Take the #coalbucketchallenge!
We’ll get you set up with a letter to send to ISO and your electric utility, as well as a packet of coal to include as a fun, tangible reminder of the choices they’re making: they don’t have to continue the path of climate destruction driven by short-term profits. Instead, they can choose the transition that makes sense for our economy, our earth, and our communities.
Before you mail it all to your utility, take photos or video of yourself with your coal and your letter, demonstrating why you’re supporting the strike, and share on social media!
Need some inspiration? Watch this!
More details
We carried this coal out of the Bow coal plant bucket by bucket, because we’re determined to take the fuel from the fires of climate catastrophe. Now, we’re challenging the ISO and our electric companies: #DoWhatMustBeDone with us.
Here’s a toolkit for standing alongside our strikers in that challenge, through an action that’s collective, powerful, and a little mischievous. We’re calling it the #coalbucketchallenge. :) It works like this:
1. Request coal. Please use this Google form to request coal. You will receive a shipment of coal in a few days.
2. Prepare a letter, telling your utility company and the ISO why you are mailing coal and supporting the New England Utility Strike. Here is a template letter that you can use. (If you are also striking from your electric bill, this version is for you!) Don’t forget to make two copies: one for your electric company, and one for Gordon van Welie at ISO-NE. We encourage you to make these letters your own, using your own voice and story to get the message across.
3. Now it’s time to make your #coalbucketchallenge video! You can check out some samples here. Make sure to state why you are striking and what this means to you. Here are some suggestions:
Take a video of dumping some coal on your utility bill
Take some video of addressing your envelope, putting in the letter, pouring some coal in it, and sealing it closed.
Putting that envelope in a blue mailbox on your street
Something else creative!
4. Take a picture of yourself with the letter and the coal. Write down a short caption of why you are striking.
5. Mail a letter and ziploc bag of coal to ISO-New England and your utility company CEO. If you are striking, you can do this at the time that you would normally send your electric bill payment. If not, feel free to send it right away! (You can find the list of suggested mailing addresses here. The No Coal No Gas Campaign as a whole will also be mailing coal to these addresses). The return address should be Merrimack Station 431 River Rd, Bow, NH 03304.
Coal is legal to mail, and is not classified as a hazardous substance by the USPS.
6. Post your video and photos on social media (facebook, instagram, and twitter especially)
Tag @NoCoalNoGas and @ISONewEngland and your utility company, if they have a Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account.
Use hashtags like #coalbucketchallenge #coalisnotessential #strikedowncoal #buildupjustice #utilitystrike2020 #ratepayerreliefnow #closebow #dowhatmustbedone #nocoalnogas
Please also tag your governor, representatives and attorney general. You can find your governors’ and senators’ social media info here, and your state attorney general here. You can find your congress rep’s info here, and search for your state senators and representatives here: New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine (senators and reps), Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Note: if you don’t have social media, that’s okay! You can email your content to leif.taranta@gmail.com, and we will make sure it is shared.
8. Amplify the message about the strike to others!
Share and like No Coal No Gas social media content and other strikers’ videos/photos.
Reach out to friends and family and invite them to join you! Please reach out to us to request outreach materials and a way to track your conversations.
Volunteer to phone bank and bring even more people into the strike!
Share articles/press releases about the strike with your circles.
