Welcome!Today in Illinois, as elsewhere around the globe, people are under attack from two serious crises: the soaring cost of energy, particularly electricity rates and gas prices; and the gradual catastrophe in the making known as global warming. These two crises are related. They both stem primarily from the manner in which we produce and use energy. Our heavy reliance on fossil fuels to produce energy for heating, cooling, electricity, and transportation – as well as our inefficient and wasteful uses of such energy – has made us extremely vulnerable to the price-gouging practices of giant energy companies, has resulted in heavy emissions of the greenhouse gases, and is the primary reason for our federal government’s disastrous policies of military aggression in the Middle East. The common cause of these problems, however, also points the way toward common solutions. Better methods of producing energy and using it more efficiently are not only needed to save the planet; they will, at the same time, reduce costs for consumers and businesses alike. There is great potential to unite supporters of a clean environment, labor, affordable housing, peace and justice, and civil rights into a great force for positive change. The Power to the People Campaign aims to build such a force in Illinois.  |