|
3.30.07
.jpg) The
Environmental Movement Steps Up
On April 14, people across the country will take part in Step
It Up 2007, a day when people at more than 1,000 events
—
including more than 240 events in New England —
will call for meaningful action on climate change. We talked with Step It Up’s
National Organizer Robbie Adler about what he hopes the event will
accomplish and what climate change means for New England recreation. For more
information on Step It Up 2007, check out the event’s website at
www.stepitup2007.org.
When and
how did you come up with the idea for Step It Up?
Step It Up 2007 was launched in November 2006 at Middlebury
College, where Bill McKibben is a scholar in resident and
national organizers Jamie Henn, Jon Warnow, Phil Aroneanu, Will
Bates, May Boeve, and Jeremy Osborn were matriculating at the
time. Over a conversation at Middlebury's Proctor Dining Hall,
the seven of them hatched the basic framework for a national day
of action. The meat and bones of the organization and its goals
was subsequently developed over the preceding months with the
official launch of the campaign on January 15th.
What do you hope to accomplish with it?
The goal of Step It Up is quite clear. We want to see the
federal government produce meaningful legislation on climate
change. We define meaningful as at least an 80 percent cut in
carbon by 2050. We are calling for 80 percent cuts because the
emerging consensus in the scientific community is that we will
need global reductions of this magnitude in order to stave off
the worst of effects of climate change. As the leader of the
free world and largest emitter of green house gases, we believe
the U.S. must take the lead on this issue. Before we can call
upon developing countries such as India or China to take action,
the U.S. must prove its commitment to confronting this
challenge.
What is different about this from environmental
demonstrations in the past?
The most unique aspect to Step It Up is the fact that actions
will be based within people’s own communities. Instead of us all
converging on Washington, we are calling on folks across the
country to gather at iconic places within their communities and
with one voice proclaim “Step It Up Congress: Cut Carbon 80
percent by 2050.” We believe that this message will resonate
with congressional representatives, as these actions are coming
directly from their own constituencies. In addition, we believe
our organizing format with its focus on the power of place and
the freedom and efficiency of the internet is aiding in the
development of a 21st century model for civic engagement.
It seems the environmental movement is finally getting
political legs; being "green" is kind of the in-thing right now.
Why did it take so damn long? And can this momentum
realistically be sustained? What will keep this from being a
political fad that fades in a few years?
Green is indeed the hot thing right now, but we believe with
good reason. After the initial momentum of the first Earth Day,
much was lost in the 80s and early 90s. The reasons for this are
many. First, the scientific consensus that climate change is
happening and is human-induced was slow to emerge. Second, once
this consensus was reached, it was overwhelmed by a large and
powerful group of naysayers with big money and political muscle.
Third, the environmental movement lacked focus and organization
that placed climate change at the forefront of the movement. But
perhaps the largest single anchor on bringing “green” to the
mainstream is general human inertia to change, whether it be to
one's own lifestyle or political policy. Climate change has
exploded onto the national radar over the last year for a
variety of reasons, including the tragedy of Katrina, the
education of An Inconvenient Truth, and the efforts of
activists in the climate movement. We believe that the momentum
behind a sustainability agenda is only just emerging. Simple
facts on the ground are going to continue to motivate people and
politicians to push for meaningful change. Furthermore, the
benefits of a more sustainable existence, such as a clean energy
portfolio and closer knit communities, will emerge, spurring
along both the movement and political legislation. Will a Step
It Up campaign be needed every year? No, but is their real
momentum behind a sustainable agenda? The answer is
“absolutely.”
On the Step It Up homepage, you mention people hiking, biking
and kayaking. Can you talk about what specific threats climate
change poses to outdoor recreation, especially in New England?
What will it mean for those of us who love the outdoors?
New England has already seen a mild form of climate change over
the last 50 years with average temperatures rising by over 1
degree across the region. This and subsequent increases in
temperature will have significant effects on recreation. The two
areas it will most notably impact are the ski industry and Fall
foliage. As temperatures rise, winter thaws will become more
common, lowering our snow base, shortening our winters, all of
which equates to fewer face shots and powder days. Our beautiful
Falls with the vibrant reds of maples are going to be dampened,
as Maples shift north due to a higher prevalence of disease and
greater competition from southern tree species. Will all
recreationalists suffer? Probably not. Kayakers might see
greater precipitation and bikers might have longer seasons. But
for all of us who love New England’s four true seasons, the
colors of Fall, and the weightlessness of snow, climate change
will have real and lasting impacts on our recreational passions.
What happens after April 14? How will you keep up this
momentum, and will Step It Up continue in some way?
Following the 14th we will engage with various partners in an
intensive lobbying week on Capital Hill, pressuring
congressional representatives to respond to their constituency
and support legislation that calls for at least an 80 percent
cut in carbon by 2050. Step It Up is only the beginning of a
huge year for climate change activism. Check out our website
www.stepitup2007.org or www.climateusa.org/leapfrog.html to
learn more about what is planned on the climate change front.
After our week of lobbying, the fate of Step It Up is unsure,
but we are optimistic about the momentum we have helped to spur
and the prospect for aiding meaningful projects in the future.
To find a Step It Up event near you,
check out www.stepitup2007.org.
|
