Buckland will burn. And all that was once great and good in this world will be gone. There won't *be* a Shire, Pippin." There really was no going home.

New York is my Shire--OUR Shire. We all have our own Shires and whether you call it Goliath, or Sauron, or Cabot Oil and Gas, if we pretend the battle against fracking is "over there," by the time it's "over here" it's already too late. We may come across as bleeding-hearted-liberal-faux-hippies and maybe we are. But this blog and these photos are not validation of political opinion. They illustrate immediate, first-hand experience. We smelled, touched, and felt the effects of fracking. It is awful. It must be stopped.

Sept. 6 "Fracking Reality Tour." Photo courtesy of Erik McGregor

If you are a New York State Resident, contact Governor Cuomo. Go on record saying: "BAN FRACKING NOW." New York is in a precarious place. The world is watching our space. If we frack, other undecided states will frack, too. If we ban, more bans will follow. When the Marriage Equality bill passed, other states nearly immediately followed suit. We can't just hide in our Big Apple Shire. We must keep it out--forever.

If you are not sure if your state will allow fracking, do a web search and if it's looking like your state might frack, join the movement to stop it. 

Thank you for reading, listening, and sharing.

Courtney Weber
HPS, Novices of the Old Ways--NY
Organizer, PEC-NYC

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Meet-up location for the march, plus a special guest and more updated information

(Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more up-to-date information!) 

Are you excited????

The Climate March is 18 days away...can you believe it! PEC-NYC met last night at Lovecraft Bar where we'll be hosting a Pagan Mixer on Friday, 9/19 and it is fabulous! We can't wait to meet and greet you! 

Next meeting of the Pagan Environmental Coalition 
Wednesday, 9/10 at 6:00 p.m. (please note the different start-time) at NY Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street in Manhattan (just off Central Park West)--as part of the Climate March Mobilizing group. You must RSVP for this Meeting. After the meeting, we'll head to a coffee shop or bar and discuss our Pagan group plans.
Meet-up Location for March
While the march is officially starting at Columbus Circle, the Interfaith Contingent will gather at 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue. Look for Pentacle signs!  Please plan to arrive between 10:00-11:00 a.m. (the earlier the better). We are working on setting up a text-alert system to notify people of where specifically we will be. We strongly encourage everyone to follow us on Twitter @PEC_NYC where we can also make "Look for us HERE!" announcements.
A very special guest at our Saturday, 9/20 ritual!Saturday's pre-march ritual and gathering will feature a very special speaker and guest: Rev. Patrick McCollum. Patrick has been a tireless and extremely successful advocate for Pagan religious rights. He is also a world-renowned Peace Activist. He is in town presenting the World Peace Violin--if you've NOT heard of it, please see the link! We are delighted to have him with us all the way from California! 


Help we still need!
Please share the word or pitch in for our Indigogo campaign 
 The monies raised will all go to food and supplies for the weekend. If we raise enough, we can even help subsidize travel for marchers from far away. 

Spread the word about the march! Please send them the sign-up link or the link to our blog. All are welcome! 

Housing!
Do you need a place to stay? Can you house a marcher from far and away? If you said yes to either, please go to the Human Hotel 

Need a ride?
Buses and trains are coming from all over the place. Organizers are urging people to reserve early in order to ensure there are enough seats for all! Check out the link!  

Schedule of Events! 

Friday, Sept. 19, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Pagan Mixer at Lovecraft Bar: 50 Avenue B, btw East 3rd and 4th Streets (Manhattan). 
21+ only. 
Let's get together for refreshments and socializing! It's really the NYer's chance to say "WELCOME TO OUR BLESSED JUNGLE!" to all of our new friends from far and away. Light snacks provided by the Pagan Environmental Coalition of NYC. Heavier food, exotic cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Please help support this new business by purchasing at least one item.

Saturday, Sept. 20, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Ritual, Fellowship, and Teach-in

Central Park Pools (map to follow) near W. 100th Street Entrance

All-Ages Event
Join us in one of the most beautiful places in Central Park to feast, celebrate, and discuss how we are addressing issues of ecojustice in our respective environments and participate in a Mabon/Autumn Equinox Ritual to raise energy for our eco-justice intentions.  

Suggested things to bring:

* Finger-food items (in the interest of less-waste, nothing that needs paper plates or plasticware!), or non-alcoholic beverages to share welcome, but not required! Not sure what to bring? Vegan and/or gluten-free items always encouraged! 

* Chants and songs. Let us built continuity through our music.

