We are pleased to announce that in addition to our #fundraiser on April 15th, we will now be accepting online support! Please consider forgoing a beer ($5) to stand in solidarity with us and share the link with your friends!
Our donation page: http://do.nr/a092
And, well, we haven’t even spent all of the money yet.
The reality is that with growing network technology, a spirit of play, and a DIY ethic anyone can make the world a better place. We are pre-figuring the change we want to see -direct democracy, sharing over profits, green principles, and fun.
Video of Elves Delivering Fracking Drill Rig to Gov. Quinn’s House
Citizens Dressed as Elves Set Up Frack Rig on Governor Quinn’s Lawn
Chicago, IL —Monday morning four concerned community members dressed as elves visited Governor Quinn’s Chicago residence and set up a hydraulic fracturing rig with a large red bow attached on the front lawn. The “elves” said they were delivering a present from Santa who has been nervously watching the dangerous practice of hydraulic fracturing or fracking inch closer and closer to becoming reality in Illinois during the past year.
The elves delivered the frack rig because people that live far away from where fracking is planned are the ones making the decision to bring the dangerous practice here. “We are delivering this rig today because if Governor Quinn and the other people that have opened up our state to fracking had to live next to fracking and had to obtain their water from a well I think they would not bring fracking to our state,” said Mike Durshmid of Rising Tide Chicago.
Hydraulic fracturing is an environmentally damaging practice in which large amounts of water, sand and chemicals are combined and then forced deep underground to break shale rock to release trapped oil and gas.
Fracking has been linked to earthquakes and air and water pollution in Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania, states that have been using the practice for some time.
The climate implications of fracking were front and center during the delivery as the elves spoke about how their home, the north pole had been irreversibly damaged due the loss of ice. They also drew the connection to climate related disaster like Hurricane Sandy and the extreme drought that Southern Illinois experienced a few years ago and how these events would become more frequent and intense if we continue to emit more greenhouse gases like the methane that is released during hydraulic fracturing.
“We just can’t afford to allow the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, and must find a way to live that does not put continued economic growth above preserving a habitable planet. For this reason we must stop fracking from starting in Illinois and also work to make larger systematic changes” said Angie Viands of Rising Tide Chicago.
The frack rig delivery, organized by Rising Tide Chicago, comes on the heals of several public hearings on hydraulic fracturing in the state that drew at least a thousand residents expressing their concerns about the practice and some vowing to resist it if it comes to Illinois.
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This Tuesday there will be a public hearing in Chicago on a commentary for regulations on a process known as Hydraulic Fracturing. The process is used to extract natural gas from the shale rock layer buried deep within the ground, meaning large profits for those who can obtain space to do it.
The video above is a ready explanation and background to the concerns over the proposed regulations on this process in Illinois, regulations that have only been out for two weeks and were written in a short time – since the passage of the bill that permits fracking was passed back in June.
To summarize our concern:
Date/Time of Hearing: Tuesday, November 26 6:30pm-8:30pm, Citizen’s Press Conference at 5:00pm
Location: University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), 750 S. Halsted Street, Student Center East Room 302
Hope to see you there!
-RTC’ers
Hey All,
Come on out and watch a documentary and have popcorn with us on Wednesday December 4th at 7:30 p.m. as we screen Los Monstruos at Multi Kulti (1000 N. Milwaukee Ave, 4th Floor).
Los Monstruos is,” a 45-minute film about Pilsen resident Leila Mendez’s struggle against monster dual coal plants Fisk and Crawford. She along with others helped to create PERRO (Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization) in 2004. Ultimately, they succeed in shutting down the plants (February 2012). Come see their story and the results of their direct action!
Also, come to hear more about how folks in RTC helped out with solidarity actions during this campaign and learn how to get involved with upcoming actions and events.
RTC
This is a place to talk about upcoming events news etc.