It's not every day that a grassroots rebellion makes it onto a list of game changers and influencers, but that's what just happened. Last week, Beyond Coal senior director Bruce Nilles and I were named to the POLITICO50, POLITICO's list of the Top 50 "thinkers, doers, and visionaries who are transforming American politics in 2015." They even made us into a cartoon, which, sadly, failed to impress my 5-year-old daughter as I had hoped it would, but I suspect her cartoon standards are a little different than mine.
In all seriousness, we thank the writers and editors of POLITICO for putting us on the list in the company of the Pope, John Oliver, Black Lives Matter leaders, and Elon Musk - and their write-up of Bruce and me thankfully calls out the main reason for the success of the Beyond Coal campaign: "Beyond Coal's army of almost 200 organizers." But it's much more than those 200. Our thousands of organizers, volunteers, attorneys, campaigners, and allies across the U.S. are a tireless, committed, and inspiring group made up of parents, people of faith, public health officials, business leaders, elected officials, and more.
It's the work and dedication of this grassroots rebellion that Bruce and I are so humbled to represent on the POLITICO50, and it's their success in transforming how we make energy in America that is being recognized by POLITICO. Whether you've stood up and stood with us over the past decade to save a life, a river, a neighborhood, a mountain, or our climate from coal pollution, this honor belongs to you, too.
So while I'm grateful for the recognition from POLITICO, the real credit goes to all the volunteers and grassroots heroes out there who stopped the construction of 184 coal plants, secured the retirement of 203 coal plants and replaced that coal power with clean renewable energy - in short, the people who made all our progress possible.
As a result of their efforts, we're saving over 7,000 lives every year that would have been prematurely cut short by coal pollution, our air and water are cleaner, and the U.S. is turning a corner on climate change and clean energy, with carbon emissions falling fast and the nation positioned to lead going into international climate negotiations in Paris this fall. Our shared progress should give hope to everyone who cares about the health of our families and the future of our planet.
There are so many inspiring leaders out there, and I'll just introduce you to one of them, to give you a sense of the people power behind this campaign. Verena Owen (pictured at the right) is our lead volunteer on the Beyond Coal Campaign and she's been with the campaign since launching it in the very beginning - when it was just a handful of people (including Bruce) who decided in 2002 that the U.S.' rush to build a massive fleet of new coal plants was a huge threat to American public health and to our climate. Verena is a true grassroots hero and a tireless advocate who is most inspired when she is helping others find their voice and connect with their own power to be agents of change. As Verena once said,
"I have learned with the Sierra Club that being a leader does not mean doing everything yourself, but instead enabling others to do it with you."
I couldn't have said it better myself. I wish I could introduce you to every single one of our fabulous organizers, advocates, and volunteers because every one of them has made a difference. Bruce and I are honored to represent the great work of so many people on the POLITICO50 and I look forward to continuing the Beyond Coal campaign's momentum and successes in the years to come.