The post Film Documents Environmental Battle with Oil, Gas Industry appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.
]]>A new film documents the 2018 battle between Colorado environmentalists and the oil and gas industry over proposed fracking regulations.
The film also documents a grassroots effort by Colorado Rising to pass a ballot initiative which would create a 2,500-foot setback for all hydraulic fracturing wells in the state, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Sarah Schulte, organizing committee member of GreenFaith Boulder County, which recently previewed the film for about 100 members, said the film has a strong message.
“What probably makes the film pretty dramatic and kind of shocking is the length to which oil and natural gas industries in Colorado set out to thwart them,” Schulte pointed out. “Not only with some of the tactics you might expect, but also some kind of more nefarious tactics sabotaging their signature gathering, for example.”
In the end, the petroleum industry defeated the measure after a $50 million campaign opposing it. Schulte acknowledged Colorado Rising raised only $1 million for its campaign. After the election, the state adopted a 1,000-foot drilling setback from schools and residential property lines.
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, involves drillers injecting a mixture of chemicals underground to break up the shale and free the oil. The chemicals used in the process, which are sometimes toxic, can pollute groundwater and make the surrounding land unstable.
Schulte emphasized the movie had a powerful effect on the group’s members.
“I think most people were pretty angry and maybe even a little sad after seeing how these kinds of politics play out in Colorado,” Schulte observed. “They asked questions like what can we do next? How do you keep going when it’s so difficult to fight such a big and powerful industry?”
The film, Fracking the System: Colorado’s Oil and Gas Wars, is currently being previewed by select audiences. It has won the “Spirit of Activism” award at the Colorado Environmental Film Festival
and the “Environmental Award” at the 2024 DOCUTAH International Film Festival.
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]]>The post Fracking the System Film Screening appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.
]]>Read the Public News Service article on the event here.
And check out the photos below from the screening — what a beautiful gathering with a full sanctuary of 100 people!
Reverend Nicole LeMarche, senior pastor at Community United Church of Christ, opened and closed the event calling us to loving action.
Sarah Schulte, First Congregational Church and GreenFaith Boulder County Organizing Committee member, moderated an excellent panel discussion with local activists from the film — Patricia Nelson, Suzanne Spiegel, and Russell Mendell — along with director Brian Hedden, Thomas Weiler from Together Colorado and Micah Parkin from 350CO.
Deep Deep bows of gratitude to everyone who came, to Community United Church of Christ – Boulder for hosting in partnership with First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.
Thank you as well to everyone the GreenFaith Boulder County Circle and Naropa’s Joanna Macy Center who helped to spread the word.
May the seeds planted here find good soil for a just transition away from fracking.
🙏🌱
Speaking of…. some of you may have heard of the recent “oil and gas truce in exchange for transit funding” brokered by Governor Jared Polis. Obviously, this changes the legislative landscape drastically, and the implications are still being digested by many of us who have been working on policy issues.
With that in mind, may we embrace Fracking the System’s message — that people, working together with love and dedication, can make a huge difference.
To keep going, even when the going gets tough!
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]]>The post Fracking the System Film Screening Oct 19 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.
]]>When a mega-fracking site gets moved from a White neighborhood to a BIPOC neighborhood, a mother fights to try and stop it. She joins the state-wide effort to change the law but the powerful oil and gas industry fights back with lawsuits, harassment, sabotage, and $50 million. Check out the trailer here
Fracking the System: Colorado’s Oil and Gas Wars
Thursday October 19th 6:30-9pp
Naropa University Performing Arts Center, 2130 Arapahoe Ave
Doors open 6:00 p.m | Film at 6:30 p.m.
Q&A with director and guests 8:00 p.m.
Ticket sales will support Earth Dog Films’ final production of the film and the Joanna Macy Center. You can also support the film directly here.
Learn more and Join the Movement at Fracking the System
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]]>The post Phase Out Fracking Action Hour Sept. 25 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.
