By Mary Love

Jefferson County Chapter member

On August 13-15 a first-ever Community Leader Training Weekend took place at Camp Virgil Tate north of Charleston WV. The training was planned and conducted by the Alliance for Appalachia, of which KFTC is a member. Seventy-four folks participated from KY (15), TN (15), VA, (16) WV (17), PA (3), NC (2), DC (2), OH (1), and even one each from Colorado and California! 

Workshops included Community Organizing, Talkin’ SMCRA (led by Kevin Pentz), Facilitation, Economic Transition, Conflict Resolution, Youth Organizing, Pathway Away from Coal, and many more. The film Deep Down was also shown. There was plenty of time for conversation, campfires, great fellowship, and sharing, too.

This was a great opportunity to learn more about how to improve our organizations and develop our leaders. I hope that this is just the beginning of similar training events conducted by the Alliance!

A group of well-known local community activists, writers, academics and business leaders have contributed to the issue. including Wendell Berry, Vernon Haltom, Stephen George, John Todd, Adam Lewis, Sarah Forbes and many more. An article titled A Cooperative Approach to Renewing East Kentucky was written by KFTC member Randy Wilson and staff person Sara Pennington. Erik Reece contributed an interview with Joe Childers, a founding member of KFTC and current chair of the Kentucky Mine Safety Review Commission.

The premise for the special issue, according to Solutions editors, is a recognition of Appalachia as a special place and one of the most biologically diverse and culturally rich regions on the planet. Central Appalachia has the potential to become a national model of the positive transition to a clean energy future.

This July/August special Appalachia issue of Solutions is now available on newsstands and by subscribing. A year's subscription (6 issues) is $29.99 but if you identify yourself as a KFTC member by using Coupon Code APP2010 you will receive a $5 discount. If you want your subscription to start with the current special issue, please email julie.thorpe@thesolutionsjournal.com and make this request. Most of the content will also be available online, but KFTC encourages support of this nonprofit venture with a subscription or a donation.

Solutions is an online forum and print publication devoted exclusively to showcasing bold and innovative ideas for solving the world's integrated economic, social, and environmental problems.

In 2009, FrankfortCAN – a community group in the Frankfort area that works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a more sustainable community – launched Lighten Up, Frankfort!  Participating households work together in small teams and over the course of four meetings analyze their carbon footprints and create an action plan to lower their carbon emissions. 

In the last 12 months, 45 households reported annual cuts of nearly 700,000 pounds or 350 tons of carbon dioxide.  The project goal for the next 12 months is to cut an additional 650 tons to reach cumulative cuts of 1,000 tons (2 million pounds) of carbon emissions.

Local organizations that formed one or more teams in the past year included several churches, the local chapter of the United Nations Association, the Cooperative Extension Service, the local utility board, Kentucky State University, neighborhood groups, and others.  Teams have also been formed by individuals not connected with any organization.

“FrankfortCAN’s approach of working with local organizations to form Lighten Up teams may have been key to our selection by the EPA,” said Fonda McWilliams, a Lighten Up, Frankfort! organizer and team leader.  “We hope more and more people will join this effort to make changes in our lives that save money, save energy and achieve a lifestyle that is sustainable.”

The EPA grant will be used to hire a part-time project coordinator for Lighten Up, Frankfort!, to promote participation in the project, and to organize a series of community workshops about energy efficiency and climate change.

The grant comes from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice.  The purpose of its small grants program is to support and empower communities working on local solutions to local environmental and/or public health problems, and to create self-sustaining community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future.

Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest will share in the grant. For more than 30 years ASPI has worked as an advocate for environmental protection, sustainability and social justice, using appropriate technologies that empower people to improve their lives and communities. Their Sustainable Energy Program advocates for effective solutions to the climate change crisis and works to advance renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation in Kentucky.

More information about FrankfortCAN and Lighten Up, Frankfort! is available at www.frankfortclimateaction.net, via email at lightenupfrankfort@gmail.com or by calling 520-320-3275.

Are you an electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor or solar installer looking to learn more about energy efficiency in homes and businesses? 

The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) will offer a free "lunch and learn" on Thursday, September 2 in Paintsville. Water heating and space heating experts will share the latest in energy efficiency for both residential and commercial applications.

Location:

Time, Date:

10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, September 2, 2010

Topics:

• Heat pump technology
• Geo-exchange waste heat recovery
• Gas condensing technology
• Tankless water heating systems for water and hydronic space heating applications
• Solar water heating systems

Speakers:

The Alliance for Appalachia will be hosting a weekend-long training for community leaders in the southern coalfields, August 13-15, near Charleston, WV.

The training will focus on skills and information related to community organizing as well as issues such as developing economic alternatives. By providing a number of longer and shorter workshop options, our goal is to appeal to people who have been organizing in their communities for a long time, as well as those who are just getting their feet wet. Workshops include: Organizing 101, Conflict Resolution, Talking to Your Neighbors about Tough Issues, Economic Transition, Understanding SMCRA and more! Plus plenty of time for fellowship, music, movies and fun. You can see the draft schedule at here.

