Yesterday, upwards of 400,000 people took to the streets of New York City to call attention to the dire situation our planet is in. We’ve gone well beyond the 350 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere from which 350.org took its name, and we’re rapidly approaching the point from which there is no return. Yet the biggest nations and the biggest corporations on the planet are pretending there’s no problem.
Perhaps after yesterday, they won’t be able to hide their heads in the sand any longer.
And this week, the UN General Assembly begins with a special climate summit. At his second inaugural, President Obama said
We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition, we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries, we must claim its promise. That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure — our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
Sadly, President Obama nominated the worst of the climate deniers in the US Senate, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, to represent the US at the UN as it takes on the most serious issues facing the planet today, including climate change!
Since I’m in South Florida without the resources to get to NYC for yesterday’s march, I decided to take my kid to a local action. Unfortunately, there was one way down in Miami and one way up in Palm Beach, but nothing in Ft. Lauderdale. We went to Delray Beach where we saw around 35 people with signs. After honking and waving our support, we went to the actual beach where I swam in the ocean and began reading Naomi Klein‘s new book, This Changes Everything, released just last week. She makes the case that capitalism is to blame, and lays out exactly what we must do to turn things around.
On the show this morning, Howie Klein told us about the Blue America-endorsed candidates who understand the need for action on climate change.
And listener Mitch Heldt told us about some of the potentially planet-saving inventions he’s been working on. His websites are here and here.
I’d like to have a grandchild or two someday… and I’d like them to live on a planet where they don’t have to fear extreme weather events killing them as a regular occurrence. We’re all in this together.
I’ll be back tomorrow… radio or not!
