Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Illinois PIRG asks you to help reduce global warming

Dear Illinois PIRG supporter,

You've probably seen or heard about the movie "The Day After Tomorrow." The movie is a dramatization of the worst-case, scariest scenario in the event of rapid climate change.

Although the movie is fiction, global warming is very real. Burning dirty fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas) to power cars and homes releases heat-trapping global warming gases into the atmosphere, which alters the climate of the planet and throws weather systems out of balance.

The good news is that this is a disaster we can prevent. We already have technologies available to start addressing this problem, we just need the will to start acting now.

Please take a moment to ask the presidential candidates to explain their plans to protect the environment and consumers by reducing global warming pollution. Then, ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.

To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:
http://www.wecanstopglobalwarming.org


Background

During Memorial Day weekend, Fox Studios released the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" nationwide. The movie is a dramatization of the worst-case, scariest scenario in the event of rapid climate change, complete with grapefruit-sized hail pummeling Tokyo and Manhattan drowning in the ocean before freezing. To see the latest trailer of the film, go to: www.thedayaftertomorrowmovie.com

Although the movie is fiction, global warming is very real. Burning dirty fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas) to power cars, homes and industry releases heat-trapping global warming gases into the atmosphere, which alters the climate of the planet and throws weather systems out of balance. Scientists warn that doing nothing to reduce global warming pollution will increase the frequency and severity of costly extreme weather events such as drought, floods, and hurricanes. Although it is unlikely to happen overnight the way it does in the movie, we will still experience huge personal and economic losses, in addition to severe degradation of our environment. Extreme weather events cost Americans nearly $20 billion in 2002, a cost that could increase if the U.S. does nothing to curb global warming.

The good news is that this is a disaster we can prevent. We already have technologies available to start addressing this problem. We just need the will to start acting now. We should start at the top and request that our presidential candidates outline their plans of action to tackle global warming, and that they discuss their plans in the upcoming presidential debates.

Please take a moment to ask the presidential candidates to explain their plans to protect the environment and consumers by reducing global warming pollution. Then ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.

To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:
http://www.wecanstopglobalwarming.org

Sincerely,

Diane E. Brown
Illinois PIRG Executive Director
DianeB@illinoispirg.org
http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org

P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.

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