This is a Guest Post by Sasha Macko, Northern California Outreach Caller. 

As we posted about last week, the ongoing climate talks in Durban for the COP 17 are looking like they are not going to result in a productive, widespread commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (more info on Durban here). This is problematic in the face of the largest yearly increase in carbon emissions the world has ever seen in 2010. However, the recent environmental victory on TransCanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline permit, which was derailed for re-evaluation by Obama, has environmentalists wondering what we can accomplish if we escalate our tactics and think BIG. This past Wednesday, that question got posed to activists all over the nation through a collaboration of the crew at 350.org and the Tar Sands Action team. As a follow-up to the 1000+ arrests and hundreds of solidarity actions organized to fight the Keystone XL, 350 facilitated a nation-wide ‘movement strategy session’ on next steps for the environmental movement and the fight against dirty fuels. Folks gathered all across the US to discuss next steps, and were encouraged to think about ‘game-changing’ actions and strategies.

In Oakland, about forty people met to hear the thoughts of the activists involved with the various Tar Sands Actions this past fall, and brain-stormed ideas for the Bay Area, Northern California, and the US as a whole. The main idea was that environmental activists have to step up to the plate and fight corporate lobbies strategically, in an even bigger and more savvy way than the fight to stop Keystone XL. What avenues are most effective for fighting corporate lobbies, especially coal and oil, in the upcoming election year of 2012?

As I see it, many green groups can agree to take on corporate interests and dirty fuel, but there are just so many anti-environmental lobbies out there that it becomes a challenge for individuals and organizations to know how to be the most effective. For example, one massive environmental problem is that of mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR), which is destroying the landscape and communities of Appalachia. Because coal companies own so many government officials, especially in West Virginia, fighting MTR is, on its own, a huge legal and political battle. To throw in the various pipelines up for approval across the US, the increasing production of fuel from tar sands, and America’s struggles with foreign oil, and we have a monster on our hands! And, it goes without saying that there is another side to activism, which is promoting solutions to these problems alongside the fight against them.

Luckily, Northern California hosts an incredible number of intelligent activists who are still up for the challenge. Many at the meeting came to a consensus that, in order to take advantage of the election cycle, non-partisan campaigns, such as the fight against recent Proposition 23, were ideal. Other unifying themes were the need for a collective sense of urgency, and the need for a well established link between the environmental and economic crises of our era in messaging and media strategy. One of the most resonant themes, however, was that of taking responsibility for protecting children, youth, and future generations from the damaging effects of climate change. This is where ACE comes in. At ACE, we work with students and teachers to promote scientific knowledge about climate change, the impact each human makes on their planet, and the solutions that bring us together as a global family. Each day we all have to consider how to react in bigger, more savvy ways to the climate change crisis, and strategically challenge our opponents to follow our good examples. The ideas that were posed in the meeting Wednesday were inspiring, and totally possible. What is your idea? And how can you plug into what is happening in the Bay Area to make that important difference?

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the meeting can contact Rachel Shiozaki, a member of the 350 team, at [email protected].  The group is gathering again to discuss actions on Wednesday, December 14th from 6-8pm at 405 14th street in Oakland.