FIRST PERSON REPORT - Over 150 cities around the nation gathered Sunday for the ForwardonClimate Rally protesting construction of the Keystone XL pipe Line. Here in Los Angeles, a consensus estimated 1,500 activists marched from Main Street onto the steps of City Hall voicing their contempt for the proposed pipeline.
The keystone pipeline is designed to transport crude oil from the tar sands region of Alberta to US refineries in Texas. Concern over oil leaks, which are a frequent occurrence in pipeline construction coupled with the especially toxic nature of Alberta’s crude oil, has prompted community leaders around the country to speak out on its construction and issues regarding a sustainable future.
Sunday’s climate rally was hosted by actor and environmentalist Ed Begley. The steps of LA’s City Hall enjoyed an invigorating afternoon filled with speeches, song and dance. Lowering carbon emissions within the city was discussed at length by a number of speakers.
Council Member Jose Huizar spoke of cities need for an environmentally efficient transportation system, “We need to Reign in the vision of a transportation system that values cars over bikes and pedestrians.” Huizar later cited creating new parks as a means of teaching generations to come the importance of environmental awareness.
Students, scientists, and political leaders provided practical understanding to the reality of global warming and tools to counterbalance the effects of a warming planet. Simple solutions to decrease carbon outputs, such as tweaking agriculture techniques, were one of many hopeful ideas displayed during the event.
Senator Henry Waxman spoke to the movement on a national note, calling for President Obama to take executive action in reducing carbon emissions. On February 12th, President Obama’s issued his State of the Union address, in which he devoted an unprecedented 4:38 minutes in his address to a call for a “New era of responsibility” in environmental sustainability.
Never before have environmental movements like #Sustainability garnered as much public participation as they did today. Members of these protests are calling for the president to fulfill his promise “to respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.”
Another Forwardonclimate rally was held in Washington DC earlier Sunday. More than 35,000 came together from all over the country, producing one of the largest environmental protests in American history.
Organizations such as the Sierra Club in coordination with other grass roots movements like Los Angeles’s Silent Sentinel and Wilderutopia played key roles in organizing the Forwardonclimate rally.
From toddlers to civil rights leaders, a multicultural melting pot stewed in front of Los Angeles’ City Hall Sunday afternoon. Members of this diverse community appeared in agreement that the Keystone XL Pipe Line would devastate efforts to reduce the world carbon emissions in time to stop an irreversible increase in global temperature.
Scientists reminded that tar from the Key Stone Pipeline contains 3.5 times more carbon dioxide that Saudi oil. They estimate the world has already used up one fourth of its carbon allowance for the next forty years.
Adding another noxious polluter to an already fragile atmosphere, they said, could tip the scale of global warming out of control.
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(Eric Smith is a student of environment issues and politics and is a contributor to CityWatch.)
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CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 15
Pub: Feb 15, 2013