[GreenYes] Action Alert: Incinerators are not Renewable Energy

["Dave Ciplet" <dave@no.address>]

Please take action today to stop waste incinerators from qualifying as a "renewable" source of energy in a bill expected to be introduced to congress this week. The bill, called the Udall - Platts Renewable Electricity Standard (HR 969), would require utilities nationally to use 20% "renewable" energy by 2020. Qualifying incinerators as a source of renewable energy in this or any other bill is a false solution to climate change, and affront to environmental health and justice in U.S. communities. Climate change demands that we strengthen nationwide waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use- and that we stop incentives for waste incineration!

Take Action:

(1) PHONE: Call Congressman Todd Russell Platts (R-PA) at (202) 225-5836, and tell his staff that qualifying incinerators as a renewable source of energy will elicit active opposition to the bill among environmental and environmental justice organizations. Please also call Congressman Tom Udall (D-NM) at (202) 225-6190 to deliver the same message.

(2) FAX: Send Congressman Todd Russell Platts a personalized fax about this issue at (202) 226-1000. Please also send a fax to Congressman Tom Udall at (202) 226-1331. (Please see the sample letter below for ideas).

(3) E-MAIL: Send an e-mail to Congressmen Todd Russell Platts and Tom Udall saying that "Incinerators are Not Renewable Energy!". Click the following link to take action: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/GAIA/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=12251

Sample letter:

Dear Congressman Platts,

As more than 130 environmental and community-based organizations have expressed in the No Incentives for Incinerators sign-on statement, incinerators are a detriment to the climate, economy, and the health of U.S. communities.

I urge you to exclude "waste to energy" incineration from qualifying as a source of renewable energy in Bill HR 969, or any other bill. Qualifying incineration as a source of "renewable energy" would elicit active opposition to the bill from environmental and environmental justice organizations, and undermine the bill's public support and credibility.

Climate change demands that we strengthen nationwide waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use- and that we stop incentives for waste incineration.

I look forward to a response to my request at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

your name

Dave Ciplet

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

(510)883-9490 ext. 102

dave@no.address

www.no-burn.org