Newsletters: March - April 2007
"Step It Up" For Global Climate Change Awareness
By Crystal Wakoa
When my daughter, an artist living in New York City, told me about plans she has with her boyfriend Hendrik to invest in an apartment in the city while she attends grad school, I too hurriedly replied, "OK, but you can't keep it very long-real estate will lose its value as the reality of global warming sinks in right along with Manhattan's coastline."
She shrieked back, "Mom, we can't put our lives on hold because of something that's going to happen in the future! And we're getting it from both sides. Hendrik's mom practically shoved An Inconvenient Truth down our throats over the holiday." (I love this woman I've yet to meet who hands out copies of Al Gore's movie to friends and strangers alike.)
"Well, have you watched it yet?" I ask, "You've had a copy for four months now."
"No," she sighed, "We know the gist. We've worked hard all week and don't want to get depressed."
Who can blame them? We've encouraged our children to go after their dreams. Unless you're in the alternative energy field, the specter of global climate change is like a tidal wave of melted glacier water in the face of plans that in any other recent decade would be considered sensible and courageous and life-affirming. Several Heart of the Earth members shared their thoughts with me following a recent NPR-hosted conference call with Bill McKibben, author of the first book on global warming for general audiences, and one of the issue's most eloquent and informed spokespersons. McKibben articulated that we can no longer take for granted what we have had for the last 10,000 years-the basic physical stability of our planet-and the urgent need to transform our nature-denying culture and help people grasp the profound magnitude of the coming changes.
Polls show that 70 percent of people have some grasp that climate change is happening, but like my daughter, feel dwarfed by the size of the problem and powerless to effect any meaningful change. Given that our country is spending billions every month to secure Iraq's oil fields even as our polar ice is melting, changing light bulbs can easily feel like too little too late. McKibben is sending out a call to action on all levels, especially national and international.
We must find a way to transcend or by-pass Washington's roadblocks where, despite Democratic victories, energy policy is still crafted by Vice President Cheney and corporate oil executives- "the policy equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting, 'I can't hear you!' over and over again," McKibben laments. He challenges: "We'll never have the $36 billion profits of Exxon with which to lobby Congress.
We will have to have creative, grassroots social change. Making global climate change a political issue is THE top priority for Earth Day 2007. We have the scientists, the economists and engineers on board, but we do not have a political movement. This is THE crucial missing part."
To this end, McKibben and friends have organized StepItUp2007.org. On Saturday, April 14, hundreds of simultaneous rallies and actions will play out all across America, sending a message to Congress that people in their districts deeply care about global climate change. The intent will not be so much to educate as to rivet the country's attention to the perils that lie ahead if we do not dramatically reduce carbon emissions quickly.
Heart of the Earth is cooking up something creative and eye-grabbing. If you feel moved to participate on the local level, check out our website at www.heartoftheearth.org. Our plans are emerging, and your involvement is welcome.
In Manhattan, citizen activists will trace a blue line marking the city's future shoreline. My daughter, along with thousands of others, will be walking it.
