Eric, our resident environmentalist, is doing something about global warming - with his kids - and invites you to join up. He writes:
There is a bumper sticker on a car in my neighborhood that I really love: One People, One Planet, One Future. It highlights the fact that all people are more similar than dissimilar, and that we have limited and dwindling resources moving into the future. It is ironic that this bumper sticker is on a V8 Land Rover SUV (surprise!). You know, one of those tanks on the road that gets maybe 12 MPG rolling downhill - with a tailwind - and 10 MPG idling in the driveway? I point out this irony not to point fingers or guilt trip anyone who owns an SUV, but to show how difficult it is for us humanoids to change our oil-thirsty ways.
I'm guilty--I live in one of those old bungalows with no insulation and a 120-year-old furnace and I pay what feels like $1,000 a month in heating. I would bet that every single one of us have more than a few things we could do to Act Locally in order to match our Think Globally mindset. Well, here is one simple local act we all can do that will have a powerful effect nationally, as well as globally.
Join Eric, Liam (3) and Kai (1)! They'll be downtown on Wednesday, 5.28 @ 10 AM sharp - at the World Trade Center 2 on the Mezzanine Level , to be exact (not coincidentally, Senator Gordon Smith's office is there). Eric and his kids are participating in a media event to raise awareness about the Climate Security Act, a bill that congress will vote on the following week.
It is the most powerful global warming legislation to come to vote in Washington, and we need all of our leaders behind it. Let's send a strong messaage to our Washington representatives that we parents really do care about this. Our children's future is at great risk from global warming, and this is an opportunity to pressure our leaders to move forward on this issue. E-mail Eric with questions or to meet up. He's got a waterfront picnic in mind.... Playdate for climate change, anyone?
Can't Make It? No problem. You can still speak up by e-mailing your US Senators: thank Wyden and Smith to support the bill, S. 2191.
Learn More. The Pew Center for Global Climate Change has an excellent '101' type overview on this topic.
There are a bunch of upstanding and diverse groups involved in this effort, including The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, National Wildlife Federation, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association.
So what's the media event?
Posted by: Gloria | May 22, 2008 at 11:08 PM
The media event is being organized by the groups listed in the post as one event of many happening that week around the country. There will be 6-8 groups there, one being parents with children. I will be one of those 6-8 people speaking to the tv, radio and print media expected to be there. My comments will be on behalf of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility as well as all children, regarding the health effects of global warming, particularly the effects on our children. The target of the message is primarily Sen Smith who is considered a swing voter, so speakers will generally be asking him, via the media, to please sponsor the Climate Security Act.
Our children will be the ones most severely impacted by climate change, so I am encouraging every parent I know to come and put the face of the future on this message to our senator. Families will be asked to participate by being visible to the cameras, standing with the speakers. there will be two posters on easels that have handprints of children on them, one thanking Sen Wyden for sponsoring the bill, and the other asking Sen Smith to please sponsor the bill.
Come 15 minutes early (9:30 am) to have your child's handprint included on a poster. After the event (11 am or so), there will be a byo playgroup picnic at the downtown waterfront fountain, weather permitting. (fountain is just north of the Hawthorne bridge)
Hope to see you there!
Posted by: Eric Miller | May 24, 2008 at 10:07 PM