Registration deadline has been extended to July 31! Register here.

Action Alert from our friends at REACT (Rubbertown Emergency ACTion) in Louisville.

Contact Congressman John Yarmuth & Congressman Ed Whitfield and ask them to send a representative to the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 hearing this Thursday, July 29th at 10 AM in the Rayburn Room 2123.

Congressman John Yarmuth: 1-202-225-5401

Congressman Ed Whitfield: 1-800-328-5629

HB 8520 is a bill we MUST support. This bill brings us closer to making sure our exposure to toxic chemicals from smoke stacks and consumer products (i.e., toys, baby bottles, etc.) is reduced. The bill not only deals with testing chemicals prior to them being released into the market place but also includes environmental justice provisions that would help those communities, like those near Rubbertown.

Additionally, Ed Whitfield is on a key committee and needs to hear from us.

Please take a few minutes to call and feel free to use the verbiage above to let the congressmen know this is important to you. Then let us know how things went.

Thank You!

Eboni Neal Cochran, REACT (Rubbertown Emergency ACTion)

A recent news report by the Kentucky News Connection (Public News Service) quotes Charla Peter, communications director for the Kentucky Housing Corporation, explaining the underlying cause of families' shaky housing status is often affordability.

"When the average wage in Kentucky is $10.91, to afford Kentucky's fair market rent at the average wage, a renter must work approximately 45 hours per week, every week, all year through."

According to Peter, another factor in the increase year-over-year is that many were not counted in 2009 due to the ice storm that impeded a complete survey. She adds that Kentucky's double-digit unemployment rate and overall economic downturn play into the spike, as well.

Another goal of the survey, says Peter, is to help alter the public's perception of homelessness, which is not always a person living on the street, or a person with substance abuse issues.

"It takes one incident, a job loss, a family illness or death, a change in familial status such as a divorce. It could be catastrophic to our families if they're not prepared."

The point-in-time count is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine the amount of funding agencies will receive to assist the homeless. The Kentucky Housing Corporation receives more than $11 million federal dollars a year to serve the homeless in 118 counties.

More information and the full report can be found here.

For the last five days, two dozen KFTC members, joined with dozens of Kentucky allies (from Jobs with Justice and other groups) and tens of thousands of allies from across the US and the rest of the world gathered in Detroit for the US Social Forum.

There were over 1,000 workshops focusing on a broad range of topics including environmental justice, anti-racism, immigration reform, lobbying, gay rights, anti-war, economic justice, non-violent civil disobedience, and much more.  There were also plenary sessions, actions, social events, and other activities.

KFTC members hosted two powerful workshops with about sixty people attending between them.  The workshops were “The Struggle For Justice in the Coalfields of Central Appalachia and Colombia” and “A Discussion About the Life and Example of Anne Braden.” 

       

Both were well-attended by an engaged group of people who asked good questions and seemed to get a lot out of the experience.

The Alliance For Appalachia (including KFTC members) set up a booth throughout the Social Forum to talk to people about mountaintop removal mining and other damages inflicted on communities by the coal industry.

KFTC members are just starting to really digest and analyze their experience this week and are getting a sense of what they’re bringing back to Kentucky with them.  Here are some parting thoughts from the last hours of the Social Forum:

“I’m bringing back a deeper knowledge and commitment to the interconnectedness of social change.  - Gina Chamberlain, Madison County Chapter

 “It’s overwhelming in a wonderful way to be here with so many kind-hearted people struggling for what’s best” - Becki Winchel, Jefferson County Chapter

“No matter how isolated we feel sometimes, we are part of this broader, bigger, energetic movement - and it’s good to be reminded of that.” - Vanessa Hall, Pike County Chapter

“This week has re-instilled my faith that America is a place for everyone… regardless of gender, physical ability, financial status, race, etc.  Some people forget that we are supposed to have inalienable rights, but here, it felt real.” - Howard Owens, Jefferson County Chapter

“I’m bringing back a sense of hope, grounded in the knowledge that this is a long-term struggle and we need patience.” - Steve Pavey, Scott County Chapter

 “I’m an old radical and I’ve never been around this many other radical people – including lots of young people in leadership roles.  It was an opportunity to kind’ve pass the torch to the next generation.” - Jack Norris, Jefferson County Chapter

KFTC members have finished their first day of the U.S. Social Forum, taking part in the opening ceremonies and the big march to Cobo Hall.  Our folks have registered and are getting some much-needed rest before jumping into a day packed with workshops tomorrow. 

Here are some pictures from Day 1

Live Twitter coverage of the USSF

Social Forum participants from around the country will be reporting their experiences via Twitter. You can follow with them below:

Live Video

Free Speech TV is providing live coverage of much of the USSF. You can watch online here: