We succeeded with getting the petition with more than 10 Austin Community College students to commit to join ASES with the student professional membership and be part of RESA. We also revised the RESA ByLaws to make it become RESA Student Chapter ByLaws to meet ASES and Austin Community College guidelines.

At the ASES National Solar Conference that was held in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 17 to 21, the chapter committee voted to accept RESA as a student chapter! We, RESA, will join the 36 other chapters of ASES. Austin Community College is the first community college in the nation to have a student chapter of ASES!

Expect changes to come to RESA with the website and this blog. Please show your support by sending an e-mail to accrenewableenergystudentassoc@gmail.com. Thank u all for your support to date!

“I run a global green energy job & careers portal that was launched this year. We provide guidance, information and news on the green employment and careers markets as well as having hundreds of green energy jobs posted in more than 20 countries worldwide.”

Check them out at: Renewable Energy Jobs – Green jobs globally

Web: www.RenewableEnergyJobs.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1542617

Facebook: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86777868056

Twitter: www.twitter.com/REJobs

Email: Sam@RenewableEnergyJobs.com

The meeting will be at Austin Community College in the Frank Squire Building foyer at 6:30pm. Please stop by on your way to/from class to put your name in the hat to be the next generation of leaders for RESA and to make sure this vital group survives and bears fruit in this emerging green economy.

Thanks
Matthew

From Danilo:

Hi!

I am sending this email to all because not everyone has signed up on Matthew’s mailing group. This year, we had a good start, but now is time for new leaders to continue the work, since most of us are moving on in our careers.

We will be having elections during our last meeting of the year this coming Thursday. If you are interested in helping RESA succeed, please come to the meeting or contact Jason Hinojosa at jasonh2407@hotmail.com, or Matthew Kresha at twocrowseeing@gmail.com to receive event notices.

Thanks!
Danilo A. Castillo

castillo_danilo@yahoo.com
RESA Co-Chair 2008-2009..

–
Be the change.

What: Climate activists across Austin are hosting the Austin chapter of the Focus the Nation (www.focusthenation.org) town hall meetings that are to take place nationwide on April 18th. that will bring together community members, local businesses, scientists/experts and elected representatives to focus a discussion on a central Texas clean energy future and how Austin relates to the nation-wide aspect of climate change.

Who: The event will consist of keynote speakers such as House Representative Lloyd Doggett and notable attendees including congressional representative candidate Mark Strama, Austin Energy and Austin Climate Protection program representatives, and Texas Campaign for the Environment representative followed by panels on Texas current climate problems and Austin’s renewable energy options for future progress. The Austin Town-hall event is open to everyone and will encourage and foster dialogue between community members and representatives. Come early (9:30am) to ensure a seat to hear U.S. congressman, Lloyd Doggett speak.

Where: The event will take place at the Hobby Center (333 Guadalupe St. Austin , TX 78701) at 4th and Guadalupe. Across the street from downtown Earth Day event on Republic Square Park .

When: Saturday April 18 from 9:30am-2:30pm.

Why: This is a great opportunity to hear great speakers, ask questions, and learn about climate change solutions both here in Austin and at the national level. Also, you have the opportunity of hearing Lloyd Doggett speak, ask him questions, and let your concerns be heard.

Every 2 years, for just 140 days, the Texas Legislature convenes to write and rewrite the state’s laws. The government in Texas is designed to be small, and the limited meetings of the legislature make it difficult for change to come to Texas quickly.

And so it is that in this period of historic change, ReEnergize Texas finds itself allied with businesses, environmentalists, social justice activists, students, and the many who want to see change realized now. This is our moment, and if we delay it will pass us by.

Weekly Action: Call Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Rep. Dan Branch to ask for a hearing for the green fee bill (HB 3353 and SB 2182) details below…

Weekly Lobby Visit: Wednesday April 15th 12pm-3pm, meet at Public Citizen, 1303 San Antonio St.

Our Issues:

Students already are showing up to the Capitol in Austin every week to lobby legislators on the bills that could make Texas a green economy leader. You can read about some of those bills below and read the students’ stories on our blog.

The real question is, will you be part of the historic movement for change, or will you let it pass you by? Take a look at the actions you can take and get involved!

Weekly Action:
In order for the “green fee” bill to become law, it must first be referred to a committee and have a hearing both the House and the Senate. Click here for talking points on the bill.

In the House, that’s up to Higher Education Committee Chair Dan Branch.
Call his Capitol Office at (512) 463-0367 to request he call a hearing for HB 3353

In the Senate, that’s up to Higher Education Committee Chair Judith Zaffirini
Call her Capitol Office at (512) 463-0121 to request she call a hearing for SB 2182

Also, look up your representatives and call them to ask for their support on the bill as it moves through committees and onto the floors of both chambers (House and Senate).

Weekly Lobby Visit:
Each week the staff and interns of ReEnergize Texas take local students and other young people to the State Capitol for a lobby day. We begin with a brief training on the bills we plan to lobby on, the offices we will be visiting, and our goals overall.

