I knew it would be hot and humid during our 24-hour campout in front of the State Department, but the utter devastation of the DC summer always manages to surprise me. What keeps me going is thinking about the millions of real climate refugees out there who don’t have the luxury of taking a break to get a cup of coffee in an air-conditioned café. Also, we’ve been received really well here, which is invigorating!
When we set up camp 50 yards from the State Department staff entrance at seven o’clock this morning, there was the usual kafuffle with the police arriving and trying to figure out what they could kick us out for. When they found nothing (except for lowering the tops of our makeshift tents to make us look less like we’re camping), they backed off and those that stayed became very friendly and have just been spending the day with us. Even later, when an employee from inside the building called the police asking them to remove us, they came over here and told us that we were doing nothing wrong and to keep up the good work!
Most employees walking by have been very receptive though, and we ran out of our 500 flyers within the first three hours because everyone was so enthusiastically taking them. We’ve gotten lots of smiles, a few peace signs, and just generally feel pretty appreciated which really helps motivate us to keep going.
When we went inside to deliver a letter with our message, a representative from the office of Todd Stern, the US leading climate negotiator for COP 15, came down to talk with us. She said that they recognized us from our previous actions (Clinton's Big Decision on Tar Sands and Todd Stern Needs High Fives) and that they’re happy we’re here. Another lady walking by let us know that she works closely with Stern’s office and that they know we’re here, they know our message, and they appreciate our work.
Even just this much would have made it feel worth it to me, but then the press started to arrive. We staged an informational interview about climate refugees for CNN, cleanskies.tvnews, and Local Channel 9, who covered our entire action with three huge cameras on tripods. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of coverage comes out of that; I really hope this issue gets some of the recognition it deserves.
Please keep following us on twitter @actionfactorydc and watching our blog for updates, because we’ll be here all night. As one passer-by advised us, we’re sticking around and not cutting them any slack!
Secretary Clinton, be a leader! Recognize and protect climate refugees at COP15.
5 comments:
great action my friends! i'm glad that you have been received so positively and that you let me be a part of it... have a good night and greet 'em with a smile in the morning = )
This bill is going down faster than healthcare. Nice global warming conspiracy fellas, this is just like the "global cooling" that all the libs were up in arms about in the 70s, none of it is backed up by anything.
American innovation will lead to clearer skies, and we have no right to tell other companies how to industrialize.
Maybe you should stop protesting and get to work... it's a recession and people like you are keeping us in it by refusing to contribute anything meaningful to society.
Climate change/global warming is only a conspiracy if you disagree with thousands of renown scientists some of which have worked for NASA and been awarded international recognition. But I have a feeling no matter what anyone says you will believe climate change isn't real.
And as far as the meaningful contribution well that is what we are doing in front of the State Dept!
You couldn't be more wrong Heather!
More than likely, you are one of those kids that watches Al Gore movies and believes in the 9/11 conspiracy. Seriously... look up some facts. This global warming phenom is killed, 2009 has been a colder than expected year, and we have actually seen all of the glaciers rebuild up north as the path of "global warming" subsides. Sorry... but the fun is over. Eventually, the facts will start to come across more clearly and people like you will be forced to eat your own words.
Never in the history of time have we been able to predict weather patterns... why you think we have better means to do this today is beyond me.
Please continue smoking weed and reminiscing about Woodstock... we will keep profiting off of your hippie addictions.
A common misconception is that "global warming" is just about the Earth getting hotter. This is a misnomer, and we call it "climate change" because really what is happening is that climate patterns across the world are becoming more erratic and unpredictable. I don't buy it when I hear global warming deniers justify their beliefs because "2009 has been a colder than expected year," or it snowed in July in Utah this year, or whatever, because that is exactly what climate change is all about. Weather everywhere is getting weirder and more severe, and you are only proving our point by using crazy statistics about how cold it is sometimes in some places.
I also find it hard to take your criticism seriously when you don't speak to us as human beings and find it necessary to attack us with assumed, worn out stereotypes that you know are probably untrue. (And, as it happens, they are. I work in the US Department of Justice.)
Regardless of our beliefs about global warming, it is hard to argue with the fact that people are being displaced by climate disasters every day. Whether you believe this is because of humans emitting too much carbon into our atmosphere or not makes no difference. I don't imagine that your skepticism about climate change and its causes also means that you're cold-hearted and want to leave these innocent refugees homeless and hungry. I'm not willing to make derogatory judgements about you based on the less than 500-word window I have into your life.
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