The International Day of Action to Stop Global Warming on December 3 was a very important day. Approximately 100,000 people took action worldwide, with the major actions taking place in Montreal and London. At least 30,000 marched in Montreal, including hundreds of U.S. activists, and 10,000 marched in London. More information on what happened worldwide can be found at http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org.
In the United States there were at least 40 actions in at least 25 states on December 3 rd or during the two-week time period when the U.N. Climate Conference was happening in Montreal. We’ve been able to gather reports on what happened in many of those localities, found below.
In addition to these activities, the Climate Crisis, USA Join the World campaign distributed close to 4,000 Stop Global Warming buttons, 2,000 posters and over 8,000 stickers. We helped to organize a successful turn-in of 650,000 signatures on several stop global warming petitions at the U.S. consulate in Montreal on December 3. There was national press coverage of our campaign both before and after December 3. Overall, there is no question but that this was a successful effort which laid the basis for continuing activism in 2006 and beyond on this urgent issue. More information can be found at http://www.climatecrisis.us.
Local Activities
-Anchorage, Alaska: Susanne Fleek of the Alaska Conservation Foundation reports that they “had a rally and speaking panel on November 28th where the audience heard how global warming is affecting Alaska Natives, our economy, and environment. It also highlighted the solutions available now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The event was covered by two TV stations in Anchorage.”
-Arcata, Ca: Jennifer Berman reports: "The newly formed Redwood Alliance Climate Protection Project had an informational event about global warming and climate change. We collected signatures for the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Treaty, had a display about the science and solutions to global warming, and exchanged ideas about future activities of the group. We had photo opportunities with Wes Chesbro, State Senator, John Wooley, County Supervisor, and Dave Meserve, Vice-Mayor of Arcata signing the petition. About 30 people attended. We had good press coverage leading up to the event in the local media, including a 5 minute interview on KMUD radio, and a call-in with a plug for the event on Thom Hartmann's national radio program after his interview with Ted Glick on Dec. 2. One of the local tv news stations also came to the event and interviewed Jennifer Berman, program coordinator, for the evening news.
"In the evening, 3 fiddlers and accompanying leafleters gathered at the Arts Alive event held monthly in downtown Eureka. The fiddlers played (one in a Bush mask), we leafleted with the message that "while Bush fiddles the world burns", and we collected 150 names for the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Treaty. There was a lot of enthusiasm for this action and we will probably repeat this on a regular basis in the near future. In general, there is a good feeling of momentum for this movement and we hope to capitalize on it in the coming months."
-Baltimore, Md: Tim Willard reports that he got an article into "into a Baltimore newspaper here:"
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2005/120105Willard.shtml
Tim also reports that "the Montgomery County Greens hosted a showing of 'We Are All Smith Islanders,' and they "lobbied Baltimore Mayor O'Malley to sign the Mayors' Climate Agreement on global warming," with indications that may soon happen.
-Boston, Ma: Loie Hayes reports: "75 people attended the community forum in Boston. Five speakers, including Mindy Lubber of Ceres, gave overviews of climate change impacts and actions underway in communities of color, religious organizations, business and educational institutions. The second half of the event involved people meeting with representatives of local activist groups and signing up for action alerts, membership meetings, alternative energy for their homes and businesses, and similar concrete steps to build a movement to address global warming with urgency and substantive action. Basic information on climate change was available through a DVD of Ross Gelbspan's lecture. Comic relief was provided by Billionaires for Bush and Concerned Rich Oilmen Against Kyoto, who also provided a humorous foil for the speakers.
The Boston Globe covered the event on page B8 in the City & Region section:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/04/actio...
Elsewhere in its pages, the Globe provided about 3 column inches total to the Montreal conference."
-Boulder, Co: Dan Friedlander reports, "The major focus in Boulder has been stopping a proposed 750 Megawatt coal fired power plant. Petitions were gathered and a demonstration was held at Xcel headquarters, the utility proposing the coal fired plant. During the demonstration Santa Claus delivered foot high lumps of coal to Xcel. The return of the coal represented the demand that Xcel convert to a renewable energy based solution from its current reliance on greenhouse generating coal. In addition, Cindy Parker, a doctor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Medicine, spoke on the health risks of global warming.
