Take Action for Justice, Peace and Clean Energy
Millions of Americans want immediate action on the twin global threats of the Iraq War and Climate Change. But as the violence, chaos and death in Iraq continue and we hit another year of increasing climate disasters, our government is failing, once again, to respond to the will of the people.
It is the USA’s addiction to oil that drove our country into war with Iraq and could fuel future war with Iran. Climate Change threatens us with new conflicts over resources such as oil, land, and water. Additionally, the US Military is the largest single consumer of petroleum in the country, so as the military grows, so does our addiction to fossil fuels. We recognize this vicious cycle of resource wars and Climate Change and demand that our government take immediate action to bring our troops home and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The burning of oil and coal is the major cause of climate change. Our addiction to carbon-based fossil fuels is melting the icecaps, raising sea levels, destroying Indigenous land, cultures and peoples and fueling extreme climate events like Hurricane Katrina world-wide. Our window of time in which we can prevent these crises is running out. As people lose access to clean water and eco-systems wither, the Earth and our communities will become less equipped to respond to the impacts of climate change.
Who suffers from war and climate change? In both cases, it is the poorest people, people of color and communities in the Global South, who suffer the most, whether it comes in the form of a poverty draft, the bombing of a neighborhood, the privatization of natural resources, or military bases, detention centers and oil refineries in communities. Systemic racism remains the underlying abusive foundation of the US drive to control resources.
The US must immediately shift to a clean energy economy and end its addiction to oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. Imagine if we shifted the billions of dollars being spent every month on war in Iraq to investment in energy conservation, efficiency, and good, safe jobs in a renewable, clean energy economy. Bring our troops home now and invest in green jobs to rebuild our communities!
