This afternoon I met with a staff member from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, CCAN. I first really heard of CCAN at a free screening of an inspiring climate change movie that came out this past spring. That's also when I first learned about bomb trains and the work that CCAN was doing to stop them.
Bomb trains, or simply oil trains, are trains that transport crude oil from fracking fields and tar sands to ports where the oil can be refined and/or exported to the world market. These trains go through populated areas, and it's estimated that 25 million people in the U.S. live within one mile of tracks traveled by the trains (check out this interactive map, search by zip code and zoom out a bit, then check out Houston too...).
When I went to the film screening in downtown Baltimore, I parked next to an elementary school in a residential district. On the other side of the school were railroad tracks that oil trains travel on a regular basis.
This oil is considered extreme because it is particularly volatile. As Sierra Club director, Michael Brune, explains clearly in this article:
CCAN is also doing work to ban fracking in Maryland, expand Maryland's renewable energy standard, and provide access to community solar power. Their next meeting is Wednesday August 31 from 6-8 (always the last Wednesday of each month).
I am glad to continue to learn about issues that impact so many people and for which solutions exist. I feel blessed to have met Jam from CCAN today, to grow my tribe with one more inspired, passionate, and caring human.
Bomb trains, or simply oil trains, are trains that transport crude oil from fracking fields and tar sands to ports where the oil can be refined and/or exported to the world market. These trains go through populated areas, and it's estimated that 25 million people in the U.S. live within one mile of tracks traveled by the trains (check out this interactive map, search by zip code and zoom out a bit, then check out Houston too...).
When I went to the film screening in downtown Baltimore, I parked next to an elementary school in a residential district. On the other side of the school were railroad tracks that oil trains travel on a regular basis.
This oil is considered extreme because it is particularly volatile. As Sierra Club director, Michael Brune, explains clearly in this article:
Two factors are responsible [for the danger of these trains]. One is the extreme volatility of fracked oil and tar sands oil. Both are extremely combustible, making them challenging to refine and dangerous to transport.
The other factor is the aging and inadequate infrastructure of a rail system that was never designed to carry such hazardous cargo. As a result, the U.S. had a total of 144 oil train incidents last year [2015]. In 2009 there was only one.CCAN has so far been effective in preventing at least one Baltimore crude port from being developed, they're working to educate the public and lobby politicians, and they hold monthly meetings/trainings for those interested in fighting this and other unequal dangers that many of Maryland's citizens face. (Check out CCAN's overview of their Baltimore oil train fight here.)
CCAN is also doing work to ban fracking in Maryland, expand Maryland's renewable energy standard, and provide access to community solar power. Their next meeting is Wednesday August 31 from 6-8 (always the last Wednesday of each month).
I am glad to continue to learn about issues that impact so many people and for which solutions exist. I feel blessed to have met Jam from CCAN today, to grow my tribe with one more inspired, passionate, and caring human.
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