-Bucks County, Pa: Richard McNutt reports: "Our rally included a small crowd under 50 people. It was colorful, however, and included the Chairman of the Native American Alliance of Bucks County, Grandfather Many Crows, a half a dozen drums from all over, such as Navaho from Arizona, Lenape from Pennsylvania, Native African from Africa, Peace Drum from a religious celebration, etc. Some people wore Native American regalia, prayed to Creators for guidance and support, sang Native songs and generally had a welcome response from the community. The rally was held at the Bucks County Courthouse and was supported by the local law enforcement who were extremely kind and helpful. Attendees included people from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont. It was a success. Local people were supportive and concerned regarding the issue. It was reported in local press."
-Chapel Hill, N.C: Dennis Markatos reports: "We had a small meeting on Dec 3 and a bigger one the following week: we are creating some good momentum and will have a local greenhouse gas emissions reduction conference in the Spring that involves Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and UNC-CH setting goals and plans for the next few years."
-Clemson, S.C: Steve Johnson reports: "On Friday, Dec. 2, members of the Green Sanctuary Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, South Carolina, and members of the Winchester Society (the campus student UU organization) held a global warming petition-signing campaign. The event was held in front of the main library on the campus of Clemson University. In addition to the petition, global warming buttons and energy-saving tip sheets were distributed. A very positive response was received from students, staff, and faculty and more than 200 signatures were gathered.”
-Columbus, Oh: Rady Ananda reports: "Climate Crisis coalitionists rallied with peace and poverty activists the night of the 3rd, braving an unexpected ice storm that laid a sheet of ice on roads and sidewalks. With megaphones, signs and a flag of global Earth, 25 activists regaled holiday shoppers with parodied Christmas songs, asking them to "rethink" their consumptive habits.
”Holiday Hoppers received energy saving tips to reduce their personal contribution to global warming. Tips included: plant a tree - which consumes CO 2, instead of buying plastics that use oil to make and transport; drive 55 instead of the 65 mph maximum, and donate money to homeless shelters and food banks, instead of buying fabricated gifts. City planners were urged to bring clean energy light rail to discourage auto use, and to provide tax rebates to hybrid car buyers. Holiday shoppers were greeted with the themes "Cool Your Jets," "End These Oil Wars" and "Green Jobs" for a healthier planet and economy."
-Eastport, Me: Dovie Gaither reports: "We had a beautiful meeting (35 people in attendance) at 4:00 p.m., Dec. 3rd, at the Congregational Church of Eastport. We gathered in the foyer, gave everyone a lighted candle, had a moment of silence to show our solidarity with those who are seeking solutions to global warming, processed into the church proper and placed our candles on the altar. The program began with the gorgeous poem "Ode to the North Wind" (written by local poet Jonathan Sisson), read by an 11 year old boy. This was followed by excerpts from Chief Seattle's Oration of 1854 (Smith version), read by two teenagers. The speaker, Mark Dittrick of the Sierra Club of Canada, spoke briefly, and then we watched the video "We are all Smith Islanders". This was followed by comments and questions by those present. We then sang a round, "Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Returns, Returns, Returns, Returns...", which loosened people up quite a bit. We closed with the "Hymn to Matter" by Teilhard de Chardin, which I read. The meeting was adjourned to the Kilby House, a local bed and breakfast, where we had wine and cheese and prolonged discussion. The editor of the local paper was at the meeting to photograph the candlelight procession. We had excellent press coverage in this area of Maine. Our final event was last night when we showed the film "The March of the Penquins". No money was charged and attendance was high, probably 40 or 50 people, many of them children.”
-Ganges, Mi: Robert Weir reports that he attended an event organized on Dec. 3 by the Lakeshore Interfaith Institute. "It was a good, lively discussion."
