Bridging Communities of Color at UNO Nov. 7

Events,

There will be a gathering of people interested in working at the grassroots level to reduce racial disparities in the four key areas of Poverty, Child Welfare, Education, and Justice. We will meet Friday, November 7, at the Community Engagement Center, UNO Campus, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

This Omaha-area project is the result of ongoing conversations between Black Men United, Policy Research & Innovations, Nebraska Appleseed, Nebraskans for Peace, Nebraska Family Collaborative, the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, Voices for Children, and the University of Nebraska Omaha. We believe that change begins at the local level with a mobilized public; we will ask participants to help bring about positive change in the four areas mentioned above.

Vote to raise the minimum wage

News,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

The viewpoint of small business owners deserves respect. But the positive impact of raising the minimum wage in Nebraska must also be weighed by voters.

The working poor in Nebraska need some help. The economic system currently is imbalanced in favor of those at the top end of the income and wealth scale. The top 1 percent of Americans hold about 40 percent of the nation’s wealth and haul in about a quarter of the country’s income.

Read the full editorial.

Citizens Climate Lobby in Omaha Nov. 1

Action Alerts,

From Frances Mendenhall via Progressive Omaha:

The Citizens Climate Lobby meets Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11:45 a.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church, 3647 Lafayette Avenue. The Climate Lobby’s goal is to get a tax on carbon that is entirely returned to households. “Tax Carbon, Pay People,” is the shorthand way to say it. We are starting to make a difference, but we need you to help make this happen. Also useful, there are still 12 days to buy a TAX CARBON shirt, the shirt that fights climate change. This shirt spreads our message, and its price supports our work. Get the shirt.

Green Drinks Nov. 5

Events,

The November Green Drinks date is changing to Wednesday, November 5, in collaboration with the Green Omaha Coalition and The Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities to view the film Nebraska Nexus: Resources, Conservation, Development, and Change.

The event will be held at Aksarben Cinema from 5:30 to 9 p.m.:

  • Registration opens at 5 p.m.
  • Catered social hour is 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
  • Featured film begins at 6:30 p.m.
  • Panel discussion to follow at 7:45 p.m.

Cost is $12. Get more details or purchase tickets.

Also, check the Facebook even page.

Yard Sale to support ballot access Oct. 18

Action Alerts,

Nebraska Greens Yard Sale

Don’t forget about the Nebraska Greens Yard Sale Saturday, Oct. 18, at 22nd and Sumner in Lincoln. Bring those treasures you no longer need or stop by to hunt for bargains. Revenue will support the Nebraska Greens’ ongoing effort to regain ballot status in 2016.

You can also pick up petitions at the yard sale, but to get started collecting signatures now, please contact Naomi in Lincoln and Mark in Omaha. If you have things for the sale, call Naomi and Mark to arrange collection. Here’s their contact information:

  • Mark Zimmermann in Omaha: (markalanzimmermann (at) gmail.com or 402-250-5235)
  • Naomi Solomon in Lincoln: (nsolomyn (at) gmail.com or 402-890-3173)

Minimum wage hearing in Omaha Oct. 15

Action Alerts,

From Nebraska Appleseed:

The Secretary of State will be holding a public hearing in Omaha on the minimum wage ballot question #425. There will the opportunity to testify on the ballot initiative.

The hearing will be Wednesday, October 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Omaha Public Schools Teacher Administrative Center, 3215 Cuming Street.

For more information on the Minimum Wage question, read the Secretary of State’s pamphlet.

Nebraska Wind and Solar Conference Oct. 29-30

Events,

From the Nebraska Farmers Union:

The 2014 Nebraska Wind and Solar Conference, “Turning Challenges into Nebraska Opportunities,” will be October 29 and 30 at the La Vista Conference Center. A Solar Tour of OPPD, Creighton University, and Metropolitan Community College Solar Facilities ahead of the Conference will be October 28. Sign up for the tour.

Registration for the conference is $125 until October 28 and $150 for walk-in registrations the day of the conference. For conference and tour registrations and to view the program, check out www.NebraskaWindandSolarConference.com.

For hotel reservations, contact the Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista/Hotel & Conference Center, 12520 Westport Pkwy, La Vista, NE 68128, 402-331-7400.

View last year’s presentations.

Developer plans 11,000-acre Nebraska wind farm

News

From JournalStar.com:

An international company has applied for permits to build a wind farm with 54 turbines in southern Lancaster and northern Gage counties.

Volkswind USA Inc., through its Nebraska subsidiaries Hallam Wind LLC and Hallam Wind Two LLC, wants to build the wind farm on 7,000 acres of land in Lancaster County and 4,000 acres in Gage County, near Hallam and Cortland. More than 50 landowners already have signed leases, according to documents filed with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department.

Read more.

Support solar power in Lincoln: Buy LES SunShares

Action Alerts,

From LES:

The local, community solar project, LES SunShares, is an affordable opportunity for all LES customers to be involved in the development of solar-generated energy. Each SunShare is just $1 per month; three-share ($3) minimum required. The level of LES SunShares participation will influence project size with the highest-value project selected to continue diversifying the LES resource portfolio, while decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. Construction of the community solar farm will start in early 2015.

Help bring more solar energy to the Lincoln area! The more people participate, the larger the solar farm will be.

Learn more and contribute.

Understanding and Assessing Climate Change: Implications for Nebraska

News,

From UNL’s School of Natural Resources:

Globally, we face significant economic, social, and environmental risks as we confront the challenges associated with climate change. The magnitude and rapidity of the projected changes in climate are unprecedented, and their implications for the health of our planet and the legacy we will leave to our children, our grandchildren, and future generations are of vital concern. We need to develop strategies now to adapt to the changes, and this process must begin at the local level.

Understanding and Assessing Climate Change: Implications for Nebraska documents many of the key challenges that Nebraska will face as a result of climate change. Commentaries from experts on Nebraska’s water resources, energy supply and use, agriculture, forests, health, ecosystems, urban systems and rural communities, and infrastructure and vulnerabilities raise serious concerns about the impacts of projected changes in climate, but they also provide a starting point for discussions about the actions that we can take to overcome these challenges.

Read the Executive Summary, key talking points, and the full report.