So Fresh and So Green | Madam Toussaint on Going Green, Art, Hip Hop, and Politics

Photo Credit: AP Photo

Laborers looking to help rebuild the World Trade Center are rallying to urge the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the property, to make some progress in the rebuilding efforts. (more…)

For African Americans and other people of color, I hope you can support the clean energy solutions that will make our communities more prosperous. This isn’t the time to surrender to feelings of hopelessness and despair. It’s time to tell our friends, neighbors and elected officials why clean energy is good for our communities and our country.”
~Omarion

R&B singer Omarion has recently decided to kick the truth to the young Black youth and everyone else about clean energy in an op-ed post.

Omarion also explains that he recently finished The Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! tour with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO, Green For All and none other than Biz Markie among others. The tour was designed to bring together the youth, African Americans, the Hip Hop community, and various faiths to get active about the need for clean energy jobs and a greener future for all Americans. (more…)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Van Jones is an American treasure…Van’s vision, in short, is a vision for America restored to its place as the definitive world economic leader. ~Benjamin Todd Jealous”

This Friday the NAACP is holding their 41st Image Awards. Slated to receive the President’s Award from NAACP from its president and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous is The Great Van Jones. That’s him in the pic above caressing a solar panel.

It seems there is no better move for this organization to make than to support the green jobs promoter who is still under attack by right wingers and Fox News. (more…)

I don’t much care for this Glenn Beck character and when I say that I really mean it. I only knew who he was maybe last year. It seemed to me his rocket to fame shot up inexplicably fast, faster than Beyonce’s fame, and even more out of nowhere for me. I never intended for this website to be a home for this guy, Jay-Z or the Mrs., and yet here we are….

Apparently this fiery right wing FOX News “talk” show host is secretly Al Gore, a treehugging hippie liberal.

Maybe that’s an exaggeration about both parties, but according to a recent Mother Jones article Beck has views that are clearly contrary to those of his most loyal viewers and his on air persona. These revelations are from a recent interview Beck did with USA Weekend.

You’d be an idiot not to notice the temperature change” ~Glenn Beck

Not only is Glenn Beck a believer in climate change but he also believes it’s a problem and in part manmade.

There’s nothing wrong with (more…)

“I believe that you shouldn’t have to leave your neighborhood to live in a better one.”

Majora Carter is a Black environmental activist. And you thought it couldn’t be done! I tried to told you- there are others!!!

If you’ve never heard of Majora Carter you will. Here’s the short version of her story: She “greened the ghetto”.

That was pretty short so here’s a bit more detail. Majora Carter founded a non profit called Sustainable South Bronx (you know, the birthplace of Hip Hop in New York City). This foundation pioneered green-collar job training and placement systems in one of the most environmentally and economically challenged parts of the US.

Carter was recently on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams in a segment called Greening the Urban Jungle.

If this is your first introduction to this former TED Convention speaker then I’m proud to be the one to bring her words to you!

UPDATE: That video was disabled so I decided to bring you this instead from the 2007 TED Convention. If you don’t know what TED is you probably need some in your life- ted.com

Here is MacArthur-winning activist Majora Carter as she “details her fight for environmental justice in the South Bronx — and shows how minority neighborhood suffer most from flawed urban policy.” They referred to this speech as “an emotionally charged talk” but really what else should you get emotional about. She’s talking about herself, her people and her home.

Check out what Majora Carter is working on now at majoracartergroup.com

July 9, 2007: Thousands gathered in Detroit, Michigan to participate in the NAACP’s funeral and burial for the “N” word.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) recently passed a historic resolution addressing climate change for the first time in it’s history at its 100th annual convention in New York.

Here are my thoughts on the NAACP: On the national level the NAACP does next to nothing for me as a young Black person. Locally they are far more active but that falls on the shoulders of local chapter leaders. I’ve seen them take the time and the energy to have a funeral for “the N word” as pictured above (and thank God they did cause I never hear nigger or nigga anymore) . I’ve heard of their many corporate connections and numerous conventions. On a national level for a lot of young Black people I think the NAACP is not relevant. Sadly, I think they’ve rendered themselves irrelevant and insist on continuing. Sadly, we don’t have anything nationally in place to replace them.

Uh oh, there’s that word again…

I think that funeral was the nail in the coffin for me and probably solidified our status as the laughing stock of the diaspora. From its inception the NAACP has been integrated, though for some reason it’s considered the voice of Black people by some. More importantly (more…)

Ok, when you hear of rappers “going green” Dead Prez is an obvious pick. Maybe Jeezy and Gucci Mane recycle every liquor bottle, who knows.

The duos’ website says: “DEAD PREZ GOES GREEN! – STIC AND M1 INTRODUCE A POIGNANT NEW LECTURE SERIES THAT EXAMINES THE GREEN MOVEMENT FROM A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE. DEAD PREZ EXAMINES HOW GOING GREEN IS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT BUT ABOUT HEALTHY EATING, EXERCISE, BUILDING ECONIMICALLY SUSTAINABLE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THE GROUP WILL ALSO DISCUSS HOW ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND THE GREEN MOVEMENT AFFECT COMMUNITY OF COLORS AROUND THE WORLD. THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED DISCUSSION THAT WILL ENLIGHTEN AND INFORM.”

Biters!

Anyway, earlier this summer Dead Prez spoke on nutrition, gout, drinking and quality of life. “You might have a brew but do the brew have you?” Check it out.

DJ Green Lantern & Dead Prez “Pulse of the People” Turn Off the Radio Vol.3 is in stores now.

Dead Prez official website

Getty Images. Employees of Solar Forward install solar electric panels on a residential rooftop.

Van Jones, founder of Green For All, has been an advocate of what we as of late have rather casually been calling “green jobs”. My understanding is that green jobs include what is called retro fitting and building weatherization upgrades. In their words Green For All “promotes green-collar jobs and opportunities for the disadvantaged. Its mission is to build an inclusive, green economy – strong enough to resolve the ecological crisis and lift millions of people out of poverty.”

I like the idea of knocking out several birds with one stone (yeah, I said it PETA!). I’ve been inspired by their message and it seems some of their work has paid off. (more…)