-Hotevilla, Az: Stacy Gildenston reports: "Our session was a great success. On the walls were posters educating people on aquifers, stream ecology, grasslands, wildlife, power grids, alternative power, water rights, and we also had four tables of handouts. We had another table from Native Sun with actual solar panels, and batteries, and hand outs. A local favorite, Kate's Café, was on hand to sell lunch. A lot of people had the soup, because the wind was kicking up enough sand to make huge orange plumes in several directions. It gets very cold here because of the elevation. We regularly get snow.
“We had students, elders, participants from all over Hopi and Northern Arizona--about fifty people. The Vice Chair of Hopi was in attendance for the entire three hours of our session. Only a few people left early. I had several people come up and tell me it was full of information, and not biased towards the western science, but balanced, to include Hopi beliefs. There is special thanks to the USGS scientist, Ken Cole, and his two grad students from Northern Arizona University, who stayed after for the tour of Hotevilla including the terrace gardens and springs below the village on the mesa.”
-Los Angeles, Ca: Deborah Orosz reports: “On December 3rd, the Bus Riders Union and the Labor/Community Strategy Center mobilized over 50 members and activists to participate in a mass organizing drive on the buses and in the streets of Los Angeles for the international day of action on US responsibility for global warming. Organizers talked with hundreds of Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and working class bus riders about global warming and climate change, the politics of the Kyoto Protocol, and the impacts of global warming on communities of color and the Third World in particular. We organized bus riders to pressure to make phone calls to the Bush Administration and the Democratic Majority leader Harry Reid to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to take even more substantial measures to reduce the US's greenhouse gas emissions. We distributed information to over 6,000 people and collected over 300 postcards that were sent to the White House. Our organizing drive generated increased public support for the Kyoto Protocol and increased interest in our regional campaign to reduce greenhouse gases by cutting LA's 8 million cars in half through the doubling of the bus fleet and imlementing bus-only lanes, auto-free zones, and a moratorium on freeway construction. Our day of action was covered by several area radio stations and the local Univision Spanish-language television.”
-Madison, Wi: Mike Neuman reports: "A heavy snow storm, which was predicted to arrive at about the starting time of the Critical Mass bicycle ride in Madison, did, and this resulted in a low turnout for the ride. But there were a number of bicycle riders who showed up for the ride anyway. Given the circumstances, a decision was made to abort the ride. It snowed about 5 inches. It has been decided that a future Critical Mass ride in Madison will be dedicated to upholding U.S. compliance with the People’s Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty.
The following report was also produced and published last week in Madison, inspired by the events centered around the climate conference in Montreal: Wisconsin Climate 16% Warmer Today Than 3 Decades Ago
http://madison.indymedia.org/feature/display/27621/index.php
-New York, N.Y: A Friday evening rally across from the federal building in lower Manhattan took place despite frigid temperatures and very strong winds. About 50 people listened to a number of speakers and musicians. There was prominent radio coverage in advance on WBAI, the local progressive radio station. Following the rally participants took buttons and stickers to distribute and most were definitely chilled but also inspired.
Julia Willebrand reports that the Green Party of New York held a rally with several speakers and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra in midtown Manhattan in the early afternoon of December 3, attended by about 50 people. Jane Califf reports that "the film showing later in the afternoon attracted about 40 people. We watched "The End of Suburbia" and "We Are All Smith Islanders" followed by a discussion. Buttons, stickers and posters were distributed; people signed the "People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty" and took extra copies to circulate. The "Worship Service on Climate Change" following the movies was inspiring, but there were only 15 people in the church. Perhaps it could be repeated again somewhere. People took extra copies to distribute of Paul Mayer's "A Call to Action - The Fire Next Time - Global Warming and the Communities of Faith"
-Newark, N.J: Jane Califf reports: "The Rutgers/Newark Global Warming Forum on Nov. 30th with Dr. Richard Smith, an historian and environmental writer, was attended by 60 people. This was a very large turnout for Rutgers. We watched the 15 minute video "Inuit Observations on Climate Change." There was time for questions and comments. This event will be followed up by another forum in the spring focusing on specific solutions to the crisis and what can be done to become part of Energy Action's Campus Challenge to make Rutgers/Newark begin to use clean energy.”