* Ritual activities or practices from your tradition or region. Please note: no blades or flames allowed in Central Park

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Sunday, Sept. 21The People's Climate March
Please meet us on 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues between 10:00-11:00 a.m.
 Look for Pentacle signs!  

The march will officially begin at Columbus Circle (59th Street) and make a giant loop through midtown before ending on 11th Avenue and 34th street. This is roughly 3 miles/5 kilometers. Bring signs, drums, bells, and whistles! Leave blades, staffs, and wands at home. :)

Interfaith Service After the March
After the march, there will be an interfaith service at the stunning, non-denominational St. John the Divine Cathedral. This will be a wonderful and unique chance to raise energy and be in spiritual solidarity with religions from all over the place in support of addressing our Climate Crisis. If you would like to attend, pre-registration is mandatory! Please register at http://religionsfortheearth.splashthat.com/. If you will not be representing an organization, you are welcome to list Pagan Environmental Coalition NYC or simply mark "none" or Solitary. 

LET'S DO THIS THING!!!!!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Ways to help, ways to get to NYC, and Schedule of Events!

Blessed Be, All! It's only 24 days away! Please read on for ways to help, resources, and the schedule!

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

We launched an Indigogo campaign this week--help us get the word out! This money will sponsor travel for marchers from far away get to NYC as well as help with supplies for the weekend. Please help out with a few bucks if you are able and please do share the link! The more cash we get, the more Pagans at the march...PLUS make it a comfortable experience for all involved! 

Tell your communities and groups all about the march! Please send them the link to our mailing list, where they can sign up for more information.

LOGISTICS! GETTING AND STAYING HERE! 
Have you RSVP'd for the March?RSVP are not required, but encouraged! The more accurate the expected attendees, the more accurate the number of Port-o-potties! (If you've ever tried to find a bathroom in midtown Manhattan, you know how important this is!) Registration can be found at this link: http://peoplesclimate.org/march/  

Need a place to stay? 
Houses of faith are organizing space for marchers to stay for free. We are still waiting on the details--stay tuned! 

Need a ride?
Buses and trains are coming from all over the place. Organizers are urging people to reserve early in order to ensure there are enough seats for all! Check out the link! Coming from Long Island? Sierra Club is offering r/t bus tickets to the march for under $10! Please see the link! 

Where will we meet for the march?
Please see below! 

Schedule of Events! 
Friday, Sept. 19, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Pagan Mixer at Lovecraft Bar: 50 Avenue B, btw East 3rd and 4th Streets (Manhattan).
21+ only. 

Let's get together for refreshments and socializing! It's really the NYer's chance to say "WELCOME TO OUR BLESSED JUNGLE!" to all of our new friends from far and away. Light snacks provided by the Pagan Environmental Coalition of NYC. Heavier food, exotic cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Please help support this new business by purchasing at least one item.

Saturday, Sept. 20, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Ritual, Fellowship, and Teach-in
Central Park Pools (map to follow) near W. 100th Street Entrance
All-Ages Event

Join us in one of the most beautiful places in Central Park to feast, celebrate, and discuss how we are addressing issues of ecojustice in our respective environments and participate in a Mabon/Autumn Equinox Ritual to raise energy for our eco-justice intentions.  

Finger-food items (in the interest of less-waste, nothing that needs paper plates!), or non-alcoholic beverages to share welcome, but not required! 

Sunday, Sept. 21, Time and meet-up location TBA The People's Climate March
Please plan to be on the Upper West Side of Manhattan (Above 59th Street, West of the Park) between 9:00-10:00 a.m.


There *will* be a specific location for the Pagan contingent to gather alongside members of other faiths--location hopefully announced next week. The route will begin at Columbus Circle (59th Street) and make a giant loop through midtown before ending on 11th Avenue and 34th street. This is roughly 3 miles/5 kilometers.  Please stay tuned!
Interfaith Service at the End of the March
After the march, there will be an interfaith service at the stunning, non-denominational St. John the Divine Cathedral. This will be a wonderful and unique chance to raise energy and be in spiritual solidarity with religions from all over the place in support of addressing our Climate Crisis. If you would like to attend, pre-registration is mandatory! Please register at http://religionsfortheearth.splashthat.com/. If you will not be representing an organization, you are welcome to list Pagan Environmental Coalition NYC or simply mark "none" or Solitary.
For those with mobility issues who would like to joinAgain, a TBA answer, but the organizers of the interfaith contingent are indeed working on a plan for those with mobility issues to join. Please stay tuned!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Events duing the People's Climate March! Plus, sign up for notifications!

Can you believe it? The Climate March is just under a month away!

If you would like to be on our mailing list for Pagan Eco-Justice functions (including the People's Climate March), please sign up here!

