A photo of Sen. Inhofe’s tattoo.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not a clean-energy-friendly organization. Ninety-four percent of its 2010 political contributions went to climate change deniers; it has fought for years to undercut the clean economy.
350.org ran a campaign calling on businesses and local chamber chapters to resign from the national organization. According to 350’s website, 56 local chambers have made statements opposing the national body’s climate and energy position. I suspect it will now be easy for 350 to quickly goose those numbers.
From The Hill:
A coalition of Chamber of Commerce chapters want President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney to take a pledge emphasizing federal support for the clean energy industry.
The 240-chapter Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy sent a letter to the candidates Tuesday urging them to “take a stand and prioritize clean energy as an economic development solution.”
350, start workin’ those phones.
The coalition, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, has been a thorn in the U.S. Chamber’s side for years. The letter released today reads, in part:
In our communities, we have seen time and time again that clean and efficient energy makes smart business sense. In Cleveland, with the help of their local chamber, businesses saved a collective $1.5 million in 2011 thanks to energy efficiency retrofits and new technologies. In Asheville, North Carolina, manufacturers are finding new market opportunities producing components for electric vehicle charging stations. And in Iowa, the growing wind industry supported nearly 7000 jobs last year — jobs we stand to lose if our government leaders fail to stand behind this key, innovative industry. …
From the automobile and space shuttle to the personal computer and cell phone, American business has led the world in finding innovative solutions and developing groundbreaking technologies. We now have the historic opportunity to lead on clean energy innovation, strengthen our national security, and aid our economic recovery.
A positive sentiment, but lacking the one key ingredient that has made the national Chamber so effective in combating clean energy. It wasn’t written on the back of a $55 million check.