-Olympia, Wa: Chris Stegman reports: "We had 30 people at the Climate Solutions forum on Dec. 2nd and around 40 people at the Clean Energy Rally on Saturday. The mayor and a GP member city councilman spoke at the rally, and the councilman plans to put forward a comprehensive proposal at the January council retreat to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions (Green Fleet program/ICLEI). Olympia has signed onto Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols initiative to meet Kyoto standards. So we've got a toehold of a start."
-Oklahoma City, Ok: Darla Shelden reports: "Our noon event was small but strong. We passed out Stop Global Warming buttons and also the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty right after our weekly AntiWar Vigil protesting the war in Iraq. Everyone was eager and happy to sign. I hurried home to see that there were lots of articles already posted on the internet and one on the lead news page of Yahoo. We are few, but we will be heard!"
-Portland, Me: Andy Burt reports that "there was a featured story from the Local News section of Sunday's Portland Press Herald. In addition to this story, the PPH also carried a powerful editorial on the subject on Saturday, Dec. 3, and John Richardson wrote a companion piece for the Sunday paper on the Inuit's loss of their homeland and way of life due to global warming.
“What a great time we had, all 20 of us who, in the end, were well enough to go to Montreal! Despite the bus conditions of no shocks and the frigid temperatures, I believe that we returned feeling that our voices and presence were important contributions to the rally. I know I will never forget being in the middle of the march as we started down the street's incline and could see the massive parade coming from the other direction, their banners billowing in the brisk wind. I felt like this is what it means for Maine to join the world in our concerns and actions to stop global warming. And the lump in my throat as I saw the Greenpeace youth dressed as the endangered polar bears."
Jacqui Deveneau also reports that "a handful of folks, about 9, including Pat LaMarche, Green Party VP candidate in 2004, mainly Greens, braved the COLD to stand in support of the bus load of Mainers we sent off from Portland at 5am that morning. We handed out flyers and talked to folks passing by. We got a good response from folks driving by as well."
-San Francisco, Ca: Mary Bull of the Greenwood Earth Alliance reports that “the San Francisco Bay Area action was on Dec 7; it included a press conference uniting global and local issues, and delegations to the Mayor and House Minority Leader. It also included putting up a fax-the-president web page.on Nov 29.”
-Shade Gap, Pa.: Iona Connor reports that she "took the People's Ratification petition to a Catholic church in Woodstock, Maryland and gathered signatures while also selling educational materials about global warming actions people can take to reduce their impact," and she'll "be gathering more signatures at a small Catholic group on the campus of Catholic University in Washington, DC this coming weekend." She's also planning on outreach to a Quaker meeting in Huntingdon, Pa. and a Methodist church council.
-Springfield, Il: Diane Lopez Hughes reports that "peace and environmental activists, college students and professors, religious sisters and grandmothers vigiled, passed out an article, 'Impact of Climate Change Can be Likened to WMD' by Steve Conor of the Independent/UK and action ideas, and solicited signatures for the People's Ratification of Kyoto and the Mayors’ Climate Protection agreement. Extra petitions were circulated to obtain even more signatures, and those present were invited to present the latter petitions to Mayor Timothy Davlin in January, 2006, inviting him to become the fifth Illinois mayor to sign on."
-Twin Cities, Mn: Christine Frank reports: “The Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities (3CTC) had 60-65 people at a spirited picket in front of the Governor's Mansion in St. Paul on a cold, snowy day. The speakers were Associate Professor and author Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, who talked about the war for oil, Boise Jones of Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota (EJAM), who spoke on the effects of climate change on the poor, Bernie Hesse of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 789, Elizabeth Dickinson of the Green Party and Ellen Hinchcliffe, spoken word artist. Stills can be obtained from her at ehinchcliffe@yahoo,com or http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/12/3/221351/247. Everyone who hadn't already signed the petition did so. There were no media present despite our press release. The community radio station had announced it. Many who drove by honked their approval.”
