Yesterday, I went to drop something off at my professors house as scheduled. I rang the bell and she didn't answer. I rang again. Nothing. So I called. She answered and said she was just getting out of the shower. I said I'd wait. 20 seconds later she was opening the door, still wet, and in her towel. She asked me to come in. It was awkward. I gave her the package I was delivering and left. 2 hours later we were both in class, fully dressed.
I carried 2 large pieces of cardboard across DC this morning. From Union Station to Tenleytown. People gave me dirty looks and stared like I was carrying an atrocity. Really people, it's just cardboard.
Now the real reason for my post...last weekend was full of powerful events! I attended parts of the Powershift 2009 conference. 12,000 young people from around the area came to DC to attend panel discussions, workshops, and to rally for climate legislation. It was inspiring to see so many young people fired up about making change in the world. Katie and I volunteered so that we could attend for free and got to meet Bill McKibben. We were both impressed by his tallness. We are pretty sure that tall people will be taking over the world soon.
Monday, despite the snow and freezing weather, we ventured out to partake in the first major protest against global warming and against the capitol hill coal plant. We rallied at liberty park and then marched around the coal plant and back. If you are interested, check out the website here.
Yes, I do find it ironic to be protesting global warming in the snow... But I think it also makes an important point about the reality of climate change. The effects of GHGs, such as those coming from coal, are not going to scream out drastic differences in weather patterns that are permanently and immediately visible. It will still snow and be cold on a normal, winter basis. The effects come in climate extremes, shifting the natural cycles of the planets heating and cooling systems and causing extreme weather patterns to result in phenomenons such as increased hurricane patterns and severe glacier melting. This does not mean snow won't fall in your backyard. It does mean that the effects of warming are harder to visualize, and therefore, for many, harder to believe.
Back to the protest...
I decided that it would be a good idea to pick up the largest sign I could find.
Turns out that this wasn't such a good idea. The wind was blowing and the sign was heavier than it looks...or I am just a wimp. After about an hour I pawned it off on some unexpecting guy. Being that this was my first protest, I found the activity to be rather entertaining. If nothing else, then for people watching. It is exciting to see people much more dedicated to the cause then I likely will ever be. In remembrance of my sorority days, I did find myself enjoying the catchy chants such as..."hey hey, ho, ho. This dirty coal has got to go!" and "Tell me what democracy looks like, (echo) this is what democracy looks like!"
More protest pictures here.
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