This week we will be lobbying on:

HB 4012: Weber AGAINST!!! (Coal Fast-track bill) Environmental Regulation
Relating to the procedure for acting on an application for an air contaminant emissions permit, permit amendment, or permit renewal review for an electric generating facility.
Scheduled for public hearing on 4/08/09

HB 4206: Farabee Environmental Regulation
Relating to a requirement that an applicant for a permit to construct an electric generating facility demonstrate that a sufficient amount of water is available for use in connection with the operation of the facility.
Scheduled for public hearing on 4/08/09

“the [TCEQ] may not grant a permit to construct an electric generating facility unless
the applicant for the permit submits to the commission and the appropriate regional water planning group a study that demonstrates that a sufficient amount of water is available in the applicable regional water planning area for use in connection with the operation of the facility.”

HB 2588: Burnam Environmental Regulation
Relating to the control of air pollution by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Scheduled for public hearing on 4/08/09

“Consistent with applicable federal law, the [TCEQ] by rule shall [may] control air contaminants as necessary to protect against adverse effects related to:

1. acid deposition;
2. stratospheric changes, including depletion of ozone; [and]
3. climatic changes, including global warming; and
4. the cumulative effects of multiple air contaminants on human health.”

Resources:

Download bill summary packets below:

Also please make calls for the green fee bill! Anyone who can help us get calls in to these committee members, it makes a HUGE difference.
We went lobbying last week to oppose a coal bill, and lots of the offices mentioned to us how much public blow-back they were getting in the way of office phone calls. That’s because a few days before we’d sent out an alert asking people to call their reps. It really made a big difference!

So please help us out by sending a message with the attached call to action in the body to your lists, to your friends, and by making calls yourself!

Check out these for more info:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhbx26k4_3ddb2cccm

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhbx26k4_4hq5wjxx7

http://www.house.state.tx.us/fx/av/committee81/90402b12er.ram

Jeff is at 1:19 and I am at 1:24 or so. There will be more opportunity to testify, just be forewarned it is not uncommon to have to put aside the whole day. While you may not need it, it is also not uncommon for the hearings to run late or get rescheduled.

But don’t be intimidated as the form you fill out to testify can be altered to show a vote for support, which is meaningful in and of itself, especially with RESA on it. Or at the least you can call your Tx legisilator and Committee chairs and let them know what you think about the bill. Will try to post things as they come up, email me your number if you want to be on call for renewable energy.

Coal Is Dead

It was an amazing experience and success! More from the RTx Blog

The ReEnergize Texas Rally at the capitol this morning was a huge success!  Following inspiring speeches and rousing chants from student leaders, we heard from Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Representative Tara Rios Ybarra, Public Citizen Director Tom “Smitty” Smith, and Doug Lewin, Senator Rodney Ellis’ Legislative Director.  Senator Ellis was unfortunately unable to attend himself because he got caught up in committee.  Busy making laws, or something like that… we’ll forgive him.

KUT, Austin’s trusted public radio station, was on hand to document the rally. Someone must have been listening, because within hours the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity released an official statement pushing back against our support of Senator Ellis’ legislation to put a temporary moratorium on coal fired power plants without carbon capture and sequestration.  When Daddy coal shakes his finger at Texas youth… you’re doin’ it right.  They might’ve gotten away with it if not for us meddling kids.

After the rally, students from ReEnergize Texas visited a grand total of 75 different legislative offices!  Not too shabby for a Monday.  State Representative Aaron PeÑa must have been pretty impressed with the UTPA and STC Reenergize Texas Student Groups that visited his office, because he posted the following picture to his blog quite soon after his morning lobby visit.  Thumbs up for clean energy and green jobs!

The workshop that RESA lead was called:

What are Green Jobs? How Can I Get One? How I Can I Help My Campus Start a Green Jobs Training Program?

The workshop explored one of the most widely-used catch phrases in politics today: green jobs. Hear from students and faculty in the nationally renowned renewable energy program at Austin Community College. Learn what green jobs are, how you can make your career a green one and better yet, how you can help start a green jobs training program on your campus.

Here are some pics from the workshop (click pics to view larger):

The Workshop was a huge success and I would like to thank Hector Aguilar (ACC) and Ron Modesty (Capital Idea) for being on the panel, as well as Noralinda Ureste and Shayna Lee (RESA).

This part is FREE to attend, but please RSVP at http://www.reenergizetexas.org/ (click on register)

The Awakening the Dreamer Symposium is being held as part of the ReEnergize Texas Summit this weekend.

Join hundreds of students (from 20+ universities in Texas) and other climate, environmental justice enthusiasts on Sunday (March 29) for an experience you will remember!

When: 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM (March 29)

Where: Location: King-SeaBrook Chapel, Huston-Tillotson University (900 Chicon St, Austin, TX, 78701)

What:
The Symposium includes reflection, meditation, video & dialogue to help us:

Open deeply to the pain of what’s taking place in our world;
Experience our pain as a power to respond;
Connect the dots between sustainability, justice & fulfillment;
Experience a profound sense of beloved community.

http://reenergizetexas.org/summit2009/program/atd-symposium/