-Washington, D.C: Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network reports that they had a successful action on Dec. 3. 40 hybrid cars gathered in the morning and proceeded to the White House where they drove around it during the afternoon. This was one of the actions highlighted by national press reports.
In the United States there were at least 40 actions in at least 25 states on December 3 rd or during the two-week time period when the U.N. Climate Conference was happening in Montreal. We’ve been able to gather reports on what happened in many of those localities, found below.
In addition to these activities, the Climate Crisis, USA Join the World campaign distributed close to 4,000 Stop Global Warming buttons, 2,000 posters and over 8,000 stickers. We helped to organize a successful turn-in of 650,000 signatures on several stop global warming petitions at the U.S. consulate in Montreal on December 3. There was national press coverage of our campaign both before and after December 3. Overall, there is no question but that this was a successful effort which laid the basis for continuing activism in 2006 and beyond on this urgent issue. More information can be found at http://www.climatecrisis.us.
Local Activities
-Anchorage, Alaska: Susanne Fleek of the Alaska Conservation Foundation reports that they “had a rally and speaking panel on November 28th where the audience heard how global warming is affecting Alaska Natives, our economy, and environment. It also highlighted the solutions available now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The event was covered by two TV stations in Anchorage.”
-Arcata, Ca: Jennifer Berman reports: "The newly formed Redwood Alliance Climate Protection Project had an informational event about global warming and climate change. We collected signatures for the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Treaty, had a display about the science and solutions to global warming, and exchanged ideas about future activities of the group. We had photo opportunities with Wes Chesbro, State Senator, John Wooley, County Supervisor, and Dave Meserve, Vice-Mayor of Arcata signing the petition. About 30 people attended. We had good press coverage leading up to the event in the local media, including a 5 minute interview on KMUD radio, and a call-in with a plug for the event on Thom Hartmann's national radio program after his interview with Ted Glick on Dec. 2. One of the local tv news stations also came to the event and interviewed Jennifer Berman, program coordinator, for the evening news.
"In the evening, 3 fiddlers and accompanying leafleters gathered at the Arts Alive event held monthly in downtown Eureka. The fiddlers played (one in a Bush mask), we leafleted with the message that "while Bush fiddles the world burns", and we collected 150 names for the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Treaty. There was a lot of enthusiasm for this action and we will probably repeat this on a regular basis in the near future. In general, there is a good feeling of momentum for this movement and we hope to capitalize on it in the coming months."
-Baltimore, Md: Tim Willard reports that he got an article into "into a Baltimore newspaper here:"
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2005/120105Willard.shtml
Tim also reports that "the Montgomery County Greens hosted a showing of 'We Are All Smith Islanders,' and they "lobbied Baltimore Mayor O'Malley to sign the Mayors' Climate Agreement on global warming," with indications that may soon happen.
-Boston, Ma: Loie Hayes reports: "75 people attended the community forum in Boston. Five speakers, including Mindy Lubber of Ceres, gave overviews of climate change impacts and actions underway in communities of color, religious organizations, business and educational institutions. The second half of the event involved people meeting with representatives of local activist groups and signing up for action alerts, membership meetings, alternative energy for their homes and businesses, and similar concrete steps to build a movement to address global warming with urgency and substantive action. Basic information on climate change was available through a DVD of Ross Gelbspan's lecture. Comic relief was provided by Billionaires for Bush and Concerned Rich Oilmen Against Kyoto, who also provided a humorous foil for the speakers.
The Boston Globe covered the event on page B8 in the City & Region section:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/04/actio...
Elsewhere in its pages, the Globe provided about 3 column inches total to the Montreal conference."
-Boulder, Co: Dan Friedlander reports, "The major focus in Boulder has been stopping a proposed 750 Megawatt coal fired power plant. Petitions were gathered and a demonstration was held at Xcel headquarters, the utility proposing the coal fired plant. During the demonstration Santa Claus delivered foot high lumps of coal to Xcel. The return of the coal represented the demand that Xcel convert to a renewable energy based solution from its current reliance on greenhouse generating coal. In addition, Cindy Parker, a doctor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Medicine, spoke on the health risks of global warming.
