We met lots of new people, and some old friends ( Josh Throneburg, Sen. Creigh Deeds, Michael Payne) stopped by. See our recap!
Beautiful Warm Weather for Earth Day 2022!
It’s Friday, it’s Spring, it’s going to be beautiful… get out a bit and come celebrate Earth Day 2022 with the Dems (including new 5th District candidate Josh Throneburg, Sen. Creigh Deeds, and others)! Do yourself (and us) a favor and sample at least one of these events:
The March starts at 3pm at the north side of the UVA Rotunda. The route is only a few blocks long and over by 5pm (or whenever you feel like it… it’s a spring Friday!).
2. 6-8pm Ix Art Park, “Fridays for Future” Festival
Books & painting & stickers for kids, selfies w/Greta Thunberg, music by “The Green Grannies”, voter registration information… and that’s just our booth! There will also be workshops & demos, a Thrifted Fashion Show, sustainability vendors, and a 2019 movie 2040 at 8pm which addresses practical solutions to environmental concerns (the filmmaker’s daughter will reach adulthood in 2040).
3. 6-8pm Stonefield, “Love Mother Earth” Programs
Kid-friendly activities (book readings, painting, stickers), and voter registration info at our booth 6-8pm, then at 8pm they’re showing the 2005 movie Harvests of Hope; meet the innovative farmers, communities, and leaders who are planting the seeds of resilience for the future of food and our planet (Q&A afterwards).
Environmental Resolutions Approved
The full text of the approved resolutions are given on page 3 of our Earth Day flyer, but in short:
- We fully support the retirement of fossil-fuel electricity-generating facilities, the increased energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements, and the goal of a fully decarbonized power grid in Virginia by 2050 in 2020’s bipartisan Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA)
- We call on Governor Youngkin to protect and continue Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, “Reggie”) and to reinstate the permitting authority recently removed from various state oversight boards.
- We call on the General Assembly to pass legislation prohibiting public utility companies from making political contributions to candidates and incumbents in various state offices.
- We call on the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to reject the February 2022 recommendation for a minimum bill of $55/month for participation in the upcoming Dominion Power Community Solar Program.
- We urge Gov. Youngkin to rescind his Executive Order 17 in order to reinstate Gov. Northam’s Executive Order 77 which required executive-branch state agencies to give up single-use plastics by the end of 2025.
- We urge the Charlottesville City Council to adopt a meaningful Climate Action Plan and to enact, this year, a zoning code that addresses a wide range of changes that will decrease the carbon footprint of both existing and future city residents.
- We support the Community Climate Collaborative’s (3C) Accessible, Clean Transportation (ACT) initiative that seeks robust, efficient and equitable public transit.
- We support theDivestUVA campaign, which calls on the UVA Endowment Fund to reallocate the millions of dollars invested in the fossil-fuel industries.
Show Up For Earth Day (Friday 4/22)
The “Political Fun” group is participating in (count ‘em!) three Earth Day events. As many Dems as possible should come out (in your Cville Dems T-shirts!) to show the local environmental community that we are the environmentally responsible party.
- 3pm UVA Climate March – starts at the North side of the Rotunda and ends at the park in front of the UVA Main Heating Plant, located on the corner of JPA and West Main Street (where the George Rogers Clark Monument used to be). The march will end by 5 pm at the latest.
- 6-8pm Earth Day Tabling – at IX Art Park (Fridays for Future) with a performance by The Green Grannies. Nancy Damon is our booth coordinator.
- 6-8pm Earth Day Tabling – at Stonefield (Love Mother Earth). Barbara Shenefield is our booth coordinator.
We’re registering new voters and chatting with attendees as always at all three, but at events #2 and #3 we’re also doing kid-friendly activities (e.g. reading picture books and coloring).
Events #1 and #2 will feature our new cardboard cutout of environmental celeb Greta Thunberg; come by and take a selfie!
Josh Throneburg becomes 5th District Democratic Nominee
Congratulations to Josh Throneburg, our candidate to take back the 5th District House of Representatives seat currently held by Republican Bob Good.
For those who haven’t yet met fellow-Cvillian Josh, check out his Facebook and Twitter pages and website until you can meet him in person at upcoming local events.
Josh’s campaign’s three top issues are climate, racial justice, and revitalizing small towns and rural communities.
Open Positions
We have important appointed positions and committee positions that are great ways to get involved and contribute your talents! Please contact cvilledemschair@gmail.com for more info.
Campaign Liaison — a fun and interesting role; you get to be on the front lines of multiple campaigns, learning who’s running and what they stand for.
Albemarle County Dems Liaison — attend the monthly Albemarle Dems meeting to keep them posted about our activities and also report back to us about their activities.
Breakfast/Events Chair — work with the co-chairs to plan and schedule monthly programs.
Voter Registration Committee — a great team of volunteers has been doing in-person voter registration and phone/email follow-up and it’s working: they’ve signed up over 730 new local voters who went on to cast ballots!
Voter Protection Committee — if you care about protecting American democracy and aren’t intimidated by the technical details and legalese, this committee needs your talents!
Fundraising Committee — Nancy Damon is reactivating it and needs group input on brainstorming some ideas.
Communications Committee — help keep our website and social media fresh! An hour or two a week is all it takes, no advanced tech knowledge is required. Contact communications@cvilledems.org if you might be interested in joining.
