League of Conservation Voters

Concord Monitor on LCV's New Hampshire Ads

Here's what the Concord Monitor had to say about the League of Conservation Voters and Granite State Conservation Voters' ads in prior to CNN's Democratic and Republican debates in New Hampshire:

Hot topic

A 30-second TV ad featuring actor Robert Redford asking people to push candidates on climate change policy will begin airing today during Arnie Arnesen's Political Chowder on WZMY TV.

"In every generation there are a few defining moments when we have the chance to chart a new course that will leave our children a better world," Redford says in the ad. "Our time is now, and our challenge is to solve global warming."

After quotes from newscasters, Redford goes on to ask people to challenge the presidential candidates to make climate change a priority.

The ad is sponsored by Granite State Conservation Voters and the League of Conservation Voters, which has launched a nonpartisan campaign, called The Heat Is On, to make global warming a focus of the race.

Bruce Clendenning, project manager for Granite State Conservation Voters, said the two groups will also launch a newspaper ad campaign.

To see the ads, click here:

Also check out the print ads LCV and GSCV are running in the Union Leader by clicking here.

                                                                           - Kristin

Global Warming Ads Launched in New Hampshire

On the eve of the first New Hampshire Democratic and Republican debates, the League of Conservation Voters and Granite State Conservation Voters are running newspaper ads to coincide with the debates. The ads, running in the New Hampshire Union Leader today and Monday, urge the 2008 presidential candidates to make addressing global warming a top priority.

Click here to view the the ads.

- Mike

On Eve of South Carolina Debate, Global Warming Is Front and Center

Today in South Carolina, a bipartisan group of lawmakers - including more than 2/3 of the state house and 21 state senators - released an open letter to the 2008 presidential candidates asking them to make climate change and energy policies a priority in their conversations with Palmetto State voters. From the letter signed by 44 Democrat representatives and 44 Republican representatives:

"It is going to take presidential leadership for America to usher in a new era of energy production, use and conservation.  As you visit our state over the coming year, we invite you to make climate change and energy policies a priority in your conversations with South Carolinians."

The letter comes on the heels of a new poll that shows that a majority of likely South Carolina primary voters support taking action now to curb global warming. The poll was conducted by Republican pollsters Ayres, McHenry & Associates and Democratic pollsters Hamilton Beattie & Staff on behalf of Conservation Voters of South Carolina Education Fund and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League. Findings from the poll include:

• Though South Carolina Republicans and Democrats disagree on the cause of global warming, they are united in agreeing that we should take action to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. 79 percent of likely South Carolina Democratic primary voters and 56 percent of Republican primary voters believe that even if the serious consequences of global warming are decades away, we have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to take action now. 
• 87 percent of likely Democratic primary voters and 80 percent of likely Republican primary voters believe that the state and federal government should take steps to reduce fossil fuels, such as oil and coal that are used by cars, factories, and power plants.
• A majority of South Carolina primary voters strongly favor an increase in mileage standards for new cars and SUVs over the next ten years to 40 miles per gallon instead of the current 24 miles per gallon.
• In addition, a majority support requiring major reductions in the amount of global warming pollution that power plants and industries are allowed to release in the air.

Click here to read more about the open letter from South Carolina legislators. View the results from the Democratic poll here and view the results from the Republican poll here.

                                                       - Mike Palamuso

A Good Day in South Carolina

It's been a big day for global warming in South Carolina. The release of an open letter to presidential candidates asking them to address energy and global warming has been getting a huge amount of press coverage. Here's a sample:

         Associated Press:
         S.C. lawmakers to White House candidates: Define energy policies

         The Post & Courier:
         Lawmakers push environmental issues 

         WIS News 10:
         SC lawmakers ask candidates to focus on environment

         The State:
         Lawmakers push for climate change debate

Look for more in the coming days...

                                                                                  - Mike Palamuso

Getting the Picture...

The latest installment of the IPCC report confirms, once again, that global warming is occurring and that we humans are contributing to the problem. But what is most significant is that the IPCC report also contains details on the likely catastrophic effects of global warming, from more severe droughts in the west to increasingly destructive tropical storms in the Gulf Coast.  This report further reiterates our need for quick action on global warming - we hope Congress and the 2008 presidential candidates are listening.

According to economic experts such as Sir Nicholas Stern, taking action on global warming will not only be economically beneficial, it is essential to avoid a fiscal downfall.  According to Stern, a two degree Celsius increase in temperature could reduce global economic output by 3 percent.

Fortunately, several major U.S. corporations are listening.  General Electric, BP and Duke Energy now support reductions in global warming emissions.  It's exciting to see that even major power companies, some of the biggest culprits of global warming pollution, have saddled up to join the fight against global warming.  These companies realize that solving global warming is not only good business, but it will help create a new economy with new jobs based on clean energy.

Here at LCV, we will continue working to pass sound legislation to help address global warming and to help elevate the issue in the 2008 elections and beyond.

                                                                                                                        -Nicholas J. Gleichman