-Bucks County, Pa: Richard McNutt reports: "Our rally included a small crowd under 50 people. It was colorful, however, and included the Chairman of the Native American Alliance of Bucks County, Grandfather Many Crows, a half a dozen drums from all over, such as Navaho from Arizona, Lenape from Pennsylvania, Native African from Africa, Peace Drum from a religious celebration, etc. Some people wore Native American regalia, prayed to Creators for guidance and support, sang Native songs and generally had a welcome response from the community. The rally was held at the Bucks County Courthouse and was supported by the local law enforcement who were extremely kind and helpful. Attendees included people from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont. It was a success. Local people were supportive and concerned regarding the issue. It was reported in local press."
-Chapel Hill, N.C: Dennis Markatos reports: "We had a small meeting on Dec 3 and a bigger one the following week: we are creating some good momentum and will have a local greenhouse gas emissions reduction conference in the Spring that involves Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and UNC-CH setting goals and plans for the next few years."
-Clemson, S.C: Steve Johnson reports: "On Friday, Dec. 2, members of the Green Sanctuary Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, South Carolina, and members of the Winchester Society (the campus student UU organization) held a global warming petition-signing campaign. The event was held in front of the main library on the campus of Clemson University. In addition to the petition, global warming buttons and energy-saving tip sheets were distributed. A very positive response was received from students, staff, and faculty and more than 200 signatures were gathered.”
-Columbus, Oh: Rady Ananda reports: "Climate Crisis coalitionists rallied with peace and poverty activists the night of the 3rd, braving an unexpected ice storm that laid a sheet of ice on roads and sidewalks. With megaphones, signs and a flag of global Earth, 25 activists regaled holiday shoppers with parodied Christmas songs, asking them to "rethink" their consumptive habits.
”Holiday Hoppers received energy saving tips to reduce their personal contribution to global warming. Tips included: plant a tree - which consumes CO 2, instead of buying plastics that use oil to make and transport; drive 55 instead of the 65 mph maximum, and donate money to homeless shelters and food banks, instead of buying fabricated gifts. City planners were urged to bring clean energy light rail to discourage auto use, and to provide tax rebates to hybrid car buyers. Holiday shoppers were greeted with the themes "Cool Your Jets," "End These Oil Wars" and "Green Jobs" for a healthier planet and economy."
-Eastport, Me: Dovie Gaither reports: "We had a beautiful meeting (35 people in attendance) at 4:00 p.m., Dec. 3rd, at the Congregational Church of Eastport. We gathered in the foyer, gave everyone a lighted candle, had a moment of silence to show our solidarity with those who are seeking solutions to global warming, processed into the church proper and placed our candles on the altar. The program began with the gorgeous poem "Ode to the North Wind" (written by local poet Jonathan Sisson), read by an 11 year old boy. This was followed by excerpts from Chief Seattle's Oration of 1854 (Smith version), read by two teenagers. The speaker, Mark Dittrick of the Sierra Club of Canada, spoke briefly, and then we watched the video "We are all Smith Islanders". This was followed by comments and questions by those present. We then sang a round, "Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Returns, Returns, Returns, Returns...", which loosened people up quite a bit. We closed with the "Hymn to Matter" by Teilhard de Chardin, which I read. The meeting was adjourned to the Kilby House, a local bed and breakfast, where we had wine and cheese and prolonged discussion. The editor of the local paper was at the meeting to photograph the candlelight procession. We had excellent press coverage in this area of Maine. Our final event was last night when we showed the film "The March of the Penquins". No money was charged and attendance was high, probably 40 or 50 people, many of them children.”
-Ganges, Mi: Robert Weir reports that he attended an event organized on Dec. 3 by the Lakeshore Interfaith Institute. "It was a good, lively discussion."
-Hotevilla, Az: Stacy Gildenston reports: "Our session was a great success. On the walls were posters educating people on aquifers, stream ecology, grasslands, wildlife, power grids, alternative power, water rights, and we also had four tables of handouts. We had another table from Native Sun with actual solar panels, and batteries, and hand outs. A local favorite, Kate's Café, was on hand to sell lunch. A lot of people had the soup, because the wind was kicking up enough sand to make huge orange plumes in several directions. It gets very cold here because of the elevation. We regularly get snow.
