Polar Bears Step it Up

Keepin' it cool for the Polar Bears

Saturday was the day that people gathered at over 1,400 locations across all 50 states to encourage our lawmakers to Step It Up! and enact legislation to cut carbon emissions and fight global warming. Participants certainly numbered in the tens of thousands in this grassroots effort to put democracy in action and make their voices heard.

I attended the Polar Bear Action at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. The Polar Bear is Bowdoin's mascot, and is the current poster child for species threatened by global warming (in the case of the polar bears, the issue specifically relates to shrinking ice sheets). Approximately 400 students, faculty and members of the community gathered to for food and music, and appearances by Representative Tom Allen and an aide to Senator Susan Collins. Following the speeches, participants marched down Maine Street carrying signs and chanting our encouragement for the government (and the people) to fight this global crisis. Additionally, hundreds of letters addressed to the local state reps and Maine's Washington contingent were signed encouraging their action.

Rally time.

All of us need to recognize the grave danger that we are putting the human race into, and the even graver danger for many of our population centers. Our continued dependence upon carbon-based fossil fuels is certainly speeding our own demise. We need to consider not only our energy choices, but the impact of all of our consumer choices - local food versus global agriculture, local vendors vs. sprawl-inducing big boxes and the like. Please take a moment to learn more about how your choices are impacting the globe.