Happy Earth Day! Happy New Year!

One year ago, I was at the Earth Day Rally/Concert on the National Mall. This Earth Day, I've attended UC Berkeley Earthweek events and went to San Francisco's Earth Day Festival today at Civic Center Plaza.

Now, a lot of people criticize Earth Day. It's just one day- why don't we push to make every day "Earth Day"? And isn't it a little bit ironic that a lot of Earth Day festivals are associated with a lot of energy, resources, and waste that wouldn't be there if the festivals just didn't happen?

Climate Summer

In the midst of a frenzy in Congress that threatened a narrowly avoided government shutdown, I can't help but pause and think about where I fit into this big mess. Our government is failing to get things passed because of huge ideological disagreements. Issues like health care, planned parenthood, and yes, the power of the EPA are at stake.

In short, things are getting HOT. Things are heating up in Washington, and of course, the temperatures are heating up around the globe. It almost feels like we're getting toward the peak of something. I hope we are. I hope solutions will become visible as soon as we reach that tip of the mountain, and suddenly the other side is there. 


But how are we going to push over the edge? 


In terms of climate change, at least, I think this summer needs to be big. Climate Summer. I intentionally want to reference Freedom Summer ('64). This is a civil rights movement. Our rights, and the rights of people around the world, are at stake. Crazy and stubborn old men in Washington are deciding, or failing to decide, our future. The only thing I have faith in anymore is the grassroots. Daydreaming in bed the other night, I envisioned Climate Summer. Activists traveling the country on public transit- train, greyhounds, buses, subways... stopping in cities... marching... lobbying state governments... grabbing people as we go. It's about time this movement really heated up. Bill McKibben knows this. PowerShifters know this. Alec Loorz knows this. So let's get there. Let's get drastic. Let's heat this up. Let's reach the top of the mountain, and let's make the final push, over the edge.