Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Step It Up: Thousands Gather this Weekend for Largest Ever-Rally Against Global Warming
The group Step it Up is spearheading the National Day of Climate of Action on Saturday. Tens of thousands of Americans are gathering across the country in the largest-ever demonstration against global warming. Over thirteen hundred rallies, demonstrations and actions are being held in all fifty states to call on Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. We speak with Step it Up organizer Bill McKibben.
This weekend, tens of thousands of Americans are gathering across the country in the largest-ever demonstration against global warming. Over thirteen hundred rallies, demonstrations and actions are being held in all fifty states to call on Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.
The actions range from a rally of thousands in New York City, to a handful of scuba divers off the coast of Key West, to several hundred pounds of ice being left melting on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. April 14th is being billed as the National Day of Climate Action. It is being spearheaded by a group called Step It Up. Bill McKibben is one of the organizers of Step It Up. In 1989, he wrote the book “The End of Nature” one of the first books to describe global warming as an emerging environmental crisis. He writes frequently about global warming and alternative energy and is author of eight books. His latest is called, “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.” Bill McKibben joins us today in our firehouse studio. Welcome to Democracy Now.
* Bill McKibben. Environmentalist and writer who frequently writes about global warming and alternative energy. He is author of eight books his latest is, “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.”
LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/13/1421235
The actions range from a rally of thousands in New York City, to a handful of scuba divers off the coast of Key West, to several hundred pounds of ice being left melting on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. April 14th is being billed as the National Day of Climate Action. It is being spearheaded by a group called Step It Up. Bill McKibben is one of the organizers of Step It Up. In 1989, he wrote the book “The End of Nature” one of the first books to describe global warming as an emerging environmental crisis. He writes frequently about global warming and alternative energy and is author of eight books. His latest is called, “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.” Bill McKibben joins us today in our firehouse studio. Welcome to Democracy Now.
* Bill McKibben. Environmentalist and writer who frequently writes about global warming and alternative energy. He is author of eight books his latest is, “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.”
LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/13/1421235
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Bill McKibben, Step it Up!
by Joshua Frank
This weekend will see the largest gathering of environmental activists in the US since the first Earth Day held almost 37 years ago. It may even be larger. Tens upon thousands will be assembling in all 50 states, demanding that Congress act now to reduce carbon emissions. Organizers will be asking for an 80% reduction by the middle of the century in hopes of curbing the effects of global warming. The actions, led by celebrated author Bill McKibben and his team, want our government to Step it Up! -- which is what they are calling the day’s festivities.
While the organizational magnitude of McKibben’s efforts is truly astounding, one has to wonder if it all will even make a bit of difference, even in Congress takes heed. Is McKibben even calling for the right kind of measures? As McKibben writes, “Those of us who know that climate change is the greatest threat civilization now faces have science on our side; we have economists and policy specialists, courageous mayors and governors, engineers with cool new technology.”
Indeed he is right. Global Warming is happening and almost all renowned scientists are in agreement that humans have something to do with it. But I have to differ significantly with McKibben on one key point: I don’t think this “civilization” is worth saving. Especially if it continues to be industrial and militarist in nature. The United States armed forces are the single largest polluter the world has ever witnessed. And I don’t think our culture of exploitation, whether of natural resources or human bodies, is in any way “civilized”. Quite the opposite. We are a civilization of corporate and individual greed, and an 80% reduction, while a positive step forward, is hardly the answer. I wish McKibben and his cohorts had the guts to call out the 800-pound gorilla in the corner of the room that so few are willing to talk about: Capitalism.
READ THE REST:
by Joshua Frank
This weekend will see the largest gathering of environmental activists in the US since the first Earth Day held almost 37 years ago. It may even be larger. Tens upon thousands will be assembling in all 50 states, demanding that Congress act now to reduce carbon emissions. Organizers will be asking for an 80% reduction by the middle of the century in hopes of curbing the effects of global warming. The actions, led by celebrated author Bill McKibben and his team, want our government to Step it Up! -- which is what they are calling the day’s festivities.
While the organizational magnitude of McKibben’s efforts is truly astounding, one has to wonder if it all will even make a bit of difference, even in Congress takes heed. Is McKibben even calling for the right kind of measures? As McKibben writes, “Those of us who know that climate change is the greatest threat civilization now faces have science on our side; we have economists and policy specialists, courageous mayors and governors, engineers with cool new technology.”
Indeed he is right. Global Warming is happening and almost all renowned scientists are in agreement that humans have something to do with it. But I have to differ significantly with McKibben on one key point: I don’t think this “civilization” is worth saving. Especially if it continues to be industrial and militarist in nature. The United States armed forces are the single largest polluter the world has ever witnessed. And I don’t think our culture of exploitation, whether of natural resources or human bodies, is in any way “civilized”. Quite the opposite. We are a civilization of corporate and individual greed, and an 80% reduction, while a positive step forward, is hardly the answer. I wish McKibben and his cohorts had the guts to call out the 800-pound gorilla in the corner of the room that so few are willing to talk about: Capitalism.
READ THE REST:
For more information:
http://brickburner.blogs.com/my_weblog/200...
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$135.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network