Author Archives: Ed Fallon

Protesters prepare for President Trump’s visit to Iowa, call out his climate denial

June 10, 2019 by Ed Fallon
78 comments
"Fresh off his trip to Britain, where President Trump found new ways to embarrass us with his profound climate illiteracy, the Denier-in-Chief makes a rare visit to Iowa. We’ll be there— peacefully, nonviolently, yet with determination,” said Ed Fallon, director of Bold Iowa. “We’ll impress upon the attendees the urgency of the climate crisis, and encourage them and the President to accept the reality of climate change and take action.”

Bold Iowa Climate Hall of Fame Awards

June 7, 2019 by Ed Fallon
27 comments
1. MVP (Most Vocal Proponent) Award (presented by Josie Ironshield of Sage Sisters to JAY INSLEE) 2. Rookie of the Year Award (presented by Miriam Kashia of 100 Grannies to MARIANNE WILLIAMSON) 3. Most Improved Politician Award (presented by Mike Wilcox of Bold Iowa to ELIZABETH WARREN) 4. Friend of Fracking Award (presented to STEVE BULLOCK) 5. DAPL Dodger Award (presented by Kathy Byrnes of Bold Iowa to AMY KLOBUCHAR) 6. Both Sides of Mouth Award (presented by Jason Snell of Sunrise Movement Cedar Rapids to JOE BIDEN)

Donald Trump Needs Us

June 7, 2019 by Ed Fallon
366 comments
Dear Friends, “[T]he United States right now has among the cleanest climates there are based on all statistics. … I believe there’s a change in weather, and I think it changes both ways. Don’t forget, it used to be called global warming, that wasn’t working, then it was called climate change.” (from The Guardian) That’s President Trump, enlightening the British with his profound scientific knowledge. Sadly, it’s impossible not to be embarrassed by his blathering. And just in case you’re inclined to believe that the US Continue reading →

Tell me to shut up

June 4, 2019 by Ed Fallon
465 comments
Dear Friends, If you’re among the handful of people who tell me I’m spending too much time talking about climate, let me respond bluntly: You’re wrong. If anything, I’m not spending enough time talking about it. At this pivotal moment in human and planetary history, if the current trajectory of increased fossil fuel consumption continues, Earth will be unfit for human habitation. If your home was on fire, that’d be the only thing on your mind, right? Well, our world is on fire. As the Continue reading →

Court rules against people, planet, property rights

May 31, 2019 by Ed Fallon
341 comments
Dear Friends, For those of us who have fought Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) and the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) for nearly five years, today is a sad day. This morning, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that ETP had the right to forcibly take Iowans’ land for an export crude oil pipeline. And make no mistake: DAPL is an export pipeline. While I’ve yet to find anyone, even inside the oil industry, who can tell me exactly how much of the oil is destined for export, it’s Continue reading →

Pipeline Ruling Expected Tomorrow!!!

May 30, 2019 by Ed Fallon
No comments
Dear Friends, The Iowa Supreme Court ruling we’ve long-expected will likely be issued tomorrow, Friday, May 31. The case is titled “Puntenney v. Iowa Utils. Bd.,” and the Court’s decision will be viewable online at this link. Kudos to the landowners and the Iowa Sierra Club for investing so much time and money in pursuing the case. Their persistence and dedication is for all of us. Here’s what the Iowa Supreme Court’s website says about the case: “The district court denied petitions for judicial review Continue reading →

Bold Iowa Climate Hall of Fame Awards

May 29, 2019 by Ed Fallon
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, May 29, 2019 — 1:00 p.m. CT Contact: Ed Fallon at (515) 238-6404 or [email protected] Bold Iowa Climate Hall of Fame Awards Six candidates to receive awards for positive (or not-so-positive) action on climate CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — On Sunday, June 9, at 1:00 p.m., Bold Iowa will host the Climate Hall of Fame Awards in front of the DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids, 350 1st Ave NE. The event coincides with the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Celebration at Continue reading →

Apology is O’Rourke’s path out of climate contradiction

May 28, 2019 by Ed Fallon
351 comments
Dear Friends, Six Bold Climate Bird Dogs arrived at Beto O’Rourke’s CNN town hall last week with great expectations. O’Rourke had just released a climate plan that generated much excitement. He talked about climate during his recent Iowa tour and the plan is featured prominently on his website. Forty-five minutes into the CNN town hall, Terrance Pendleton asked O’Rourke a general question about climate. That was followed by Patrick Bourgeacq’s more specific inquiry into O’Rourke’s past donations from fossil-fuel interests and his pro-oil-industry votes while in Congress. Continue reading →

Joe Biden loves Big Oil

May 6, 2019 by Ed Fallon
27 comments
Dear Friends, [CHECK OUT BOLD IOWA’S VIDEO FROM JOE BIDEN’S DES MOINES RALLY] Joe Biden’s campaign bulldozer rolled across Iowa last week. (Tune in to the Fallon Forum, 11:00-12:00 noon today, May 6, as Charles Goldman and I analyze Biden’s Iowa launch. You can also hear the conversation as a podcast and on KHOI 89.1 FM in Ames, KICI 105.3 FM in Iowa City, and other stations across the country.) After stops in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Iowa City — where Biden barely mentioned climate Continue reading →

Biden not there on climate

May 2, 2019 by Ed Fallon
73 comments
Dear Friends, As further evidence of the efficacy of bird-dogging — or penguin-popping, as my daughter Fionna suggests we call it — look no further than Joe Biden’s just-finished campaign blitz through Iowa. At his first three stops — Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Iowa City — Biden barely mentioned climate change. “He made some basic statement about climate, but it wasn’t anything like we’d want to hear,” said Christine Lehman-Engledow, who attended Biden’s rally in Cedar Rapids. In Iowa City, Diane Lahr reports, “There was some Continue reading →