]]>350 Colorado is proud to be a part of the Safe & Healthy Colorado coalition building the movement for a 2024 statewide ballot initiative to Phase Out Fracking Permits in Colorado by 2030!
- The Phase Out Fracking ballot initiative will require a gradual decrease in the number of new fracking permits each year starting in 2026 and ending with no more new permits after 2030!
- The ballot initiative requires permits to decrease in disproportionately impacted areas first, and includes support for a just transition, training, and reskilling for affected workers.
- Oil and gas fracking is the #1 source of pollution in Colorado causing the climate crisis and the ‘severe’ ozone air quality issues along Colorado’s front range. Phasing Out Fracking is necessary for Colorado to meet our environmental justice and climate goals.
- Despite industry claims, oil & gas contributes less than 1% of total employment in Colorado and only about 3% of our GDP, while pollution from oil & gas operations in Colorado will cause over $13 billion in damages between 2020 and 2030 (1.5 times the total taxes and fees oil & gas brings to Colorado).
- To win this groundbreaking and necessary ballot initiative and Phase Out Fracking in Colorado for good, we need YOU! To win it, we need an army of people to step up and pitch in. Join us!
Join the upcoming volunteer Action Hour and get in on the action to Phase Out Fracking in Colorado! Monday Sept. 25th, 5-6pm. Register here and bring a friend! The Volunteer Action Hour will be every other Monday at 5pm. Join us for a short, sweet, and impactful hour of action!
Onward,
Bobbie Mooney
Beyond Oil & Gas Campaign Coordinator, 350 Colorado
P.S. Can’t join the Action Hour but want to take action right now!? You can:
- Pledge to Sign the Fracking Phase Out Ballot Initiative!
- Use this One Click Letter to ask your city, county, and state elected leaders to endorse the ballot initiative!
- Collect 15 “pledges to sign” the ballot initiative from Colorado voters, submit the form to info@safeandhealthyco.org, and receive a prize from LUSH!
- Donate to the ballot initiative campaign if you are able!
- Follow, like, and amplify on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter
- Ask everyone you know to do the 5 steps above!
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]]>The post Phase Out Fracking: Next Steps appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.
]]>The Phase Out Fracking Action Party hosted by 350 Colorado in support of the Safe & Healthy Colorado ballot initiative at the Boulder County Courthouse on Saturday, June 10th was a big success! Attached and here are some photos and below are next steps to continue to take action to protect Colorado’s land, air, water, public health, AND help keep fossil fuels in the ground.
It was great to see so many of you from the GreenFaith Boulder County Circle there, joining more than 100 other supporters who engaged with hundreds of people walking on Pearl St during the 5-hour event.
At 12 different events throughout Colorado last weekend, we showed up in our communities to call for a Fracking Phase Out by 2030 as part of the nationwide week of action (over 50 events coast to coast!) calling to #EndTheEra of Fossil Fuels. Check out the photos from actions around the state.
THANK YOU to everyone who made it all possible!
Here’s how you can continue to help reach the 5000 pledges goal to put the fracking phase out on the Colorado 2024 statewide ballot. From Bobbie Mooney, 350CO Beyond Oil & Gas Campaign Coordinator:
Help reach our 5,000 Pledges to Sign goal and enter to win PRIZES from Patagonia and LUSH!
1. If you haven’t already, Pledge to Sign the ballot initiative right now!
2. SPREAD THE WORD! Share the pledge to sign through one or more of these methods: social media posts, social media direct messages, emails, phone calls, texts, etc.
—> post to Facebook/Instagram (sample text below photos)
2. Send an email to friends (sample email below photos)
3. Win a prize from Patagonia or Lush! Tell 350 Colorado how you helped spread the word via this quick submission form here and be entered to win once for each “spread the word” action item you complete. As a thanks for taking action, we have hundreds of prizes to share! Prize draw will be Monday June 19th. More info about the prizes & drawing here.
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Thank you again to all the grassroots activists and organizers who turned out this weekend. We are excited to kickoff a summer of action!
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