Our recent pre-Cancun
conferences, entitled
"International Forum(s) on Climate Change" in San Antonio and Austin were both huge successes! Thanks to those who came out to hear Jim Hightower, Victor Menotti, and Genardo Lopez-Rendon.
As Jim Hightower stated, "We should be talking about this in our communities EVERY NIGHT."

For a link to a podcast of the Jim Hightower event, go here:
http://www.nowcastsa.com/blogs/charlotteanne-lucas/video-forum-climate-justice-jim-hightower
Don't miss this important video by the NRDCC which highlights the astouding work by citizens from the Clean Economy Coalition, our partner in Corpus Christi, to prevent the Las Brisas plant from being built in their city.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWpwH7T7ok
Welcome to the Texas Drought Project - a project to address climate change and the state's precious water resources in the face of perpetual drought.

In the next month, expect to see the Texas Drought Project in Dallas for the Texas Farmers' Union Convention, in Corpus Christi for the Progressive Forum, in Weslaco for the People for Peace and Justice Annual Gathering, and in Bastrop for an emergency session on the proposed pipeline taking precious water from rural areas to the big city of San Antonio.

We're all about water. We're all about Texas. And we're all about you!
The Texas Drought Project--education, education, education--that's what we're all about!

That's what the TDP does, it educates people on water scarcity issues in Texas, and makes clear the coming storm when climate change brings us into the predicted period of permanent drought. Dr. Richard Seager, of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, has worked with some of the foremost experts on drought research in the U.S., and his team says that we could begin to experience this as soon as the year 2021. That's just eleven years away!
Raining where you are right now? You'd better enjoy it....

Why? Because scientists are telling us that we're in for another installment of the La Nina weather pattern, perhaps in addition to the early effects of climate change.

What does this mean for Texas? Well, the second week in December showed 85% of the state in drought, with certain areas in Central Texas experiencing the worst drought since 1950.

Without an extraordinary pattern of rainfall in winter and spring, it's possible that we'll see Texas return to the droughts of two years ago. We're already seeing massive fires on already-scorched earth--8,000 acres in Kleberg County, which is widely considered to be the county worst hit by the 2008-2009 drought.

Let's start conserving now. And let's start talking to our legislators about taking action to make sure that Texans have enough water for their futures...
Let's welcome a new advisory board member to the Texas Drought Project--
Houstonian Jeff Weems


Attorney Jeff Weems ran an unsuccessful but very courageous campaign for Texas Railroad Commissioner in 2010. Throughout the year-long effort, he continued to take on big polluters, particularly in hydraulic fracturing. In fact, Jeff Weems became one of the primary resources for the Texas Drought Project even while he was running his campaign. We welcome his input and continue to value his advice. Thanks, Jeff, for everything you do.