“We had students, elders, participants from all over Hopi and Northern Arizona--about fifty people. The Vice Chair of Hopi was in attendance for the entire three hours of our session. Only a few people left early. I had several people come up and tell me it was full of information, and not biased towards the western science, but balanced, to include Hopi beliefs. There is special thanks to the USGS scientist, Ken Cole, and his two grad students from Northern Arizona University, who stayed after for the tour of Hotevilla including the terrace gardens and springs below the village on the mesa.”
-Los Angeles, Ca: Deborah Orosz reports: “On December 3rd, the Bus Riders Union and the Labor/Community Strategy Center mobilized over 50 members and activists to participate in a mass organizing drive on the buses and in the streets of Los Angeles for the international day of action on US responsibility for global warming. Organizers talked with hundreds of Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and working class bus riders about global warming and climate change, the politics of the Kyoto Protocol, and the impacts of global warming on communities of color and the Third World in particular. We organized bus riders to pressure to make phone calls to the Bush Administration and the Democratic Majority leader Harry Reid to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to take even more substantial measures to reduce the US's greenhouse gas emissions. We distributed information to over 6,000 people and collected over 300 postcards that were sent to the White House. Our organizing drive generated increased public support for the Kyoto Protocol and increased interest in our regional campaign to reduce greenhouse gases by cutting LA's 8 million cars in half through the doubling of the bus fleet and imlementing bus-only lanes, auto-free zones, and a moratorium on freeway construction. Our day of action was covered by several area radio stations and the local Univision Spanish-language television.”
-Madison, Wi: Mike Neuman reports: "A heavy snow storm, which was predicted to arrive at about the starting time of the Critical Mass bicycle ride in Madison, did, and this resulted in a low turnout for the ride. But there were a number of bicycle riders who showed up for the ride anyway. Given the circumstances, a decision was made to abort the ride. It snowed about 5 inches. It has been decided that a future Critical Mass ride in Madison will be dedicated to upholding U.S. compliance with the People’s Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty.
The following report was also produced and published last week in Madison, inspired by the events centered around the climate conference in Montreal: Wisconsin Climate 16% Warmer Today Than 3 Decades Ago
http://madison.indymedia.org/feature/display/27621/index.php
-New York, N.Y: A Friday evening rally across from the federal building in lower Manhattan took place despite frigid temperatures and very strong winds. About 50 people listened to a number of speakers and musicians. There was prominent radio coverage in advance on WBAI, the local progressive radio station. Following the rally participants took buttons and stickers to distribute and most were definitely chilled but also inspired.
Julia Willebrand reports that the Green Party of New York held a rally with several speakers and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra in midtown Manhattan in the early afternoon of December 3, attended by about 50 people. Jane Califf reports that "the film showing later in the afternoon attracted about 40 people. We watched "The End of Suburbia" and "We Are All Smith Islanders" followed by a discussion. Buttons, stickers and posters were distributed; people signed the "People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty" and took extra copies to circulate. The "Worship Service on Climate Change" following the movies was inspiring, but there were only 15 people in the church. Perhaps it could be repeated again somewhere. People took extra copies to distribute of Paul Mayer's "A Call to Action - The Fire Next Time - Global Warming and the Communities of Faith"
-Newark, N.J: Jane Califf reports: "The Rutgers/Newark Global Warming Forum on Nov. 30th with Dr. Richard Smith, an historian and environmental writer, was attended by 60 people. This was a very large turnout for Rutgers. We watched the 15 minute video "Inuit Observations on Climate Change." There was time for questions and comments. This event will be followed up by another forum in the spring focusing on specific solutions to the crisis and what can be done to become part of Energy Action's Campus Challenge to make Rutgers/Newark begin to use clean energy.”
