Climate Ark and Ecological Internet are pleased to once again support "Step It Up" climate protests, a national event on November 3, 2007 to call for U.S. leadership on global warming. There are a few things we particularly like about these events. Firstly, the message is just right for American society -- emphasizing (1) no new coal plants, (2) 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, and (3) 5 million new green jobs. Secondly, Step It Up is about action, not endless discussion. Last April we joined many thousands creatively protesting U.S. climate obstructionism. And lastly, Step It Up is so good at being inclusive -- they are a positive unifying force for climate action based upon good science and collaboration. We urge you to participate. See http://www.stepitup2007.org/ and the press release below for more information. Indeed it is time to step it up and take climate action to the streets.
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Step It Up
For Immediate Release
September 17, 2007
Global Warming Rallies Across America To Demand Political Leadership
Step It Up Organizing Second Historic Event November 3 To Support Plan to Curb Global Warming
Manchester, NH - Step It Up today announced it will organize a national event on November 3, 2007 to call for leadership on global warming. The event will build on Step It Up’s April 14 rally that produced more than 1,400 events in 50 states, the largest global warming event in U.S. history.
The events across the country—held one year before the 2008 election— will show the contrast between the intense concern of ordinary Americans and the leadership vacuum in Washington. At some of the rallies, people will dip an index finger in green ink, a reminder that they plan to cast their vote next fall with global warming in mind.
“November 3 represents a new move towards political accountability,” said author and Step It Up spokesperson Bill McKibben. “So far it's been enough for politicians to say: I care. Now, one year out from a pivotal global warming election, it's time to see who's going to lead.”
The November 3 rallies will be organized using the same decentralized Web 2.0 approach by a core team of committed youth in New Hampshire and hundreds of independent organizers across the country.
“We unlocked a pressure cooker of public concern for global warming in April by simply calling for local action,” said Step It Up co-coordinator May Boeve. “The enormous participation across the country, by people from all walks of life, should be a wake-up call to politicians.”
While Step It Up rallies issue a call for action from local communities, thousands of youth will gather at the University of Maryland at College Park, calling for change at the November 2-5 Powershift 2007 conference.
Participants in rallies will call for real leadership on global warming including these key priorities: (1) no new coal plants, (2) 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, and (3) 5 million new green jobs.
“Americans are demanding real solutions that will reduce carbon emissions and stop global warming before it is too late,” said Step It Up co-coordinator Jamie Henn. “Many events will occur in historic places such as the Lincoln Memorial or on Paul Revere’s route to symbolize the need for politicians to provide leadership on global warming.”
“From melting ice caps to erratic weather, we already see the impact of global warming,” McKibben added. “But while global warming presents our most pressing challenge, it also presents our most inspiring opportunity. As the first Step It Up event showed, Americans will unite across partisan, racial, economic and religious lines to pressure leaders to solve this crisis.”
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Contact:
Michael Khoo or Kate Geller, Fenton Communications, 202-822-5200
For more information please visit the Step It Up campaign website at http://www.stepitup2007.org/