Shut Down SDIPN Now!

(wrong approach!)

Professional New Yorkers have nowhere to turn if they want to shut down Indian Point! The only New York City based organization working on the issue is so profoundly anti-capitalist it prevents businesses, especially green businesses, from joining. It's time for a new, green business friendly group to emerge.

Entergy, the company which owns and operates Indian Point, funds powerful pro-relicensing business associations in the Hudson Valley, like the Business Council of Westchester and the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance. Without similar strong green business coalitions opposing the relicensing, Entergy controls the political process. 

The first meeting of Shut Down Indian Point Now! was held March 28th 2011 at Green Spaces, the entrepreneurial collective on Broadway. It was spearheaded by Rosie Tovi, a figure skating champion, who had launched a facebook page and website.

People started walking out when the radical left overpowered the meeting by wanting to exclude businesses from the organization. In essence preventing solar companies, LED companies, organic farmers, eco-friendly stores, etc... from joining the organization, insulting the green business professionals in attendance.

Many came from the New York chapter of the Green Party and Time's Up which had already been organizing shut down Indian Point protests throughout the City, but also use the issue to promote their own narrow socialist agenda.

They label sustainable fashion and green beauty companies as "sexist" which is not conducive to enlisting the enthusiastic participation of such companies, who are otherwise quite supportive of our effort.

Rosie Tovi quit. She kept the facebook page and website she designed to herself. The remaining members created a new website and facebook page, with the same name, which is why there are now two different Shut Down Indian Point Now groups in New York.

The splintering of the shut down Indian Point community in Manhattan over this issue is costing the movement to shut down Indian Point precious time and resources.

Riverkeeper and Clearwater, have also not worked to form a green business association against the relicensing of Indian Point, leaving the road wide open for Entergy to influence the political process.

Green Drinks, a popular host of social networking events, held promise if members could be reached and organized. Instead it has played host to ConEd representatives touting energy efficiency at the expense of any mention of Indian Point. In fact, many attending Green Drinks now in New York, Weschester, and Connecticut, work for the utilities.

Large trade events like Go Green Expo and Green Festival were shunned by Shut Down Indian Point Now for green washing rather than used as an opportunity to gain more support, recruit volunteers and gain sponsors.

My own organization Rock The Reactors, which since 2006 has brought wide attention to the dangers of Indian Point, producing over 100 intervention papers with FUSE USA, is penalized by Shut Down Indian Point Now for selling t-shirts, promoting LED lighting, and partnering with soft drink and nutrition bar companies.

It's time we change all this, bring the shut down Indian Point movement to those who can really make a real difference, New York City green business professionals!

Do we want to shut down Indian Point or do we want use the Indian Point issue as a means to promote a radical feminist agenda? Can't do both and be successful I'm afraid.