Chappaqua Citizens Take a Stand for Climate

Chappaqua was well represented in Washington DC on Sunday when over 50,000 concerned citizens traveled from near and far for what was the largest climate rally in US history. This time around, I wasn't the only one! At least 9 other Chappaqua citizens traveled along with me on two buses organized by WESPAC Foundation, a social justice and environmental non-profit advocacy organization based in White Plains.

Ever since learning about the Alberta Tar Sands in 2009, I’ve been following the issue and doing whatever small thing I can to convince my government to do the right thing. That included participating in civil disobedience, front of the White House in August of 2011.

I’ve kept up to speed on the issue of tar sands because based on my reading and research, this is one project that can increase the possibility of runaway climate change that could make much of the planet uninhabitable in the years to come.  The biggest mistake that President Obama can make would be to give the green light on the Keystone XL pipeline. There is nothing more important than keeping tar sands in the ground. Our children’s futures will be decided by the actions and inactions that we take. I’m not yet convinced that our president will do the right thing. While we were marching in the cold outside his house, our president was playing golf in Florida with a Texas businessman who has ties to big oil.

The climate rally on Sunday was a peaceful, perfectly legal event that included a march from the Washington monument to the White House. It was great fun and very inspiring to see all of the different groups of people who cared enough to show up and march on a cold windy day to protest a warming planet.

The environmental movement is not just a bunch of tree hugging, granola crunching hippies. I met 5th grade teachers, college professors, faith based organizations of all types, Occupy Wall Street, Sandy survivors from the Rockaways, moms and dads with small children, grandparents, Green Party candidates and members of Deep Green Resistance during the march. The movement is growing in width, depth and determination.

The rally was great fun. Hopefully next time, you will join us. I put together a little montage of some of the photos I took and turned it into a video. Hope you enjoy it!

Download the movie