Why am I dressed up like an oil can?
This week was my birthday. You know how I spent it? Parading the streets of Livonia dressed up as "Oil Can Stan" to highlight the truth about Big Oil’s Astroturf Campaign.
On Thursday at Burton Manor in Livonia, opposition to clean energy reform and the American Clean Energy & Security Act (ACES), held a rally funded and supported by the American Petroleum Institute (API). It was one in a series of similar events across the nation. API’s membership, which includes ExxonMobil and Marathon Oil, have joined forces with a broad range of interests like the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturing, the agricultural sector, and small business to protect their dirty energy profits at the expense of the planet.
To expose the ugly truth about Big Oil’s Campaign, members of Michigan's Clean Energy Works** including Michigan LCV Education Fund, staged a counter rally outside Burton Manor. Our mission was simple - to let Michiganders know that the API does not have Michigan’s best interests at heart. The ACES legislation will build a new, clean energy economy. And, it will create millions of jobs, reduce our dangerous dependence on oil, and mitigate the threat of global warming.
In the next few months, it will be imperative that Michigan’s two US Senators Levin and Stabenow, muster the political courage to support ACES and push their colleagues to do the same. Please call or write them today and encourage them to vote in support of positive action to address global warming and our economy.
*Senator Levin: (202) 224-6221
*Senator Stabenow: (202) 224-4822 or senator@stabenow.senate.gov
As for spending my birthday dressed up like an oil can...I can't think of any better way to spend it, especially if my birthday wish comes true!
**Michigan Clean Energy Works is comprised of: Michigan LCVEF, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, Environment Michigan, Pew Center, Apollo Alliance, Michigan Environmental Council, RePower America, Michigan Clean Water Action, 1Sky, Progress Michigan
Photo: Ari Ruttenberg of Huntington Woods, Abby Clark of Lansing, Deb Tutro of Dearborn Heights and Mark Neisler of Ann Arbor protest in favor of cap and trade legislation and green energy. (Bill Bresler | Observer staff photographer)
