This month, a company named Flatlands Energy has been making the rounds at Southcentral Alaska’s electric utilities, cheerily describing a future where coal power is safe and environmentally responsible. We know better. The vision they present of “carbon capture and storage” on a coal power plant relies on unproven technology and a number of false assumptions, and Alaskans are smart …
AYEA Kicks off a Summer of Arts in Action!
Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) is gearing up to host our annual fall Youth Organizer Summit in September, and with applications open for just 2 more days, this Summit is already shaping up to be our biggest and best yet since we resumed in-person gatherings post-pandemic! We already have applications pouring in from across the state! Here at AYEA, …
Building an Inclusive Future: Celebrating Juneteenth and Pride in Alaska
Hey Friends! June marks two monumental movements of liberation: Juneteenth and LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Without Black and queer voices represented in our movement, there will be no true equity and justice. We recognize that achieving thriving communities and a robust democracy requires acknowledging our shared histories and the injustices faced by marginalized communities. Progress towards equity and justice necessitates prioritizing …
Energizing Change: Reflections on Chugach Electric Board Elections and Future Goals
Early this spring, we endorsed two pro-renewable, pro-union incumbent candidates for the Chugach Electric Association Board: Mark Wiggin and Sam Cason. We worked hard alongside volunteers and partners to knock nearly 3,000 of our neighbors’ doors, call over 15,000 community members, and send over 4,500 texts to friends, family, and other voters about the candidates. This year’s total turnout was …
Legislative Highlights: Celebrating Wins and Community Action in Alaska
Is it just us, or does spring feel extra busy this year? In a week with multiple elections closing, we hope you are celebrating Suzanne LaFrance’s significant lead in the Mayoral runoff and plan on joining us Friday for the Chugach Electric Annual Meeting! – we also watched closely as the 2024 Alaska state legislative session came to a close. …
Murky Waters Ahead, Troubled Waters Behind: What’s Happening with the Eklutna River?
I can’t say how many times I’ve seen a headline recently asking what is going on with the Eklutna River (Well, actually I can. Twice. Check out Emily Goodykoontz’ and Alex DeMarban’s article or Nat Herz’ podcast. I highly recommend checking out these pieces for a lay of the land understanding of what’s occurred.) But, my question, and one many …
Shifting to Transmission
Two weeks ago, several members of our team went to Juneau, in Á’akw Kwáan territory, for the Just Transition Summit. Over the course of four days, we heard from Indigenous leaders, youth, elders, labor movement experts, legislators, and other partners of ours about efforts to transition our economy away from extraction and toward resilience and regeneration. We discussed a wide …
Beyond Bill Numbers: Clean Energy Update
It’s the year of energy legislation in Alaska – and we’ve seen lots of big ideas introduced in Juneau. As bills make their way through committees and amendments, none of them come out looking exactly the same as the version that was introduced. To that end, we want to highlight the clean energy issues that have popped up in various …
2024 Chugach Electric Association Endorsements
At The Alaska Center, we work to elect Alaskans who stand up for our clean air and water, healthy communities, and a strong democracy at every level of public leadership: from the federal government down to local board elections. One of these local elections this spring is so small that many people don’t know they have the right to vote …
Spring Into Action: Protecting Democracy in Alaska’s Elections
Dear Friend, It’s spring (or at least false spring) here in Alaska, and that means local and state-wide elections are right around the corner. Whether you’re refreshing your browser, waiting for national primary results, or attending cozy coffee shop chats put on by your favorite mayor or state leg candidate, voting is on the mind of many of us – …