BREAK FREE COLORADO

Thank you for joining the global movement to Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground!

It’s time for a just transition to 100% renewable energy.

Join Us

This was one of the largest mass mobilizations for climate action in the history of Colorado. It was part of a global wave of powerful grassroots actions. Here in Colorado, we took action to defend our communities from the dangers of fossil fuel extraction on our lands. We sent a strong message to our state leadership that we must break away from fracking our public lands and communities! Together, we will continue to be a powerful voice for the just transition to a 100% clean energy economy!

BREAK FREE COLORADO!

Thanks to all of you who worked behind the scenes and came out in force to make sure Break Free Colorado was an incredible success!

In case you missed it, here’s a wonderful video recap of the May 12th #KeepItIntheGround event at the BLM auction of public lands for fracking. Over 300 people marched to the auction and dozens risked arrest inside, while about 10 people blockaded the doors to the auction.

May 14th’s Frontline Fracking Defense action in Thornton was amazing! Check out the video here. Despite the unexpectedly cold weather, about 800 people joined the action throughout the day. Bill McKibben delivered an inspirational speech, and there were loads of other great speakers, performers, and activities. Hundreds spelled out “BREAK FREE CO” with sun-painted umbrellas, then marched to the adjacent frack site.

The day ended powerfully, with about 30-40 people risking arrest by storming a frack site that is located within eye-shot of an elementary school and is proposed to be expanded to be one of the largest frack sites in the nation. The group was led by a 13-year-old girl, her father and little sister. Police threatened arrests repeatedly, but seemed unwilling to arrest no matter the lines the groups crossed, leaving many to suspect high level orders to refrain from arrests at both events in order to prevent mass press coverage.

See more photos from the Break Free CO events here on flickr and on our Facebook page. Check out media coverage here.

And friends, this is only the beginning! We won’t sit idly by while the fossil fuel industry invades our neighborhoods, makes our children sick, destroys our climate, and sues our communities when we try to protect ourselves with bans or moratoria.

Join us as we focus our collective energies to get the Yes for Health and Safety Over Fracking ballot initiatives (giving constitutional authority to create local bans/moratoria and 2500’ setbacks) on this November’s statewide ballot! Together we have the power to defend our health and homes, our climate, and our children’s futures. Let’s mobilize to protect all of our communities from fracking and to transition to a 100% clean energy future. Sign up on the website or join this kick-off event in Jefferson County to learn more and get involved.

Let’s keep breaking free! Together “I believe that we will win!”

The Break Free Colorado Team

P.S. Check out some of the other actions around the world here: “Good reasons #breakfree2016 should give you hope for the future.” Photo album Top 50 or Top 130.

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BLM: Keep it in the ground!

May 12, 2016 @ 11:30am

Meet/park at the Wadsworth and W. Hampden Park n' Ride (3589 S Wadsworth Blvd, Denver, CO 80235) and march with us over to Holiday Inn Denver Lakewood (7390 West Hampden Ave., Lakewood, CO 80227).

This country is at a crossroads - we can either continue auctioning off public lands for fracking, or we can decide to keep over half of fossil fuels in the US underground forever. On May 12, the Bureau of Land Management intends to auction off our public lands to oil and gas companies, and the movement intends to be there to tell them to keep it in the ground!

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Frontline Fracking Defense

May 14, 2016 @sunrise - until...

Event Location: Thornton, CO. Park/meet at the Wagon Road Park n’ Ride (600 W 120th Ave, Westminster, CO 80003) for transportation to the event site.

On May 14th we will mobilize to protect a community working to defend itself from fracking. The fossil fuel industry is invading our neighborhoods and suing our communities when we try to protect ourselves with bans or moratoria. We are rising up to defend our health and homes, our atmosphere held in public trust, and our children's futures.

*Time: Greet the dawn with us at 6am if possible, or join us anytime that day.

*Activities: Inspiring Speakers including Bill McKibben! Live Music, Fun Activities for Kids of all ages: face painting, art, group aerial photo, and Solutions Voyage Fair with booths and workshops to learn more about transitioning off fossil fuels and creating the world we all want to see.

*Bring: All your supplies to stay for awhile: water, snacks, sunscreen, blankets, shade, musical instruments, signs about Breaking Free from Fossil Fuels, family and friends!

*Please no pets, weapons, or substances. Keep it safe!

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Your financial support for Break Free CO is much appreciated and will help to cover associated expenses, such as transportation, visuals, trainings, and supplies.

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We’re breaking free from an industry that’s driving the climate crisis and throwing our seasons out of whack.

We’re breaking free from an industry that poisons our air and water.

We’re breaking free from an industry that doesn’t respect our right to keep dangerous industrial processes away from homes and schools.

We’re breaking free — and mobilizing to keep massive amounts of fossil fuels underground.

On May 12 & 14, people from all over the Mountain West joined together to stand up for our climate.

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May 12, 11:30am - BLM: Keep it in the Ground
The Bureau of Land Management is planning to auction off public lands for fracking, but we will be there to say "enough is enough!"
May 14, 6am - Frontline Fracking Defense
We will mobilize to protect a community working to defend itself from fracking.
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Click here to read
Why Now is Our Chance to Break Free from Fossil Fuels

Questions:

What are you hoping to achieve?

Following the COP21 summit in Paris we are still left with these urgent needs: more action to keep fossil fuels in the ground and an acceleration in the just transition to 100% renewable energy. These mobilizations will shine a light on those needs, help spread information about crucial new and existing local campaigns to fight fossil fuels, and continue to shift political power away from the fossil fuel industry and towards grassroots groups who are at the frontlines of a great energy and economic transformation. We want to help open the doorway to more and more people willing to increase their own commitment and to demonstrate the moral urgency of ending the use of fossil fuels and choosing renewables.

Will there be civil disobedience?

Yes. 2015 was the hottest year ever recorded and the impacts of climate change are already hitting communities around the world. From rising sea levels to extreme storms, climate change is with us now and the need to act has never been more urgent. Our actions must reflect the scale and urgency of this crisis in a way that governments can no longer ignore.

What projects are being targeted?

Break Free from Fossil Fuels will be targeting some of the most iconic and dangerous fossil fuel projects all over the world. Mobilizations are being organised in the countries listed above.The local and national organizers are currently developing the exact details of the mobilizations in coordination with regional and global partners. To find out more about mobilization plans in your region and to help shape those plans sign up now and we will be in touch soon to tell you more.

Why mobilize in May?

May is our moment. Unlike previous mobilizations, this effort is not linked to any particular government summit, conference or legislation. This is a moment where we, the movement, set the terms. And quite simply, we picked May as a moment that worked for us to mobilize across a dozen or more countries across the globe.

What kind of support will be provided?

We are in the process of setting up international working groups to provide guidance and resources to each local/national organizing team. These mobilizations will be designed so that people with all levels of experience can take part. The specific legal, security, and financial support for each location will vary and more detail will be available soon.