News

Carbon Offsets at William & Mary offer Local Impact

Most of us want to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide someone else is putting into the atmosphere. But when it comes to turning the spotlight on our own activities, it can become a little uncomfortable. For example, do we give up a family reunion in California because, added to all of our other activities, it makes our carbon footprint look like that of a dinosaur? One way to compensate is to use carbon offset programs.

Carbon Offset programs suggest a donation to create a positive action for the environment to counterbalance our actions which might negatively affect the environment – (like the carbon dioxide emitted by that airplane on our round trip flight to California). Read more »

A Coal Plant’s Drain on Health and Wealth

Report by Chesapeake Bay Foundation, May 2011

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation usually issues reports on the health of the Bay, not on Coal Plants. But the Surry Coal Plant proposed by the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, ODEC, would have a huge affect on the health of the Bay and on the health and economy of the entire Tidewater region. This report documents the illnesses, premature deaths, health-related costs, and pollution that would arise from a 1500 megawatt coal-fired power plant in the Hampton Roads area.

The report concludes the following: Read more »

"Carbon Nation" at the Kimball

Trailer: Carbon Nation

June 6th - 11th; shows at 4:00, 5:30, and 7:00 pm.

“Carbon Nation”, explores climate change solutions. Even if you doubt climate change or its severity, this film illustrates how climate change solutions also address other social, economic, and national security issues. Meet entrepreneurs, visionaries, scientists and everyday people in an optimistic look at the impending climate crisis, including Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson, Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and former CIA director James Woolsey. Read more »

"Flow: For Love of Water" at the Kimball Theatre

Flow: For Love of Water (Video)

Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigates what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis.

Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Read more »

WCAN Launches New Website

Welcome to the completely renovated and streamlined WilliamsburgClimate.org!

In a word, our site has been transformed. It’s now easy to update, simple to navigate, concise and well organized. Information relating to the issues of primary importance to us - the Surry Coal Plant, Offshore Wind Power, Efficiency & Conservation - is now easily accessed through the main menu. Read more »

WCAN joins 350.org Global Work Party, October 10, 2010

On 10/10/10, volunteers from Williamsburg Climate Action Network and Eco Discovery Park joined an international effort to design and take environmental action in our communities. Over 7000 project took place around the globe.

Here in Williamsburg, dozens of volunteers devoted their Sunday to exchanging new energy efficient compact fluorescent lights for older incandescent bulbs in participating homes and businesses in order to reduce energy consumption in our area and save money. Thanks to the generosity of local non-profit organizations, the City of Williamsburg and local businesses, these bulbs were free to residents of low-income housing and at a small fraction of their normal cost to local businesses.

Stay tuned for the 2011 version of 350.org Global Work Party.