As promised, an update regarding the People's Climate March! We have so many ncredible activities planned for the weekend of this historic event. Come to NYC! Join us!

Friday, Sept. 19, 7:00ish p.m.
Pagan Mixer at a Manhattan location TBA.

Let's get together for refreshments and socializing! It's really the NYer's chance to say "WELCOME TO OUR BLESSED JUNGLE!" to all of our new friends from far and away. All are welcome!

Saturday, Sept. 20, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Mabon Ritual, Fellowship, and Teach-in

Central Park Pools (map to follow)
Join us in one of the most beautiful places in Central Park to feast, celebrate, and discuss how we are addressing issues of ecojustice in our respective environments. ***Please email us if you are interested in helping plan the ritual!***




Sunday, Sept. 21, Time TBA (If you would like to march with us, please plan to be in midtown Manhattan between 9:00-10:00a.m. Specific meet-up TBA)
The People's Climate March

The route has been announced! It will begin in Columbus Circle (59th Street) and make a giant loop through midtown before ending on 11th Avenue and 34th street. This will give you all some lovely views of Times Square and Central Park and if you're heading back out that night from Penn Station, it's certainly convenient ending!


The start time is still being negotiated, but it will likely begin late Sunday morning. There *will* be a specific location for the Pagan contingent to gather. We can then travel as a group to the starting place. After the march, there is an interfaith service being planned at St. John the Divine, at which we'll get a chance to celebrate with friends from various religious and spiritual backgrounds.


March route: Roughly 2.5 miles/5 Kilometers


TRAVEL

Need to get to NYC? Please see these resources from all over the US and Canada!

Buses and Trains--Continental USA and Canada

HOUSING
Various houses of worship around the city will be opening their sanctuaries for guests. When that information is available, it will be posted here, first! In the meantime, we suggest Air B n B.


See you in just a few weeks!
 
 

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Come to NYC in September for the People's Climate March

This September, world leaders are gathering at the United Nations for a summit on the climate crisis. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is urging governments to support an ambitious global agreement to dramatically reduce the pollution contributing to global warming.

The People's Climate March, predicted to be the largest climate march in history, is set for Sunday, September 21. With our future on the line and the whole world watching, hundreds of thousands of people will peacefully march through the streets of Manhattan to show support for clean, green future, safe from the devastating effects of climate change.

And...the Pagan community of the world will be there!

Join us in peaceful solidarity with like minded others across faiths, cultures, and language barriers. Let us show the world that the Pagan Community stands for our Sacred Mother Earth.

The weekend will include rituals, fellowship gatherings, and teach-ins hosted by local chapters of the Pagan community and the People's Climate March.

Bring yourself. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your message: How will climate change affect you? 

For more information or to be kept informed, please email us!

We look forward to sharing solidarity with you!



Thursday, July 17, 2014

The Argument for "Boots on the Ground."

On July 13th, I boarded a bus with a mess of other Fracktivists to help protest the Cove Point LNG Project.

This fight is important. We are fighting a potential LNG port of our own. PEC-NYC has run itself ragged warning people about the dangers of these ports (water pollution, terrorist targets, methane emissions contributing to climate change, and the need to *stop* fossil fuels infrastructure to name a few...). We know why it's a problem. We know why off-shore wind power is the fuel of NYC's future.  But what can we do about it? Sometimes, it comes through letters--like the one we're writing to Governor Cuomo! 

But sometimes, we just need to turn out in numbers. Sometimes we need to put our boots on the ground. Sometimes, being one more body in the crowd is the greatest thing we can do.

Over 1,000 people from up and down the East Coast gathered to protest LNG ports and demand green energy. 
Here are a few more photos from the day:






A speaker directly affected by the BP spill in LA.


It's me! Yup. Rocking the PPD shirt again.


Reverend Yearwood and "drinking water" from Dimmock, PA--an area affected by Fracking--the same fracked gas headed to these nasty LNG ports.

The line of people winding around the park, heading to the FERC building.



 You may wonder if one more person can make a difference, but nothing draws a crowd like...a crowd. Without words, arguments, letters, fine print or bullet points--so many bodies marching through the streets and crying out for various parts of the same whole: a new, green world. The image makes an impression like no other.

For me, there are few things more exhilarating than sweating for what one believes in. Friendships formed with strangers as we donate a few hours of our weekend toward calling attention to that in which we believe. It's real. It matters. It counts.

With that being said, mark your calendars for Sunday, Sept. 21! March with PEC-NYC in the People's Climate March in NYC.


My new friend and marching buddy, Nydia for the Grannies for Peace Brigade!