On Wednesday, November 28, performer and environmental educator Dana Lyons will bring his Great Coal Train Tour to Pullman, Washington, offering a community organizing workshop from 3 to 4 pm and a concert between 7 and 9 pm.  Since September 8, he has visited dozens of communities throughout four Northwestern states, from Billings to Bellingham and from Portland to Coos Bay.  Along the route of proposed coal export trains that could carry 160 million tons of coal per year from Montana and Wyoming to the Columbia River and West Coast and via supertanker to China,  Dana’s fun, inspiring, and family-oriented concerts intermingled with place-based storytelling have fostered interest and understanding of this significant regional issue.  Extending into 40-plus shows through April 13, his tour provides accurate and intricate descriptions of coal export impacts, as it catalyzes public engagement, discussion, and opposition to this regionally and globally detrimental scheme.

Singer and guitarist Dana Lyons hails from Bellingham, Washington – ground-zero of Northwest resistance to coal exports, near the largest proposed coal port facility in North America, SSA Marine’s Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point.  Best known for his comedy hit song Cows with Guns, Dana has recorded eight albums during his lifetime artistic career, including Circle the World and At Night They Howl at the Moon: Environmental Songs for Kids.  Working around the Earth to raise awareness, activism, and funds for environmental and social justice issues, Dana has collaborated with Dr. Jane Goodall and her environmental group Roots and Shoots.  Besides bolstering community knowledge of potential Northwest coal exports, Dana has been meeting, learning, and networking with local residents and organizers across the region who are working to stop proposed coal mines, trains, and ports for health, safety, traffic, economic, and environmental reasons. Continue reading →

Stand Up! Fight Back! Against Big Coal in the Northwest: An information sharing, brainstorming, and direct action planning event in Spokane, Washington

Some of the biggest coal companies in the world plan to strip-mine more Montana and Wyoming prairie and transport coal on 50-plus trains per day through Montana’s largest towns, around remote northern Idaho lakes, through eastern Washington river valleys, to ports on the coasts of Oregon and Washington, en route to China.  In their quest for huge corporate profits from these exports, the coal and rail industries disregard their multiple impacts on regional residents and businesses, our quality of life, and our beautiful Pacific and Inland Northwest.

What do communities do when our environment is attacked?  STAND UP!  FIGHT BACK!

Please join activists from Bellingham, Missoula, Moscow, northern Idaho, Portland, Seattle, and Spokane on Saturday, November 3, in Spokane, Washington, as we share experiences, brainstorm, and develop strategies to protect our health and environment by standing up and fighting back against Big Coal.  This event hosted by Occupy Spokane and Wild Idaho Rising Tide for concerned citizens throughout the region and facebook groups Cascadians Against Coal, Coal Port Resistance Solidarity Network, Free Cascadia!, and Stand Up Fight Back Against Big Coal in the Northwest offers breakfast at 10:00 am, introductions at 11:00 am, and an inspiring day of discussions and presentations at 1824 E. Sprague Avenue, formerly the Rainbow Tavern.

For accommodations, further information, or to RSVP, contact the Occupy Spokane Clubhouse at 509-535-4040 or ocspch@gmail.com and join the facebook group Stand Up Fight Back Against Big Coal in the Northwest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/369381406473710/.  Spread the word about this gathering!

On Friday evening, October 19, performer and environmental educator Dana Lyons will bring his Great Coal Train Tour to Moscow.  Visiting communities from Billings to Bellingham and from Portland to Coos Bay along the route of proposed coal export trains through four Northwestern states, Dana’s fun, inspiring, and family-oriented concerts intermingled with informational sessions foster interest and understanding of this significant regional issue.  His tour provides accurate and intricate descriptions of coal export impacts, as it catalyzes public discussion, networking, and engagement with organizers opposing this regionally and globally detrimental scheme.

Singer and guitarist Dana Lyons hails from Bellingham, Washington – ground-zero of Northwest resistance to coal exports, near the largest proposed coal export facility in North America, SSA Marine’s Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point.  Best known for his comedy hit song Cows with Guns, Dana has recorded eight albums during his lifetime artistic career, including Circle the World and At Night They Howl at the Moon: Environmental Songs for Kids.  Working around the Earth to raise awareness, activism, and funds for environmental and social justice issues, Dana has collaborated with Dr. Jane Goodall and her environmental group Roots and Shoots. Continue reading →