What You Can Do To Defeat Prop. 23 This November

Two Texas oil companies are spending millions to push Proposition 23, the Dirty Energy Proposition, on the November 2010 ballot. Prop. 23 would overturn our state’s landmark global warming law and allow polluters to avoid our state’s clean energy standards, kill competition and jobs from California’s clean technology companies, and keep us addicted to dirty fossil fuels.

Two Texas oil companies are spending millions trying to get this passed. The Los Angeles Times reports that “the Koch brothers, oil billionaires and “tea party” backers” contributed $1 million to the pro-Proposition 23 campaign. So far, the Proposition 23 campaign has raised $8.2 million, of which 97% has come from oil interests and 89% from out of state.,The oil and coal industry has already successfully blocked national climate change legislation, which the vast majority of scientists agree is critical to human health and well being. Don’t let oil interests and unthinking ideology overturn California’s climate change law.

I hope you will join me in opposing Prop. 23 and encouraging your friends to do likewise. Here are some actions you can take today:

  • Email your contacts early and often to let them know to oppose Prop. 23. This is the most important thing you can do! Feel free to forward or adapt my letter and/or this link.
  • Donate to the No on Prop. 23 campaign.
  • Call your friends two weeks prior to the election.
  • Use social media, in particular Facebook. If you have a Facebook page, create a “like” link to the No on Prop. 23 campaign so their announcements are automatically posted to your Facebook page.
  • Leverage nonprofit organizations that you’re involved with. See my list of things your nonprofit can do No On 23 Top 10
  • Volunteer in the campaign.
  • Write letters to the editors of your local daily and weekly papers.
  • Vote by mail or at the polls on November 2, 2010, and encourage your friends and co-workers to do the same.

Sample Letter To The Editor

Dear [NAME]

As California’s November Election Day approaches, we want to let you know that I strongly oppose Proposition 23, a ballot measure that would effectively repeal California’s clean air and clean energy law. I belong to a broad and diverse coalition of health professionals, scientists, environmental groups, clean energy companies, and other businesses to fight Prop. 23.

I oppose Prop. 23 because it would repeal California’s landmark clean air and clean energy law – thus leading to increased air pollution, and threatening billions of dollars in investment and hundreds of thousands of jobs in California’s burgeoning clean technology industry. Prop. 23 jeopardizes:

  • The health of the air we breath, the water we drink, and the food we eat.
  • More than 12,000 clean technology businesses;
  • 500,000 California jobs in clean energy and green technology; and
  • More than $10 billion in private investment in clean energy

That’s why groups such as the American Lung Association in California, California Professional Firefighters, California Solar Energy Industries Association, California Wind Energy Association, and more than 400 California companies and health and environmental organizations oppose Prop. 23. You can get the facts about Prop. 23 here <www.StopDirtyEnergyProp.com>.

Please vote “no” on Proposition 23 in the November 2 election.

Sincerely,