-Olympia, Wa: Chris Stegman reports: "We had 30 people at the Climate Solutions forum on Dec. 2nd and around 40 people at the Clean Energy Rally on Saturday. The mayor and a GP member city councilman spoke at the rally, and the councilman plans to put forward a comprehensive proposal at the January council retreat to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions (Green Fleet program/ICLEI). Olympia has signed onto Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols initiative to meet Kyoto standards. So we've got a toehold of a start."
-Oklahoma City, Ok: Darla Shelden reports: "Our noon event was small but strong. We passed out Stop Global Warming buttons and also the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty right after our weekly AntiWar Vigil protesting the war in Iraq. Everyone was eager and happy to sign. I hurried home to see that there were lots of articles already posted on the internet and one on the lead news page of Yahoo. We are few, but we will be heard!"
-Portland, Me: Andy Burt reports that "there was a featured story from the Local News section of Sunday's Portland Press Herald. In addition to this story, the PPH also carried a powerful editorial on the subject on Saturday, Dec. 3, and John Richardson wrote a companion piece for the Sunday paper on the Inuit's loss of their homeland and way of life due to global warming.
“What a great time we had, all 20 of us who, in the end, were well enough to go to Montreal! Despite the bus conditions of no shocks and the frigid temperatures, I believe that we returned feeling that our voices and presence were important contributions to the rally. I know I will never forget being in the middle of the march as we started down the street's incline and could see the massive parade coming from the other direction, their banners billowing in the brisk wind. I felt like this is what it means for Maine to join the world in our concerns and actions to stop global warming. And the lump in my throat as I saw the Greenpeace youth dressed as the endangered polar bears."
Jacqui Deveneau also reports that "a handful of folks, about 9, including Pat LaMarche, Green Party VP candidate in 2004, mainly Greens, braved the COLD to stand in support of the bus load of Mainers we sent off from Portland at 5am that morning. We handed out flyers and talked to folks passing by. We got a good response from folks driving by as well."
-San Francisco, Ca: Mary Bull of the Greenwood Earth Alliance reports that “the San Francisco Bay Area action was on Dec 7; it included a press conference uniting global and local issues, and delegations to the Mayor and House Minority Leader. It also included putting up a fax-the-president web page.on Nov 29.”
-Shade Gap, Pa.: Iona Connor reports that she "took the People's Ratification petition to a Catholic church in Woodstock, Maryland and gathered signatures while also selling educational materials about global warming actions people can take to reduce their impact," and she'll "be gathering more signatures at a small Catholic group on the campus of Catholic University in Washington, DC this coming weekend." She's also planning on outreach to a Quaker meeting in Huntingdon, Pa. and a Methodist church council.
-Springfield, Il: Diane Lopez Hughes reports that "peace and environmental activists, college students and professors, religious sisters and grandmothers vigiled, passed out an article, 'Impact of Climate Change Can be Likened to WMD' by Steve Conor of the Independent/UK and action ideas, and solicited signatures for the People's Ratification of Kyoto and the Mayors’ Climate Protection agreement. Extra petitions were circulated to obtain even more signatures, and those present were invited to present the latter petitions to Mayor Timothy Davlin in January, 2006, inviting him to become the fifth Illinois mayor to sign on."
-Twin Cities, Mn: Christine Frank reports: “The Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities (3CTC) had 60-65 people at a spirited picket in front of the Governor's Mansion in St. Paul on a cold, snowy day. The speakers were Associate Professor and author Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, who talked about the war for oil, Boise Jones of Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota (EJAM), who spoke on the effects of climate change on the poor, Bernie Hesse of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 789, Elizabeth Dickinson of the Green Party and Ellen Hinchcliffe, spoken word artist. Stills can be obtained from her at ehinchcliffe@yahoo,com or http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/12/3/221351/247. Everyone who hadn't already signed the petition did so. There were no media present despite our press release. The community radio station had announced it. Many who drove by honked their approval.”
-Washington, D.C: Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network reports that they had a successful action on Dec. 3. 40 hybrid cars gathered in the morning and proceeded to the White House where they drove around it during the afternoon. This was one of the actions highlighted by national press reports.